The Heirs

I'm not the one

Claire's POV
"Shit,shit shit", I said pacing to and fro in my room since I couldn't sleep after the wonderful conversation I had with Adrian's mom, Kate.
     Anybody note the sarcasm there because I don't know if I would be allowed to stay here any longer and I definitely don't want Adrian finding out the truth about me, he's my bank you know.
     You know despite lying to Adrian that I love him I don't feel guilty , he's rich and he has everything he could ever dream of so taking little amount of money from him is never going to hurt him and besides I'm doing him a favor by putting his money to good use.
    "What are you doing in my room", Richard said as he closed the door since he just entered.
     "Where were you ", I asked turning to look at him.
      "You can't answer a question with another what if someone had seen you", said Richard as he looked at me.
    "You have a beautiful room by the way", I said ignoring him as my eyes caught one of the picture frames on his desk,he looked happy.
      "I'm sure you are not here for sightseeing,so tell me why in the world would you come to my room late in the night", said Richard running his hands in his messy hair leaving it messier.
       "Your mom knows about me my real identity", I said in a rush since I was already counting every second to dawn doubting if I would still be here.
        His silence terrified me as I watched him hoping I could read his facial expression but this man was emotionless .
       "That's your problem", said Richard as he walked away into the bathroom leaving me standing in his room speechless and totally confused.
      Oh what should I do
    What was I even thinking coming to see him and here I was feeling so helpless as I heard the running of water in the bathroom.
    Oh dare he leave me to go bath,how cruel I wonder what Cinthia sees in him to be so dazzled by him , he's so stony - heartless and cruel
          "Please don't tell me you are still here ", said Richard bringing me out of my reverie as he came out of the bathroom wearing his pyjamas.
    "I really need your help ,you know I'm the only one who can change Adrian's mind ", I said.
      "Like you have been doing a good job of that ,how's that working out for you by the way ",asked Richard as he chuckled softly before laying on the bed.
      "Splendid", I said in between my teeth as I threw away his blanket forcing him to look at me.
      "What do you want woman", Richard said after cussing angrily.
      "I don't know, just help me ,do something to keep your mom's mind from me,distract her ", I said thinking hard as I watched him smirk
       "You are really thinking so hard Claire just tell my mum you did it to help your family and if you hadn't lied about your identity you wouldn't have met Adrian and that you love him,tell her you didn't do it to hurt anyone ", said Richard in one breath .
       He doesn't even know anything about me yet he's able to give me the very reason I'm doing all this
"That sounds ...",
  "Believable yes I know my mom is soft hearted so she will easily forgive you ,she's just a little protective of her children especially after my dad", said Richard silently as he sat up .
      Did Richard just open up to me ,am I dreaming
     "Tell me about your dad ", I said finding myself on the sofa next to the bed
     "This conversation is over Claire now get out", said Richard finding ways to get rid of the topic as he glared at me.
      Wow he's really bipolar
     "My dad died when I was just eight ,it was a nice Sunday evening where we would all come together as a family to have supper and dad went out driving to pick up something at the groceries for us to cook but he never came back", I sniffled as my eyes got wet remembering the whole incident again "I don't really remember anything except the sight of watching my happy family crumble after he died and I still miss him very much",I said as the stupid tears kept rolling down my face and suddenly I was engulfed in a warm hug.
       "It's okay,you know you didn't have to tell me about your dad", said Richard as he looked into my wet eyes.
        "I guess I just wanted to let it out today", I said as I used the back of my hand to wipe my tears after I moved away from him.
       I hate being emotional,if I want to accomplish all the things I want I must be heartless without any feelings especially this strange feeling I felt when Richard held me in his arms.
     He looked a bit surprised by my reaction but he was very quick to hide it
         "I should get going", I said as I quickly turned to leave his room.
      I swear I heard him say good night and you know that crazy feeling teenage girls get,those stupid and lack of origin butterflies in the stomach  I felt it and I destroyed every bit of it as I immediately reminded myself of why I had to do this.
       Finally the sleep came as I snuggled myself in my warm blanket as I forgot about the world and it's never-ending problems leaving just me and my handsome bed where I felt comfort in.
      Adrian's POV
     The bright light shining on my face woke me up from sleep and I was so ready to kill the monster that opened the  curtain of my room waking me up.
      "Wakey,Wakey Adrian", said my evil sister with a wide grin on her face which I wanted so much to wipe off as I glared at her.
      "You just had to be evil, Adrianna ", I mumbled as I slowly covered myself with the blanket hoping to sleep again.
      "Oh no you have to wake up now Adrian, it's past 11 am almost noon,how could you sleep so much", said Adrianna pulling the blanket away from me.
        "Leave me alone, Adrianna,I need to sleep",I said calmly then I felt a heavy rock landing suddenly on my head leaving me to grab my head
     Oh no it's the stupid hangover
    "I knew you would need this after you wake up ", said Adrianna passing me a glass of water and a pain reliever
    "Thanks", I muttered as I took it
     "Adrian I understand why you have been drinking and I can't imagine how upset you are especially with all that's been going on lately and dad is not making it easy either and I know my opinion doesn't really matter to anyone in this family but I would like you to know that I can't watch my dad dying especially when you can do something to prevent it, Adrian I know you love Claire and marrying Cinthia is ruining your relationship with Claire but for dad's health can you just do as he says, I'm sorry I know I'm being selfish but I don't want to lose my dad",said Adrianna with tears in her eyes before running out of my room.
        "Aarh ", I screamed as I threw the glass cup against the wall angrily as I remembered seeing Claire walk out of Richard's room last night and I can't stop wondering why she would be with him and the more it confused I get since I saw her come to the party with him yesterday.
      And I stop thinking about it and the things Philip told me about Richard also got me restless as I suddenly don't know what to do.
      I can't even stop my own wedding.
   "What would you do if I told you that someone in your family called the press to the hospital when your dad was being operated",asked Philip suddenly as we were talking on the phone.
       "Don't start with that , Philip no one in my family would be so foolish to do that knowing how it could affect the company", I replied with no hesitation.
      Then I heard him chuckled softly
  "You really think your family is so perfect don't you , Adrian when are you going to start believing me when I tell you that someone in your family is in the wrong", said Philip and from his tone he was angry.
     "I just can't believe it Philip,I just can't bring myself to believe it I'm sorry Philip",I said silently.
      "What if I provide you with evidence", said Philip
        "I don't want to see any evidence,I don't want to drift my family apart by something that might not be true", I said as I ran my hands in my hair.
       "And what if the evidence is true", asked Philip.
        "I don't know what to do, Philip ,I wouldn't know what to do if it's true", I replied honestly as I sat down on the couch in my room .
       "Check your mails", Philip said then he hung up before I could say anything.
        Do I want to ,what if it's something that could destroy my family, what should I do
        Throughout the day ,my mind keeps going back to the mail Philip sent and oh yes curiosity truly kills the cat as I found myself seated in front of my laptop looking through my mails.
       It was a video of the one person I trusted the most ,my brother and best friend and here in this video he was calling the press to come visit his dear father in the hospital.
       What is going on , Richard.

Philip's POV
    Let me just say I was extremely surprised when I saw Richard standing in a corner in the hospital telling the press about his father's health condition so I didn't know how I managed to get it on camera wondering why he would do that.
      From there my suspicion grew and I monitored him hoping to find out the reasons behind him doing that.
        Oh yeah you must be wondering who I am, I'm Adrian's best friend since we met as football rivals from two different schools. It's a weird relationship though since most of the times we were competing each other on the field , okay enough with the story now that I have found out Richard is up to no good I decide to tell my friend who wouldn't even give me a chance to show him the evidence after all I can't just accuse his family member of such a hideous thing.
         I hope I will get to the bottom of this before things goes wrong.
     Cinthia's POV
  "Good morning ", said Adrianna sitting on my bed while I came out of the bathroom.
     "Good morning, Adrianna", I said smiling as I cleaned my wet hair.
    "I'm glad I could see you", said Adrianna as she dragged me to sit on the bed.
      "What's wrong", I asked.
    "Will you marry Adrian",she said out of the blue as she looked at me.
     "It's not like I have a choice not to", I said a bit upset
     "I'm sorry you were put in such a complicated situation, I'm sorry Cinthia", she  said as she held my hand giving it a squeeze.
       "It's not your fault so you don't have to apologise for anything", I said trying hard not to get upset especially not when Adrianna is at the receiving end ,she has been nothing but a sweetheart since we have met.
     "I know you are upset but can you go ahead with this marriage for my dad's sake,I can't bear to lose him",she said as her eyes got wet.
      "I understand you", I said gently as I held her hand.
    "No it's more than this,I have never seen my dad this weak before ,it all began that  night six years ago when we were informed of Adrian being in an accident,the news was so terrifying that Dad had an heart attack after learning that Adrian was dead , everyone was scared but mum she couldn't believe it and that was when the doctors told us he was in a coma ,we were relieved but the damage was done, Adrian woke up two years after the coma and he kept asking for Ava ,no one could get through to him except Richard",she sniffled as she cried the she continued while I was left speechless"after some months Adrian was back to his former self but he would always blame himself for the accident then he ran away from home and that was when dad was diagnosed of brain cancer and it only got worse due to everything that happened and today he's going to die soon but I don't want my dad to die as a sad man, Cinthia I beg you in the name of God can you please fulfill one of my father's dying wish , please I know I'm selfish but I don't know what else to do ,the doctor said we need to keep him out of stress and we have to do whatever he wants to keep him happy and if you marrying Adrian will keep my dad happy,call me selfish because I know I am right now, Cinthia will you please do this for him please marry Adrian", said Adrianna crying as she begged me.
         Here I was with my heart saying no but the world keeps giving me reasons to say yes,I will marry Adrian. I didn't know what else to do as I engulfed Adrianna in a warm hug.
        If what she said is accurate then I know why Richard was in therapy four years ago,he was guilty of everything and now I must find out why he's still doing this ,there must be a reason .
     Learning of this gave my love for Richard a second chance maybe I should tell him at least I won't regret it if I end up with Adrian .