A smile crept up Clarissa’s face as she beamed while Matthew shrugged innocently.
“Hear that? Both Damian and I will have to eat lesser now so you don’t have to work so hard.”
“Pfft, not you too.” Clarissa laughed.
She then turned her head toward Damian with a smile. “Actually Damian, Daddy earns enough money for us. Don’t believe his lies.”
Clarissa did not want to give her son a false belief that their family was struggling with finances.
Upon hearing that, Damian’s perked up. “In that case, Mommy doesn’t need to earn money anymore. So just come back home, Mommy.”
“I can’t do that, Darling. I’ve promised others that I’ll be working. We have to keep our promises. If not, we would become untrustworthy people hated by others. You don’t want me to be hated, do you, Darling?”
Damian pouted as he mulled over Clarissa’s reasoning. After a while, he admitted reluctantly. “No, Mommy. I will wait for you at home, then. Come back soon!”
“That’s my boy. You’re the best, Darling. Such an obedient boy.”
Damian’s eyes lit up as he received the compliment, turning his scowl into a grin immediately. His chubby cheeks added to the adorableness.
Clarissa puckered up her lips and blew a kiss at the screen.
Damian reciprocated by kissing the camera directly.
Clarissa guffawed at the other end of the call, clutching her stomach. Matthew stroked Damian’s hair before saying, “Don’t kiss the phone, Damian. Wait till Mommy comes back, then you can give her a big kiss.”
He then turned his gaze onto Clarissa, his eyes boring into her before he added, “And so will I.”
Clarissa’s face reddened instantly. She averted her gaze and continued talking to Damian. If she hadn’t, her face would have turned into the color of a tomato.
After the call, Clarissa and Hilda worked on the script, reviewing it once again from the top, and made some changes according to the requests mentioned during the meeting.
The duo kept working till it was almost midnight. Out of the blue, Clarissa’s phone rang.
The caller ID showed Matthew’s name on the screen. Thinking that something had happened, Clarissa picked up immediately. What came next, however, was completely out of her expectations.
“Clare, I miss you.” Matthew’s magnetic voice sounded on the other end.
Clarissa was at a loss for words.
A furious blush crept up her cheeks and neck. Her reddened face did not escape Hilda’s notice, and the latter quickly gathered her things before exiting Clarissa’s room.
Clarissa closed the door behind her before whining in disapproval. “Why are you still awake? It’s almost midnight.”
Matthew was silent for a moment before he sighed helplessly.
“The little guy just fell asleep,”
“Why was he up so late?”
“Because you’re not around to stop him from playing. I only managed to get him to bed after much difficulty. Now that you’re not here, I just realized that I don’t seem to have any power nor authority over that kid.”
“Pfft!”
Clarissa chuckled lightly. Aww, doesn’t he sound pitiful?
“Well, it’s your fault for spoiling him all the time. I’ve warned you that he is a sharp and observant boy. I had to be strict with him, unlike you and everyone else who just caved into his coquettish behavior. As time goes by, he’s bound to know that you’re a softie.”
“Alright, you’re strict, I’m soft. At least it balances out. I just can’t believe that I, the powerful Matthew Tyson, would become so powerless dealing with my own son. Anyone would see this as a joke.”
“You’re the one who dug your own grave.” Clarissa laughed.
“Yeah… which is why I miss you.”
“Huh?”
Clarissa was stunned by the sudden change of topic. Her face began to feel hot again. “Do you only miss me because I know how to coax Damian?” She pouted.
“Of course not. I just miss you.”
That’s more like it, thought Clarissa.
She smiled wordlessly at Matthew’s confession. Hearing no response, Matthew could not help but ask, “Do you not miss me, Clare?”
“I do!” Clarissa answered softly but sweetly.
She quickly added, “I’m only here for a few days. So stop bothering me! You’re making me want to go home right this second. But I have to stay here for at least a couple more days. I can’t be so irresponsible.”
Contempt could be heard in her voice.
“Is that disdain I hear in your tone?”
Oops… I think I just pissed him off.
“Of course not, you’re mistaken,” retorted Clarissa quickly. “But be reasonable. I didn’t bother you all the time when you go on business trips. I only called to check up on you, and not distracting you from your work. Can you do the same for me?”
At those words, Matthew was silenced.
Thinking she had won the argument, Clarissa smiled triumphantly. “Alright, be a good husband now, and wait for me at home, won’t you? I’ll reward your patience once I return.”
Matthew smiled tenderly at the phone as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “And what will my reward be?”
“Hmm… a feast!”
“Do you think that’s enough, Clare?”
Clarissa rolled her eyes. “What else do you want, then?”
“Don’t you know what your own Hubby wants, Clare?”
“Hmm…”
Clarissa hummed, not saying a word.
Matthew’s voice got an octave higher as he raised an eyebrow. “So? I’m sure you know the answer, Clare. What do I like?”
“Well, it’s me I guess…” was Clarissa’s reply, the last part barely audible.
“What was that? I can’t hear you,” teased Matthew.
“I said it’s me.”
Matthew’s raspy yet magnetic voice traveled through her ear and into her heart, squeezing it tightly, causing Clarissa’s hair to stand on end as her breath became rapid.
Oblivious to her current state, Matthew continued, “Bingo. I want you. You’re the only thing I like. Now, you know what you should reward me with, right Clare? You will be my reward.”
Clarissa puckered up her lips, not wanting to speak anymore. There was no way she could win the argument now.
After all, when it comes to flirting, she was no match for Matthew.
I write romance novels for a living, so how is it that I can never win against Matthew when it comes to this? This makes absolutely no sense!
“Hmm? Is your silence an agreement, Clare?”
“Do I have a choice, Mr. Tyson?” mumbled Clarissa.
“Unfortunately, you don’t,” Matthew said. Clarissa could almost see the wide grin on his face.
“So why did you ask?” Clarissa rolled her eyes again.
“Just for fun!” quipped Matthew in a sing-song voice.
“Hmph!”
Clarissa huffed. A few quiet seconds ticked by before she hollered, “You’re an a*s sometimes, you know that, Matthew Tyson?”
“Hahahahaha…”
Matthew guffawed in response.
Clarissa sat next to the director in silence. Even though a lot of actors and actresses requested some changes to be made in the script, it was nowhere near the usual workload Clarissa used to have.
It was not unusual for actors and actresses to want to change part of the script. Everyone wanted to have a little bit of their own creation in the show, despite it being illogical at times.
Clarissa did not have a lot of say in how the script should go in the past, but she had always been extremely fortunate in that she was still able to manage. Now that she had the title of Mrs. Tyson, paired up with the fact that the show would be a production of Tyson Corporation, the crew would speak to her in a courteous tone even when asking her to change the script.
After they finished filming one of the scenes, Hilda approached Clarissa privately and whispered, “Ms. Quigley, a handsome young man approached me just now. At first, I thought my charms had attracted him, but after a long conversation, turns out he just wanted me to give him a few more scenes. Tsk! What a schemeful man! Made me walk away without another word.”
Clarissa smiled at her. “This happens all the time. You just have to take a stance.”
“Have you met such people, Ms. Quigley?”
Clarissa arched an eyebrow, neither agreeing nor declining, but her silence spoke volumes.
Hilda clicked her tongue in disgust. “This is the consequence of me staying indoors all the time. People are scary.”
“It’s not as bad as you think. The crew is actually great. Once you started working for other crews on your own, you might meet worse people. By then, you’ll have to know how to defend yourself.”
“Alright. I got it. Thanks Ms. Quigley.”
Hilda was an innocent lady. Ever since young, she loved putting her thoughts on paper. Even after getting her degree, Hilda continued to write for a living, not looking for other jobs. Thus, she rarely socialized with people, causing her to lack wariness whenever she meets new people. Clarissa could not help but see her own shadow in Hilda. She vowed to keep Hilda by her side for as long as she could so that she could protect Hilda while teaching her a thing or two.
The pair sat together as they continued to chat. All of a sudden, Clarissa caught sight of an actress making their way from the corner of her eye. The actress was dressed in a bodycon dress, accentuating her delicate features and giving her an elegant demeanor.
As she made her way toward the pair, the actress would occasionally stop in her tracks and greet the people around her with a humble attitude. Her humility instantly made others take a liking toward her.
The actress caught Hilda’s eyes as well. “Ms. Quigley, that actress is so pretty. She seems nice too,”
Clarissa, however, had a cold expression on her face. She seemed indifferent. Clarissa did not say a word until the actress came to a stop in front of them.
“Hi, Ms. Quigley.”
Clarissa pursed her lips together and muttered a greeting.
She then turned and grabbed the script before getting up, heading toward the director. The actress paled, a terrified look crossed her face.
Hilda took in the scene and wondered what it was about.
“Uh… excuse me, miss. You look so pretty! Who are you cast as in the series?” greeted Hilda.
“Um… I’m one of the dancers in the ballroom scene. Ms. Miller, can you-”
“Oh, no need to call me Ms. Miller, that’s too formal for me,” interrupted Hilda. “Call me Hilda. What’s your name?”
“I… My name is Jamie Trudall.”
“Ms. Trudall…” Hilda nodded, trying to remember Jamie’s name.
Jamie, on the other hand, had her gaze fixated on Clarissa as the latter chatted with the director. Her heart could not stop pounding.
Hilda noticed Jamie’s anxiousness as well and could not help but inquire about it. In the end, Jamie took a deep breath and walked toward Clarissa again.
Before she could reach Clarissa, the director announced for the next scene to start shooting. Left without a choice, Jamie quickly made her way to the other actors and actresses, preparing for filming.
Throughout the entire day, Jamie could hear her own heart beating in fear. Even after the shooting ended, the uneasiness in her stomach still did not go away.
That night, as Clarissa went to her room, Jamie gathered her courage and knocked on the door.
Clarissa had expected Jamie’s visit. She knew full well that Jamie simply wanted to make sure she was no longer holding a grudge on her.
