Chapter Two:

***

She had a disheartening conversation with Nick early in the morning and it put her in quite the mood. He said to her that he missed her so much. He realized that he couldn't accept her new life so quickly than he expected.

She felt that she broke him beyond repair with the news of her marriage. And now telling him that they couldn't see each other, shattered him to pieces. He literally told her that he couldn't live without her. Despite the fact that she didn't have an answer to that, the truth clear. She never felt the pull in her chest every time he was near her. She never felt her rapid heartbeat any time he kissed her. The fact was that, she was never in love with him.

The day he acted sinister, was two nights before she became aware of her wedding, before she exchanged rings with her husband. She went to a party with him. A college frat party hosted by the women's man, Jake Phillips, who was having 'an actual' friendly conversation with her but Nick went all cave man on him. Jake frowned at his accusations.

For first, when Jake wants a girl, he gets one but Clarissa, was off limits considering they were friends and for second, he never likes to be intimidated. Nick sounded annoying, frustrating the guy enough that they exchanged fists. She shook her head and winced at the memory.

The fact in all the drama was that there was no chance for the both of them anymore and there stopped being any when her cousin fled with her lover.

---

"Come in," Thia entered into the office shutting the door behind her immediately.

"I thought I made it clear I didn't want to be disturbed." He said to her but sighed afterwards, "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to deliver some papers your father sent, he said to go through it thoroughly." Thia told him.

"Sure, let me see." She gave him the file. "There, you can go take a break now." He told her taking his attention back to the file he was formally working on.

"Are you sure you want me to leave?" He stared at her. "I mean, your father wants the papers sent back right now."

"Really Cynthia, you can go have lunch, I'll bring him the file myself." He told her and she tightened her fist in rejection. Nevertheless, she forged a smile and went on.

She cleared her throat and started again. "I heard about your wedding-"

"You hear about a lot of things these days correct? But now I have things to do, you should really use the door." She stood up and did as he said. Shutting the door behind her, she bumped into Clarissa.

"I'm so sorry-oh it's you." Forging a smile, Thia muttered. Clarissa frowned in confusion as Thia stretched her hands waiting for the file to be handed to her.

"It's lunch time already. You must be really hungry, you should go have lunch I'll give him the papers." Thia continued.

"Personal documents, Sorry you don't really need to bother yourself."

Thia glared at her for a second or two rolling her eyes and muttering a 'Whatever' before walking away from her.

----

She opened,

The clicking of heels made him sigh in frustration.

"I thought I told you I don't need to be disturbed Thia?" He turned around and the heels stopped.

"Well I'm not Thia." He looked up immediately to the familiar voice.

"Oh, it's you. I thought it was-"

"She seems to be really pissing you off." Clarissa mentioned and he nodded it away as if it was nothing.

"I see you brought a file, well can I have a look?" He tried hoping to take her mind away from the recent discovery. He flipped through the file and a frown appeared on his face.

"Well this file....who gave you this?"

"Your sister and she said no one else should come to you but me, she didn't say why." Rissa told him and he nodded.

"You can go."

Did she make a mistake? Well, let's see; old files, personally brought to him by Clarissa? Can it be what was going on in his mind? He paused when he found a note.

'You both have been working all day. Don't you think you should have a glimpse of your wife every second?'

He closed the file and flung it to his desk just when Clarissa walked out through the door.

He didn't know what his sister was trying to do but he knew the kind of person she was and he could already feel her hovering round his relationship.

---

Daniel had gotten home quite late that weekend working out of his sleep hours. He was literally exhausted. He entered into the room and he was greeted immediately with a strawberry perfume he had gotten use to. One he had grown to like so much. He walked over to his dressing room but stopped. Retracing his steps gently, he discovered something very interesting.

She slept on the bed!

For his reason, she had slept on the bed and the sight alone made him smile. Taking off his jacket, he moved over to the dressing room.

He went to bed immediately after changing into something comfortable, too tired to even take a shower. Resting his hand above his head, he turned to the sleeping figure besides him, memorizing every features of her face with ease. He confessed that she was infact a beauty. He was upset that in all her features, it was missing out his favorite, her eyes. Blue as the sea, he would say. He was undeniably attracted to them and worse of all, he was afraid. Afraid that he was already getting himself into something that he wasn't sure he would be able to pull out later on. He turned away from her sleeping figure staring at the ceiling untill sleep overtook him.

----

Saturday was lonely for her. She was seated at breakfast with her sister in law. Daniel had left for a business meeting a little far from home with Frederick and Kara, she was more or less into her fashion business.

"Why the long face Clarissa? For goodness sake he just left not too long ago." Clarissa blinked out of her trance in surprise and Audora smiled at her.

"Okay, spend some time with me then. Since you can't take your mind off him, maybe a little shopping will help."

Clarissa nodded before replying with a 'sure'.

-----

"Why would she even think of running away Henry, that's unlike the Clara we know." Austin stated as a matter of fact.

"I guess we don't always know people to the fullest bro." Henry replied with a shrug and Austin just shoved his hands in his pocket before looking around hoping to find interest in other mall items.

"I wonder how he must be faring, I better pay him a surprise visit sometime, don't you think?"

"You should. I heard Clarissa's a beauty by the way, I'm not sure he can resist for long..."

It was the fourth dress Clarissa had put on that looked magnificent on her.

Audora gave her a thumbs up admiring the dress in approval. When she decided to take her new friend out shopping, she sighed up for a gorgeous looking dress that fit the beauty very well, enough to get her brother's jaw to drop in amazement.

"Will this do?" Clarissa asked. "I admit the dress is a pretty one but-"

"But nothing sweetheart, you look gorgeous." She said with a knowing smile, a smile that no one could read.

Why does this look like she was asking for trouble? Clarissa sighed in defeat and Audora clapped her hands excitedly. "I'll just go pay for these, you just wait here." Audora said to her and was given a smile in return.

......" I just hope she's better." A faint voice was heard and when she turned to look in the direction of the voice, she saw a brown headed guy who got lost typing a message on his phone. His friend walked away from him but her stare didn't waver from him hoping she knew the face somewhere. He noticed this quickly and he didn't waste any time in returning the gesture.