Chapter 289: Just Let the Ground Swallow Me
Micah didn’t know where to go. Where to hide. His feet had carried him far from the condo, but now he stood frozen beneath a pine tree at the edge of the property, panting as if he had just finished a marathon. The woods around him had been swallowed by darkness, and a single ray of moonlight filtered through the branches, casting uneven shadows across his trembling hands.
Why did he always end up like this? Running. Hiding. How many times had it been already? Why couldn’t he be shameless for once and stand tall, saying, ’screw anyone who thinks I’m weird?’
But no. He was too self-conscious. He had that idol baggage to uphold, always terrified of looking ridiculous in public.
And what about the people around him? Like Clyde’s family and friends? Or even Clyde himself?
Micah’s chest tightened. His face burned.
The words echoed in his head. Jacklin’s voice, light and airy. ’She’s perfect. Both brain and beauty... madam of the Du Pont family...’
Micah squeezed his eyes shut, trying to erase it.
He had been furious when he first heard it. That kind of jealousy that erupted inside of him from nowhere. His heart had twisted in his chest, not just anger, but something else, doubt. A tiny, sharp-edged thought tore through him: Maybe it was true. Maybe Clyde really did like a girl. Maybe he was just being nice to you. Pitying you.
The second he thought it, something in him cracked.
He had wanted to laugh. Or scream. Or punch the wall. He had felt betrayed, humiliated, like a fool who had created his own fantasy while the real story had been unfolding behind his back.
The doubt took root in him, and he felt sick to his stomach.
But then, something else hit him.
No girl from the Ramsy family fit that criteria.
The idea that someone had claimed to be from his family, that thought that someone used it to lie to Clyde, to trick him, to take advantage of him, made his skin crawl.
Micah was furious. Who the hell did that? He wanted to see which girl had the guts to pull something like that off.
Then he had seen the picture. His own picture.
His heart dropped straight through the floor. His mouth had gone dry. His ears rang.
Jacklin’s words kept circling in his head. ’She’s perfect. Both brain and beauty... she’s the future madam of the Du Pont family...’
Micah felt so humiliated that he wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. He hunched over, pressing both hands to his face as if he could block it out.
How could he tell Jacklin she was a fake? The girl didn’t exist? That the one you were praising was this arrogant young master you were bad-mouthing all along? The nosy one? Sticking to Clyde?
Micah’s face turned so red that he felt he would explode while steam would rise from his head.
If they knew the truth.., how would they look at him?
"Ahhhh..." he groaned, pressing both palms to his head.
At first, they would probably hate him, being deceived and all. Then, after a while, they would tease him. He could already imagine Emile’s voice. ’Aunty Micah, go ahead, they are waiting for you, or should I call you Madam Du Pont!’
"Ugh...God! kill me now!" Micah pleaded.
They weren’t the only problem. Clyde... that stupid, sly, maddening jerk...
Micah shot up to his feet and looked around. He couldn’t see Clyde.
Micah wasn’t ready.
The sheer shame he felt made him want to scream.
He took a shaky step backwards, then another, eyes darting toward the road, checking for any sign of Clyde.
He didn’t want to see him. Not after realising what Clyde must have known.
God! Since when?
There wasn’t even a tiny possibility that man hadn’t figured out that Asena was him. Micah was sure.
Was it at the studio? He had fought three creeps as Asena. Maybe he hit too hard? Maybe it had been too much of a stretch for a girl with a delicate, curved, and high voice to toss grown men like that? Had Clyde started suspecting back then?
Or was it the charity gala? The elevator? Oh god, the elevator.
Micah’s hand shot up and slapped over his mouth.
Clyde had brushed his chest. Accidentally. The man had looked so apologetic, so confused... was that the moment? Had he crashed into his fake boobs and figured it out?
"Shit!" Micah hissed, yanking at his hair in frustration. "Shit... shit..."
The memories of events that took place that night came rushing into his head.
Clyde had suggested he be his fake girlfriend...
That was it. That was definitely it. He must have known by then.
Was it also his way of teasing him? He had probably had a good laugh seeing his reaction. And what did Micah respond? He had said yes! For the love of god!
Micah slapped his forehead repeatedly. "Stupid... stupid! So.. So.. Stupid."
He couldn’t stay here. He needed to leave. He should cut off his contact with Clyde. He couldn’t look at Clyde’s eyes. Ahh...
Why did it have to be Clyde seeing him in disguise?
Wait! Micah froze.
Jacklin, or Big sister aka LioNessQueen, at the fan meeting, she had taken a selfie... said she remembered him from the cosplay event.
A year ago... cosplay event... His mouth fell open.
So... did Clyde meet him there too? Could that have been their first meeting?
What else had Clyde seen? What else had he figured out?
Micah bit his bottom lip, chewing hard. This was bad.
If Clyde knew he had gotten jealous of himself... he would never live it down. He would probably have a good laugh at him.
Earlier, did he behave too obviously? What if Jacklin and others realise he was Asena too?
So that’s what Emile had meant? Did they all believe Asena was from the Ramsy family and Clyde’s girlfriend?
What exactly had that bastard told them?
Micah rubbed his face vigorously. He paced back and forth in the dark corner. He couldn’t even be mad properly. He was too embarrassed. Too overwhelmed.
Instead of finding Clyde, demanding an answer, punching him in the face, he had come to this dark, deserted place like a coward.
He glanced toward the cars. Maybe one of them was unlocked? Maybe someone left a key inside?
Micah walked toward Clyde’s car. He tried the handle. Locked. He tried the two jeeps.
But they were all locked.
Micah stepped back, deflated. He pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.
There was no way out. He couldn’t just stay out in the mountains all night. He would freeze to death.
He glanced back at the house, shoulders slumping.
"Let’s hide until everyone falls asleep," Micah mumbled.
That was the only thing the cowardly him could do. Sneak back in. He could sleep on a couch or something.
Author’s note:
Whew! Micah has got a lot going on in that head of his... but hey, that’s just who he is. I couldn’t gloss over it without losing part of what makes him feel real. So thanks for bearing with me!
These Chapters might feel like a bit of a slow burn or even filler, but I promise, they’re building toward something important. I can’t just skip straight to the good part without laying the groundwork.
Thanks so much for sticking with me through it all. ❤️❤️