“What else could I be?” Clarissa asked. She giggled softly and reached up to caress his face before continuing in a subdued voice, “I’m your wife, alright?”
Matthew chuckled contently at Clarissa’s compliance. He gave her a quick peck and approved, “Good.”
Although he wanted to deepen the kiss, he held himself back because this wasn’t the right place and time for that.
So instead, he pinched her cheek and said, “I came here to tell you that I’ll be gone for a one-week business trip. I’m leaving right after this. Don’t forget to miss me, alright?”
In an instant, Clarissa pouted dejectedly. It was clear from her soured expression that she didn’t want him to leave. However, all she could do was nod reluctantly.
“Alright. Remember to take care of yourself! Don’t pull all-nighters, and don’t forget to eat your meals…”
Clarissa rambled on in an anxiously fast voice. It wasn’t long before Matthew’s phone rang, signaling that it was time for him to go.
After walking Matthew to his car, Clarissa dragged her dispirited self back to the studio. A gloomy expression shrouded her face as she was still hung up on Matthew’s sudden parting. Despite this, Mandy and the studio’s two newly-signed authors boldly approached her. It just so happened that the two authors were present in the studio today. Hence, they witnessed and became insiders, like the other employees, to this ground-breaking secret—Clarissa really was romantically involved with the President of Tyson Corporation.
“Clarissa, could you get me Mr. Tyson’s autograph when he gets back?” The female author, who goes by the name of Hilda, drooled whilst asking.
The male author reacted much calmer. This pudgy middle-aged man went by the penname of Oz and specialized in the mystery and crime genre. His works had also become quite a hit in recent years.
In contrast with the lovestruck Hilda, he was composed and only gave a mental acknowledgment—Mr. Tyson is certainly a top-tier man.
Some of the employees had overheard Hilda’s question and chimed in, “Why do you need his autograph? You’re only awestruck because it’s your first time seeing Mr. Tyson. Besides, Hilda, you should be more rational. Mr. Tyson is Clarissa’s man. He’s basically family at this point, so stop with your dramatics.”
Hilda couldn’t fathom why the other employees were so unfazed. However, she felt that their words made sense. I’ll probably be like them once I get used to seeing Mr. Tyson in the studio.
“Clarissa! Must you and Mr. Tyson always put on such a passionate display in front of us single people? It’s simply too much to witness…”
“Yeah! You’ve got to put a leash on your man. Restrain him from being so touchy-feely the next time he visits…”
The studio’s employees hopped into the conversation and teased her. Being surrounded by their bubbly personalities, Clarissa found herself cracking a few jokes and giggling along. She no longer felt miserable about parting with Matthew.
It’s only a business trip, after all.
When Matthew was out of town, Clarissa felt bored and had no idea how to pass the time. She eventually decided to take Damian on a dinner date with Ellie and Damon. It’ll be a catch-up session since I didn’t see Damon at the last gathering. Plus, I can finally introduce my little boy, Damian, to him.
“This is your son, Damian? He’s got your pretty looks!” Damon chuckled as he scanned every inch of the boy’s face.
At the same time, Damian was also inquisitively checking Damon out.
Then Damian suddenly retorted, “You’re supposed to say I’m handsome, not pretty.”
Damon threw his head back and guffawed at Damian’s correction. “You’re a smart one, aren’t you? Alright, my bad. I think you’re a very handsome boy.”
“Thank you. You’re handsome too, mister!”
“Pffft!” Damian’s nose scrunched as laughter burst from his chest. “I see you’re quite the sweet talker too. How are you so good with words at such a young age?”
Damon was head over heels for Damian’s puffy cheeks, as well as his quick-witted responses. It was these parts of Damian that made him so loved by everyone who laid eyes on him.
During the dinner date, the three adults mainly babbled about Damian. It was like they could never get bored of the charming little boy. Even watching him slurp on his soup was enough to warm their hearts with joy.
“Since you guys are basically obsessed with my little Damian here, why don’t you each settle down and make one of your own? I’ve realized that life becomes complete once you have a child.”
For a moment, Ellie seemed like she was pondering something. It was uncertain if she was considering having a child or if she thought about something else.
Regardless, Damon shook his head offered a thin-lipped smile. “There’s no rush for that. It would be wrong of me to settle with a random woman simply because I want a kid. That’s too irresponsible to both the woman and my child. Besides, I’m too busy these days. Maybe I’ll think about it when my hectic life calms down a little.”
“Busy? You’re just making excuses.”
Damian overheard and decided to join in, “Yeah, excuses!”
Upon hearing his squeaky voice, the adults at the table burst into hysterical laughter.
Beguiled by the little fluffball of a boy, Damon warmed up to the idea of having a kid.
The rest of their meal went by slowly. Sometime later, Clarissa carried Damian and chatted with Ellie. The women walked behind Damon as he led the group out of the restaurant.
Just as Damon stepped foot outside, two couples approached him from both sides. Damon frowned after realizing that one of the couples was his uncle and aunt—Jacque and Sandra.
Damon wasn’t planning on introducing Jacque and Sandra to his friends. He knew that it would only make things awkward, especially given the circumstances between Clarissa and the other couple.
Jacque and Sandra gaped at how Damon averted them. However, they quickly understood why when they noticed the little boy in Clarissa’s arms.
Is that the rumored son of Matthew Tyson?
Well, I’ll be! Looks like the rumors are true.
“We meet again, Ms. Quigley,” Sandra greeted.
Since Sandra had taken the initiative to greet first, Clarissa had no choice but exchange pleasantries for politeness’ sake.
The other couple furrowed their brows in confusion. They jumped at the chance to ask, “Sandra, who are your friends?”
A realization flickered in Sandra’s eyes. She knew that the couple was acquainted with Ellie. However, she wasn’t so sure when it came to Ms. Quigley.
Nevertheless, Sandra introduced, “This is Ms. Quigley and Ms. Tyson. I’m sure you guys are already acquainted.”
Ms. Quigley?
The other couple, James and Kayla, pondered where they had heard that name before. They were fairly intelligent people, so they soon realized why Ms. Quigley sounded like a familiar name.
Their faces twisted upsettingly at once.
Hatred boiled in Kayla’s chest. Her daughter had been through so much hell, and it was all because of Clarissa. She glared venomously as if she wanted Clarissa dead. Red-eyed and tears streaming, Kayla lashed out.
“You. It’s all your fault! You’re the reason my daughter has fallen this low. You cruel b*tch. Why did you hurt my daughter? Why did you seduce her man, you vile homewrecker? You’ll burn in hell for everything you’ve done!”
Everyone paled in shock because it was rare for Kayla to utter such vulgarities.
Sandra fumed with repulsion for her sister-in-law’s maniacal outburst. How humiliating!
Next to her, Clarissa’s face turned a sullen grey. She glowered at James and at Kayla, who was bawling her eyes out uninhibitedly.
These must be Shermaine’s parents.
Clarissa never intended to reclaim them as parents, nor did she have any emotional attachment for them. However, it still hurt Clarissa to see her biological parents glaring back at her with such hatred.
Before the others could jump in and ease the tension, Clarissa’s voice boomed.
“One, I am not a homewrecker. Two, Shermaine and Matthew have never been romantically involved. Shermaine is in jail for committing crimes, so what does that have to do with me? Here you stand, pointing your fingers accusingly at me. You’re ignorant of who the real villain is and are unable to discern right from wrong. It’s no wonder Shermaine went to prison; perhaps you failed to teach her morals. Tsk. How is any of this my fault? Did I tell her to commit a crime? Was I the one who instructed her to endanger someone else’s life? No. She brought all this on herself.”
“Shut your rotten mouth!” James snapped.
He knew that as parents, he and Kayla failed to morally educate their daughter. Now, their daughter was locked up behind bars for committing grave crimes. So it made sense that he was already drowning in disgrace and shame.
However, Clarissa had mercilessly pointed his failure out, humiliating him in public. On top of that, Clarissa spoke harshly of his precious daughter, Shermaine. All this made James’ heart boil with rage.
He retaliated, “Speak for yourself, you wretched woman! Are your parents also responsible for your impudence towards elders?”
Clarissa sniggered. Before she could manage a retort, Sandra interjected, “My sincerest apologies, Ms. Quigley…”
Then Kayla interrupted with a whiny voice, “Why are you apologizing to her? This woman is evil. She…”
“That’s enough!” Jacque thundered.
He shot a look at Damon, who immediately understood and escorted Clarissa away from the scene. Ellie paced quickly behind them with Damian in her hands. Clarissa had passed Damian to Ellie so that she could confront the couple earlier. The little boy had been gravely silent this whole time, startled by the adult’s sudden crossfire.
Even after they entered the car, Clarissa still looked grim as she brooded silently.
Damon’s voice trembled, “I’m so sorry, Clare. I swear I had no idea we would bump into them there. It’s all my fault, I—”
At this, Clarissa appeared to regain calm. She cut him off, “It’s not your fault. It was just a coincidence.”
Suddenly, Damian’s arms reached out and motioned for Clarissa’s hug from the backseat.
Ellie obliged by passing Damian over. Once Clarissa held him against her chest, Damian gently patted her hair as if comforting her.
“There, there, Mommy. Everything’s okay. I got you. Don’t be sad.”
Clarissa felt moved by the little boy’s actions. A warm, tingly feeling swelled in her heart as she hugged Damian tighter.
Her voice cooed coquettishly, “You’re such a good boy, Damian. I’m all better now. I love you so much, Damian. So much! You’re my little guardian angel.”
Damian flashed a proud grin before returning his Mommy’s hug. The sight of this mother and son’s affectionate embrace seemed a tad bit cheesy to Ellie.
She felt goosebumps watching them from the backseat. However, she held back from complaining since Clarissa had been through a lot today. As Clarissa’s friend, she didn’t want to upset Clarissa even more.
Meanwhile, the two couples departed for the Wynters’ residence shortly after Clarissa had left.
Kayla bawled even louder in Hannah’s presence. The former whined, kicking and thrashing her feet like she had been gravely wronged.
On the other hand, Sandra sneered at her sister-in-law’s tantrum; Kayla played the victim card and wailed as if Jacque had bullied her earlier at the restaurant.
Hannah’s temples pounded furiously after looking at everyone’s soured expressions as well as her crying daughter.
She sighed, “Enough with the crying, Kayla. What’s gone wrong? Is the problem that bad? You’re a grown woman. Why are you crying like some immature child over spilled milk?”
“Mom! I’m upset because my poor Shermaine has suffered so much. She’s not even released from prison yet! My daughter is definitely innocent, but that b*tch who framed her insisted otherwise and humiliated us publicly today! Mom, why are the fates so unkind to our family’s lives? Why did they make my poor Shermaine’s life so difficult?” Kayla bawled even louder.
