CHAPTER SIX: ANSWERS

Lucas peered over the hot sun as he waited for Clara. He tried dialing Purple's number in the process but kept hearing "service unavailable". 

He had dropped her messages on different platforms, but she neither replied nor read them. He knew she was still angry, but what he hadn't thought of was that she would go this far to express her displeasure.

Sweat broke out in a vague amount on his forehead despite the air conditioning in the car where he patiently waited. The short, fumbling movements with his phone hammered the thoughts that had been lingering in his mind.

He saw Clara from a distance and heaved a sigh of relief. As she entered the car, she apologized for her lateness and Lucas mumbled a reply, signaling the chauffeur to move the car

"Where are we going? Clara questioned

"I told you, I have an amazing surprise for you" he replied absentmindedly

Clara smiled as she turned to look at his hard stoned face, she took in his gleaming white starched attire. His hair poured beautifully across his face giving him the ravishing look that her heart could not resist. She settled in the car, giving her attention to the lawns that carefully designed the road.

The car pulled out in a white building and the trio went out. Lucas held her hand as he led her through the building. Realizing what was happening, Clara temporarily fidgeted, and balancing a look of alarm on her face, she demanded

"This is a hospital, why are we here? We were supposed to go out on a date"

"Calm my young lady, I'm merely here to get a friend"

"Why do we need a friend? It's supposed to be just the two of us"

"Again, calm. Trust me, okay?"

Clara relaxed, but could not let go of the smell of suspicion that had become stale in the air. She became alert, promising herself to make a dash if the situation called for it.

They made their way to a mini sized office and Lucas exchanged pleasantries with a young man in a lab coat.

Clara was not smart enough to notice that after they had seated and had just started conversing, Lucas had winked to the young doctor who excused himself and made to leave the room.

Then swiftly, unexpectedly, he injected a syringe in Clara's right arm. Clara started in shock as her brain screamed danger

"What the hell did you just do to me? Lucas, what's the meaning of this. Do you know about this?"

Lucas stood up accompanied by pride. He let out a loud laugh filled with sarcasm.

"You will not understand now, my dear, wait till the test results and DNA are out, we will all know who the nemesis in your womb belong to"

Clara had never felt a numbness like she felt now. She refused to think, to ponder on the fact that she was about to be disgraced like a motherless fool. Where had she missed out? How could she not see beyond the fake smile and warmth of Lucas? She had willingly dragged herself to her doom like a sacrificial lamb.

She rushed to the door and pulled at it for an escape. It refused to open, she tried again, it still remained stuck. She was hit with an hysterical rage as she rushed to the doctor dragging him by the collar

"The damned door is locked, open it now, and let me get the hell out of here"

"Not so quick, my dear. Just last week, you pinpoint a baby on me, I'm only making sure you're doing the right thing" Lucas's demanding voice cut her short.

Clara felt her defense crumble terribly, then she succumbed to her only refuge; tears. Tears of anger, tears of bitterness, not of regret, tears of helplessness, tears of envy, of disgust. 

She made a rush again, this time to Lucas, but something stopped her, slowed her pace. A feeling of paralysis was slowly eating her up. She tried to move her legs, tried to move her hands, tried to even keep her fluttering eyelids open, but she could not, try as she may.

She retorted to curses, but that only quickened the feeling of numbness in her and slowly, she could no longer feel herself. All she saw last was darkness.

"The sedation was quicker than I thought" Lucas noticed

"It doesn't last more than 30 minutes at most. Her constant drama the effect"

"Get the test done. I will be back in two days time to get the results"

"No problem"

Lucas left the hospital feeling accomplished. Now, he was going to know the truth about Clara and the baby. It was not difficult to locate a hospital that was ready to help him. Now, it was left to inform Purple.

Purple knew she was hurting Lucas with her selfish actions, she had refused to let him explain, nor did she allow him to visit her. But, she wanted to give him time, time to sort out himself and his relationship with Clara.

On her way to work two days after, her phone chimed, she saw the ID and ignored it. It was Lucas and she knew that his message would only come like the rest "please talk to me, I can explain"

A repeated chime on her phone caused her to peer into the screen yet again. She made to drop it and focus when a name caught her attention. Tapping the message, she read

"Clara has been arrested, the pregnancy was false"

Wishing this was a joke, but feeling a sudden excitement, she dialed his number. He picked up almost immediately

"I saw your text message, what do you mean she's been arrested"

"I mean what you read, she was never pregnant. A test confirmed it. The pregnancy was only used as a scheme to blackmail me and her plans worked. You allowed a total stranger to separate us because of your lack of believe and trust in me. I am disappointed, Purple"

He hung up.

Purple's face turned red.