Chapter 5 : Fitting room

“Mama, I don’t think I can wear this.”

Clarissa pleaded her mother who is busy selecting customized party outfits for her.

After divorcing Nicholas, Matilda didn’t waste a second to assign her precious daughter as the acting CEO of RISSA essence and also the head of the perfume making unit.

Since Clarissa is pregnant, she didn’t want to pressure her with work responsibilities.

But at the same time, she wants everyone in the world recognize Clarissa’s talent, especially the bastard who hurt her should know what he missed which is why she gave it a thought and came up with this resolve.

Making Clarissa a share holder is just the beginning, a calculative move. Nicholas will definitely regret divorcing her baby. She’ll make sure of it.

Clarissa who is clueless about her mother’s plans didn’t understand why she’s in a boutique, trying a bunch of fancy dresses as if she’s attending a business party.

She may have less knowledge in extravagant life as she always opted for a simpler one and never thought of getting involved in her mother’s business but as Mrs. Romano, she accompanied Nicholas to many events and knew how this works.

“Come on baby! Put this on for me.”

Matilda blew a kiss to her and patted her back, gesturing the attendants to help her daughter with the costumes.

“This way Ms. Anderson.”

One of the attendants held the dresses and the others guided Clarissa towards the fitting room but she shook her head, turning to her mother.

“Mama, I’m not putting them on until or unless you tell me what’s this all about?”

She had enough of her mother’s craziness for the past four months.

Ever since she returned home, her mother did everything in her power to make her to be known to the world as her daughter and even pulled a stunt by involving her in the company without her knowledge.

She didn’t say anything when she was assigned as the head of perfume making unit because she loves to create new fragrances and it also helps her to forget about Nicholas but what’s the need of making her the acting CEO?

She knew her mother always wanted her to be on the top of the world, it’s every mother’s wish but she never took pleasure in such things.

All her life, she only wanted a family of her own because she never had the luxury to have one.

Her father cheated on them when she was eight by having an affair with Natalie’s mother and brought them home, breaking her mother’s heart.

She still remembered the day when Natalie and her mother stepped into their house like they owned it, crushing their beautiful castle.

Without making a scene or confronting her dad, her mother left the house with her, including her father’s surname which is why she’s Clarissa Anderson but Natalie, a Cooper.

She was raised by a single mother who build a perfume empire with her blood, sweat and tears for the past two decades.

Her mother gave her everything she needed in her life and she’s happy but during cold restless nights, her old days where she used to sleep with her dad and mom flashes in front of her eyes.

She longed for her dad’s love.

Of course her mother never forbid her to meet her dad but she never felt his fatherly love after being with his second family.

They became his world, Natalie received the princess treatment and he never looked back at her or her mother once.

He didn’t try to explain himself nor stopped them from leaving. It’s over just like that.

After so many years, she finally thought she can have the life she dreamt with Nicholas but he’s same as her dad.

He left her for other woman, not just any woman but the daughter of her mother’s home wrecker.

If possible she wants to avenge her mother by defeating her dad’s company which is under Natalie’s mother and can use her pregnancy to crumble Natalie’s dreams of marrying Nicholas but she chose neither.

The reason…..she wants to live a simple life, give birth to her child, raise him or her in healthy environment.

She can raise her child by herself just like her mother. Moreover, she’s not alone. Catherine and her mother are looking after her 24/7. She has nothing to worry about.

But her mother seems to have different plans for her.

She never forced her to take part in her company and left her to her own goals but now she’s making a path for her to glow up as a star.

Why????

Matilda stared at her stubborn daughter, her gaze calm and unbothered.

She gave a look at the attendants and they bowed their heads before disappearing from her sight, giving them privacy.

“Sit down Clarissa.”

She said, helping her pregnant daughter to a nearby chair and offered her a glass of water.

Clarissa emptied the glass in one go and wiped her lips before giving her full attention to her dignified mother.

“I arranged a banquet for you.”

“You did what?”

Clarissa berated, her hand covering her belly protectively, her face turning red in fury.

“Calm down and listen to me.”

Matilda rubbed her back soothingly, trying to calm her enraged daughter and took a seat beside her.

“I respected your decision of staying out of public eye all these years.”

She spoke, caressing her hair lovingly and looked into her daughter’s angry eyes.

“And I never questioned you when you presented yourself as Mrs. Romano in front of the whole world.”

Clarissa lowered her eyes in guilt remembering her selfish actions.

She never let her mother introduce her to the world as her daughter just to stay out of public attention but after marrying Nicholas, she appeared on television many times, covered the tabloids, became the member of elite wife’s club.

She did it all for him, only to be left alone with a baby growing in her belly.

“I am doing this for you honey. Don’t stop me.”

Matilda said, resolute about her decision which made Clarissa sigh in helplessness.

“Mama why are you doing this? What’s the need of seeking public attention?”

“I want them to know that you are not alone. You’re not a loser dear, not a pushover. Show them what you’re capable of.”

Clarissa shook her head in denial, her eyes pooling with tears.

“You never cared about being the main focus after leaving dad. Don’t rub it on me now.”