Chapter229 – What, a ghost?
“It’s all right. Thank you for visiting me, Miss Clarissa. And…” Rita’s eyes darted shyly toward Atticus. A blush bloomed on her cheeks, softening her voice. “Thank you for saving me.”
“Mm,” Atticus replied flatly, a curt acknowledgment, before dropping into a sofa across the room, his eyes already elsewhere.
Rita’s blush deepened, though her shoulders slumped at his lack of interest.
Oblivious, Clarissa fussed with the flowers and then sat beside her. “I brought you some supplements. I’ll also cover all of your medical expenses. Once you’re stable, transfer to a city hospital—they’ll give you better care there.”
“Miss Clarissa… I’m so sorry,” Rita whispered. “I don’t think I’ll be able to keep filming.”
“It’s fine,” Clarissa reassured her gently. “I’ll arrange better opportunities for you later. Right now, just focus on healing.”
Rita smiled softly. “Thank you. I only wish I hadn’t dragged Atticus into it. I feel awful about that.”
Clarissa’s expression flickered. A selfish part of her hated that Atticus had thrown himself into danger for someone else. And yet, in that moment, there had been no one more capable than him. Rita had been innocent, a victim. Clarissa couldn’t scold her for it.
So she smoothed her face into another smile. “What’s done is done. Don’t dwell on it. Just recover. You’ll be compensated properly for the injury.”
“Thank you, Miss Clarissa,” Rita murmured again.
Before Clarissa could say more, Atticus came over, sliding an arm possessively around her shoulders. “Clarissa, we’ve done our part. She needs to rest.”
Clarissa nodded. “All right. Take care of yourself, Rita. We’ll go now.”
“Goodbye, Miss Clarissa,” Rita said softly, ducking her head. She didn’t dare look at Atticus as they left.
.....
When they stepped out of the hospital, Clarissa finally asked, “Why were you in such a hurry to leave?”
She’d wanted to say more, but Atticus’s expression had been hard the entire time, his sharp gaze fixed on her like a spotlight. It made her uneasy.
“Boring,” Atticus said flatly.
Clarissa sighed helplessly. “You…”
He was brilliant, yes, but he carried the arrogance that often came with genius—a certain disdain for everyone else. She worried one day he’d offend someone important.
Her lips parted as if to speak, but she faltered.
Atticus looked down at her. “What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Nothing,” Clarissa shook her head quickly.
“Then let’s go eat. Where do you want to go?”
She thought for a moment. “I want to buy some things for Phoenix first.”
The mention of Phoenix dimmed his eyes, though he hid it with a smile and laced his fingers with hers. “Fine. I’ll go with you. But you know the food at her place is terrible.”
“Is that so? Then we’ll buy something on the way.”
“Clarissa, you care so much about Master. Aren’t you afraid I’ll get jealous?”
She looked at him with amusement. “Jealous of Phoenix? She practically raised you. You should care about her too.”
Atticus smirked. “Lately she’s been pissed at me for breathing..”
Clarissa squeezed his hand. “She’s always been like that. Deep down, she cares about you.”
His voice dropped. “Doesn’t matter whether she likes me or not. I only want you.”
Her cheeks warmed under his intense gaze. “Don’t get so close—we’re on the street.”
“What’s the problem? You’re mine.” He slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him in front of passersby, staking his claim. “Come on, I’ll shop with you.”
Clarissa, insatiable as ever, kept piling things into her arms until Atticus’s hands were overflowing.
This time, luck was on her side—Phoenix had no engagements today. As soon as she saw Clarissa, she pulled her aside, talking a mile a minute.
Clarissa beamed, unpacking her bags. “I brought you vitamins. They’re sorted by compartment—just take one daily. And these are some skincare products…”
She laid out bottle after bottle until Phoenix’s desk was buried in them. Phoenix laughed. “Clarissa, do you think I’m you? I don’t have time for all this.”
“You don’t have to use everything, just the vitamins. That’s one pill, one minute of your day.”
Clarissa handed another bag to Maximilian outside. Without waiting for orders, he carried it off. Phoenix chuckled. “When did he start taking orders from you?”
Clarissa smiled. “Because he cares about you. Trust me, it’s not much trouble.”
Phoenix gave a wry smile, her eyes softening with something heavier. “Clarissa, that's too much!”
“These are just the basics. You don’t take care of yourself at all. You’re a woman, Phoenix, and your twenties are critical. You can’t neglect them.”
Clarissa arranged the items neatly on the desk.
Phoenix’s voice came husky behind her. “Clarissa, you’re too good.”
Only in Clarissa’s eyes was she ordinary—not the Wraith family’s sole heir with the world on her shoulders.
Clarissa didn’t turn around, but her lips curved. “We’re friends. Of course I’ll be good to you.”
She wanted to shoulder what she could for Phoenix, even if it was small comforts like this.
When she turned back, Phoenix was right behind her.
Clarissa blinked, startled—then found herself pulled into Phoenix’s arms.
She froze a beat before Phoenix whispered, “It’s been so long. Let me hold you… just for a moment.”
Phoenix was tall—taller than Clarissa even without her boots. Her frame was lean but strong, her embrace firm. Clarissa felt a pang of tenderness and wrapped her arms around her. “All right. Hold me as long as you want.”
Phoenix’s lips curved faintly at that. She didn’t answer, only tightened her grip for a heartbeat longer before finally letting go.
“Come on,” Phoenix said briskly. “I’ll take you out. There’s a lot to see here.”
Clarissa nodded, following obediently at her side.
.....
Outside, Maximilian had just finished giving instructions to the kitchen when he spotted Atticus standing with Raphael a short distance away.
He paused, then walked over. “Atticus, why don’t you go see Phoenix?”
Atticus’s answer was calm. “I don’t think she wants to see me. Let Clarissa handle it. I’ll wait here.”
Maximilian smiled faintly. “Can we talk? Privately.”
Atticus raised a brow but agreed. As they strolled down the street, Atticus asked lazily, “So, what is it?”
Maximilian hesitated before cutting to the point. “When you stabbed Phoenix last time—was it deliberate?”
Atticus’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “Does it matter?”
“It matters to me.” Maximilian’s tone sharpened, eyes glinting with cold steel. “If you truly meant to hurt her, you know the consequences.”
Atticus didn’t flinch. He leaned back on his heels, every inch the fearless wolf. “If you think you can take me, then try.”
Maximilian studied him, frowning. “You’re reckless, Atticus. I don’t know whether to pity or envy Clarissa for falling in love with someone like you.”
The moment her name left his lips, Atticus’s lazy mask shattered. His gaze snapped like a blade. “Clarissa has nothing to do with you. You should be worrying about Phoenix. Clarissa is mine.”
Maximilian didn’t back down. “Phoenix raised you, taught you half of what you know. And Clarissa—she’s soft-hearted. She treasures everyone around her. If you keep playing your games, you’ll lose her sooner or later.”
Atticus’s eyes went sharp and murderous. “Is that a threat?”
“Just a reminder.” Maximilian’s voice was steady, calm.
Atticus sneered. “Relax. That day won’t ever come.”
“I hope so. Because Clarissa means everything to Phoenix. And I won’t let her get hurt.”
.....
Later that evening, Clarissa returned with Phoenix, both of them laughing as they came through the gate. The moment Atticus spotted her, he shot up from his seat and strode toward her like a man starved.
He wrapped her up in his arms, holding her. “Clarissa…” His voice was hoarse.
Heat flared in her cheeks as she felt the eyes around them. She wriggled against his grip. “Everyone’s watching—let go!”
“No,” he said like a sulky child refusing to share his toy. His hand clamped around hers with stubborn strength. “Come back with me. Now.”
Clarissa tugged, but his grip was iron. She glanced at Phoenix. “I’ll head back first… I’ll see you later.”
Phoenix smiled softly. “All right. Be safe.”
Atticus didn’t let go until they disappeared down the street.
Beside her, Maximilian murmured, “Phoenix, if you’re not ready to give her up, why not fight for her?”
Phoenix kept staring at the empty street where Clarissa had vanished. The gentle smile faded from her face, leaving only a hollow ache. At length, she whispered through clenched teeth, “I’m a fucking woman.”
Maximilian glanced at her but said nothing. Before he could, a soldier rushed over, breathless with news of unrest outside the city.
Phoenix snapped back into her role, her voice crisp and commanding. “Get ready. We move out.”
“Understood,” Maximilian replied, though his sigh was heavy.
In her quarters, Phoenix suited up with practiced precision. Strapping on her gear, she reached for her gun—and her eyes landed on the cluttered desk.
Normally bare, it was now filled with Clarissa’s little offerings: vitamins, bottles, creams. Ordinary things, but warm, domestic, alive.
For a moment, Phoenix’s breath caught. Her chest tightened. She steadied herself, swallowed it down, and turned on her heel.
Outside, her squad was already assembled, lined up in full gear.
The moment she stepped into view, their salute cracked the air. “Team leader!”
Phoenix gave a curt wave, her expression unreadable. “Move out.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
......
By the time they returned, the sky had already gone dark.
Most of the inn had gone quiet for the night, and Clarissa, drained from the long walk, wanted nothing more than a hot shower and a bed. She kicked off her shoes and flopped down onto the bamboo mattress. The frame groaned loudly under her weight.
Then she froze.
Something glittered beneath the bed. Two eyes, unblinking, staring back at her.
“Ah!” Her scream tore through the silence.
Atticus rushed in, only to find her crouched on the mattress, pale and wide-eyed.
“What happened?” He came closer, his tone calm, almost teasing.
Clarissa’s trembling finger pointed under the bed. “Th-there’s something down there! It was looking right at me!”
Atticus chuckled, slow and wicked. “What, a ghost?”
“Don’t joke! I swear I saw something—”
The sight of her genuinely panicked face made him drop the teasing. He crouched, looked under the frame, and the humor instantly drained from his face.
“Atticus…?” Clarissa whispered, her stomach knotting tighter at his sudden change in expression.
He rose, scooped her up without a word, and set her on the table.
She clutched at him nervously. “W-why are you doing that? What is it?”
“You don’t want to know. Just keep your eyes closed if you’re scared.”
That only terrified her more.
A moment later, Atticus yanked a massive python from beneath the bed, its body thick as her thigh. Even with his strength, it writhed and fought as he dragged it free. Clarissa’s breath caught, black spots danced in her vision, and her skin erupted in goosebumps.