Chap 43
Part 43.
Joe felt annoyed. He didn’t know what was really going on. Was Gaston really interested in Clara or was his friend just teasing him? Honestly, Joe felt very emotional and provoked. How could that man make him so irritated?
The clock showed 7:10 PM WIB. In Bali, it was still late afternoon. Gaston would soon take Clara back to the hotel. Hufft. The image of Clara, her smile, her strawberry lips. The man clenched his fists tightly.
“Gaston damn!” he muttered.
He grabbed his phone and searched for Antoni’s number.
The call connected.
“Hello, good evening, Sir…” the man’s greeting stopped.
“Cancel all my appointments for tomorrow!” Joe shouted.
“But… Sir, we have to…,” Antoni’s speech stopped again.
“Book a ticket to Bali for tonight!” Joe ordered.
“But Sir!” protested the voice on the other end.
“Inform me immediately!” Click. Joe ended the call.
Joe tried to call Gaston, but there was no answer at all. So, he decided to call Clara.
“Hello,” Clara greeted from the other end.
“Where are you, Clara, I will pick you up soon! I’ve talked to Mom and Dad. You can come back home!” Joe explained.
“I’m on my way home. I’m on vacation and staying at Dr. Gaston’s parents’ house, Uncle!” Clara replied.
“Alright, I’ll be there right away!” he insisted.
“Why should I be at Uncle Joe’s house? Moreover, Uncle Joe will reconcile with Aunt Vivian, not only that, Mrs. Linn and Mr. Bond never liked me! There’s nothing to keep me there except my love, Uncle!” Clara expressed what she felt.
“I won’t reconcile with Vivian, and I’ve talked to Mom, wait for me!” Joe insisted.
Silence.
“Just wait for me!” he urged. “And one more thing, don’t get too close to Gaston! I don’t like it! You are still my future wife, Clara!” he added with an angry tone.
Joe ended the call.
==❤==
“Who is it?” Gaston asked.
They were sitting in the family dining room. Bu Airin seemed to be preparing dinner with the help of her maid. She didn’t allow Clara to cook.
“Uncle Joe, he wants to pick me up, doctor!” Clara replied.
“Tell him we’ll go home tomorrow! I’ll take you to his house, Clara, umm no need… You wait here, let me call him myself,” Dr. Gaston said as he got up from his seat.
Gaston contacted Joe and was immediately answered by the man on the other end of the phone.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only
“Wait for me, I’ll pick up Clara right away!” Joe said.
“Hahha, you never change, always roaring here and there when your possession is touched, calm down I won’t take Clara from you, I’m just taking her on vacation!” Gaston said. “Our friendship won’t be ruined by a woman! I was just kidding, Joe!” he added while laughing.
“This is not the time to joke, beware if you dare touch Clara!” Joe threatened.
“No, I won’t touch her, but maybe tonight I’ll spend the night with her!” Gaston replied.
“What do you mean! I’ll kill you!” The man on the other end of the phone became even angrier.
“No, I’m just kidding!” Gaston insisted.
“You’re joking again?! Oh my God, stop it Gaston, you really make me very angry! Beware, don’t touch a single hair of Clara!” Joe’s voice sounded even louder.
“No, I dare not! I don’t want to lose our friendship!”
“Well, just make sure you’re not late tomorrow!”
“Yes, I’ll make sure not to be late, Sir Joe Sebastian!” he joked.
Click.
Joe felt annoyed once again.
Gaston moved to the dining room. Clara and her parents were already there.
“Hurry up! We’ve been waiting!” Bu Airin said.
“Okay!” Gaston walked over and sat next to Clara.
They had dinner together with dishes made by Bu Airin.
After dinner, Gaston chatted with his father, while Clara helped Bu Airin tidy up the dining table.
“Clara,” Bu Airin called. She was really curious about the girl, because Clara was the only girl introduced by Gaston after the bad incident in his past.
“Yes, Auntie,” Clara replied, moving closer. She washed the dishes while Bu Airin arranged the silverware.
“I really hope that Gaston will get married soon, I hope your relationship succeeds!” Bu Airin expressed. Her lips widened, forming a smile.
Clara just returned the middle-aged woman’s smile. Getting married? If it wasn’t Joe who asked her to marry him, the thought wouldn’t even cross Clara’s mind for now.
“Gaston is a good man, he is diligent and a competent doctor, many are drawn to him, and if you are his choice, I as his mother would be very happy, Clara!” Bu Airin said.
“Thank you, Auntie, thank you for dinner and your kindness, I take my leave now, I need to rest because I have to return to Jakarta tomorrow!” Clara requested. She had finished washing the dishes.
“Yes, thank you too, Clara!” Bu Airin hugged Clara briefly before letting her go. The middle-aged woman moved to the living room, where her son and husband were chatting.
“She’s a poor girl, she’s beautiful, polite, and mama sees she’s very kind!” Bu Airin opened the conversation. She took a seat beside her son.
“Clara is indeed kind, Ma, she’s also very beautiful!” Gaston chimed in.
“Hasn’t Joe ever tried to find Clara’s family?” Bu Airin inquired.
“Before, Joe tried to find Clara’s family, but he hit a dead end, maybe Joe is still trying to find her family, Ma!” Gaston explained, gazing at his mother’s face for a long moment.
“Mama…” Bu Airin stopped herself.
“What is it, Ma?” Gaston asked.
“Are you still not interested in getting married, Gaston? Mama really wants to hold a grandchild, Joe is already close to another model, and you still don’t want to get married!” Bu Airin protested.
“Patience, Ma, I’m only 35 years old!” Gaston defended himself.
“Rest now, tomorrow you’ll be going back to Jakarta, thank you for bringing Clara here, hopefully, this will be a good start for both of you!” the middle-aged woman said.
==❤==
The next morning.
Joe decided to go to work after picking up Clara.
His plan was to explain everything to Clara this morning. The issue with the girl needed to be resolved quickly.
After showering, Joe opened his phone. There was a message from Antoni.
[Tuan, it seems Detective Joe has received information about Clara’s family.]
Joe read the message and wanted to call Antoni. However, he changed his mind when he heard a knock on the door.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“Sir!” Cici’s voice was heard from behind the door.
Joe opened the door.
“There’s a visitor downstairs, he wants to meet with you!” Cici said.
“Who?” Joe asked.
“Your colleague, Sir!” the waitress replied.
Joe furrowed his brows. He never asked his colleagues to come to his house.
The man walked down the stairs, feeling a sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.