Blackmailing His Runaway Bride by Dance-is-me (carter reed .txt) 📗

Fifty Six

 

Charles's chuckle filled the room and his mother wore perplexity all over her face.  

"Is that what you came to say?" he asked, grabbing Isabella's hand as though he intended to ignite his mother's rage.

"Did you hear what I said, Charles? Your wife is incapable of giving birth!"

"So?" He laughed again and faced the woman beside him who was trying to keep a blank face. 

Claire wondered why Charles was acting like it was no big deal. She knew how particular he was about having a child or two when finally married.

"How is this funny, Charles? I am trying to tell you that-"

"I already know about it, Mother. And it is not Isabella's fault. So, I am failing to see the point you are trying to make."

Claire Oxford scoffed and decided to take a different route in her attempt to pour some sense into her son. She said, "I heard Ordinaz wants a grandchild from you."

Charles frowned. His voice purposely slow and filled with wariness, he asked, " How do you know about that?"

After a quick shrug, the woman who was now wearing a sly smile grazed her fingertips over the smoothness of her pearls. 

"I have my ways, Charles. You should know that," she replied.

"True." Charles nodded. " But what is your point?" he asked again.

A snicker fell from her lips. " How do you intend to meet your real father if your wife is unable to bear a child?"

"What nonsense are you spewing, Mother? So what if she is unable to bear a child? Aren't there other methods to try out if we want kids? Please..." He scoffed. " Don't disturb me with stupid things like that. And, why are you still stuck on trying to get rid of Isabella? I told you already, she is the one my heart has chosen. If you have a problem with that..."

Charles sent a small smile that seemed scornful in her direction. "...well, that's not my problem. So, is there anything else you'd like to say?"

Undoubtedly dumbfounded, Mrs. Oxford looked to the side, her eyelids batting furiously. 

Throughout the ride to Charles's house, she had been highly confident that she would be able to sway her son. 

Evidently, she thought wrong. Her thoughts were painfully insufficient as well.

She did not even consider the fact that they could employ another method to bear a child.

Claire Oxford then became aware of where she stood in the entire fight. She knew it was time to back out.

And backing out meant she had to come clean about a thing or two and that made her furious. Humiliation would gladly embrace her should she confess the crazy things she did. 

"Are you there, Mother?" Her son questioned.

After making a quick decision in her mind, Claire Oxford chuckled and faced her son.

 " Who knew things would come to this stage? I have tried, Charles," she replied to him. "I have tried to make you see things my way."

"Your way was and is deadly. For God's sake, you hired Manifold to kill my real father. Why..." A sharp breath paused his words. "How does that even make sense?" A degree of confusion was etched on Charles's face as he asked those questions. " Even though I couldn't, I tried to understand why you were against my relationship with Isabella. But trying to kill my real father?" He scoffed and sat back. " That is just crazy."

"You don't know Ordinaz, Charles. He may be your father but he is not a man that deserves a son."

" Let me decide if he deserves me or not!" Mrs. Oxford's eyes shut for a second to keep her heart from racing in reaction to the rise in Charles's voice. "Don't you have any human sense at all? Why would you just decide to kill someone? Are you some kind of monster?"

" Charles," the woman beside him softly called and ran her hand through his back. "It's okay, Charles."

Claire Oxford chose to ignore Isabella Shade. Still focused on her son, she said, "You should save your anger, son, there is something more I need to tell you."

"What?" Charles threw a glare at his mother and she almost swallowed hard. It was the very glare that made his employees respect him without anyone asking for it. "Do you want to tell me that I have another brother out there?"

"I-" She was cut short by the doorbell ring.

Charles threw another glare at his mother before getting up and walking towards the door.

Finally looking in Isabella's direction, Claire found herself lost for words.  

And, as she recalled the craziness Gabriel exhibited in her room, she realized more and more she was just like the sick man. She was just not as crazy.

She had been so obsessed with ensuring the respected image she had was not ruined. She hated Rodrigo Ordinaz's return and she hated the idea of a divorcee being with her son.

 She turned herself into some kind of maniac.

What was she thinking? She wondered. 

Was she that blinded by the hatred she had for the man she was once married to? 

Inwardly scoffing, she realized her husband was right. She and Isabella were alike. 

She had suffered a great deal like the woman in front of her who was trying hard to avoid eye contact. 

 Claire needed no seer to know that Isabella's suffering had forever etched a pain. The older woman wore such pain in her heart. 

Mrs. Oxford knew she had other reasons for not wanting Charles to be with Isabella. But, at that point, those reasons were nothing. Just like how the reasons made her see nothing. 

Those reasons didn't let her see that her son was happy. Beyond all the hatred and crazy emotions, her son's happiness was key. 

Fully realizing it was over, the middle-aged woman began to brace herself for the last confession she was to make. It would be no surprise to her if Charles decides to never forgive her. But she was going to say it either way. 

"What are you looking for exactly?" Charles's voice re-entered the room and the women looked in his direction.

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