Chapter 14 #2
Blair and I exchange a look, and this time, I can’t suppress the grin that tugs at my lips.
A few minutes later, Blair pulls the cart to a stop near the edge of the woods. “We’re on foot from here. Let’s spread out.”
Just as we step out, Blair’s phone buzzes. She glances at the screen and sighs. “It’s work. I have to take this.”
Clarissa perks up immediately. “Guess it’s just me and Lainey, then.”
Blair looks at me apologetically. “You okay with that?”
I nod, trying to appear more confident than I feel. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got to find the items if I want to beat Zach.”
Blair grins. “Good luck, then. I’ll send someone back to pick you up later.”
As Blair drives away, Clarissa and I begin walking deeper into the woods, the sounds of the reunion fading behind us. We keep our eyes on the ground, searching for anything that matches the list, but Clarissa seems more interested in talking than looking.
“You know,” she says suddenly, her tone conversational, “I think it’s important we get to know each other.”
I glance at her, skeptical. “Do you?”
She nods, her expression sincere—too sincere. “Absolutely. I’ll go first.”
I bite back a sigh, bracing myself.
“I met Zach in college,” she begins, her tone almost dreamy. “We were perfect together. Everyone thought we’d get married. I only left because I had to finish my degree and pursue my dream of becoming a doctor.”
I keep my focus on the ground, my heart sinking slightly as her words hit a nerve.
“My dad’s a brilliant doctor,” Clarissa continues, “and I wanted to make him proud. And Zach, too. I figured if I worked hard enough, I could help him someday. Be the support he needs.”
Her words echo Mr. Darling’s earlier comments, and I swallow hard, unsure how to respond.
“And now,” she says with a bright smile, “I’m a family medicine doctor specializing in sports medicine. Perfect for someone like Zach, don’t you think?”
I glance at her sharply, trying to keep my expression neutral.
Clarissa doesn’t seem to notice. “I spent almost two years overseas, volunteering. It was hard being away from Zach, but I promised him I’d come back.” She stops walking, turning to face me fully. “And here I am.”
My chest tightens, and for a brief moment, I hate how easily her words get under my skin. This is fake. But Zach doesn’t care about Clarissa. I know that. Still, her presence—and her confidence—feels like a threat.
“Well,” I say finally, keeping my tone polite but distant, “it sounds like you’ve accomplished a lot.”
Clarissa smiles, clearly pleased with herself. “I have. And now that I’m back, I can finally focus on what matters—Zach.”
Clarissa stops abruptly in front of me, turning with a suddenness that makes me almost collide with her. Her expression softens, and for a moment, I think she’s going to say something helpful or neutral. Instead, her words take me completely off guard.
“I want to apologize, Lainey,” she says earnestly, her big doe eyes fixed on me.
I blink, confused. “For what?”
“For Drew,” she says, tilting her head slightly as if this is an obvious thing.
A chill runs down my spine, but I keep my voice steady. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Her lips twitch into a faint, knowing smile. “Oh, come on. I know you had a thing for Drew back then. But the truth is… so did I.” She shrugs as though that admission shouldn’t sting. “I realized I wasn’t really in love with Drew when I met Zach. I think I just liked him because you liked him.”
I freeze, gripping the scavenger hunt list a little tighter. “You’re seriously telling me this now?”
“I just thought you should know,” she says breezily, as if she’s doing me a favor. “I broke up with Drew because of Zach. But I still feel bad about… you know, liking him when you did. So, I’m sorry for that.”
I take a deep breath, my mind spinning. “It’s fine. Really.”
“I hear Drew is still single, though,” she adds, her tone light but her gaze sharp. “And I know he liked you, Lainey. It’s not too late, you know.”
I stare at her, stunned by her boldness. “I don’t like Drew anymore.”
Clarissa raises a skeptical eyebrow. “How do you know? You haven’t seen or talked to him in years, have you?”
“Drop it,” I say firmly, my voice leaving no room for debate. “I’m with Zach now.”
Her lips twitch again, this time into something that resembles a smirk. “Do you really love him, though?”
“That’s none of your business,” I snap, my patience unraveling. “And we should get back to the scavenger hunt before it gets dark.”
I glance around, hoping for a sign of Blair or anyone else, but we’re still alone. With a frustrated huff, Clarissa turns and starts walking again, and I follow her deeper into the woods.
What feels like hours later, we come across an overgrown garden. The once-beautiful stone paths are cracked and littered with weeds, and the flowerbeds are tangled with vines. The air feels heavier here, almost eerie, as if time had stopped caring for this place long ago.
“This is it,” Clarissa says, slowing her pace. “Zach and his siblings will never come here. It reminds them too much of their mother.”
Her voice is softer now, almost reverent, as her eyes scan the garden.
She lets out a heavy sigh, as though she’s burdened by some great truth only she knows.
“She died when Zach was young. I’m sure you’ve noticed they don’t talk about her much.
This place was hers. She designed it, cared for it.
But after she passed…” She gestures vaguely at the neglected garden. “It’s just too painful for them.”
My chest tightens at the thought of Zach carrying that kind of loss. “That’s awful,” I say softly.
Clarissa turns to me, her expression unreadable. “See? You don’t even know about this. How can you possibly be with Zach if you don’t understand what he’s been through?”
I bristle, her words cutting deeper than I expect. “I care about Zach,” I say firmly. “I know enough.”
Her smile is small, almost pitying. “Do you, though? Don’t you know it’s all a front?
The playboy act, the flings. It’s just his way of coping.
” She pauses, letting the weight of her words settle.
“I didn’t break up with him because of that.
I knew he was going through something. I let him have his fun, do whatever he needed to do.
But I left to become a better person for him.
To be able to help him. Because I love Zach. ”
Her declaration hangs heavy in the air, and for a moment, I don’t know how to respond. I stop walking and turn to face Clarissa. Her words swirl in my mind, tugging at something inside me that feels fragile and raw. But I won’t let her see it. Not Clarissa.
“You left him,” I say finally, keeping my tone even. “If you loved him, you wouldn’t talk about him like he’s broken. Like he’s some toy you can just fix. Zach’s not a project—he’s a person. He has feelings. He’s real. And there’s nothing wrong with him.”
Clarissa blinks, caught off guard by the sharpness in my tone.
But she recovers quickly, her expression settling into that familiar, condescending smile.
“You say that now,” she replies airily, brushing imaginary dust from her sleeve.
“But you’ll get tired of his ways. His distance, his charm—none of it will hold up forever.
You’ll leave him, just like everyone else has.
And when you do, it’s okay. Because he has me. ”
I blink, momentarily stunned by her sheer audacity. “You’re unbelievable,” I mutter, shaking my head. “I’m going to look for the items now. You said they’re in the garden, right?”
Her lips curl into a smirk, and she nods. “Yes. I’m sure of it. I overheard Mr. Darling telling my dad when they thought no one was listening. Down that way.” She gestures vaguely toward a more overgrown section of the garden.
I narrow my eyes at her, skepticism written all over my face. “Convenient,” I say, crossing my arms.
She sighs dramatically, placing a hand over her heart like she’s offended. “I’m just trying to help. If you don’t believe me, I’ll go myself.”
“Fine,” I say, tired of the back-and-forth. “We’ll split up. I’ll go that way. You take the other path.”
Her smirk widens, and she gives a small shrug. “Suit yourself.”
Without another word, I head in the direction she pointed, stepping carefully over uneven patches of dirt and weeds.
The sun dips lower on the horizon, casting long shadows over the forgotten garden.
The air grows cooler, and an eerie quiet settles around me, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves.
A sudden flutter of wings breaks the silence, and a bird darts out of the brush. I jump, letting out an embarrassing yelp before laughing at myself. “Get it together, Lainey,” I mutter under my breath.
I press on, scanning the ground for anything that matches the description of the highest-value item—a golden compass token.
My fingers brush against leaves and fallen branches as I search, but there’s nothing.
The longer I walk, the more the path seems to narrow, the overgrown plants closing in around me.
Pausing, I glance over my shoulder. There’s no sign of Clarissa. I call her name. “Clarissa?” My voice echoes, but no reply comes. I sigh, irritated. Of course, she’s disappeared.
The light is fading fast now, the setting sun painting the sky in streaks of orange and pink. I squint into the dimness ahead, stepping carefully over a tangle of roots. My foot catches on something, and before I can stop myself, I’m falling.
“Ah!” The ground rushes up to meet me, and I land hard, twisting my ankle in the process. A sharp pain shoots up my leg, and I cry out, clutching my ankle as I sit up. “Crap,” I mutter, gritting my teeth against the ache.
I try to stand, but the pain is too much. Defeated, I sink back to the ground and take a shaky breath. Pulling out my phone, I press the power button—only for the screen to remain black.
Dead. Of course. I’d forgotten to charge it last night and meant to plug it in during the drive to the reunion. Perfect.