Toxic Relationships
The Bitter Truth's

The word that is printed is the past.

...Happy Reading's...

Jack is in a hurry to enter the cafe. Steve's call a few minutes ago really made him very unsettled. From the corner of his eye, Jack can see Steve now looks sipping coffee by looking at the beach that displays a beautiful sunset in front of him. Without a second thought, Jack walked over to him.

“What's up?”

Steve now looked at the source of the voice, right in front of him was the friend who looked at him impatiently. Steve chuckles a little, a year in a holding cell makes Jack look more rundown than usual. The billionaire even grew a mustache and his skin looked tanned.

“You've been sunbathing in hawai?”

Hearing the ridicule from Steve, Jack just looked at his best friend flatly. He realized that he looked different than he used to be.

“Brown skin is trending lately.”

As Jack said, Steve laughed. Indeed he admitted, although Jack did not seem to pay attention to his appearance, the man's good looks did not even fade.

"What do you want to say?" Jack asked back, Steve still chuckling. Even after a long time he had not met Jack, the man was still so impatient if it was related to Clara.

"Calm Boy! You want to order first?"

Steve's question now made Jack take a deep breath and throw it away slowly. Steve was right, he should have started to control his emotions from now on. Clara wouldn't like it if it was the same as it used to be. Jack smiled wryly, even all his behavior always reminded him of the girl. Will he ever see Clara again?

After Jack ordered a glass of Latte, the man looked back at Steve who seemed to be relaxing. It's been a while since he was like this with his old friend. Usually he only met Steve if there is a need, that is what they often do after the betrayal of the man with his former lover, Mary Thompson.

“How are you related to that American girl?”

Jack asked, Steve smiled broadly. It was as if he had imagined his lover to be right in front of him. Seeing Steve's smile, Jack just shook his head. Just seeing how Steve smiled, Jack knew so much that he loved him.

“I married her a few months ago.” Steve's words now made Jack look at him in disbelief. Hey, even Steve never told her about it.

“You didn't even tell me Dude.”

“It is impossible for a prisoner to come to my wedding, it only brings shit.”

Steve's circus speech now makes Jack lean his body and want to hit him, but Steve quickly held him and ended Jack's punch hit Steve's arm. They both started laughing. It is this kind of ridicule that keeps their friendship going for a long time.

“How do you ease my prison time?”

Jack asked curiously, the man looked more relaxed, this time he leaned his body against the sofa behind him. A year ago during his sentencing hearing, he was sentenced to ten years in prison. But all of a sudden the penalty appeal was so overwhelming when he appealed. He didn't even think it would happen to him.

“I've threatened that judge and bribed him a little.”

Said Steve by sipping americano on the table, his favorite coffee. Jack smiled only thinly. It was Steve who helped him, although the man never even visited him while in prison, but he was the one who had a big hand in easing his sentence.

“And all the evidence?” Jack asked again, he was quite afraid that someone would come back to ensnare him.

“I've burned it.”

“Everything?”

“Search in the media under the name ‘Jack Hilton a killer’ you will never find it again.”

Said Steve proudly, Jack smiling knot. Fortunately, he had Steve by his side. Even Steve is really trying to make his image come back good. But that's not what he wants, to hell with the opinions of others. He no longer cares.

“How about Chris, Steve?” Jack started asking questions this time. Hearing his best friend's spontaneous question, Steve looked at him confusedly.

“What do you want from him?” Ask Steve.

“Clara."

“Clara? Chris got engaged to an Italian girl a few months ago. What does this have to do with Clara?”

They still looked on in confusion. Clara's words a year ago kept ringing in Jack's head. Something's out of sync here, and he's trying to remember it.

“I'm sorry Jack.”

“I'm here to say goodbye.”

“I hope we can meet again in the new life Jack.”

Seeing how pensive-looking Jack was, Steve began to smile faintly. Now he just remembered how the farewell Jack and Clara a year ago. Even that guy trusted all Clara said?

“You can't even guess it?”

Steve's words are now able to make all Jack's memories of Clara disappear instantly. Jack looked at Steve in confusion. What's wrong? Has Clara been lying to him? Has Clara not been with Chris? Jack could not answer, he still looked at Steve in confusion.

“Master Hilton, Devin Hilton forced Clara to tell you all that.”

"A.. My dad?"

Jack was silent at Steve's words, hearing that Jack was all clenching his hands tightly. The man smiled wryly, couldn't everyone not meddle in his affairs? He's really fed up.

Steve took out a piece of paper and put it on the table. He's been helping Jack for as long as he's been detained, and this time only Jack can handle it.

“What is this?” Jack took the paper Steve gave him and read it carefully.

“That's the address of Clara and your daughter stay.”

"Daughter..me?"

Jack remembered that a year had passed and Clara had certainly given birth to their baby, Jack clenched his hands. Is Clara okay?

Jack looked at the address paper carefully. The french? How could Clara be there? Even Clara was not fluent in a foreign language. But hearing how the father threatened the girl. He began to understand why Clara was there. It must be his father who sent the girl away from him.

"Before you look for it, can I ask you a few questions Jack?" Hearing Steve's speech, Jack looked at the man. See how the face of Steve who is now looking at him with curiosity.

"Why did you hurt Clara?" The unexpected question coming out of Steve's mouth made Jack look at him in confusion.

"Menya. kiti? Meanin?"

"I know you're so possessive of her sometimes, but can't hitting that girl make her hate you?"

Steve's question made Jack seem pondering, as if all those past memories were coming back just like that. Steve just looked at his friend with sadness. Seeing how Shawn happened, even the death of Mrs Hilton four years ago made Steve think if Jack needed help.

The man always tried to look okay, even he also had to protect his brother and nephew. And how the marriage of his parents and his brother failed, Jack must have been so traumatized by marriage and betrayal.

"I just want to make Clara forget all her pain." Jack's words vibrate. To be honest, he never told anyone this.

"By creating new pain? And you think you're gonna make Clara better?" Ask Steve loudly. Jack could only shut up, as if Steve could read his mind.

"I know I'm Steve's stupid, but seeing him cry every night because of another man, makes my heart so broken." Said Jack and looked down deeply, trying to cover up all his sadness.

"Another guy?"

"Clara never stopped crying every night after the Shawn incident. And I feel like I'm useless for not being able to protect her."

To be continue...