FROM GRIT TO GRAND: A BILLIONAIRE IN GUISE

LOSS AND FILTH

Derek's body pressed against Clara's back, fingers grazing her back and then he leaned in.

Clara, his girlfriend raised her chin and their lips brushed.

Clara didn't flinch. Her earlier shocking expression was replaced with something Akin to unrepentant.

Anger shot through Elijah's veins. His hand trembled, unable to bear the weight of the box he was holding. The customized box containing the espressos slipped off and crashed on the floor. The content shot out from the box, rolling on the floor and splashing the Choco-strawberries all over the floor.

“Are you crazy!!” Derek raised his hand sharply and it connected to Elijah's jaw. He stumbled backwards, almost hitting his head on the marble floor as the ruins on the floor slipped under his feet.

Clara didn't run to help Elijah. She just stood there, watching Elijah with a strange expression on her face. It wasn't concern. It was pity.

“Do you know this fool here?" Derek pointed at Elijah who was now bleeding from the cut on his lips.

Clara's lips twisted with disdain. “He's the guy I told you about. The delivery guy who has been trying to tickle my fancy.” She laughed, amused.

Derek laughed, his voice dripping with condescension.

“He's the guy?" He sneered. “He looks miserable mehn. He looks like a piece of shit.”

Elijah steadied on his feet. He wiped off the blood stain off his lips with his sleeve. He looked at Clara strangely as if she wasn't the woman he had always loved. Like he was only seeing her reflection now. No warmth. Just cold.

Raw pain settled in Elijah's eyes. “How dare you Clara! How dare you do this to me!” His voice trembled under the weight of her betrayal, voice dripping with pain and anger.

“I did everything for you–”

“Everything?" Clara cut in, scoffing and casually waving her hand in the air. “You can't even handle your life Elijah. You're as useless as the P in psychology. You have nothing! You're even barely breathing. So how could you –” She laughed in between. “...you give me everything when you have nothing."

Her words stung like venom, rushing through Elijah's veins and making his heart bitter and dark with rage.

His fist clenched at his side. Memories of unforgettable moments with Clara flooded into his memories.

The late night calls.

The Sweet promises.

The petty arguments.

Was it all a con? A beautiful lie.

And how Elijah had worked his ass off just to get a ring to propose to the woman she trusted and loved but here she is, cladded in a bogus shirt that doesn't belongs to him nor to her, entangled with another man in a hotel room.

“You heard her man. I'm going to forgive you for ruining my precious night so get the fuck out of my pretty face!!" Derek barked leading Clara inside with arms still settled on her waist.

Elijah couldn't take it anymore. Cold sweats rolled out from his temple as his whole body was shaking with anger.

He kicked the door open before Derek could close it fully.

The door hit Derrick and even Clara suffered from the fall. Her butt cracked against the floor while Derek tottered backwards and fell on the bed.

Elijah stomped forward and jumped on him to start punching him but Derek rolled over and sat on him.

“How dare you bastard! Do you know who you just messed with?!” A heavy punch, calculated, connected to Elijah's face. His nose broke and he started bleeding.

“I'm going to kill you!!” Another punch, heavier than the first, snapped Elijah's face to the side. Blood sputtered from his mouth.

Elijah's face was covered with blood, his breathing jagged and shallow. He was completely drained and his face was marred.

With his last strength, Elijah pushed Derek off his body. Clara rushed to Derek. She was all over him, looking at his body if he had sustained any injuries. She looks very concerned.

“Are you okay, Derek? Oh that poor rat really hurt you with his filthy hands.”

Elijah couldn't believe his eyes. He was the one who Derek almost punched his soul out of his body earlier and she's caring for him like he's the one suffering the hurt.

Clara turned to him, her eyes burning with anger. “How dare you lay your filthy hand on him! Do you want to kill him?!” She barked, anger dripping from her voice.

Elijah was shocked. Clara was accusing him of hitting Derek when it was obvious it was Derek who attacked him.

Clara raised her hand sharply and she swung it in the air, connecting it to Elijah's face.

Parrr!!

The slap echoed.

Elijah didn't expect it.

He raised his head, his cheek flushing red. He looked into her eyes searchingly, wallowing in the belief that his girlfriend just slapped him. “You slapped me?" His voice came low, trembling with disbelief.

Clara stormed towards him, her eyes cold and red with anger. “And I'm going to do that again if you dare lay your filthy poor hands on him. Do you think you matter?!!" She fired.

Elijah's hand still clings to his cheek. “But–”

“You have nothing to say Elijah!” Clara cut him off harshly.

Derek walked to Elijah, glaring into his eyes “You–” He paused, gritting his teeth “Just run. Because I'm going to kill you.”

He grabbed the hotel telephone. “Hello..Come to Room 23B with the securities. We have an idiot here that needs to be taught some lessons.” He dropped the call and looked at Elijah. “You're dead!"

Elijah clenched his fist, seething with rage. Clara isn't only a betrayal but also a hypocrite!

“Are you so willing to die?! Do you know who he is?! Do you know who his family is.!?!" Clara berated, not out of concern but pity. Pity! Pity!

“Come on dude. Hit me. Hit me!! But I'm certain It'll be a far cry from how I hit your woman.” Derek laughed.

Scoffing, he continued, voice dripping with mockery. “You think you deserve someone like her? Oh please. Stop being delusional. She's not your type. She's meant for a man like me.”

The door swung open and two securities walked inside with a Baton in their hand.

Derek pointed at Elijah sharply. “Here is the idiot. Drag him out of here and hit him like an animal if he resists.”

Elijah was dragged out of the hotel room. Clara didn't budge. She had just one expression on her face – pity.

She closed the door immediately Elijah was dragged out of the room like his presence had been polluting the air all along.

Elijah drove back to the cafe in a blur. The building moves, the cacophony of car horn was like a symphony of song of misery playing in his head. His eyes were swollen, lips broken but it couldn't be compared to how broken his heart was. It hurts. Clara never loved him. She never cared. The way she looks at Derek, the way she defended him and put all the blames on him shattered his heart like glass.

Wallowing in the thought, Elijah also sride into the road. The loud screech of tires cut off the chaotic thoughts.

“You idiot! watch your way!" The driver cursed.

Getting to the cafe, he dragged his feet inside to see Mr. Biggs on call. Immediately the man dropped the call he stormed towards him, anger registered on his face.

“What have you done, you idiot?! How dare you go there and harass Mr. Vaughn. Do you know who you just messed with?! Oh God! You're so dead, Elijah!

You're fired!

The words hit Elijah like a fatal blow. He wanted to speak but it seemed he had lost his vocal cord. His lip trembled. Fragments of his broken world shattered on him completely. He finally found his voice, trembling “Sir–”

“I said get the fuck out you idiot!!"

Mr. Biggs cut his off sharply like a man whose patience has been tested enough.

Elijah blinked, watching his world fall apart. The girl he loved, the job he was sustaining upon, the dream of a bright future. All gone in a single day.

He stumbled out, into the street. Tears clouded his eyes, threatening to fall. The clouds shifted and gathered, the sky darkened further and gusts of wind began to blow immensely then rain started falling.

The rain splattered on his body, drenching him to the bone and making him look more miserable than he already was.

His feet thumped into puddles but he didn't care. He is filthy already and everyone see him as that.

Elijah crumbled to his knee, chin raised and the rain rolling down from his head.

“Ahhh!!!” He screamed in agony.