CHAPTER 24: THE UNWANTED PROPOSAL

"How come, Clay? You're so anxious to follow Faith to London right away," Red asked teasingly.

Clayton just shook his head and laughed softly. He took the glass of wine and then stared at her while sipping it.

She looked down because he might see the twinkle in her eyes because of what she heard. She also rebuked her heart as if it were leaping for joy at what she had learned.

"Well, if that's the case, I might be one step ahead of you," Red said suddenly.

She looked up at the man. She was nervous about what his words meant.

"What do you mean?" Clayton's tone was too low when he asked that.

Faith, on the other hand, looked at the two of them as if she had an idea of ​​what the man was going to say.

Red looked at her smiling.

No, please... Red, No ...

Her look on him pleaded with him to not pursue what he was planning to do but Red ignored that. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He opened it and presented to her the ring inside it.

"Will you marry me, Nap?" Red asked smiling.

She stared at the ring inside the box and looked back at the man's face. The surroundings were very quiet and the people there were waiting for her answer.

She was no longer aware of the tears dripping from her eyes.

"How could you, Red?" she asked angrily then she quickly stood up and left without saying another word.

"Sam!" she even heard Red's call to her.

She ran out while angrily wiping away the tears that would not stop flowing from her eyes.

She was angry with Red even though she knew his intentions are well.

He intended to propose to her in front of Clayton and Faith so that she would be forced to accept his proposal. But she could not accept his offer especially since his brother was the father of her child.

"Sam!" Red grabbed her arm when she was outside their house.

She angrily confronted the man.

"We've talked about this, haven't we? You already knew my answer. Why do you have to propose to me again in front of them? It was like you're blackmailing me," she cried.

"Sam, I'm sorry. You have a place in my heart somehow. I'm just thinking about your situation. I want to be a father at least through your child," he pleaded.

"Whose child?!" Clayton asked loudly who followed them.

Her heart was almost out because of the mixed emotions she felt that night. She was frightened to meet Clayton's glare.

"Answer me, Sam. Whose child is Red referring to?" His face became more frightening when he finally approached them.

She could do nothing but cry and cry.

"S-sam is pregnant, Clay, and I want to raise her child as my own that's why I offered her marriage," Red answered for her because he could see that she couldn't answer anymore.

She just sobbed as she stood there. She covered her face with both palms.

"Y-you're pregnant?" Clayton's tone suddenly changed as he stared at her. His eyes even went down to her womb.

She wiped her face with her hands when she looked at him. She saw that Faith was already standing beside Clayton.

"I'm sorry if I ruined this special night but let's just forget about it. I won't bother you anymore," she didn't answer Clayton's question and was about to turn around when Clayton held her arms.

"I want an answer, Sam," he said stiffly.

She slowly faced him again. She had no choice but to answer it. She just nodded in response because she could no longer speak.

"Damn!" Clayton gritted his teeth when he said that.

It was as if her heart had been pierced again by the man's reaction.

"Please accept my offer-"

"You are not going to marry her because that is my child!" Clayton was furious at what Red would have said.

"W-what ?!" Faith was the first to react.

Stunned, Red just stared at his brother. She did nothing but cry again.

"Let's talk privately," Clay suddenly grabbed one of her hands and pulled her away.

She just went with him with no resistance. He was right. They need to talk.

They stopped at his car and he opened the door for her to get in. She silently went inside.

Red and Faith were left stunned as their gaze followed the moving car in which they were riding.

She could see Clayton clenched his jaw as he drove the car. She just lowered her head and wiped away her tears. She did not know where they stopped but it was dark in that part and there were no people.

"Now talk. How did I get you pregnant?" His voice was angry with his gaze focused only on the steering wheel.

"I-I stopped taking the pills two months ago," she didn't even bother beating around the bush as she answered him.

"So, you meant this to happen? You planned to get pregnant without telling me?" That was the time he turned his gaze on her.

She didn't utter a word as a sign of her confirmation.

"Why? You knew our agreement. Did you plan to oblige me to have a responsibility to you and our child? Do you see Red and me as a solution to your situation now? I told you, didn't I? I'm willing to help you but not like this."

Every word that came out of his mouth seemed like an insult and it hurt her. She stopped crying and wiped her face.

"Nobody says I want you to take responsibility. I wanted it alone and I have no plans for my child to have any connection with you and Red," she said in a hard voice.

"But we really have a connection because that's my child too," Clayton said, losing his patience.

She turned angrily to the man.

"Look, you'll never hear from me again. I'm not going to bother you and Red. Just forget that you met me. Let's not talk about it anymore. Take me home now."

He stared at her face for a long time. Fortunately, he did not argue with her and started the car. He took her home.