Chapter 119
119 A Bunch Of Lowlives
“What took you so long? I’ve been practically waiting here for hours!” Clara whirled upon Marcel as soon as he made it into the street. Her face was flush and she was boiling with anger.
Her heels were beginning to hurt her for going around in it and standing for a long time. Clara would have gone back to the car if she could, however, it was packed quite far from here due to the unpleasant nature of the road.
The roads here are crumbling because they are poorly maintained and in a state of disrepair. Thanks to that, the potholes are numerous, leading drivers to swerve around them, putting themselves and those in other vehicles at risk. No, some of the section
have deteriorated so badly they are impassable
Gosh, people that live here must be animals! A normal person wouldn’t be able to endure this level of hardship, claimed Clara, the princess.
Note the sarcasm.
However, that was not even why Clara was angry in the first place. While Marcel had been away, she was left all alone outside and was treated to the scrutinizing eyes of the strangers in this slum.
Clara finally was able to sense that she had overdressed for this kind of place because anyone that saw her turned to look at her even for the fourth time, admiration plus envy on their faces. They knew she was rich.
At first, Clara had wallowed in the attention, standing with her spine straight and her head lifted to show her dominance but the onlookers perceived that as arrogance, and the bold ones in the street – aka jobless women in her view – started to talk about her with their friends while passing by.
.....
Yet that didn’t move Clara, they were all jealous of her and she didn’t give a damn. It was not her fault that they were born poor. They should have asked God to send them to a better family while in the womb.
But Clara’s pomposity reduced drastically when a group of young men passed her by. Their leering stares made her skin crawl and she suddenly wished she had come with pepper spray to teach them a lesson. But she didn’t – because Marcel was expected to protect her. Unfortunately, Marcel was nowhere to be found. That asshole!
“Damn, she’s hot,” One of them whistled and looked her over in such a way that made her want to shield her body even though her clothes were intact.
Because they were standing in front of her in the narrow street, others in the neighborhood were interested in the drama instead of helping her out. She even saw one person pull out her phone to video her as if they were expecting some kind of drama to happen. What kind of place was this?
There was no doubt that the video would go viral if such a thing were to happen and she needed to protect her reputation. She couldn’t allow any drama of any sort.
So Clara said to the one who made the pass at her, “How much would it take for you to mind your business and pretend you never saw me?”
“Ooh,” another jeered from behind, “Bitch must have some spine,”
Clara wondered what was funny because they all burst into a chorus of laughter. And that laughter was meant to mock her but Clara had a thick skin and would not let a bunch of lowlives have the best of her.
The one in front said with amusement, “You must have enough money, miss?” Amusement twinkling in his gaze.
“Yeah,” Clara admitted with a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, “Yes, I have more than enough that you have probably never touched in your life,”
“What?” The young man felt insulted by the comment.
As if that was not enough, Clara opened her purse and began to pull a bunch of neat high currency notes, and when she felt it was enough – considering their status – she stepped forward and put the money in the guy’s hand.
“You should have a meal with it at a five-star restaurant, after all, who knows if you would get this opportunity of a lifetime again,” she sneered, closing his hand around the notes.
“You!” The young man growled with anger, his eyes wild and red. He lurched towards Clara to teach her a lesson but his friends quickly stepped in and held him back having recognized that she was a powerful person.
“Sure, come at me then,” Clara taunted the guy who struggled with his friends all to no avail, “Lay a hand on me and Let’s see if your family would be able to survive the night,”
That comment made the young man stop as he finally realized the threat she was and the fact he would not be able to defeat her without putting himself in danger.
He didn’t do anything else and just stared hard at her nor did Clara cower under the intensity of his gaze. She had sat at the table with great men and women, his low self didn’t scare her at all.
“Come on, let’s go men!” His mate urged him and without further ado, the young man left but not without throwing the money at Clara’s face.
Clara gasped in disbelief, the nerve of him. However, she had to move away quickly because out of nowhere, a bunch of children rushed in her direction and began to pick the money as if their life depended on it.
“Gosh, this place is crazy,” Clara cried once she was away from the crazy kids and closer to the house that Marcel was currently in. What was he even doing there?!
Hence when Marcel finally emerged, she decided to give him a taste of what she experienced while he was inside schmoozing.
Marcel only glared at her as usual, “Don’t even start with me because I’m one step away from throttling you!” He growled a warning to her.
“Oh really?” Clara scoffed, “And you think you’re the only one who doesn’t want to throttle someone?!”
“I’m not having this conversation with you in the open,” Marcel dismissed her, having noticed people’s gaze on them. He walked ahead.
“I would have said the same but after the trauma I went through here, I don’t think I care anymore!” Clara was hot on Marcel’s heels and was just about to overtake him when she missed a step in her heels.
A trace of panic crossed Clara’s face as she began to fall and closed her eyes, trying to brace herself only to feel a strong arm around her waist.