All But a Dream

The phone rang very suddenly and when Brett looked down to inspect the display, his expression softened instantly. When he answered the call, Fione's voice came through the speakers.

“Honey, is the soup ready? I’m hungry.”

Brett spoke to her gently, “I’ll bring it to you as soon as it’s done. Wait just a little longer, okay?”

They were standing close enough for Claudia to overhear Fione's sweet and tender voice.

“Oh you, you’re the reason I ended up here! We’ve been married for so long, so what got into you last night? You were doing it like a possessed man as if it was our first time.”

Claudia stiffened at Fione’s words and felt a mix of pain and sadness in her heart.

Come to think of it, it must be his first time with Fione…

She stood still without a word but her thoughts were already drifting to some time in the past.

Even though Brett had doted on her during the five years they had been together, he had always been very stoic when they were in bed. It seemed like he was doing it out of a sense of obligation.

At the time, she assumed that was just his personality. After all, he was never one to show his emotions outwardly.

It was only now that he started posturing as “Arthur” that she finally realized what his true nature was like. He was someone who would lose himself in passion when it was with his loved one.

When she snapped back to her senses, Brett hung up the call and went to the kitchen to make a pot of soup.

When she observed the way he dismissed the housemaids and insisted on making it by himself, she chuckled and walked away.

She never left the house over the next few days. She spent her days patiently waiting for her purchase of the island to be finalized so she could get out of this place.

At one point, Fione was discharged from the hospital and came knocking at her door.

“Arthur has a circuit race today, come and join us, Claudia! I know you are still grieving over Brett but staying at home is only going to make you more depressed.”

The two siblings of the Maxwells were the pride of the family.

Brett was known for being poised and capable, he had inherited the company and sat at its helm.

Arthur was the more adventurous of the two. He was an F1 racer.

The siblings had completely different personalities and trajectories in life. Although Claudia was hesitant to go at first, she became curious to see how Brett, who had never driven a sports car in his life, could possibly hold up on the circuit.

With that in mind, she went with Fione.

When they reached the circuit, Fione went off to look for Brett and left Claudia to wander around by herself. That was when she suddenly heard someone exclaiming nearby.

“Do you have a death wish? You’re going to mess with the brakes just to stay by Fione’s side?”

Claudia had a feeling she had heard that voice at some point. It was one of Brett’s close friends.

He was the same person who accidentally spilled Brett’s shocking secret the last time.

In a strange coincidence, she overheard their conversation again.

“I don’t even know how to drive a sports car! If I don’t tamper with the brakes, I’m going to give myself away.”

“This may work this one time, but it won’t work forever. Brett, I know you love Fione but you can’t forget that she is your brother’s wife and you have a wife as well. Claudia has been crying herself sick grieving for you to the point where I can barely recognize her anymore.

“Think about this, she’s a good woman and you two have been together for five years by this, I’m sure you at least have some feelings for her. Why don’t you cherish what you have and move on from Fione?”

His pleas were met with deafening silence.

After a while, Brett finally spoke, “Just let me have this for three more years. Just three years for me to fulfill my wish, then I will return to Claudia.”

Claudia chuckled to herself.

'Don’t bother coming back, Brett. I’ll excuse myself.'

From now on, you can be “Arthur” for as long as you want.

She smiled to herself and walked back to the seating area to join the audience.

Shortly after they assumed their seats, there was a round of applause and cheers welcoming Brett and his team into the circuit.

When Brett finally showed up, the crowd’s enthusiasm reached its peak.

Fione sat down next to Claudia and smiled with pride. She fixed her eyes in front of her but addressed Claudia as she spoke.

“You can’t stay depressed forever just because Brett is gone, you should try coming out sometime, Claudia.

“Life works out in strange ways. Both of our husbands were on the same cruise ship but somehow it was Brett who died and Arthur who survived the disaster.

“I know you must be grieving a lot these days but you have to accept that it’s just how life works sometimes. You’ve always been less fortunate than I am so all that’s left to do is to press on.”

Claudia could feel her breath quickening, even her face had turned white.

Just as she was about to say something, she heard a thunderous crash followed by a sharp shriek.

“Arthur!”