Chapter 95 Cobwebs in closets
CHAPTER 95: Cobwebs in closets
Chauncey
The silence that descended in the room was deafening after the thundering shock of my fist hitting the mahogany table like a gunshot, echoed off the high ceilings and froze the air in the room. The pounding in my ear and the pulsing in my veins was a physical manifestation of the white-hot fury that had finally boiled over.
Claudia sat still, but I could see that she was startled, same as Lily whose eyes had widened with a fear that made a fresh pang of guilt twist in my gut. But I didn't care; the dam had broken.
“I have had enough of you, Claudia,” I ground out, my voice vibrating with a low, dangerous frequency.
She recovered quickly, feigning ignorance. “What are you talking about, Cee?”
“Don't fucking bullshit me,” i wagged a finger at her. “I am done with your interference, your endless schemes, and your pathological need to poke into other people's lives.”
She scoffed. “Don't be dramatic, Chauncey,” she started, her voice trembling slightly even as she tried to maintain that mask of cool detachment.
“Isn’t that your specialty, sister?”
“I only care about you,” she snapped. “I want you to be happy, and if that means—”
“Being unbearable?” I growled.
“How dare you?!”
“No! This isn't affection!” I fired back, leaning across the table until I was inches from her face. “This is you being nosy and unbearable because you can't stand to see a moment of peace that you didn't curate.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “Chauncey!”
But I wasn't done.
“You came crawling back to this house after all these years. After your own relationship imploded. Did any of us shove that failure in your face? Did we spend every morning reminding you of what you lost? The mess you made? No.”
“How dare you?!”
“No. How dare you?! I bellowed. “No one pokes at your vulnerability. But you are hell-bent on needling into everyone’s affairs and starting shit just because you’re bored with your own life.”
I watched as Claudia’s eyes turned glassy, the sharp edges of her expression beginning to crumble. I felt a stab of guilt, but I wasn't finished. I loved Claudia, but my sister had the gift of bringing out the worst in a person.
Silas tried to intervene. “Chaunce, that’s enough. Calm down.”
“Don't tell me to calm down, brother,” I snapped, my gaze fixed on our sister. I took a deep breath, some control and calmness seeping back into my voice. “You know, Claud, for someone with enough cobwebs in her closet to choke on—you shouldn't raise so much dust.”
Claudia froze in her chair, a flash of fear appearing in her eyes for a while. She thought I was going to tell Silas what she was caught up in.
Lily, who had quietly been watching the explosion, reached out, as if she was about to say something, but I didn't even look at her. I couldn't. I was in no mood to play the charming, polite brother. Not when I was burning with rage.
I turned on my heel and stormed out of the dining room, my pulse thundering in my ears.
I made it to Silas’s office and slammed the door behind me. I paced the length of the rug like a caged animal. My history with Samantha was still a sore topic for me. I loved her and wanted to build a future with her, but she had suddenly broken the engagement, choosing to move away to further her career. That period was the toughest moment of my life, but Silas had stood by me.
The door opened and he walked in.
He crossed the room and stood by the mahogany desk, watching me for a long time before he finally spoke.
“Are you okay?”
“I'd forgotten what our sister could be like. I was never going to keep my cool with her in there,” I spat, leaning my weight against the bookshelves. “She knows exactly where to twist the knife.”
Silas nodded in silent agreement. He narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.
“What did you mean by that?” he asked. “The comment about her own cobwebs? You tensed her up. What is Claudia hiding?”
I sighed. “She’ll tell you eventually,” I muttered, tiredly. “It’ll be at her own time, or when she has no other choice.”
Claudia might act like she had no demons of her own, but our sister needed help, especially Silas’s help, and she was going to have to come clean sooner, rather than later.
Silas stepped closer, his voice dropping into that serious low tone that demanded the truth. “Then answer me one thing. Is our sister in trouble?”
I let out a low, mirthless scoff. “It’s nothing you couldn't handle, Silas. Besides, she's a Rutherford. When is trouble never knocking on the door?”
Silas sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He looked exhausted, the weight of his own problems with his wife clearly taking their toll.
I had come to the mansion with the intention of discussing how to further resolve the dilemma before Claudia’s interference got in the way.
Almost as if Silas could read my mind, he added,
“Look, we don’t need to discuss anything today. Not until you’re in a better frame of mind. Let's call it a day. We can't afford a mistake because you're seeing red.”
I opened my mouth to argue, to tell him that it was a really good idea. I arrived, thinking that I might have to put out some fires, but from all indications, everything was under control, for now.
By now, I was sure that Silas had feelings for Vera, and she might feel the same way too. Without all the sins and guilt on their part, it was going to take little to nothing to make them fall into each other's arms.
I was about to say something else, but a soft, hesitant knock on the door cut me off.
We both turned toward the door.
“Who's there?” Silas asked.
“It's me, Lily.”