NICKLAUS THE MASTER
Chapter 34
Written by: Racheal Dennis
Silence… a sharp and slicing silence engulfs us, making the air around us too expensive to absorb.
The tension between mother and son, can be felt from twenty miles away… in fact, the tension between them is putting me in an awkward situation.
They continue staring at each other in silence, as if they’re in a staring contest…none of them ready to look away or ready to say anything.
Klaus and I sat on the only loveseat in the living room, Klaus’ arm securely wrapped around my waist.
Claudia and his mother sits opposite us, Claudia is smiling at us… or maybe I should say, she’s smiling maliciously at me.
Klaus’ mother, Mrs Statham, finally moves her eyes off him but unfortunately, her gaze falls on me instead.
She’s just staring at me blankly.. her gaze is expressionless as she stares at me.
I can’t seem to figure out what she’s thinking, but one thing is for sure.. she’s accessing me.
I have seen scenes like this in films.
Jerry comes in and drops a cup of hot coffee in front of them… Mrs Statham and Claudia!
I clear my throat quietly and puts on a smile.
“Er.. M-mrs Statham…” I called and trail off.
I wait for a reaction from her, since I don’t know if she’ll like it when I address her as such.
She didn’t react and her eyes still remains on me.. I bite my lower lip slightly before continuing.
“Mrs Statham, please have some coffee!” I said and gestures towards the coffee in front of her.
Her eyes leaves me and land on the coffee, she picks it.. since it’s a freshly brewed coffee, it’s aroma is so sweet.
She perceives it briefly before sipping from it.. she nods in satisfaction, then drops it on the table.
She clears her throat.
“This young lady must be Anastasia Lopez.. correct?” She asked me.
I smiled.
“Yes, ma’am!” I replied.
She stares at me with a narrowed eyes, as if she’s trying to recall something.
“Where are you from?”
“Oh, I’m originally from Seattle, but my family and I have being living here for a long time now!”
She nods.
“You look oddly familiar, have we met before?”
I shake my head, my smile not wavering away.
“No, ma’am, I’m sure this is our first meeting…”
Claudia cuts me off as she clears her throat loudly, she holds Mrs Statham’s arm.
“Aunt, that’s not why we are here.. we’re here because of that post right?”
Mrs Statham smiles and nods, she pats Claudia’s back before turning to face us.
“Anastasia, I saw your post on Instagram…”
She’s on Instagram too?! But how did she get to see my post?! Am I that influential now?!
Then I remembered I had tagged Klaus on the post yesterday.. I guess that’s why she saw it.
“… what’s your relationship with my son?”
Ok.. I had kinda expected this question.
According to films, whenever the mother-in-law appears on the scene, they always ask this question.. so, I kinda suspected she’d ask this.
But how do I answer her question?
Klaus’ grip on my waist tightens, like he doesn’t like the question his mother asked.. or maybe, he’s got enough of her Q&A!
“She’s my girlfriend!” He answered in place of me.
His voice firm like he’s daring anyone.. his mother.. to ask another question.
“Your girlfriend? I thought you’re allergic to women?” Mrs Statham said.
“What are you trying to say here?” Klaus asked rudely.
Mrs Statham gives me a side glance.
“Why aren’t you allergic to her? Claudia here have being trying to help you from your allergy for years?”
She pause and stares at me briefly, though, I can tell she ain’t evil..but why do I feel like she doesn’t like me?
“She’s different!” He answers briefly.
Mrs Statham stares at me for a brief moment, I let out a awkward smile.. my hands sweating as I play with my fingers.
Now I understand what the girls go through when they face their mother in-laws…not that I want her to be my mother-in-law though.
“You’re such a mannerless girl, don’t tell me you spent the night here!” Claudia said.
I know she’s trying to make me look bad in front of Klaus’ mother.. I arch an eyebrow at her.
I won’t let her succeed in her plan, even if Klaus and I relationship is fake…I still have to fight for it.
I smiled at her sweetly.
“I believe spending the night at my boyfriend’s home is nothing to be shameful about.. his home can practically be seen as mine!” I replied.
I turn to Klaus and kss his left cheek, he uses the opportunity to slide me onto his lap.
“Well said darling.. and here’s a reward!”
He crashes his lips on mine, giving me a brief kss.. not minding his mother sitting in front of us.
Is he really playing this with me? How did he understand me?
Claudia scoffs and glare at me.
“What a shameless act!”
“Kssing my boyfriend isn’t shameful at all, it’s just a display of affection!” I replied her, Klaus nods in agreement.
Mrs Statham stares at me amusingly, her eyes seem to hold some questions.
She turns to Klaus.
“Nicklaus, I thought apart from Nina…”
“Mom!” Klaus cuts her off.
Nina again.. who in God’s name is she? Why is everyone just mentioning her name?!
“Come with me to my room, I wanna talk to you!” He said.
Mrs Statham nods, she drops her cup of coffee and turns to Claudia, she starts whispering something to her.
I simply just look away.
“Anastasia, I will be right back..” he takes a quick glance at Claudia. “…try not to get her killed until I’m back!”
I smiled.
“I can’t promise anything!”
“I trust you’ll maintain!” He said and pecks my lips sweetly.
He sits me back on the chair and gets up, he head upstairs and his mother follows him.
Claudia waits until Mrs Statham is out of sight before she speaks.
“You see what just happened?”
“What just happened?” I asked her back with a confused look.
“They are going to have a meeting, Nicklaus will throw you out when he gets back…” She trails off and sighs.
She gets up and flips her hair, she dips her hand in her very expensive, high quality bag and brings out a chequebook.
“… I’m not heartless, I understand why you’re clinging onto Nicklaus…”
She trails off again, she reaches for a pen in her bag and starts writing on her chequebook.
“.. don’t worry, I’ll help you. I’ll pay your brother’s medical bills and also help you with some money to start up a business!”
She stops writing and tears it out, she places it in front of me.. then goes back to her seat and sits down.
“That is 20 million cheque, you can take and solve all your life’s problem… but on one condition!”
I pick the cheque laying on the table, truly, it’s 20 million.. I raised my head and silently wait for her to continue.
“You. Must. Leave. Nicklaus!”
¢^¢^¢^¢^¢
Authoress’ pov ?
Mrs Statham shuts the door behind her, after stepping into Nicklaus’s room.
She faces her son with a smile, she reaches forward to hold his hand… but on reflect, he takes a quick step back.. away from her.
She had forgotten that her son is allergic to her touch too, she smiles in understanding.
Nicklaus stared at his mother, seeing her sad expression makes him feel sad too..but there’s nothing he can do about his current situation.
“Nicklaus, you’ve become…..”
“Mom, what are you doing in my house?” He cuts his mother off.
His mother smiles at his bluntness, he’s never being one to beat around the bush..he always likes getting straight to the point.
“I came to invite you for dinner!” She replies. “It’s been long since we have dinner together, that is why I came to invite you!”
Nicklaus shakes his head.
“First, you’re not here to invite me for dinner, you never come here personally to invite me… ”
“Well, I came now!”
Nicklaus ignores her and continue.
“Second, I know you came here for Anastasia.. then why did you bring Claudia along?”
Mrs Statham stays silent, she walks towards a couch and sits down.
“Yes, I did come for Anastasia and I didn’t bring Claudia with me”
Nicklaus frowns, though he understands how persistent Claudia can be.
“She came with me!”
“Hmm” he hums.
Then there’s a brief silence between them.
“Right, that Anastasia girl looks very familiar.. who’s she?” Mrs Statham asked.
“She’s Nina!” Nicklaus replies.
Mrs Statham slowly raised her head in shock, she’s so shocked that she couldn’t speak.
“N-nina?!”
“Yes!”
She slaps her hand on her mouth, her eyes brimming tears.
“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!” She exclaims.
Her heart filled with so much joy, she lets the tears in her eyes flows down.. she shakes her head.
“I.. I.. I thought she’s dead.. we searched for her body in that building.. we.. we did everything but….”
Nicklaus’s hand itches him to comfort his mother but he couldn’t, he simply watch her.
“… we have a witness! Finally, there’s someone to testify, she was there, she saw everything…”
She paused and faces Nicklaus.
“… she must have told you somethings, right? What did she tell you?”
“Nothing!”
Mrs Statham frowns slightly.
“Nothing? Why? You didn’t ask her?”
“She won’t say even if I ask her!”
His mother gets up and take a few steps closer to him, he steps back too.
“Why won’t she say?”
“She doesn’t remember, she doesn’t even remember her name was once Nina!”
“What? How?”
Nicklaus sighs, he sits on a couch a few meters away from his mother’s.. then he starts telling her about Nina’s case.
“Hmm!” She hums and nod after Nicklaus told her everything.
“No wonder she doesn’t remember me.. no wonder I think she looks familiar, she look just like her mother!”
“So, Mom, you’re not gonna tell anyone who Anastasia really is!”
Mrs Statham nods with a smile, drawing an imaginary straight line on her lips.. a sign that she zips her mouth.
“But you should tell her about her identity.. tell her she’s Nina before she finds out on her own!”
Nicklaus nods, this is the second time someone told him this.
“Now I understand why you could let her touch you… she’s your cure!”
“Right, about that dinner, I’m not coming… I’m gonna be busy that day!” Nicklaus said.
But that’s a lie, he just doesn’t want to go…even his mother knows he’s lying.
“Son, I’m not blaming you, your father’s death is….”
“Also, take that thing you brought with you!” He cuts her off.
He knows what she wanna say and that’s something he doesn’t wanna talk about.
“Stop making her feel she’s got a chance with me.. or I’ll be forced to break my promise!”
Mrs Statham sighs and nods dejectedly, she thinks she could convince Nicklaus to come home for dinner.
¢^¢^¢^¢^¢
Anastasia’s pov ?
“… It’s better you take this money and leave Nicklaus willingly” Claudia said.
She’s being saying all sorts of words to convince and make me leave Klaus.
I glare at the cheque in my hand, I feel like tearing it up and throwing it at her.
“… Mrs Statham won’t give you any money before she kicks you out, I’m kind enough to give you this money… ”
Why does rich people always think that money solves everything? Why do they think they can buy everything with money?
Even though I know Klaus doesn’t love me, I believe he doesn’t love her too.. making me leave won’t make him love her.
He’ll still think about his Nina, she’ll always stay in his heart.
“… listen, Nicklaus doesn’t love you. Have you heard of Nina? Do you know who Nina is?”
I stare at her anxiously waiting for her to continue, my hands shaking.. asking me to tear up the cheque.
“Nina was Nicklaus’s fiancee, he’s loved her since they were kids.. but sadly, she’s gone without any trace…”
Everyone knows Klaus and Nina’s story.. even Claudia knows it!
Then what am I doing here?! Why am I here making a fool of myself?!
“.. Nicklaus will never love you, I guess you look like Nina and he’s using you as her replacement. In his heart he’ll only have his Nina…”
Replacement! I’m a replacement in his heart.
“… Yeah, he might not love me, but at least.. I’m not forcing myself on him….”
Alright! That’s my bottom line! I never force myself on anyone!
“Enough!”
I bang my hand on the table and get up, her cheque in my hand.. I tear it up, into tiny pieces and throw them at her.
I glare at her and wanted to explode my anger at her, but didn’t.. I realize if I do, she’ll think she’s successfully agitated me.
Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I smiled at her.
“That’s your money, I don’t need it! Both you and your money are dirty piece of sht!” I told her calmly.
She gets up with her mouth opening and closing, she speechlessly stares at me.
“I might be poor but that doesn’t mean you can shove shit in my face.. FYI, I’m not with Klaus because of his money… ”
Ok, that’s a lie! We all know I’m pretending to be his girlfriend because he paid my brother’s bills… But I’m just saying this to get under her skin.
“.. neither am I forcing myself on him!”
Just then I see Klaus coming towards me, I rushed to him and grab his collar.. then I crash my lips on his.
I kssed him urgently, just to prove my point to Claudia, he’s quick to understand the message… He starts kssing me back.
“You are… ” I hear Claudia speak.
She scoffs and stomps her feet on the floor, I break the kss and turns to her… Putting Klaus’ arms around my waist.
“You saw what just happened, I’m not forcing myself on him!”
She frowns and clenched her hands, then she turns to Klaus’s mom.. pouting her lips as she turns to her.
“Aunt, she is bullying me, I… ”
Klaus’s mom turns away from her and comes closer to me, she takes my hands in hers.. I feel Klaus take a step back.
“Anastasia, darling, Klaus already told me everything. Now I’m leaving him under your care… ” she cuts herself off and smile sweetly at me.
Claudia looks between us with a deep frown.
“Aunt, you…. ”
Mrs Statham ignores her and continues talking to me.
“… If you must have noticed, my relationship with him isn’t so good. So please help me look after him, he might look so tough but he’s actually a cute kid who’s waiting to be pampered all the time… ”
I smiled, his mom is so kind.. sadly, she doesn’t know our relationship is fake and I’m about to end it anytime soon.
“… Also, please try to make him come home for dinner sometime… ”
“I told you, I’m not coming!” Klaus cuts her off.
I see sadness and hurt flashes through her eyes but she quickly blinks them away.
“Don’t worry, Mrs Statham, I’ll make him come when he’s less busy!” I assured her.
She smiles and nods, she rubs my hand thankfully.
“I should get going now!”
“Aren’t you gonna stay for breakfast?” I asked.
She shakes her head.
“No, I have other things to do!”
She picks her bag from the sofa, looks at Nicklaus who looked away.
“Anastasia, remember to take care of him!” She said before heading towards the door.
“Aunt, why are you leaving? We are here to let her know she’s a replacement… ”
“LEAVE!” Nicklaus growls at her loudly.
Claudia glares at me before running off after Klaus’s mom.
I pull away from Klaus, when I hear the sound of his mother’s car driving out of the compound.
“I think I should go home too, I have things to do today!” I said.
He nods.
“I’ll send you home after breakfast!” He said and reaches for my hand.
I snatch my hand away and step back from him, he frown.
“I’m not waiting for breakfast, I’m leaving now!”
“Anastasia, are you ok?”
I nod and puts some strands of hair behind my ear, I suck in some air.
“Then wait for breakfast and I’ll send you home after, I might also stay over at your place for some hours…”
“No!” I cut him off. “I’m leaving now, don’t bother sending me home.. I’ll take a cab!”
I head towards the door, he rushes in front of me and stop me.
“Are you sure you are ok, Anastasia?”
“I’m fine, I just don’t feel good staying here!” I replied.
I pretended in front of Claudia that her words did affect me, but the truth is..they hurt me deeply.
“Why don’t you feel good staying here?”
I didn’t reply him, he stares in my eyes and sees the tears brimming in them.
“W-what happened? We were just doing fine..we are getting along already, we even made out last night…”
“Stop!”
“What’s wrong?” I shake my head. “Please talk to me, Anastasia!”
“We should stop doing this!”
“Stop doing what?!” He asked anxiously.
I did a sharp intake of breath.
“We should stop this fake relationship before it leads to something else…before we do something against our conscience!”
His frown deepens like he doesn’t understand what I’m saying.
“I’ll look for some other ways to pay you back..I can be your maid, but not your fake girlfriend.. it’s not right”
“Yeah, we….”
“I don’t wanna be her replacement anymore, I’m Anastasia Lopez and I don’t wanna be anybody’s replacement anymore!”
“Replacement?! You’re nobody’s replacement, I’m not using you to replace anybody!”
I scoff, he’s still denying it when everyone already knows their story.
“Then what about Nina? Aren’t I replacing her? Isn’t she the woman you love? Wasn’t she your fiancee?” I asked.
I’m seriously hoping he’d say no, he’d tell me it’s not true..but I know deep down that it’s not possible.
“Yes! She’s the woman I love and she was my fiancee….”
I cut him off with a dry laugh, he agreed…a very painful knot ties very tight in my chest.
“She’s right!” I said under my breath.
“But listen, Nina….”
He’s even calling me her name now, I’m really her replacement…I better leave, this place is not for me anymore.
Wait..it was never for me.
“I’ll find some other ways to pay you.. but I’m not stepping foot here ever again!”
“No, wait listen…”
He rushed in front of me and block my way again.
“Can you listen to my explanation, please?”
I shake my head.
“No! I don’t wanna listen to anything… I just wanna leave!”
“But….”
“Let me go! I wanna go home! I wanna go away from you!” I said raising my voice.
He nods and scan my body.
“At least change into something more decent, don’t go in your PJs….”
“That’s none of your business! I can go wherever I want with whatever I want!” I yelled in his face.
I pushed off my way with all my strength and marches out.
The tears I have been fighting to hold back finally flows down my cheeks rapidly… I don’t understand why I’m angry.
I mean, I don’t have rights to be mad or hurt.. but I am. I am mad and hurt.
Matilda is right, I have fallen in love with Klaus.. that’s the only justification for my anger and hurt.
I shouldn’t have fallen for him, he’s not mine.. he’s Nina’s!
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