Chapter 4 4

Claire's POV

The chauffeur helped me to place my suitcases into the trunk of the car. I shook my head as tears threatened to drip. No. I had tried everything in me already and I was done crying for someone who never wanted me. After a final glance at the house, I shut the door and drove out.

My father, Leonard Russell, is the richest oil magnate in the city, but I always wanted nothing to do with him or business. Now, the thought of returning home made my stomach turn. I thought about Quinn and her place. Four hours drive...Was I driving all that way to meet her? No, if it was tonight, I needed to fix everything with my father. I was ready to do it. No more escaping or running away.

I sighed as the image of my dad's disappointed face glowed in my mind. "He would hurt you beyond repair, Claire. Don't do this." His words rang in my head as I turned to the left and let the tears trail. I could actually cry now because he was right. I should have listened to myself and not walked into this fantasy that I thought would last forever. This fantasy, I thought, would produce two beautiful children, a lovely home, a caring husband, and a fascinating career as an event planner. What a dream!

I yelled as soon as I saw a red light. I was so distracted by my thoughts that I didn't notice the traffic light turn red. I tried to swerve to the right to avoid running into the express lane, but it was too late. As the blue van coming fast tried to stop, I closed my eyes as a tear and I saw my life in a glimpse- all I could have been and couldn't be. It was a good life. The impact of the van brought me back, and my car somersaulted until it hit a tree. I yelled as my head hit the steering wheel.

I tried to reach for my phone, but it was too far from my reach. Slowly, my eyes closed as footsteps approached me.

"She's okay. Thank heavens she was wearing a seatbelt and for her fast reaction to the hit, if not, we would have lost them," a female voice said as I blinked slowly. "Lost them?" What the heck was she talking about? Where was I?

I practiced opening my eyes, but the lights struck like shockwaves and I quickly shut them. The female voice stopped talking as I slowly opened my eyes again. I was dizzy and my throat was parched. The beeping of the machines was loud, but I couldn't help but notice a heavily built man standing beside her. He was familiar and his scent- that lavender oil I loved so much was so strong.

"Dad, is that you?" I asked weakly as I stretched my hands.

He quickly rushed to my side. "It's me, Claire. I got a call from the hospital saying you had an accident and you kept mentioning my name, so they figured I was related to you."

I sniffed as I tried to sit up. "Where am I? How did I get here?"

He looked at me, confused. "You don't remember? Your best friend, Quinn, called. She said, you had a fight with Xandro and was coming to my place. Quinn will be here tomorrow."

Now, it was my time to be confused. I glanced at him and shook my head. "Who is Xandro? And why is Quinn lying? I was at her place and we had some drinks and I was on my way home."

"No, Claire. Quinn hasn't lived in the city since college. She moved to her family house." he clasped his hands as he glanced intently at me. "You don't remember Xandro?"

I shook my head as I gazed at him-still confused. "No, Dad. I mean, the name sounds familiar, but I don't know him."

"Oh, Claire. That's gonna be a problem. You are pregnant." He whistled as he stood up. "I need to call the doctor. Stay put, please."

"Pregnant?" I muttered as I touched my stomach. That was impossible. I hadn't slept with anyone since Jayden. I looked up as the doctor approached me. "Dad, what's she doing?"

He held my hands as the doctor checked my eyes and temperature. She looked at me and smiled. "Your head is bandaged, Claire. You had an accident, but you will be fine."

I shrugged as I folded my hands. "Who's Xandro and why can't I remember him?"

The doctor glanced at my Dad who nodded. "He's your husband, Claire. You had an accident I said and it might have caused retrograde amnesia, which means you can't recall events that happened before the accident."

"How come I remember my dad, Quinn, and my ex-boyfriend, Jayden?" I asked, not believing what she had said. "I don't think I have whatever you say. Y'all are just lying!" I yelled as my head banged. I held my head and felt the bandage. They weren't lying about that part, though.

"Claire, take things easy. In cases like yours, I have seen patients get back their memories with the help of their loved ones. I think, Mr. Russell, it will be great to call her husband now. She's with his child." She glanced pointedly at my stomach.

I clutched my stomach at what Dad had said about Xandro, "No, Dad. Don't call him. You said it yourself- I had a fight with him and was coming home. That means it wouldn't be safe for me to return. Please, don't send me back."

He held my hands tightly and said painfully, "You have to, Claire or else, you might never get what you lost."

I shook my head as I freed my hands from his grip. "I don't want the memories, Dad. Quinn can explain better when she comes but I'm not going to Xandro or whoever he's place and that's final!"

Dad looked at the doctor for some help, and she sighed. "Claire, is this what you want?"

I nodded as I smiled widely. "Yes, and can you please call Jayden? I think it's time to have a talk with him."

Dad stood up as he chuckled softly. "No, Claire. I'm not calling Jayden because he broke your heart then. Stay here and get better for you and your baby. My grandchild." he smiled affectionately as he moved closer. "We will get through this together, okay?"

"Alright, Dad. Thank you so much." I replied as I kissed his hand.

He patted my hand and left with the doctor. As they closed the door behind them, I glanced at the cartoon playing on the television as my mind trailed off.

A glimpse of a conversation popped into my head-a man and me arguing over some papers. I shook my head as I saw myself fall and cry. No, it can't be! I wasn't that broken woman in my memory.

I turned on my bed as Quinn stepped in with flowers. She had the brightest smile on her face, and her scent filled the air. I rose slowly to avoid upsetting my head and stretched as she drew me into a hug.

"Oh, Claire baby! I couldn't sleep all night. I wish I had listened to my instinct and came to pick you up instead of allowing you to drive in that state of mind," she said as I let go of her.

I had been up all night too, trying to put the pieces of my mind together, but everything was a blur and there was this emptiness in me. It was like a part of me was gone and I couldn't get it back. As Quinn rambled on everything, the doctor had told her, I couldn't stop that crossed to know what had happened to me.

"Quinn, Dad said I had a fight with a guy who he called my husband. What was the fight about?"

She sighed as she handed me a phone. I looked curiously at it and arched a brow. "Is this mine?"

"Yes, Claire. Luckily, the phone wasn't damaged when you had that accident, but your dad has swiped the memory though, so it won't help much to remember your former life. However." she paused as she brought out her phone. "This is a photo of Xandro and you on your wedding day. You were so happy that day, and I thought you had made the right choice."

"But, I didn't right? That's why I fought with him. How long were we married?"

She collected her phone and gazed at me. "Four years, dear, but you ended things yesterday evening before the accident. You had just found out he impregnated a lady and wasn't remorseful about it. So, you gave him the divorce papers I prepared for you and left his house."

I nodded slowly as an image developed in my head. "And that was how I got into the accident. Gosh! I can't believe I remember nothing. Not one thing, and Quinn." I lowered my voice. "I'm pregnant. Was I aware?"

She smiled as she wrapped her hand over mine. "No, you weren't. The doctor said it's two weeks but I doubt you noticed due everything happening with Xandro."

"Was he that bad?" I asked, because of the tone she used in regarding him.

She shook her head immediately and smiled widely. "Let's not talk about him, okay? Have you thought about what are you going to do with the child?"

I patted my stomach as I gazed at her. All night I had wondered if I wanted to raise the child without a father. I didn't want my child growing without a father, neither did I want my child growing in a broken home, so I had one option and now, as I looked at Quinn, I knew what I wanted to do. "I will keep my child. It's the only thing that links me to Xandro and if he's bad as you hinted, I want him to pay for everything he did to me, but first, you are going to tell me all that."

She hugged me immediately as she giggled. "Thank heavens! I'm going to be a godmother and you a mother. I'm excited." Her voice dropped as she stole a glance at me. "I think we should hold on to the revenge plan first and focus on you getting better, alright?"

I sighed as I fell on my pillow. "Okay, Quinn. Can we get something to eat? We're starving!"

She mumbled something about being a dutiful god mother and closed the door behind her. I stretched a bit as I picked my phone. Quinn was right. Dad had cleared everything. But why? Didn't he want me to remember who I was before the accident? I thought as I dropped my phone. That was another mystery to solve.