Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth!-Chapter 151: Twenty-nine Years Ago 2

After Margaret and their father left, Claire sat on the edge of her bed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the hem of her dress as she chatted with Alex.

The nervous excitement that had been building inside her all evening was still there, but now, with their father gone and Margaret out of the room, she felt a bit more relaxed.

Alex, who was sitting on the floor with his back against the bed, looked up at her, his young eyes burning with curiosity. "Are you really gonna say yes if Isaiah asks you out?"

Claire shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "I think so. He's nice. And... well, he's the only guy who's really shown interest in me for a while now, without running off."

Alex hummed, as if thinking about something, but before he could say anything, there was a knock on the door.

A maid peeked in, looking slightly hesitant. "Miss Claire, there's someone at the front door looking for you."

Claire smiled, her excitement bubbling over, thinking Isaiah was finally there. "Isaiah?"

The maid shook her head. "No, ma'am. He said his name is Mathew."

Mathew? Claire mused, her brows knitting together in a confused frown.

The name wasn't unfamiliar, but she couldn't recall being friends with anyone named Mathew and neither was Isaiah a friend to any Mathew.

Alex, sitting beside her, frowned as well. "Who's Matthew?" he asked looking at her.

Before Claire could answer, the door swung open again, and Margaret strolled in, arms crossed. She paused, glancing between Claire and the maid since she had heard the maid.

"Yeah, who's Matthew? I thought Isaiah was picking you up," she asked curiously.

"That's what I thought too," Claire murmured, getting to her feet. "I don't know why he's here."

Margaret raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Maybe he's here to ask you to prom, too," Margaret teased.

Alex snorted. "Great. Another one."

Claire rolled her eyes. "Very funny."

Margaret tilted her head, studying Claire's expression. "Wait... do you even know this guy? Is he your classmate or something? Or maybe a friend of Isaiah? Maybe he sent him?"

Claire hesitated and then shook her head. "Isaiah doesn't have a friend called Mathew. I know one but not personally, but I've seen him around."

Margaret's interest piqued. "Really? Where?"

Claire thought about it. "It's weird, actually. I've noticed him a few times. At school, at the café, even at the bookstore. Almost like... he's always where I am."

Margaret's lips curled into a teasing smile. "Maybe he likes you."

Claire scoffed, shaking her head. "Too bad for him. I already have a date."

"But, how does he know our house if you don't know him personally?" Alex asked, making both Margaret and Claire to think about it.

Frowning, Claire grabbed her purse, ready to head downstairs to ask how he knew her house and also see what this was all about when her phone buzzed in her hand.

She glanced at the screen, expecting a message from Isaiah telling her he was on his way or even outside her house already.

But instead, it was something else entirely. Not entirely since it was a text from Isaiah.

Claire opened the text and without wasting time, opened it.

[I'm sorry, Claire. I can't take you to prom anymore.]

Immediately after reading through it, Claire froze.

Her breath hitched, her fingers tightening around the phone as her heart pounded in her chest.

"What is it?" Alex asked, noticing the sudden change in her expression.

Margaret, seeing the tension in Claire's face, walked over. "Claire?"

Claire swallowed hard, rereading the message, hoping she had misread it. But no. It was real, still the same.

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Isaiah had just backed out, just like every other guy.

She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. A knot had formed in her throat.

Margaret feeling impatient, snatched the phone from Claire's hand and read the message. Her eyes widened when she read the context of the text.

"What the hell? He's canceling!"

Alex stood up, frowning. "He canceled? Just like that?"

Claire forced herself to breathe. Why? What was happening? Something seemed to have happened.

Everything had been fine. He had asked her weeks ago. She had even been excited about it. Why would he suddenly back out now, at the last minute?

A sharp pang of humiliation crept up her spine.

Margaret was still staring at the screen, her jaw clenched. "That jerk. He didn't even give a reason?"

Claire shook her head, still trying to process it.

Margaret scoffed. "Unbelievable. Did he get scared or something? Or did someone tell him not to take you? What exactly is going on?"

Claire blinked. Did someone tell him not to take me?

The thought made her stomach twist as a cold sense of dread formed in the pit of her stomach.

She had always found it strange that boys lost interest in her so quickly. And now, Isaiah was doing the same—on the night of prom, no less.

It didn't make sense. Nothing was making sense to her.

Alex shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe you should text him. Ask him why."

Claire swallowed past the lump in her throat and nodded.

But just as she started typing, the maid spoke again. "Miss Claire? Matthew is still waiting at the door."

Claire let out a slow breath, pushing aside her confusion and frustration.

Isaiah had abandoned her. But now, there was a Matthew at her door. At least, this one won't abandon her on the road.

Claire took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions. The sting from Isaiah's sudden cancellation still lingered, making her stomach churn with a mix of frustration and embarrassment.

Why would he do this? Did he have someone else? Or was he inconvenienced?

She wanted to ask him, demand an explanation, but what good would that do? The reality was, he had backed out, without a reason.

Now, Mathew Fischer—someone she barely knew—was waiting for her at the door. What did he even want? To take her to prom?

Margaret nudged her. "Are we going or what?"