Chapter 5 Back to the Chandlers +5 Free Coins " You let another man drive you to this ? Clarissa , you're not just cheapening yourself … you're dragging me down with you . " Clarissa was still flustered when his words hit her like ice water . Her eyes shot open . She stared at him , furious and stunned . Was this guy made of stone ? She had just kissed him . And he still thought it was about Gregory ? " I'm not some loser who needs to trap a woman , " Jonathan said . The cold pride in his voice had faded into something rough and hollow . " Once we get back . I'll call off the engagement . " His voice dropped , heavy and strained . " After that , whatever happens to you is none of my business . " He didn't even look at her again . He opened the door and got out . " Jonathan ! " Clarissa panicked . She lunged for the door , but it had already locked . She watched helplessly as he stepped into another car without a single glance back . The door beside her opened again . Zack Jefferson climbed in . He was Jonathan's most loyal man . And the one who'd glared at her the hardest . " Save your breath , Miss Chandler , " he snapped , settling into the driver's seat . " You were going to elope with someone else . Don't try to pull another fast one . " His voice was sharp , his face even sharper . " If it were anybody else , you and that trash would've been buried tonight . You're lucky Mr. Jefferson still cares about you ." Clarissa didn't speak . Her lips pressed tight . She had hurt Jonathan badly . She knew that . And she had just returned . Of course they hated her . Of course they thought the worst . She'd take it - all of it and fix it in time . Zack saw her silence and sneered harder . His knuckles went white on the wheel as he started the car and took her home . Clarissa didn't fight it . Jonathan clearly didn't want her around . He sent someone else to deal with her . Maybe he just needed space . Maybe she did , too . She leaned against the door and stared out the window . Far off , she spotted Jonathan standing in front of Gregory . She couldn't see what he was doing , only his tall frame and Gregory's terrified face . The car kept moving . Even from that distance , she still heard Gregory's low , broken screams . He deserved every second of it . 41 The car rolled to a stop at the Chandlers ' front gate . Clarissa was pushed out before she could even speak . She barely caught her balance before Zack pulled away , tires squealing as he disappeared down the road . She stood there alone , staring at the towering gates . Her chest tightened , and her eyes burned . In her last life , she had destroyed everything . Because of her , the Chandlers went under . Her father , her mother , George , Albert , Samuel - none of them had a good ending . She stayed rooted on the path . Her body wouldn't move . " Clarissa ! " 1/2 Chapter 5 Back to the Chandlers The scream came sharp and fast . +5 Free Coins Penelope Winters , Clarissa's mother , stormed out of the house , her steps loud and fast . Her eyes found Clarissa in an instant . Worry flickered , but it was gone in a heartbeat , buried beneath boiling anger . " How . Dare . You ! You went eloping just like that ? No note , bed empty ! You could've gotten yourself killed ! " " Honey , please , calm down . " Frederick Chandler , Clarissa's father , hurried after her and caught her arm . " She just got home . She's probably scared out of her mind . Let's not come down on her too hard ." He glanced back at Clarissa and gave a quick signal , urging her to speak up . He nodded at her , silently begging her to just say sorry . However , Clarissa didn't move . Her eyes were red , and her lips stayed shut . Frederick's nerves spiked . The girl was being so d'mn stubborn . She'd refuse to say sorry even now . " Mom , don't get mad , " Selina chimed in sweetly as she stepped outside . She gently linked arms with Penelope . " Clare just really likes Gregory . Maybe we should let them be together . It's what she wants . " Gregory's name was like gasoline on fire . Penelope's expression darkened , and she snapped at Clarissa , " Get on your knees ! " Selina's smile twitched . She knew Clarissa too well . There was no way she would kneel . A fight was coming , and she could already see Frederick tensing , ready to pull them apart again . They weren't wrong . In her last life , Clarissa had screamed back until Penelope passed out . That fight dragged into weeks of sickness that never fully healed , but today , something had changed . " Mom ! I'm sorry ! I shouldn't have gone away ! " Without a second of hesitation , Clarissa dropped to her knees . Her legs hit the stone hard . The sound echoed loudly through the open yard . Penelope froze . Her face stiffened . For a long second , she didn't even look angry . She looked stunned . This was the same girl who used to avoid calling her ' Mom ' . The girl who never said sorry , no matter what . was . Now here she was . On her knees . Crying . Selina's smile disappeared . Her face twisted like she had seen something she couldn't explain .