Clarice couldn't work to her full potential. In her spare time, she would cry as she stared at her picture frame with Joel, which was always on her desk to encourage her. Now, that spirit has disappeared since he’s gone. Clarice seemed to have no strength to live her life.
Every day her eyes swelled up and it was distressing whenever her coworkers asked about her condition. It was not uncommon for all of them to want to take over Clarice's work and tell her to just rest in her apartment.
Clarice closed the picture frame - no! She even put it in her desk drawer so she could focus on her work. She breathed in and out repeatedly, but at least it worked. She was able to get a little bit of work done but it took so long that by the time her shift was over, she didn't realize it.
"Clarice? Aren't you going home?" asked Stella, passing by her desk.
Clarice turned her head and noticed the watch in her left hand. "Oh? I didn't know it was evening."
"Just go home. Or do you want us to have some tea together?"
Stella was such a close coworker, you could say she knew a lot about Clarice. And of course, she knew Clarice didn't drink coffee, so she offered to have tea with her.
"Do you want to wait a moment? I'll tidy up my desk first."
"Sure. I'll wait for you, Clarice."
They drove to the nearest café from the office in their respective cars. They both went inside and ordered something. Stella was surprised to hear Clarice order a coffee drink, which she had never heard of.
"Hey, are you sure you can have coffee?" asked Stella, after the waiter left.
Clarice nodded her head. "I'm sure. Coffee isn't so bad. Don't worry." Stella believed her friend was experiencing her highest level of stress because of her forced smile, which was so obvious.
The café she and Stella were now visiting still held memories of Joel. Clarice shouldn't have chosen this place as her destination, but she was still reluctant to forget Joel. Moreover, she hadn't visited her boyfriend's grave.
Boyfriend ... ah, Clarice even remembered Tristan's words. That a dead person has nothing to do with us anymore. It was hard to accept Tristan's argument, but Clarice also understood that everybody had a different viewpoint.
At least Clarice didn't see the man again. Hopefully not, as Clarice felt nervous when Tristan indicated that after they met, they would see each other again.
"Clarice, what are you thinking about?" asked Stella, breaking her reverie.
"Oh ... no. I just miss Joel."
"I'm sorry for you. But you can't go on like this, Clarice."
Everyone by her side was encouraging her. But their encouragement didn't work on her, as she was feeling it all alone. Even after Joel's death, she saw in front of her own eyes.
"It's not that easy. You know, I haven't even put flowers on his grave. I'm too afraid of meeting his family who will blame me. What if they find out that Joel died because of me? Because he–"
Stella covered Clarice's mouth with her hand before she could continue. She shook her head to stop her from continuing. "Don’t, someone might hear and report it. You won't know if there are spies around you or not, Clarice. So, let's just talk about what's appropriate."
"One Americano, please."
Clarice's familiar male voice rang out clearly, right at her side of the table. She turned her head and saw Tristan in the café, staring at her! Just as Clarice had hoped not to meet him, fate brought her together, fulfilling Tristan's words to her.
"Hello, Clarice Morgan," he greeted her.
Stella, confused, touched Clarice's hand. "Who is he?"
Clarice couldn't explain and didn't know where to start. As much as possible she didn't look at Tristan again before he engaged her in conversation. But clearly, Tristan's presence made the atmosphere around her dangerous.
"I don’t know," Clarice replied to Stella, lying.
Stella, curious about Tristan, turned to him. "I don't know you, but if you and Clarice know each other, why don't you sit at our table?" She knew that her friend was lying to her.
Clarice's eyes widened at Stella's crazy offer. She wanted to tell her to withdraw her words, but it was too late ... Tristan had already moved to Clarice's side of the chair.
"Thank you, Miss. We do know each other. Well, more like knowing each other," Tristan said.
Clarice could only remain silent and resigned. But honestly, with this situation, she could forget about Joel's death. Her sadness seemed to disappear and was replaced by her annoyance at the man.
They seemed to be talking and quite close. The two of them - Tristan and Stella were able to get along, but what Tristan always brought up as a topic of conversation was Clarice. Stella didn't even mind if a man asked about her friend, because Stella wasn't the type of woman who was jealous or wanted a man from her friend.
"Well, Tristan, I didn't realize that you didn't have an expression on every word. I mean, whether it's funny or not, you always take it in stride," Stella said, appraisingly.
Tristan turned to Clarice, who gave him a wink with one eye, which surprised Clarice.
"That's me. I already told Clarice why I can be expressionless. You can ask her later. And by the way, can I just talk to her alone?"
Stella began to understand the request. She smiled as she reached for her bag. "Go ahead. Just make sure she gets safely to her apartment. You'll have to follow her from the back of her car. Bye, Clarice!"
Clarice looked like she wanted to follow her, but Tristan's hand at her side completely locked her out of moving. "Clarice," he said, "it seems very coincidental that we're meeting here, or is it not a coincidence, maybe it's because there's something that makes us finally meet again?"
Clarice's expression showed her displeasure, she even struggled against Tristan's grip. "Don't follow me!" Clarice hissed.
"I'm not following you and–"
"You're driving my friend away! Don't you know that we don't know each other? Get lost … "
Tristan sighed. "He even left willingly without showing any expression of displeasure. I think she'll be fine, well from her expression."
"You can never know what someone is feeling!"
"Well, I do know. Even though I can't show my expressions to anyone, I know what someone's expressions look like whether they're genuine or not."
Clarice felt like she was running as Tristan continued to reply to her every word. Her heart honestly fluttered when Tristan winkled one eye, which was strange to her.
"And you're confused about something. I was right, wasn't I?"
"Why did you just wink your one eye at me? I–I thought you wouldn't be able to show me any expression."
"Do you want to hear it, Clarice?"
"What?"
"It's because I like you."
Her lips gaped open. She was taken aback by an unexpected statement that almost caused her heart to stop for a moment. How could someone who barely knew her like her in a matter of a day, or maybe more? Because Clarice had never felt that way, but the man before her, openly admitted to liking her. Clarice swallowed. She scrutinized Tristan Penn's appearance. The charismatic CEO but also a billionaire became very convincing in his declaration of affection. His confidence in that statement made Clarice certain that Tristan Penn was no ordinary man. Twice she had met him, and both times she had seen him look the same appearance. Just this time Tristan was wearing a suit of a different color. "Are you done assessing my appearance, Clarice Morgan?" he asked, distracting Clarice's thoughts. Clarice blinked her eyes repeatedly. She felt as if she had awoken from a dream that was neither bad nor good. "Just get lost … " snapped Clarice, indifferently. "I'm not leaving until you listen
Clarice was preoccupied with her thoughts because her landlord was on her side, and she felt trapped. Even if she moved, it would be impossible because this apartment had become her most comfortable place. Moreover, the apartment has many memories with Joel. Not only that, but the price was reasonable for her. DING! The sound of the elevator clinked when she and Tristan finally arrived at the floor where her room was stated. She walked ahead of Tristan without speaking at all until when she reached the front of the room, she turned around. "You can leave now," Clarice said to him, "you've brought me to the front of my room." Tristan looked at Clarice's door, which had the floor number and room number written on it. He recalled it in his head, then looked down, where Clarice was shorter than him. "Okay. You're safe. So, do you have plans for tomorrow?" asked Tristan. "No, I don’t. You'd better go, I want to be alone." "Tomorrow, go with me. I'll take you to your ex-boyfriend’s
"Let go of me!" Clarice struggled and managed to extricate herself from Tristan's touch, which had been accidental to deliberate. She gave the man a little distance as she gave him an unfriendly expression. "You're still acting like this, Clarice. What if you had fallen? I saved you." If she had fallen, she might have suffered a concussion or injury, but the fact was, Tristan had saved her. But all that made it worthwhile for him to touch Clarice and look at her more closely. "Fine. Thank you. That's what you wanted to hear from me, right?" Tristan returned her gaze, his lips forming a smile that Clarice had seen for the first time on his face. It was an unusual smile for someone who had recently been expressionless to now express it in front of her. "Well, your smile is weird. You don't deserve to smile, so keep it to yourself," Clarice said, mocking him. "Or are you afraid that you'll fall in love with me?" Clarice widened her eyes. She felt like she had heard wrong, but th
Clarice couldn't sleep all night. Tristan's words kept ringing in her mind until she decided not to sleep at all, busy reading her unfinished books. She immediately got ready to go to Joel's grave before Tristan came to get her because it was better if he didn't show up when Clarice needed some alone time with Joel, her dead boyfriend. With quick feet, she stepped into the elevator and down to the parking lot. Without lingering too long to warm up her car, she left the apartment with a sense of relief. Her heart was beating fast as she was like a thief sneaking up on the owner of the house. She bought flowers and brought them to Joel's grave. The cemetery was still very quiet, but Clarice could see a few people who came to look at the graves of the dead. For some reason, Clarice's breathing seemed to be more labored than before. It was surreal coming to her boyfriend's grave alone so early in the morning. Staring at Joel's grave, which still had some flowers on it, Clarice repeatedl
The statement just now was like a thunderbolt that struck her, making her freeze and even stare at him with great surprise. She did not expect and even had no clue if it turned out that the older brother of her late boyfriend liked her for a long time. This was news that came as a boomerang for her. The thing was, Clarice never had feelings for Joshua, and even she thought that Joshua had a woman who she even saw that the man often changed women in one day. So, how could the man standing in front of her have liked her all these years? "I don't trust you," she said, her voice trembling. "You refuse to trust me, Clarice. I know enough about your character. I have been learning for years." Clarice swallowed. How could Joshua know about her, know that she refused to trust him because to her it still didn't make sense? Clarice tried to shake off Joshua's grip, this time she intended to run and get out of the man's presence. She didn't want to make Joel's grave a witness to the st
"WHAT?! Are you kidding me?" Joshua had already guessed what expression Clarice would show him. It was a pleasure to see her beautiful face surprised. He smiled wryly, then shook his head. "I'm not joking at all, Clarice. Whether you like it or not, you have to marry me. Because if you don't, I will ruin your life." His threat was no joke. Clarice heard how Joshua emphasized his threat, making her imagine what would happen if she refused and chose to have her life destroyed by him. After all, how could she marry a man who was the older brother of her late boyfriend? To her, it was tantamount to betrayal, and Joshua should feel that way. But seeing his expression of no guilt or grief made Clarice question whether Joshua's kindness to Joel had been a trick. "Well, marrying you is one of my wishes, Clarice. And I won't let you refuse. After all, you wouldn't want your family to be ruined by your decision, would you?" Clarice's body shook violently. She wanted to fall and die.
Tristan waited in front of Clarice's apartment as he walked back and forth. He felt he had to protect her because, after all, he had met her and liked her from the first moment he met her. But this time, he couldn't do much considering the man Clarice was with was the man who had everything. Even Joshua could bankrupt his apartment or take it over, maybe not only that but the whole business Tristan was working on could fall into his hands also. He hated that he could do nothing but wait. There was no answer also when he called Clarice. And on his watch, he saw that it was eleven o'clock at night, but Clarice hadn't returned. Tristan crouched in front of her room, waiting for some time until he finally saw Clarice appear. She looked startled to see him in front of her room, paused for a moment, then resumed her walk. Her eyes were swollen, evidence that Clarice had been crying recently or at least a few hours ago. Tristan looked at her as he stood up. "Clarice … " he called.
Three days with Tristan ... never before had Clarice been so close to a man she had only met since the death of her boyfriend. Tristan was gentle with a much different character than when they first met. He didn’t show much of a caring side, but he understood what Clarice needed. Three days with Tristan could even make Clarice slowly accept Joel's death. But Clarice still considered Joel her boyfriend because she still loved him so much. She could only accept his death with the little she felt. Now, there were four days left when she would face Joshua again. She felt so heavy to face him, especially with her closeness with Tristan just now. It felt like she was betraying him even though they were not in a relationship. Tristan kept asking if Joshua was seeing her or not, but Clarice always replied that Joshua wasn't seeing her, which was true. Joshua had promised Clarice that he wouldn't see her until the week was up. "I won't see you for a week until you come and tell me your