Her Substitute Groom

Claire POV

I arrived in California late in the night, so I checked in at a hotel to spend the night and leave for my apartment tomorrow. My Dad told me that I’ll be living with his friend’s child for the next five years I’ll be spending in school. I just hoped I would be able to cope with her.

I had just stepped out of the bathroom after a long bath, and I met my phone screen switched on. I reached for it and s smile laced up my lips when I saw a text from Chase.

‘Hey, little sis. I hope you arrived in California early. Get as much rest as you can, and I’m really missing you already. I love you, and I’m rooting for you here’ I rolled my eyes after I read through the text.

‘Thank you’ I replied to his text then tossed my phone on the bedside table and finally went to bed.

Seconds ticked into minutes and soon an hour and although I was tired, I was finding it difficult to sleep. My mind was clouded with many thoughts, and when I said many thoughts, I guess you know who it’s about. It’s Khan.

Subconsciously, I reached for my phone and scrolled through it, torn between calling him and holding myself back. Eventually, I dialed his number stupidly but it went through and he didn’t answer my call. Shortly after the call disconnected, a text from him popped on the screen.

‘Hey! I missed your call. I’m busy and can’t answer your call now’ I sighed briefly, mad at myself for calling him in the first place. Why the fuck couldn’t I hold myself back? Why did I have to call him? Who knows, maybe he was in the arms of a woman and probably fucking her like his life depended on it. Who knows?

“Don’t think about it, Claire. It’s not worth it,” Even though I tried to brace myself and pretend everything was fine, even though I tried hard to not be hurt, I couldn’t still help it. It hurts no matter how much I try to avoid it.

I tossed my phone on the nightstand after I turned the silent mode on, and I forced myself to go to bed.

I had no idea how long I’d been asleep, but the sound of the knock on the door pulled me out of my deep sleep, and I tossed on the bed tiredly. I quickly sat up on the bed when I opened my eyes and realized that it was morning already. No, it was actually late in the morning.

“Fuck!” I cursed as I threw the duvet off my body and reached for my phone and when I checked the time, it was past 10am and I was supposed to check out of the hotel by 10am.

“How did I sleep for so long?” I whined as I dropped my phone on the nightstand and hurried to get the door, knowing that it was the room attendant that had come to tell me it was time to leave. Just my assumption, anyway.

“Good morning, Miss,” The sweet smile of a young lady in her twenties welcomed me as soon as I opened the door. She was actually the room attendant from the way she was dressed.

“Good morning. Uhm… How may I help?” I asked lazily and yawned as I scratched the back of my head.

“Someone is here to see you,” I raised my eyebrows and pulled a puzzled look because the last time I checked, I wasn’t expecting anyone neither did I ask anyone to come check on me at the hotel.

“Who is that?” I asked her confusingly, getting eaten by curiosity, and just then, a guy who seemed to have been waiting along the hallway showed up. 6’0 tall, slim body like a model, blonde hair, oval-shaped face with a sharp jawline, full pink lips, brown eyes, long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, and when he smiled, I realized he had two-sided dimples.

“Hi! I’m Christian,” He smiled at me, showing his set of white teeth as he extended his hand for a handshake, but I just stared at him confusingly because I couldn’t recollect meeting him ever in my lifetime if I was not mistaken.

“Sorry, do I know you?” My question was a bit rude, I know, but I couldn’t just shake hands with him like that when I barely knew who he was, right?

“My bad. I’m Mr. Maxwell’s son. My Dad told me that your Dad already let you know that we’ll be housemates,” He introduced himself, and my jaw dropped. My Dad didn’t tell me that I was going to be living with a guy. He only said his friend’s child and I assumed it was a lady. What the fuck!

“Oh… It’s nice to meet you,” I said to him, and he smiled at me again.

“I’m sorry for coming here. I’ve been trying to reach you for hours but you weren’t answering your calls, so the receptionist asked the room attendant to bring me here,” He explained to me, and I slowly nodded.

“I’m here to pick you up. Your Dad asked me to come pick you up,” He said to me politely, and I sighed. I didn’t tell Dad that I couldn’t get a cab here to take me to my apartment, right? And besides, why the heck do I have to live with this guy?

“Oh…”

“Uhm… Miss, it’s time for your checkout. You are going to pay extra money if you spend extra time here,” The room attendant said to me politely.

“I’ll settle that on our way out,” The Christian guy turned to the lady and said to her. She finally left and I sighed.

“You are going to have to wait for me at the parking lot of the hotel or just anywhere. I’ll bathe and join you soon,” I said to him and without waiting for his reply, I closed the door on him and went back inside the room.

“This is crazy,” I shrieked and ran my fingers through my hair. Reaching for my phone, I woke the screen light and I almost cringed when I saw the tons of missed calls and text messages I had. Mom and Dad had called and texted me severally, Connor and Chase did too. I was expecting to see a call or text from Khan, but I ended up getting my face smashed in the mud with disappointment because I didn’t get shit from him.

I dialed Dad’s number, and thankfully, he answered on the first ring.

“Goodness! I’ve been calling you but you didn’t answer. What the hell happened, dear?” Dad’s worried voice sounded from the other end.

“Nothing, Dad. I just woke up. I had to put my phone on silent mode before I went to bed yesterday,” I explained to him as I slumped on the bed, rubbing my fingers gently on my forehead.

“That’s a relief. Your Mom has been worried sick about you and was about to go crazy. I should give her the phone,” He uttered.

“Not yet, Dad. I’ll call her later. I’m getting ready to leave the hotel I lodged. Dad, why didn’t you tell me your friend’s child was a guy and not a lady?” I asked him, and I heard him scoff.

“Don’t mind me, dear. I knew you were not going to agree if I had told you…”

“Exactly my point, Dad. I was never going to agree to something like that, because why should I? I mean, why would you do something like that?” I scoffed angrily.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I’m sorry, dear. Let’s talk later. We’ll talk about it some other time,” He said and the call disconnected immediately even though I wasn’t done talking.

“Ugh! So annoying,” I rolled my eyes and tossed my phone on the bed.

After I was done bathing and getting ready, I left the room to join Christian outside the gate.

“I paid for the extra bill already. I’ll help you with that,” He took my suitcases from me and kept them in the trunk of the car which I guess he owned.

“Shall we?” He smiled at me again, but I stared at him wordlessly. I was getting uncomfortable with the way he was smiling at me and it was making me think negative things. It better not be what I was thinking, anyway…