Chapter 82
Billionaires with Benefits
82 82. Telling the Truth
Dave read the paper in his hands, trembling. At first, he was a little confused. However, he immediately understood after reading Claraâs name on the test results. His gray eyes stared awkwardly at Clara, rereading the test results even though he knew nothing would change.
âThis must be a mistake,â Dave said with trembling hands. His face was pale, as white as the color of Claraâs bedroom walls.
âIt wasnât a mistake, Dave,â Clara whispered, smiling bitterly. âNot at all.â
Silence fell over Claraâs room. They could only stare at each other in silence. Clara swallowed hard. The word she was about to say next would definitely hurt Dave.
âI havenât taken pills for a year,â Clara said, smiling bitterly.
âWhat?â Dave asked in disbelief, not expecting it because heâd never imagined Clara would lie about birth control. âYou said that-â
âI lied. I want us to get married soon. Iâm trying to get pregnant so we can get married soon. But thereâs no result, right?â Clara looked away and didnât want to look at Dave at all. âAnd thatâs what I got. No pregnancy.â
Dave shook his head, unable to believe Claraâs statement.
âI wanted to do a fertility test immediately, but I was afraid of the results. Iâm such a coward,â Clara paused for a moment, wiping the tears from her cheeks. âI think we can adopt a child later if you are the infertile one. However, when I found out that you impregnated Lea, just by a one-night stand, I immediately knew that I was the infertile one.â
.....
Clara gulped, biting her lower lip. She wiped the tears, turning her attention to Dave. âThe test confirmed all my worries.â
Dave shook his head in disbelief. His eyes glistened with tears. His lips trembled, unable to say a word.
Clara couldnât hold back her tears anymore. If only she wasnât applying waterproof mascara, her face would look hideous by now because of the smudged mascara.
âYouâre not doing this to kick me out of your life, are you?â Dave asked in suspicion, making sure that Clara wasnât lying.
âDid you think I would use my abilities to do dirty things?â asked Clara irritably. âIâm a doctor, thereâs no way I could lie to you in this way.â
Out there, there were indeed one or two doctors who used their skills to deceive people. However, Daveâs suspicions almost made Clara want to slap him because she felt that her profession was belittled.
âWe have to keep this a secret from our parents,â Dave said later, pleading with Clara not to rush into a decision. He fixed his glasses, staring at his fiancee hopefully.
âWhat do you mean? Do you want your father to keep hoping that he will have a grandchild from me?â Clara snapped loudly, her hazel eyes smoldering with anger. âIt would be best if we ended all this quickly.â
âBaby, we can adopt a child later! And our parents donât need to know about this!â Dave was adamant. He didnât want to lose Clara, no matter what.
âAnd why should you adopt a child when youâre already expecting your own, Dave?â Clara raged. âDonât give me any nonsense ideas!ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âClara, look! You have to keep this a secret from our parents because I guarantee that they will not be able to accept this easily. They can-â
Clara shook her head quickly. âDeceiving them would be the worst, Dave!â
Clara immediately snatched the test paper from Daveâs hands and immediately stomped out of the room, and back to the dining room. At first, she did not intend to tell everyone but her parents and Dave. However, anger had overtaken her. It wouldnât make any difference if she had to say this to Daveâs parents too. The pain would only increase a little.
Confidently, Clara walked through the hall. She could only hear the sound of stilettos against the shiny marble floor. She was half running because Dave was after her for sure. She was lucky since the dining room was second next to her room.
Arriving at the dining room, Clara caught her breath as she looked at everyone and said, âI have something to tell you ....â
Everyone looked at Clara in amazement. Clara swallowed heavily. It is more difficult than she previously imagined.
âWe have to call off this engagement,â Clara said in a trembling voice.
Dave, who had just arrived in the dining room, could only stare at his fiancéeâs actions. The moment his gaze shifted to another, that was when he was sure that this would not end well.
âWhy are you suddenly saying that Clara?â asked Marissa, she had no idea what happened between the loving couple. Just like the others.
âWhat kind of joke are you telling?â Patrick looked displeased. If it werenât for the Deckerâs presence, he would definitely slap Clara for saying things that didnât go according to his plan.
âThis is not a joke, dad!â Clara swallowed a few times. Her hands were drenched in a cold sweat, clenched tightly to keep her from shaking. âI ... I canât ... I wonât be able to bear a child.â
âLiar!â Patrick immediately snapped, disagreeing with Claraâs statement.
âClara, I get it, couples get into trouble sometimes. But anything can be discussed, dear,â Jack said casually. He knew that Clara and Dave had a problem, and he tried to convince Clara that it wasnât a big dramatic thing. âAll couples will experience that kind of thing. Thereâs no need to exaggerate.â
Marissa supported her husbandâs statement. She smiled motherly and said, âThatâs right, honey! You donât have to make up stories.â
Meanwhile, Lindaâs response was different. She believed Claraâs statement. However, she still tried to argue. âHow is that possible? In our family, no one has had problems having children?â
Clara laughed bitterly at the reaction of the people around her.
âYou guys are ridiculous. Iâm telling the truth. Why do you think Iâm making it up?â Clara shook her head, sneering at them.
âClara, stop! We have to talk things over ... just the two of us.â Dave finally spoke up. His face paled, letting everyone know that there was indeed a big problem between the two.
âWhy only the two of us, Dave? Are you afraid that everyone will find out your flaw?â quipped Clara, sneering at him.
Clara then turned to face the parents again. She smiled like a queen who refused to accept defeat. The flame flashed her eyes, and light reflected on her wavy curly brunette hair.
âBut I donât think the Johnsons need to worry about it because ... soon ... you will have a grandchild from your son,â Clara said without hesitation, confidently. Her smile was not friendly at all, letting the Johnsons know that the problem their son was facing wasnât as simple as they thought.
âYou said ... you were infertile? Did I hear wrong?â Jack asked without a smile. His eyes stared intently at Dave and Clara in turn.
âDave and-â
âClara, please!â Dave squeezed Claraâs hand, asking her to stop.
âWhat? Is this how the eldest son of the Johnsons behaves?â Clara quipped fiercely. âCoward?â
âJust continue, Clara! Tell us everything,â Patrick said with an equally sharp look. He didnât want her daughter to be on the guilty side. âWe want to know.â
Clara smiled at her father. She was happy because of her fatherâs support. âDave has had a wonderful night with a woman other than me ... and she is now pregnant with his child.â
Claraâs words took everyone by surprise. All of them could only gape silently.
The Johnsonsâ faces were red with embarrassment. They didnât expect that Dave would do such a shameful thing despite having such a beautiful fiancée.
Clara gulped, looking at Dave with a faint smile. While Dave held tightness in his chest, his jaws clenched hard.
âSo, with great regret, we have to call off the-â
âImpossible! It was all a mistake. A mistake that canât change my love for Clara,â Dave interrupted quickly.
âDave!â
âClara, I also have the right to speak!â Dave argued seriously.
âMr. and Mrs. Decker, Iâm sorry I made a mistake. But I didnât do that on purpose! I still want to marry Clara because she is the only woman I love.â
Clara burst out laughing. âHow dare you say love after what you did?â
âI agree with Dave!â said Patrick with a burning face, making Clara shocked at her fatherâs statement. âNo one will cancel this marriage.â
âDad!â (Patrick!â) Clara and her mother yelled at the same time.
Clara felt as if she had been struck by lightning, not expecting her father to say something that upset her. She thought that her father would defend her.
Meanwhile, Patrick who harbored feelings of disappointment at Daveâs behavior immediately stood up and left the table. Clara chased after him because she did not accept his fatherâs decision.
After a few seconds of chasing Patrick, Clara was finally able to overtake and block her fatherâs steps.
âDad, wait! Why do you keep forcing me to marry the man who cheated on me?â she asked disapprovingly.
Patrick stared blankly, looking sharply at his daughter with his hazel eyes. âThis is a marriage of convenience, thereâs nothing to do with your feelings.â