“Burn those who burned me!” Chapter 69

***Clara’s POV:***

Sophie began to look around the room as everyone laughed at her.

*“Taylor was right, she is mediocre.”*

Anna looked on in horror. Ethan turned to the crowd, bringing the attention back to Clara.

*“You all wanted proof that Clara created a cure. Allow me to introduce you all to someone.”*

Ethan Signaled for his sister Maria to take the stage. The crowd looked on in suspense. Who was this mystery girl and what did she have to do with the proof.

Ethan made his way back to the stage.

*“Allow me to introduce you all to my baby sister, Maria Taylor.”*

Maria smiled brightly at her brother and Clara. Bowing her head, she addressed the crowd.

*“Hello everyone. As my brother said, I’m his 16 year old little sister Maria, and up until November of last year, I had stage four Leukemia.”*

Maria turned to Clara, tears in her eyes.

*“I was saved by this angel. Clara Rouleau.”*

The crowd went wild, gasps and questions poured through. Many cheering her own and praising. Suddenly, Jameson stepped back towards the stage.

*“That’s impossible! There’s no way Clara could have created a cure for cancer and completed a trial! She doesn’t have any of her credentials, which means if she did, it was done illegally! I demand the medical board immediately intervene and shut down ETP!! They are allowing illegal testing!!”*

The crowd went silent, if what Jameson said was true, the medical board would have no choice. Ethan looked at Clara with amusement, smiling back at the man she loved, Clara gave an approved nod.

*“I can assure everyone; no medical laws have been broken.”*

“Bullshit! You just said my daughter created a cure and then used it on a person!”

Ethan rolled his eyes and signaled for Owen. Walking towards the stage, Owen smiled brightly at Clara and Ethan while handing him the paperwork from their contracts.

*“Last year, when I came to Clara for help, I had every intention on waiting for her to graduate and receive her credentials as I knew that was the only way she could legally complete the trials.”*

Ethan paused for a moment while looking at his little sister and then Clara.

*“But Clara had a fear. The fear that my little sister may not have over three years to wait. The fear that all of her hard work would be in vain if she couldn’t. So, she did something that no one, not even me would have ever expected.”*

The crowd was so quiet you could hear a feather drop. Everyone waited to hear what Clara did in order to complete the trials.

*“Signed her research over to me in order to complete the trials.”*

***GASPS!!!!!!!***

Someone from the crowd stood up in disbelief.

*“Wait!! Are you telling me she allowed you to own her research just so she could save your sister!!!”*

Ethan smiled.

*“That is exactly what I am saying. So, you see, she’s not liar, she’s not fraud, she’s not a criminal. She’s a saint. Because she wanted to help me so much, she risked the possibility of losing her own research just so she could save Maria. She trusted me that much.”*

Light sobs began to pour through the crowd. Many couldn’t believe it. Clara Rouleau was a pure saint.

*“How selfless.”*

Someone said through sobs.

*“A true hero, Caroline would be so proud.”*

Jameson and Jason stood in shock. Not only had Clara created two cures, but she also signed one of them over to Ethan Taylor. Filled with rage, Jameson began to yell.

*“Clara!! How could you do something so stupid! You signed you research over to ETP!!! How could you!! I’m your father! That research should have gone to JGP!”*

Jameson was practically foaming at the mouse. Jason chimed in.

*“Honestly Clara, how treacherous could you be. You signed your research over to someone you don’t even know instead of your father or fiancé! He know has the right to steal-”*  

*“Steal what? My research? You mean like stealing my journal and trying to pass my research and data off as your own so that you can collect an award and funding?”*

Clara stared directly at Jason. The nerve of him talking about trust.

*“Tell me something Jason, which one of you found my journal first? You? My father? Sophie?”*

Clara looked over at Sophie, her face was now filled with shock.

***Bingo.***

*“That’s who was right? You Sophie. What did you do, go through my things to try and find something to steal. I bet just about pissed on yourself when you saw my journal. You would have taken it for yourself if you had been smart enough to decipher it.”*

Suddenly, Terra screamed from the crowd.

*“Well, we know she’s not that!”*

The crowd erupted in laughter; Sophie began to panic.

*“Stop it!! I didn’t steal your journal! It was Jason!”*

Sophie ran over to Clara and grabbed her hand.

*“Sister I swear! I never took your journal! It was all Jason. I would never do anything like that to you!”*

Clara looked at Sophie with complete disgust.

*“You mean just like you would never steal my fiancé? Or my mother’s jewelry and mementos. You’ve been stealing my life since the moment you were born!”*

Clara yanked her hand out of Sophie’s causing her to fall. Anna ran over to Sophie, her eyes piercing at Clara.

*“You little runt! How dare you speak to my daughter like that! You’re just upset Jameson loves and cares about us more than you and your wretched mother!”*

***SLAP!***

Clara slapped Anna’s face hard. As her cheek burned, Clara walked over to Anna. In a menacing tone, she kneeled down to speak.

*“Don’t you ever bring my mother up again. And for the record, the only reason my father ‘loves’ you and your idiot daughter so much is because you’re idiots.”*

*“That’s a lie!”*

*“No, it isn’t. My father was inferior to my mother. She was brilliant and well loved. So, he picked someone he knew had no academic value all so he could feel superior. And then when he learned I was just as brilliant as my mother, he relished in the fact that your daughter was just like you…mediocre.”*

Tears began to swell in Anna’s eyes as she looked over at Jameson. Running over to Jameson, she grabbed his hand.

*“You have to tell! Tell her it’s not true!!! Jameson!!!”*

*“SHUT UP!!!”*

Anna looked back in horror as Jameson yelled and pushed her away. As she fell to the floor, he ran over to Clara and grabbed her hands.

*“Clara! Honey! You know I have always loved your mother! You’re my daughter! Get your research back from Taylor and come home! I promise, Anna and Sophie won’t do anything else to you! JGP is your legacy, think of your mother and that-”*

***SLAP!***

Clara slapped Jameson.

*“You don’t have the right to mention her either! I’m not your daughter! You see them! That’s my family over there!”*

Clara pointed to the tables filled with Rhinehornes, Smithfields, and Taylors.

*“So, you see…I now have more than enough love, more than enough friends, more than enough FAMILY! From this day on, I’m no longer your daughter!”*

Finally, Clara got to say all things she wanted to say to Jameson in her former life.

Ethan signaled for security.

*“Remove this trash from the summit. The don’t deserve to be here.”*

The crowd cheered on as the Grangers along with Jason was being escorted from the ballroom. Suddenly the crowd began to cheer for Clara.

*“She deserves the award!!!”*

Many began to yell from the crowd. Clara looked up at Ethan, first time in two lifetimes, Clara felt completely free. Hugging Ethan, they walked back over to the podium.

Lawrence handed Clara the award.

*“I believe this belongs to you Ms. Rouleau.”*

Clara stared at the award with a puzzled expression. Her name was actually on plaque.

Confused, she looked at Ethan.

*“I don’t understand…how-”*

*“I submitted your research to the summit two weeks ago to put you in the running. Even if Jameson had created a cure for the common cold, you would have always won.”*

Clara’s eyes welded up, tears overflowing. Just as she was about to sit back down, Ethan grabbed her hand.

*“Before you take your seat Clara, I have one more thing to give you.”*

Ethan began to kneel; the crowd began to cheer! Gloria yelled out in excitement for her best friend and little sister! Clara could feel her eyes watering.

*“Ethan.”*

She whispered as he pulled the small box out that Gloria had been holding for him.

*“Clara, first let me say I’m sorry. Sorry that it took me so long to find you, sorry that you had to endure so many years of pain, sorry that it took so long for me to finally say I love you. But I promise, if you let me, I’ll make sure you never feel alone again. I’ll make sure your days are filled with nothing but love and happiness.”*

The crowd was also crying as Ethan continued.

*“Clara, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife.”*

*“YES!!!”*

Ethan immediately stood up and hugged Clara! Spinning her around and around kissing her all over her face.

The crowd went wild with congratulations!