Clarissa was not making a big fuss out of anything. She was really disappointed with Matthew. Why can’t he wrap his head around my feeling? Doesn’t he know that both Damian and I would be greatly affected by the DNA test?
It is indeed a slap in the face for a woman when her child needs to undergo a DNA test. For the others, there is no smoke without fire. We can’t blame them for assuming that the woman is leading a promiscuous life, no matter how the result turns out to be. If not, her child doesn’t have to undergo a DNA test, isn’t it?
As for Damian, from the moment he undergoes a DNA test, it would trigger others’ suspicion that he might be an illegitimate child. Even if he is proven as the Tysons’ flesh and blood via the result of the DNA test, others might be gossiping about that. What’s more, those malicious people might even stir up trouble by claiming that the result is faked. Subsequently, he would have to bear with how others look and gossip about him for the rest of his lifetime. It’s really unfair for Damian if he has to face that! That is the final straw for me!
It’s undeniable that everyone tends to have an ugly side. Words can kill. They are unaware that they are unfair to others when gossiping as they like and twist the facts. No, I can’t let Damian go through a DNA test. Once he undergoes any, it would become a nightmare that haunts him for the rest of his lifetime. What if it’s made use by others to slander him when he grows up?
Clarissa could not accept the way Matthew had the matter resolved. She wondered if he would ever know about the implication of the DNA test for Damian. Besides, she would not be surprised if the issue gradually turned into a snowball effect, hindering both of them from reconciling.
At night, Matthew and Damian had a video call with each other. Damian dragged Clarissa to show her face in front of the phone screen. Nonetheless, she was still not in the mood to say anything. After all, silence is golden. Thus, she remained silent to avoid having a further dispute with Matthew.
In the following days, Clarissa either took Damian out shopping for Christmas or accompanied Catherine for a short vacation in the cities nearby. As time elapsed, the whole W City was engulfed by the lively atmosphere of the advancing festival.
Clarissa made up her mind to enjoy the fullest before and after Christmas. It’s a blessing to be able to kick back at home, doing nothing at the moment. This is indeed the most relaxing moment for me throughout the whole year! I don’t have to rack my brains for anything as well.
Once in a while, she would take time to bring him out for fun. W City was actually not a big city. One day, Clarissa bumped into an ex-classmate when Damian was having fun in an indoor playground of a shopping mall.
“Clarissa? Is that you?” A woman seated not far from Clarissa called out her name. While keeping an eye on her daughter who was having fun in the playground, she happened to catch a glimpse of Clarissa. After glancing at her a few times, she realized that Clarissa really resembled her ex-classmate.
Clarissa was stunned and turned to look at her instinctively. For quite a while, she tried to recall who the woman was.
In an instant, the woman told her excitedly, “It’s me, Tianna Ziegler. It never crossed my mind that I will bump into you here! It’s been so many years. The rest of us still keep in touch with our group chat all these years. Many of us have been trying to contact you, yet we don’t have your contact details. It’s really a coincidence to bump into you here!”
Contrary to her excitement, Clarissa was not really pleased with such a coincidence. She only smiled nonchalantly and said, “Yeah, what a coincidence.”
“You still look as pretty as ever. We are already in our late twenties, yet you didn’t really change. No, I should say that you are prettier and even more stylish now. I bet those of our male classmates will have their eyes popped out if they happen to bump into you now!”
Clarissa smiled in embarrassment. Nonetheless, Tianna started to babble non-stop. “Do you know that we’re really proud of you for entering D University at that time? Too bad we have lost contact with you. Some of them even grumbled that you looked down on us. Others even mentioned that…”
As she was babbling non-stop, Clarissa did not really pay attention to her words. She was overwhelmed that Tianna was still talkative as ever even after so many years.
“Ah! Is that your son? I never expect that you are already married! Why didn’t you inform any of us about it? Where is your husband from? What is his occupation? Haha, sorry if I’m asking a lot. I’m just curious if he’s worthy of you. After all, you were deemed the prettiest among all during our school days!”
After having some small talks with her, Clarissa stood up and walked toward Damian who was drenched in sweat in the playground. At the same time, she hoped to escape from Tianna by doing so.
Out of her expectation, Tianna followed behind her as well and introduced her daughter to Damian. Damian was over the moon to have a new friend and even held the girl’s hand excitedly right away. Clarissa twitched her lips as she was rendered speechless.
After almost one hour, Damian’s energy was almost drained. Clarissa took the opportunity to talk him into going home. She could barely wait to leave the place with him at once!
“Hey, Clarissa, can I have your contact number?” Tianna asked eagerly.
“I’m sorry. My phone was stolen.” Clarissa tried to give an excuse.
“It doesn’t matter. You lost the phone, yet the number is in use, right? Moreover, you surely need a new phone soon. It’s just unusual for anyone to live without a phone number in these modern days. Just give me your number. Don’t worry. I won’t call you if there’s nothing.”
Clarissa had no choice but to tell Tianna her phone number reluctantly.
“Since the kids are tired from playing games, how about we have some cakes at the cafe over there? Let me treat you…” Tianna offered sincerely.
“It’s alright. We have to go now. Damian, say bye to your friend.”
Nevertheless, Damian was on the brink of tears and reluctant to part with his new friend. At the sight of his reluctance, Tianna suggested having lunch together right away. Again, Clarissa could only give in for Damian.
They ended up having lunch together. After lunch, the kids had fun with each other again for the whole afternoon. Time flew by when they were having fun. Clarissa was relieved when it was almost dusk, and Tianna did not suggest anything to hold them back again.
Damian parted with his new friend reluctantly. When they reached home, he was still mumbling about the great fun he had with Tianna’s daughter.
Meanwhile, Clarissa’s gut instinct told her that Tianna must be having a hidden motive by requesting her phone number. She knew that it would not be as simple as that, even when Tianna emphasized that she would not interrupt her with that.
Clarissa’s instinct was proven right when Tianna gave her a call the next day. “Clarissa, we are having a class gathering since all our ex-classmates will be back in town for the long holidays for Christmas and New Year. We have invited a few of our teachers as well. Do you still remember how much they cared about you during your school days? Thus, it’s not appropriate that if you don’t show up. Don’t turn me down, okay?”
Clarissa could not reject at all because of the valid reason. The gathering was scheduled one week later, which was exactly two days before Christmas. Thus, it would not be a problem for all the others to turn up as they would be back in the city for the upcoming festivals.
Ever since then, many of her ex-classmates added her number to their contact lists and bombarded her with WhatsApp messages. She regretted giving Tianna her phone number earlier, yet it was inappropriate to block their numbers. Hence, she could only pretend that she was oblivious to their messages.
As days went by, it was finally the day for the gathering. As the festival drew near, the whole city was away from the usual hustle and bustle, and the traffic flow on the roads was a lot smoother. Clarissa stepped out from home at about five in the afternoon, and it took less than twenty minutes for her to reach the venue, the most high-end hotel in W City. It was the same hotel that Matthew checked into when he was in W City previously. Thus, Clarissa was familiar with it. Even the hotel managers knew her well too.
The moment Clarissa stepped into the hotel lobby, the hotel manager welcomed and greeted her courteously, “Mrs. Tyson, welcome. Mr. Tyson is…”
“He did not come along,” Clarissa cut him off placidly.
The hotel manager was dumbfounded. Clarissa explained to him, “I’m here to attend a gathering hosted by my ex-classmates. Just pretend that you don’t know me, understand?”
The hotel manager nodded in bewilderment. “Alright, Mrs. Tyson. Understood!”
Clarissa smiled at him and made a beeline for the private lounge. Meanwhile, the hotel manager scratched his head. “Hmm, I actually intended to tell her that Mr. Tyson is already here!” Perhaps, Mr. Tyson plans to give Mrs. Tyson a surprise? Anyway, I better zip my mouth. Phew! What a relief! I almost blurt out the words and rain on his parade just now!
As a self-satisfied smile crept across his mouth, he reminded the hotel staff to hold their tongues about Matthew’s presence in the hotel. Aside from that, he even instructed them to pretend as though they were clueless about Clarissa’s identity.
Clarissa was unaware of how the other hotel staff was striving hard for the so-called surprise for her. When she stepped into the private lounge, her ex-classmates were seated at two different tables. They were either engaged in their conversation or bickering excitedly among themselves. None of them was aware of Clarissa’s arrival, except Tianna.
She was observant to spot Clarissa at once and greeted her in a high-pitched tone. “Clarissa, you are here! Come in…”
The moment the others’ ears caught her name, all of them stopped talking at once and turned their heads toward the door simultaneously.
Everyone was mesmerized by Clarissa’s eye-catching beauty in an instant. Needless to doubt, she could effortlessly catch everyone’s eyes with her eye-catching beauty. She was even deemed as the goddess for most of the teenage boys during her high school days. Some of them were even used to indulging themselves in their dreams with their so-called first love. Even so, they were aware that they were not young teenage boys anymore. Nobody could go against the time and age. After noticing the tremendous changes in their ex-classmates who went through childbearing, they actually talked themselves into accepting the fact that there would be changes more or less to their goddess after so many years. At the same time, the women looked forward to seeing a different Clarissa who could not resist having her beauty decline with age.
All the men’s hearts beat faster in an instant as they reminisced about those beautiful moments during their school days. Ah! This is how our first love should look! Even after so many years, she’s still our most gorgeous goddess! It seems that her unique beauty never fades. She’s even looking more captivating now by exuding a vibe of enchanting maturity at her age! It is indeed one of the most meaningful gatherings for us as we get to meet our goddess again!
As for the women, they could not resist feeling a rush of great jealousy in their hearts as they gritted. She was already married and even has a son, hasn’t she? Yet, she doesn’t look like anyone who has given birth. It’s incredible! We are not that young anymore, yet there is not even the slightest bit of age residue on her face! How does she manage to maintain her youth? Gosh, she looks even more stunning now!
Those ex-classmates who came with their partners were green with envy. They either gave their husbands who gaped at Clarissa a hard pinch or a kick under the table. Only then, the men gradually came to their senses and smiled sheepishly at their wives.
