Clarence felt like she’d been slapped. Her smile turned into a frown. “Have you not been trained properly?” She seethed.
Luis perked his brow at the woman who came in and had the guts to speak carelessly. He was a second away from lashing out when June stepped into the house, dragging some grocery bags along with her.
He immediately turned docile as he cried to June. “Mother! This woman has come to harass me in my home!”
June stopped in her tracks at the voice of her baby boy. The upset look on Clarence’s face hadn’t eased up. It seemed to tighten upon sighting June. With Rafael nowhere around, she didn’t need to pretend.
“Is this how you raised my sister’s child?” She asked sternly.
June smiled at the disrespect in her tone. She turned to Luis. “Oh dear, have you greeted Auntie? Come on, greet her properly.” She urged.
Luis displayed his disposition towards Clarence but greeted her nonetheless. “Hello.”
Clarence wasn’t satisfied, but she nodded in response. When she took over this home, she would teach him proper manners. For now, she had a job to do. She turned to June.
“I heard you were the housekeeper. I need to get into Rafael’s office.” She said in a no-nonsense tone.
June could tell the intent to hurt in Clarence’s tone. She wondered the reason for her sudden visit and tried her best to be calm and level-headed.
“The housekeeper is on-”
“I don’t have much time! Please lead me to his office. I must get some things that belonged to my sister.” Clarence hitched. “I don’t know if you know but my sister was the love of his life. He was so into her that he asked to be buried right beside her when he leaves this world.”
June couldn’t understand the reason for the unsolicited story.
“If my sister were here, she’d ensure her child didn’t go to waste. She’d train him to be the respectful child.” Clarence said, casting a glance at Luis who returned to his game. “Look at him, he has no regard for elders, he is-”
“Enough,” June said, having had it. “Luis is just a young child. Don’t you think you are coming off too harshly?”
Clarence tutted at her protectiveness. “One would think he was your child.” Her eyes widened and she spoke in fake surprise. “Oops! I heard you are incapable of having children. I bet you are so happy he calls you mother.”
June flinched at her words, her jaws tightened as she came closer. “Do you have a problem with me?” She asked, staring her dead in the eyes.
“Of course I do. I hate leeches, bitches and women who can’t understand their place.” Clarence accentuated every word. “I will only say this once, leave Rafael alone. You don’t deserve him. You are damaged goods.”
“Besides, he belonged to my sister. He had a child with her. It’s only normal that I take over from where my sister left off. You shouldn’t be here. Mother doesn’t even like you.”
“You should do yourself a favour and leave Rafael alone. He deserves someone better. Me. So get lost and stop confusing his heart.”
June was tempted to laugh in her face. Another bloody hater. It seemed like she just couldn’t catch a break. “You do realise he is my husband, right?”
Clarence’s eyes blazed at her words, “Not for long.” She muttered. “You’ll be a fool to think this thing you have going on would last.”
June smiled, refusing to give her the time of the day. “The housekeeper will be here soon. Try to keep those crazy thoughts locked up in your head. I’d hate for anyone to see you for the deranged person you are.” June headed towards the kitchen, then stopped in her tracks.
“One more thing,” She turned around, then said. “I am his wife right now. Not you. It will do you good to remember that.”
June disappeared into the kitchen before Clarence could cook up a note-worthy response. On her way back from work, she had stopped at an open market to get some things. She planned to cook one of her mother’s favourite meals, hoping it could jerk her memory.
Nevertheless, she learned to keep her expectations mild. The last time she tried something like this, she was met with a disappointment so cruel she cried herself to sleep for some days.
Clarence stomped up the stairs with the housekeeper trailing behind. She hated the bitter taste of losing out in the word battle and planned to have the last laugh.
The housekeeper opened Rafael’s office and tried to walk inside but Clarence stopped her, “I’ll take it up from here.” She made the housekeeper retreat with a stern voice.
While June prepared her mother’s favourite meal, Clarence snooped around Rafael’s office, going through some work files and documents placed on the table, pending his approval.
“My husband is such a hard-working man!” She thought, thoroughly amazed by the amount of work he did daily. Little wonder he was the richest man in South City.
Richer than the president!
The thought of becoming his bride was a dream she couldn’t let go of. Not when she had the backing of his mother. It was the perfect time to take her rightful position but that woman was blocking her path.
Clarence plopped on his seat, looking through Rafael’s drawers. Something caught her eye. In the last drawer, was a single document. She pulled it out and the title took breath out of her lungs.
For some seconds, Clarence re-read the title, pinching herself to be sure she wasn’t dreaming. It was a marriage agreement! Her hands shook as she skimmed through the pages in unbelief.
“That w-woman!” She thought furiously as she pulled out her phone and took snapshots of the agreement. “They were fraudsters!”
Just then, Clarence heard footsteps in the hallways, got up from the chair and headed out of the office Just in time to meet Mrs Evelyn who supported herself with a walking stick as she headed downstairs.
“You!” She called when Evelyn continued on her tracks. “Who are you and what are you doing here?” Clarence gauged her as one of the servants. “Did you lose your way?”
Mrs Evelyn turned around with a curious look. “Do you know me?” She asked in confusion.
These days, she felt like her brain was trying to pour out some information to her but she couldn’t access it no matter how hard she tried. As a result, she constantly had a headache and was in a poor mood half the time.
Her art didn’t even help her situation these days. It felt like she’d forgotten something crucial which frustrated her. She looked forward to sharing a meal with June, a daughter she couldn’t remember.
“What are you doing here? Have you come to steal something?” Clarence caught her by the hand. “Tell me, who are you and why are you roaming these halls?!”
“Let her go.” June’s voice resonated from the end of the hall. She wasn’t smiling.
Clarence tightened her hold on Evelyn’s arm. “Why? I caught a thief snooping through the halls. It’s only right I verify her identity.” She smirked. “Something you should be doing but it seems you are too busy-”
“Do not push me, Clarence! I said let her go!” June growled, at the brink of anger.
Clarence didn’t care. She wondered just how far June would go if she were pushed. The woman in her hand seemed perfect to test the situation.
When she refused to let her go, June headed towards them with her eyes on Clarence’s arm around her mother. On getting there, she pulled her mother out of her hold and stood in front of her.
Before Clarence could speak, the harsh sound of June’s palm connecting with her face filled the air. “That is for disrespecting my mother.”
Clarence’s eyes widened at the assault, “How dare you-”
Slap! Another hit from June who mercilessly gave her a backhand.
“The next time you try something this stupid. I will not hold back.” She said, then turned to her mother. “Let’s go.”
Evelyn was stunned by the amount of violence played before her. She felt her head blowing up and when she saw Clarence advance towards June, she stepped in the way and ended up getting hit in the face.
Mrs Evelyn lost her stick and fell to the ground, shocking June who yelled in shock. “Mother!”
June knelt beside her mother whose face was shielded by her hair, while Clarence suddenly felt the atmosphere drop. A cold feeling engulfed her and she watched June grow angrier than ever.
Unknown to them, Rafael was home and he stepped into the hallway right in time to see his mother-in-law get slapped by Clarence. His anger grew to an all-time high when he saw June on the floor, holding onto her mother and shaking.
Clarence knew her life was over when she looked up and met the stormy eyes of Rafael who held a phone up his mouth as he ordered security. “You have one minute to take this trash out of my property.”