the mysterious Morris family

003. Helena heaven

Helena's Heaven, more commonly known as the Fantasy of Your Reality, was a sanctuary for the affluent, a place where extravagance reigned supreme. For Brian, it felt like a world apart—a stark reminder of everything he lacked. After helping Claire unload the delivery from the car, he followed her into the hotel room, his heart heavy with the knowledge of his own insignificance.

As Brian stepped into the room, he was immediately met with a sea of elite students, all of them draped in designer attire. And there, in the midst of them, was Mabel. “Guys, look who we have here,” Sharon sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.

“The poor and stinky Brian from the countryside,” she continued, her laughter echoing through the room. Brian stood frozen, absorbing the insult, his silence a defense mechanism. He knew that speaking up would only invite more ridicule—these were people who could erase him without a trace.

Claire, however, wasn’t about to let Sharon have the final word. “And look who’s talking! I love your courage to actually call someone poor and stinky. You aren’t even properly developed!” she shot back, a smirk forming on her lips.

Brian felt a surge of gratitude. Claire was the only person who had ever stood up for him when others hurled insults in his direction.

“Claire, are you seriously calling me improperly developed?” Sharon asked, her face reddening with rage.

“Oops! Did I just say that you’re improperly developed? My bad! I apologize if that hurts your ego, but I’m not lying,” Claire retorted, dramatically circling Sharon like a predator.

Sharon’s anger boiled over. “If I may ask, how am I improper in any way?” she demanded, searching for flaws in her own appearance.

Claire leaned in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “How can you have big boobs with no ass? When you stand straight, you look exactly like the letter P!” The room erupted in laughter, every snicker a dagger aimed at Sharon.

Humiliation washed over her, and Sharon lunged at Claire, intent on pulling her hair. Claire dodged, and Sharon collided with the wall, hitting her head hard enough to draw blood.

Tears streamed down Sharon’s face as she covered her head with trembling hands. Mabel, who had been sitting quietly, stood up with a sinister smile. “Brian, I have to say your new girlfriend is very brave,” she remarked, pouring an entire drink over Claire's head.

Claire stood there, drenched, her clothes clinging to her figure, drawing unwanted attention from the room. Brian felt a surge of anger. *This is pathetic,* he thought, watching Krayon eye Claire with a lustful gaze.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Brian cursed inwardly.

But Claire wasn’t done. She marched over to the table filled with drinks, grabbing the most expensive-looking bottle. “I’m not that magnanimous to let you go without a fight,” she declared, emptying the entire bottle over Mabel before smashing it against her head.

Mabel stumbled back, blood trickling down her forehead, igniting a fury within her. She lunged at Claire, hair-pulling and scratching, but Claire fought back fiercely, blowing in Mabel’s face to break her grip.

Brian folded his arms, a mix of admiration and disbelief coursing through him. *Who knew Claire had such fight in her?* he thought, watching the chaotic scene unfold.

But the fight was short-lived. Once separated, Brian knew it was time to intervene. He dragged Claire out of the hotel and straight to the car parked nearby.

“What the hell do you think you were doing?” he asked, his voice tinged with anger and concern.

“I’m not like you. I can’t just let them walk all over me,” Claire replied, her frown deepening.

“I get that, but what you said to Sharon was too harsh,” Brian explained, trying to reason with her.

“Do you know why I’m in this condition? Because of Sharon and her mother! I have to make her pay somehow, and I need to get my mom’s company back,” Claire declared, her eyes fixed on the passing scenery.

“My dad doesn’t want to see me because of them,” she continued, her voice tinged with bitterness.

“It’ll be okay, Claire. I know everything will fall into place one day,” Brian tried to comfort her, even though he felt an unsettling connection to her pain.

“Brian, because of her, I’m homeless. I don’t have anywhere to go,” Claire said, her voice breaking as she pretended to cry.

“Please, don’t cry. You can stay with me if that helps,” Brian offered, moved by her feigned distress.

“Thanks, Brian,” Claire said, her smile returning as she hugged him tightly.

With a nod, Claire started the car, and they drove back to Mades.

As they entered the eatery, John, a fellow employee, couldn’t resist a jab. “Here comes the tigress, the tigress of Mades!” he mocked, earning an eye roll from Claire.

“John, I have no time for your jokes,” she shot back, her mood still simmering.

“Claire and Brian, meet me in my office,” Mr. Roland commanded, his tone leaving little room for discussion.

“See what I’m trying to tell you?” John said, a knowing look in his eyes.

“It’s not everything that can be resolved with a fight. Sometimes, you just have to keep quiet and let things go,” John advised, his voice laced with experience.

“Claire, let’s go before Mr. Roland gets angry,” Brian urged, leading her into the office.

“Sir, you sent for us?” they said in unison, both looking apprehensive.

“What happened at Helena's Heaven?” Mr. Roland asked, his calm demeanor a sharp contrast to the chaos they had just left behind.

Claire launched into a detailed account of the events, explaining how Brian had been insulted and how she had defended him.

“Claire, I’m glad you stood up for your friend,” Mr. Roland said, a hint of approval in his voice.

“Thanks,” Claire replied, her pride swelling slightly.

“This is your salary for the month,” Mr. Roland said, handing them each an envelope.

“But sir, it’s only the middle of the month. Why are you paying us now?” Brian asked, confusion clouding his features.

Claire remained silent, her mind racing to understand why their boss was giving them their pay when the month wasn't over.

“Your salaries are early because you won’t be able to work for me anymore,” Mr. Roland said, disappointment etched on his face.

“But sir, we didn’t do anything wrong! Why are you doing this to us?” Brian pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice.

“Brian, if it were up to me, you two would stay on. But…” Mr. Roland hesitated, his gaze dropping.

“Whose decision is this? For all I know, you’re the owner of this place!” Claire interjected, frustration bubbling to the surface.

“Claire! You both have offended the Maxwells, and I’m under conditions that I’m not happy about,” Mr. Roland said sadly.

Brian and Claire exchanged glances, the weight of the situation settling in. They stepped out of the office, their expressions heavy with disappointment.

“Brian, what are we going to do now?” Claire asked, panic rising in her voice.

Brian took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “We’ll figure it out. One way or another, we’ll find a way forward,” he assured her, though uncertainty gnawed at him.