THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.-Chapter 297
At that moment, upon hearing the voice, both Cora and Oliver immediately turned around in unison like two children caught doing something mischievous. The playful energy between them instantly faded. Cora’s eyes widened the moment she saw who had cleared his throat behind them. Her face changed quickly, from playful to surprised, and then to slightly awkward as she let go of Oliver at once, stepping back as if nothing had happened.
She straightened herself quickly, tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and gave a nervous laugh.
"Father i never knew you would come outside this early," she said, trying her best to act casual, but her voice gave her away. "What a shock."
Her father stood with both hands calmly behind his back, dressed sharply as always, with his observant eyes fixed on the two of them. He had that same unreadable expression he always wore when he had something on his mind.
"Well," he finally replied in a calm tone, "you were busy having fun... so I decided not to disturb you."
He took a few steps closer, pausing just a few feet away from them.
"I’ve been watching you since," he added. "And now I thought it was high time I actually come to say hello—since you’ve been so busy."
Cora blinked and quickly cleared her throat, pretending to brush something off her shoulder.
"Well... it’s not a big deal," she mumbled, her voice dropping a little.
The atmosphere was slightly tense, but not confrontational. It was more of an awkward tension, the kind that arises when something innocent suddenly feels exposed.
And that was when another voice broke in—warm, familiar, and with a touch of surprise.
"Well, just look who we have here, Cora," Festus said with a kind smile as he walked toward them from the side path, holding a small envelope in his hand. His eyes brightened as he took in the sight of her.
"You’ve grown so big," he said fondly, his voice carrying both nostalgia and joy. "And how long has it been that we have seen each other now?"
Upon hearing what her uncle just said, Cora couldn’t even believe her ears. Her eyes blinked a few times, trying to process what she had just heard. Her heart skipped slightly, and for a moment, she stood there frozen.
Even though she had been told earlier that they were coming, she honestly hadn’t expected them to arrive alongside her father. That part was never mentioned, and it completely threw her off. The air around her felt heavier now, as if the entire mood had shifted in just one second.
Then, slowly, her gaze moved almost unwillingly to the man standing next to her uncle. Her eyes finally landed on him. Clinton.
Her expression didn’t change, but deep inside, something twisted. That familiar face, that presence it instantly made the situation ten times more awkward for her. Her stomach churned a little, but she quickly composed herself. She couldn’t let her emotions take over. Not now.
So, without letting the awkwardness show, she forced a small smile, took in a shallow breath, and masked both her anger and surprise.
"Well," she said calmly, tilting her head just slightly, "I don’t actually remember. But I know it’s been a long time." Her voice was light, but firm. "I don’t keep notes on how long it’s been," she added, as if brushing off the moment.
She wanted to move on from this part of the conversation quickly.
But then, Clinton stepped forward, raising his hand slightly as he waved.
He chuckled. "It seems you haven’t seen me either, Cora," he said with that usual playful tone he always used when they were kids. "Have I changed that much that you can’t even say hello to your cousin?"
That made Cora pause. She couldn’t tell if he was being genuine or if he was just trying to tease her, like old times.
She forced another smile smaller this time and replied politely, "Hello, Clinton."
Her tone was short but not rude.
And just like that, Clinton burst into laughter. It was loud, unbothered, and full of energy. The sound echoed slightly across the yard.
"Cora," he said, still laughing, "you haven’t changed one bit. Not even a little." He pointed at her gently. "Just imagine...still with that charming smile of yours. That same smile that can melt hearts if you’re not careful."
Cora just stood there, still smiling faintly, but inwardly, her guard was fully up.
Clinton’s tone softened. "It’s really nice to see you again," he added, with genuine warmth in his voice. "I’ve missed you so much. I’ve missed everything about this country so much."
Immediately he spread his arms a little, as if embracing the air around him.
At that moment, hearing what Clinton just said, Cora could barely hold her expression together. Her jaw tensed, her nostrils flared slightly, but she quickly masked her reaction with a shallow smile. The rage bubbling inside her was dangerously close to the surface, but she had mastered the art of keeping her emotions in check especially in moments like this when all eyes were on her.
Then she slowly turned toward Clinton, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face and said in a steady voice, "Well, not much has really changed, to be honest. It’s still the same. Same air. Same people. Same way things run. I don’t keep tabs on change that doesn’t concern me."
Her voice was calm, but there was an underlying sharpness that anyone paying attention would hear clearly.
Clinton chuckled as if her words amused him. "No, no, things have changed, Cora. Trust me. You might not notice, but a lot has changed. This airport wasn’t like this. It’s more... modern now. And you—" he pointed slightly at her with a teasing smile— "you’ve changed too. Or maybe it’s just that you’ve grown more beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you. It’s like you’ve turned into a whole movie star or something." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Cora didn’t reply. She didn’t even blink. She kept her lips pressed together in silence, staring straight at him as if waiting for him to finish talking so she could walk away. She had no intention of playing catch-up with someone who, in her eyes, had no place in her world anymore.
