Jeremy returned to the private lounge and took a seat quietly after taking a peek at Matthew with a timid smile.
On the other hand, Yarick focused on finishing his meal because he couldn’t be sure of the things he should talk about.
Lately, the bad-tempered Matthew was in a foul mood. Although they didn’t talk about it, they knew the reason behind Matthew’s frustration.
Therefore, the moment Matthew asked them out for a meal, they showed up without a second thought. The session ended up being awkward since they dared not talk about other things.
Yarick couldn’t stand the awkward silence anymore. He got curious because Jeremy seemed to be in a great mood and was all smiles after he returned to them.
“What’s with the smile? Have you gotten lucky and picked up a bill on your way back?”
Jeremy picked up the cutleries with a bright grin on his face. He replied nonchalantly, “Nope, but I have encountered a long-lost friend of mine.”
“Who is it? Do I know this friend of yours? Why didn’t you get your friend to join us?”
It was one of Yarick’s attempts to keep things alive because he had enough of the awkward silence. He wouldn’t mind having another person around to get himself out of the awkward situation.
“Oh! I’m talking about Clarissa! She’s a friend of yours as well, isn’t she? I think she’s here with her friends, but I think she has—” Jeremy beamed his reply.
Turning around and looking in the direction of the entrance of the private lounge, Jeremy chuckled as a certain someone had disappeared in the corridor.
Meanwhile, Yarick started at Jeremy open-mouthed after Matthew’s departure because he couldn’t be sure if he was right.
“Jeremy, was that Matt who had sprinted out?”
Jeremy shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly, “Who else could it be?”
“He’s very fast…”
Jeremy continued savoring his meal. He was equally stressed and couldn’t bring himself to finish his meal when Matthew was around.
Therefore, since the source of his distress had departed, he decided to finish his meal as soon as possible.
Yarick was finally in the mood to finish his meal because things were no longer awkward in the lounge. He felt a self of relief and crossed his legs, leaning against the chair while serving himself a glass of wine.
“Have you seriously encountered Clarissa?”
“Mmm… Judging by her look, I think she’s here for a blind date with someone.”
“A-A blind date?”
Yarick choked on his drink. After coughing vigorously, he sighed. “Is she approaching another man when Matt has gone to great lengths for her? Tsk! She’s such a heartless woman! Perhaps that’s part of a woman’s nature, huh?”
“Speaking of which, I didn’t expect Matt would take the extra miles for her,” Jeremy added.
Yarick couldn’t help but express his regret over the things Matthew had done. They were shocked by the things Matthew had sacrificed in order to call off his engagement with Shermaine.
“To be honest, I don’t think I will do such silly things because of such a heartless woman. It’s just not worth it, isn’t it?”
Jeremy rebuked, “I guess he’s the only one to judge if it’s worth it at the end of the day. If he thinks it’s worth his time and effort, there’s nothing we can do about it, right? After all, you’re not as capable and as loyal as Matt.”
“Hmph! I still think Clarissa is but his source of distress! Matt should have stayed away from her!”
“Oh! Shut up! Let’s keep this conversation between us, okay? Clarissa may soon be our best friend’s official spouse!”
“Duh? I’m just sharing my honest thoughts with you!” Yarick replied with his lips twitching unwittingly.
After they wrapped up their conversation, they went dead silent for a long time. Staring at the entrance, Yarick broke the silence and asked, “Is Matt going to leave us behind?”
“What do you think?”
Yarick suggested, “I guess it’s time for us to leave? Oh my God! You have no idea how intense the past hour has been! I couldn’t even enjoy my meal because I was on pins and needles! I was afraid Matt would bring up something out of the blue and was constantly on the lookout. It has been such a long time since I last spend time with a woman. Do you know what I have to go through? Ugh!”
Truth be told, Jeremy shared a similar feeling, but he wasn’t as agitated as Yarick.
The two miserable friends brought themselves out of the private lounge and thought of visiting different pubs to satisfy their physiological needs, getting a few ladies to join them for some fun throughout the night.
Unfortunately, the duo encountered Matthew at the entrance when they were about to leave.
Matthew, who was right next to the entrance, puffed on his cigarette and seemed extremely depressed, emanating a disheartening presence.
Jeremy and Yarick’s hearts sank when they saw their depressed friend—they would have to call off the plan they had in mind again.
After they saw him, Yarick signaled Jeremy to approach Matthew and figure out what happened to him. Jeremy had no choice but to brace himself.
He asked, “Matt, didn’t you get her? Why don’t you drop by Clarissa’s place and pay her a visit? Do you want me to send someone to go after her?”
Actually, it wouldn’t be much of a challenge to get their hands on Clarissa’s address. Matthew could easily get his hands on it, but Jeremy indicated the former should drop by the woman’s place and approach her in person.
In spite of Jeremy’s suggestion, Matthew remained silent with his abysmal pair of eyes flickering in disappointment.
Yarick had to keep Jeremy company because there wasn’t anything he could do about it.
“You guys should leave,” Matthew stated and set the seemingly pathetic duo free.
Be it he would drop by Clarissa’s place in person or continue sulking over the miseries she had brought upon him. They knew they should stop getting in Matthew’s way.
…
Meanwhile, as soon as Clarissa returned to her place, she received a call from her mother.
After she picked up the call, a middle-aged woman’s voice could be heard, asking excitedly, “Clary, how did things turn out? Mr. Goldstein has yet to revert back to me, but what do you think?”
Hilary couldn’t wait to figure out the outcome of the blind date.
Clarissa chuckled when she recalled the time she spent with the man. “Mom, can you believe it? He actually picked on my look and called me a horrendous woman.”
“Are you serious? You’re definitely above average in terms of look! Clary, please tell me it’s not one of your lies to deceive me.”
“Why would I deceive you? If you have any doubts, why don’t you approach the mediator? He started picking on me because my skin has a relatively darker tone after I spent most of my time under the sun lately. Pardon me for being honest, but I think he has irrationally high standards.”
“What the heck? If you’re a horrendous woman, I guess the rest of the women on this planet have no right to consider themselves pretty! Hmph! I was never fond of him either! He’s merely a stingy nouveau riche! I’m afraid you’re going to suffer for the rest of your life if you get into a relationship with that nouveau riche. Don’t worry, Clary. Let’s call it a day and take a breather for the time being. I want you to take good care of your look and impress the next candidate I have for you!”
After the conversation with Hilary, Clarissa cast her phone aside and giggled before making her way into the bathroom.
Minutes after she took her shower and returned to her room, she noticed she had a missed call. Her eyes gleamed when she took a peek at the caller. However, she decided to ignore the call.
She initiated a video call session with Ellie and shared the first thing she had to go through after she made her way back to D City was a blind date with a stranger. Clarissa made fun of everything and shared the hilarious experience and odd behaviors of Mr. Goldstein with Ellie.
“Ellie, how I wish you were there to witness his disgusted look when he started picking on me! Hahaha! I guess he must be thinking I was just another gold-digger who had approached him for his wealth! Hahaha!”
Clarissa went on and on for a long time, but Ellie, who was on the other end of the call, seemed to be relatively dull.
“What’s wrong, Ellie? Did something happen?”
Ellie fell silent for a few seconds before asking in return, “Not really. Aren’t you tired? You have just gone on a blind date right after your flight touched down. Haven’t you always been against the blind date your mother has set you up?”
“I’m still pretty much against the idea, but if I don’t give in to her demand, she won’t stop pestering me. Since I have given it a try, I guess she’ll give up on trying anything silly in the future. It’s not a big deal—it’s just a meal with a stranger. Eventually, she’ll give up.”
Ellie muttered her reply, “Oh… I guess that’s not a bad idea…”
Judging by the dispirited tone of Ellie, Clarissa knew it would be better for her to wrap up the conversation. After another few minutes, she hung up the call and decided to call it a day.
Heaving a long sigh, she returned to her bed and tucked herself in.
Actually, judging by Ellie’s hesitated response, she knew the thing the dispirited girl had in her mind, but she decided not to talk about it.
She had made her way back to D City because of the promise she had with Hilary. Otherwise, she wouldn’t stay in D City either.
As soon as her mother surrendered, Clarissa would make her way back to W City and play the role of a filial digital shut-in by her grandmother’s side. Apart from her work, she didn’t want to be bothered by anything else.
Speaking of which, I guess it’s time for me to put on some whitening mask. I can’t show up in front of others with this sun-skinned skin.
…
Ryler asked Clarissa out for a session in person once he made his way back to D City.
They decided to meet in a desolate club. The moment Clarissa showed up, she teased, “Mr. Cooper, do you know what I have to go through to reach here? I was on pins and needles and had to be on the lookout because I was afraid paparazzi were after me!”
Ryler served Clarissa a cup of aromatic tea.
“Since when have you learned to enjoy a cup of tea? Anyway, it’s great! It smells wonderful!” Clarrisa was delighted.
“I’m glad you like it. Grandma told me you’re no longer in a relationship. Is it true?”
Clarissa rolled her eyes because Ryler brought up the topic she wished to avoid the most. “Yes, what about it? Are you going to gloat over my misfortune?”
“I’m actually quite happy because I have the chance since you’re single again,” Ryler replied with a grin
Clarissa took a sip of the aromatic tea and savored the lingering scent of it.
“Ry, since you have brought this up, I’ll be frank, okay? Things will never work out between us because you’re, at most, a brother from a different mother of mine.”
Ryler responded with a self-deprecating smirk because he had been anticipating her rejection all along.
“Since you can’t take my joke, I guess I’ll stop messing around with you. You better not regret your decision, okay? You’re going to miss out on the most sought-after celebrity in showbiz! Do you know how many people are lining up just to spend a night in bed with me? You should consider yourself lucky and appreciate your one and only opportunity!”
“Ry, if that’s the case, why are you still single?”
After exchanging glances, they burst into laughter. They could make fun of their past because they had moved on.
Eventually, Ryler talked about Clarissa’s movie production experience with Justin. He was glad to figure out she managed to impress Justin.
Over the cup of tea, they caught up with one another and talked for a long time. Halfway through their session, someone knocked on the door.
A few seconds later, Yarick walked into the private lounge and exclaimed, “What a coincidence, Clarissa!”
Clarissa secretly rolled her eyes and resented D City for being such a small city. Literally, she would encounter her acquaintances wherever she was.
“Hello, Mr. Payne!”
The duo in the lounge greeted Yarick simultaneously, but Yarick ignored Ryler and had his eyes glued to Clarissa, behaving enthusiastically.
“Join me for another cup of tea, Clarissa! Why didn’t you contact me beforehand? I’ll get my men to keep an eye on you and waive the entrance fee for you in the future! When are you leaving? I’ll get them to pack you your favorite tea!”
“Thanks, but no thanks, Mr. Payne. Your hospitality won’t be necessary. I’m merely here once in a while.”
“Huh? Please don’t be so polite whenever you’re around me!”
After being courteous for a few minutes, Yarick asked out of the blue, “Are you guys done? If you’re done, why don’t you leave us alone, Ryler? I have something regarding the tea to talk about with Clarissa!”
Those present in the private lounge were conscious it was but an out blunt lie.
