A Naive Bride for the Sophisticated CEO

Chapter 86: I don’t regret.

Instead of heading straight to the house, Penelope went down to the station to see Hopper and Freddie. She couldn't keep the news of Clara still being alive to herself.

She got to the station and waited till it was time for the conjugal visit.

When it was time, she asked to see Hopper first. She was taken to a private room so that they could talk.

She was happy she didn’t have to stay behind the desk to talk to him this time around. She was going to finally touch him after a long time. After a few minutes, Hopper arrived. Immediately he stepped into the room, a smile lit up his face.

He opened his arms and embraced her. She was also fully ready to embrace him

“How are you, I missed you so much.” Hopper said as he broke the hug.

“I missed you so much too, Hopper.” She responded and that both sat. Penelope heaved a sigh and gulped hard as she sat. Hopper furrowed his brows and looked at her closely. He could sense something wasn't right with her.

“Penelope. What is it this time? You are acting happy but your face is telling me something different.

“You're going to scold me if I tell you why I’m sad.”

“So you're going to keep it to yourself? C’mon Penelope.”

“Promise me you won't scold me. I know you warned me, but I didn’t listen so you don’t have to remind me.”

Hopper nodded and pinned his mouth with his finger. "Can you please tell me now?

“Well, I succeeded in making Amelia hate me more than ever before. I confessed that I was the one who ordered someone to kidnap her and her daughter, and...”

“What?! Penelope, are you crazy! You kidnapped both of them? For what reason?!" Hopper smacked.

“You promised not to scold me!”

“Well, I can’t help it! Why would you do that to your daughter? You should be protecting her, not endangering her. Who would love you after that?” “That's it! I knew coming here was a bad idea.” She grabbed her bag and wanted to storm out but Hopper quickly grabbed her and made her stop. “Fine! I'm sorry, okay! I just... haaa.” He sighed. “Just sit down and tell me the rest of the story.

Penelope rolled her eyes an reluctantly sat again.

“You had your reasons, right?” He asked and she bounced her head.

“Yes, but it doesn't justify what I did to her. She has cut me off from her life and Alice’s finally. She doesn’t want to see me anymore, if possible, not breathe the same air as mine. She doesn’t want me anymore, Hopper.” She muttered in sadness.

“Can I ask you something?” Hopper inquired. “Go on.”

“Why did you do that in the first place? Please don’t tell you did it because she threw me in jail. I already told you that I’m guilty and I should suffer for it.”

“No, it isn’t about you. I don’t want to talk about that anymore, okay?”

“Oh God, Penelope. You are beginning too hard to understand these days. What are you going to do about Amelia now? And what about Elena? Does she hate you too?”

“Well, she literally exposed my secret to everyone at the house. I don't think she like me either. She was the first to know that I knew about the abduction, and she made sure Amelia was rescued. She ruined my plans.

“Ruined your plans? Can you please shut up? You have no right to act like you were doing the right thing. No matter how valid your reasons were, you could have used other ways to express your feelings, not such an illegal way! I’m sorry I’m scolding you but I can’t just help it! What are you turning into, Penelope?”

“Can we skip to the main reason I am here?” She asked, trying to act like his words didn’t get to her.

“There's another reason apart from this? Oh God...”

“Clara is alive.”

“Who is Clara?” His brows knitted as he asked in confusion.

“The woman that carried our twins! The one you thought you killed. She is alive, and as i'm speaking to you, she is in James’ mansion! Hopper went mute for a few seconds, he tried to assimilate and interpret what he had just heard.

“The woman that I asked Freddie to take care of is still alive? How is that possible? He told me he took care of everything perfectly and there was nothing to worry about. And why is she just showing up now? It's been over fifteen years. Are you sure about this?”

“Why would I want to joke about an event that happened over fifteen years ago! She is alive and in here to find out how and why." “I have no idea! I'm as shocked as you are! Didn't I show you their burial place? Freddie told me it was all done.”

“Then it looks like Freddie knows something we don't know.” Penelope uttered and Hopper bobbed.

“Let me talk to him. I'll go to him now. Wait till ’m back, okay?’

Penelope nodded and Hopper headed out of the room. He walked back to his cell to talk to Freddie. They happened to be put in the same cellroom. He got into the cell and saw Freddie lying on his bed, on the top of the bunk.

“Freddie, are you awake?” He asked, and Freddie turned on his other side and looked at him.

“Yes, I am. Why? Penelope left already?”

“No, she is still in the waiting room. I needed to come and ask you a question.”

“Which is?” He questioned.

“You said you took care of Stanley and Clara, right?

After hearing his question, Freddie sat up and stared at his face. “Why are you asking me this? It's been years.”

“Tell me why Clara is still alive, Freddie. What did you do?!

Freddie gulped and looked away. He exhaled hard and jumped down from the bunk.This text is © NôvelDrama/.Org.

“I need to pee.” He mumbled.

Hopper hastily grabbed him by the arm and pinned him against the wall

“Tell me what Clara is still alive! I paid you to get rid of two of them, not one!”

“Well, she survived, okay? What difference does it make now?! We are in prison already. She can’t do much as revenge anymore.” “When you told me she was dead, and showed me her burial place, who was in that place?”

“No one. Maybe she wasn’t meant to die, okay? She was shot several times, just as Stanley was shot, but she didn't die. What does that tell you? It wasn't her time to die.”

“Then why is she just showing up after so many years?"

“How do you expect me to know? If she is back, tien good for Amelia. She will havea mother back to her... At least, Fdon’ regret one thing I did back then. I'm happy I didn't kiltker after she cried to me for help: Can I pee siow, or youre going to, kill me ferr not making sure she died back then?”

Hopper let go of his arm, and Freddie walked out of the cellroom to the toilet. He reminisced over what Hopper told him again.

You're back to your family and here I am in the prison. It would have made much sense if I was out there to see how you have been all these years. Ahh... I'm sorry for what I did, Clara. I regret everything now.’

He stood upright and peeped in the toilet. After he was done, he headed back to the cell room. He was about to enter when an officer stopped him. “Freddie Cooper! A family member is here to see you.

Freddie creased his brows at the words of the officer. ‘A family member? I haven't had any visitors since I got into this place. Why now? Maybe it’s Ava.”

“Okay. Thank you.” He replied with a faint smile.

“Go to room fifty seven. She is there waiting for you.

Its a she. It is either Ava or Amelia then.’ He bobbed his head and headed straight to room fifty seven to see who had come to visit him He opened the door and walked in to see Susan sitting on a chair, in front of the desk. When he walked in, she stood to her feet. “Clara?” He called and she let out a slight smile. She slightly lowered her head and called him.

“Freddie. It's been such a very long time.” She responded.

Freddie found his momentum, dashed to where she stood and pulled her into his arms. He said nothing but embraced her really tight. Clara’s eyes widened as soon as he hugged her. She wasn't expecting such reaction from him, not after so many years.

After Freddie realized she didn’t hug him back, he slowly moved away from her and lowered his head

“I'm sorry. I got too excited and lost my manners. I missed you so much.” He uttered, avoiding her face at all cost.

‘I need to ask you some questions, Freddie. Can I go on?” She asked as politely as she could

“Yes, of course. Please sit." He pulled the chair in front of the desk backward so she could sit.

She grinned and sat on the chair. Freddie moved to the back of the desk and sat on the chair that was there. Both of their eyes locked for a few minutes before Clara looked away.

“You're still as beautiful as ever.”

Clara lowered her head and nodded. "Thank you, but I want to know if you had any feeling of doubt or remorse when you planned on killing your brother, and after you did it.”

‘I feel no remorse.” He responded and folded his arms on the desk. Clara raised her eyebrows in shock to his response. “Obviously. That was quite fast.”

“He stole you away from me, Clara! We were still together when he came to you.”

“I accepted to be with him, it wasn’t his fault. And we were having serious issues then. I felt we weren't meant to be together.”

“That wasn't only for you to decide.

“You weren't telling me anything! You kept keeping things from me.”

“Because my life was a mess, Clara! My brother took almost everything I had. I needed.you the most then, but then you went to this same brother that received all the love we were both supposed to share. Even after ollineaniiaa that we were ina © relationship, he threw away my feelings ike lwas some sort of bastard and went on to get married to you. I'll never forgive him for that. You were my comfort zone then, but he stole you away. I never had that kind of comfort ever since tnat time.”

“So you killed him?” Clara responded with a mumble.

‘I'll do it again if I set my eyes on him, Clara. I never saw him as a brother because it was the same with him. We were born enemies and he always reminded me of that.”

“And what about me? Even after trying to rape me when I was with Stanley, you still had to get me killed?”

“I still regret my actions until today. But I never wanted to kill you Clara. I had to do itt that way because if I refused todo it, Someone else would take that'job and would make sure he finished both of you. Why do“you thinkyyou were still alive after those gunshots? And why do you think you bumped into me at the back of your house?”

“Why? I have no idea and that is why I’m here.”

“Because I instructed them not to shoot you in the heart. Stanley was shot in the heart and that is why he couldn't survive it. If you hadn't tried to escape and bumped into me, I would have come there to rush you to somewhere you'd be treated.

Clara gulped hard and lowered her head. Tears threatened to roll out of her beautiful eyes. “So it was all your plan.”

“If I said no to Hopper, he would have done everything to have you dead. If you were with another guy, maybe I'd have tried to save the both of you. But it was Stanley! That was all I've always wanted.

“Gosh you're so crazy, Freddie.” She cried out, and he clutched his jaws.

‘I'm sorry for not regretting what I did to him. The only thing I regret is you having to go through all that. I’m really sorry, Clara.” Clara cleaned her eyes and raised her head. She looked at him with a straight face.

“Call me Susan. I don't seem to like the name ‘Clara’ anymore.”

“Susan? Tonia gave you that name, right?”

“How do you know Tonia?”

“She was a very good friend of mine. I had to hand you over to her so that she could take care of your wound and make you feel better. She is a nurse, isn’t she?’

“Yes she is.”

“Now you know I’m not lying. We lost contact after that day; which was intentional from my side. Didn’t want Hopper to suspect anything. But I never stopped sending money for your treatment to her.

“All this you're telling me. What do you want me to say or do about it? You want me to thank you?”

“I want you to know I never stopped loving you and I wished nothing ever stopped us from being together.” He answered almost Immediately. Clara stood up and picked up her bag without saying anymore words

“Clara

“It is Susan! The woman you knew back then is dead! I'm leaving now. Enjoy your stay here, and I hope you get out one day.”

“I hope you find a place in your heart to forgive me, Clara. I still really care about you.”

She kept approaching the door without looking back. She walked out of the room and shut the door behind her. She slid down the door weakly and broke into more tears

She wept profusely, alongside Freddie who couldn't control his emotions at that point.