Chapter 6: Clarisse's POV

#### **Chapter 6: Clarisse's POV**

Clarisse watched Keisha from across the table, her eyes narrowing as her best friend talked animatedly about her latest confrontation with Jarren. Ever since Keisha had started working with him, she had noticed a change—a subtle shift in the way Keisha acted, especially when Jarren’s name came up in conversation.

_"Alam mo, hindi ko talaga gets kung bakit kailangan ko siyang makatrabaho,"_ Keisha complained, shaking her head. _"I mean, he’s such a control freak! Lahat ng bagay gusto niyang mamando."_

Clarisse listened quietly, sipping her coffee. While Maria was the easygoing, playful one in their group, Clarisse had always been the more serious and protective friend. She was fiercely loyal to Keisha, and the last thing she wanted was for someone like Jarren Villarreal to hurt her.

_"Kei,"_ Clarisse began, her voice calm but firm, _"you need to be careful with him. Alam kong malakas ang loob mo, pero si Jarren... he’s dangerous in a different way."_

Keisha rolled her eyes, dismissing Clarisse’s concern. _"Clar, it’s not like I’m interested in him. He’s just—"_

_"Annoying?"_ Clarisse finished for her, raising an eyebrow.

Keisha paused, biting her lip. _"Exactly."_

But Clarisse wasn’t convinced. There was something more in the way Keisha talked about Jarren, a tension in her voice that hinted at something deeper than just annoyance.

_"Keisha, I’m serious,"_ Clarisse said, setting her coffee cup down. _"This guy... he’s not like the others. He’s powerful, rich, and used to getting what he wants. I’ve seen men like him before. They’re dangerous because they can manipulate you without you even realizing it. You think you’re in control, but before you know it..."_ She trailed off, her gaze intense.

Keisha frowned, her defenses going up. _"Clarisse, I can handle myself. I’m not going to let someone like him get to me."_

_"That’s what I’m afraid of,"_ Clarisse replied softly. _"That you won’t even realize he’s already gotten to you."_

---

**Later that week, Keisha and Jarren were thrust into yet another unavoidable situation—working together on a major project.**

Keisha stood outside the conference room, taking a deep breath before walking in. It wasn’t just any project—this was a high-stakes deal, one that could make or break her career. And the last thing she wanted was to be paired up with Jarren Villarreal, but fate seemed determined to throw them together at every turn.

_"Just get through this,"_ she whispered to herself, pushing open the door.

Inside, Jarren was already seated, reviewing documents with an intense look on his face. As soon as he saw her, his expression shifted, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

_"Nice of you to finally join us, Ms. Joli,"_ he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Keisha narrowed her eyes, biting back a retort. _"I was on time, Villarreal. Some of us don’t have the luxury of strolling in whenever we want."_

_"Oh, right. Because you’re always so busy."_ He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. _"Let’s just get this over with."_

Keisha clenched her jaw, reminding herself to stay professional. She couldn’t afford to let him get under her skin, especially not now. They had a job to do, and she wasn’t about to let her personal feelings ruin it.

But as the meeting went on, it became increasingly clear that this wasn’t going to be easy. Every suggestion she made, Jarren would shoot down. Every point he raised, she would challenge. It was a constant back-and-forth, neither of them willing to back down.

_"Keisha, this approach isn’t going to work,"_ Jarren said, his voice rising slightly. _"We need to take a more aggressive stance if we want this deal to go through."_

_"Aggressive? That’s your solution to everything, isn’t it?"_ Keisha shot back, her eyes flashing with frustration. _"Not everything can be solved by throwing money and power around, Jarren. We need to be strategic, not reckless."_

Jarren’s jaw tightened. _"Strategic doesn’t mean being passive. If we don’t take risks, we’re not going to get anywhere."_

_"And if we take too many risks, we could lose everything."_ Keisha folded her arms, her voice steady but firm. _"I’m not going to jeopardize this project just because you want to play hero."_

The room fell into a tense silence. Their colleagues around the table exchanged nervous glances, clearly uncomfortable with the heated exchange between the two.

Keisha could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. She hated how he always made her feel this way—like she had something to prove, like she was constantly on the defensive.

And yet, despite the tension, there was something else. A flicker of something she didn’t want to acknowledge. Every time he leaned in to argue a point, every time their eyes locked in the midst of their heated debate, there was an undeniable spark. She hated it, but she couldn’t deny it.

---

**After the meeting, Clarisse met up with Keisha for lunch.**

_"You look exhausted,"_ Clarisse commented as Keisha slumped into the chair across from her.

_"That’s because I had to deal with Jarren again,"_ Keisha muttered, rubbing her temples. _"He’s impossible."_

_"I told you to be careful with him,"_ Clarisse reminded her, her protective instincts kicking in. _"I know he’s good-looking, but don’t let that cloud your judgment."_

Keisha groaned, covering her face with her hands. _"Clarisse, I don’t even like him! He’s arrogant, controlling, and completely full of himself. There’s no way I’m interested."_

But Clarisse wasn’t convinced. She could see through Keisha’s frustration, could sense the underlying attraction that Keisha was desperately trying to suppress.

_"You might not think you like him, but you’re spending an awful lot of time thinking about him,"_ Clarisse said, raising an eyebrow. _"And don’t tell me it’s just because of work."_

Keisha sighed, leaning back in her chair. _"Okay, fine. Maybe there’s... something. But it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to let myself get distracted."_

_"Good,"_ Clarisse said, nodding firmly. _"Because the last thing you need is to get involved with someone like him."_

But deep down, Clarisse knew that it wasn’t going to be that simple. The more time Keisha spent with Jarren, the more complicated things would get. And she wasn’t sure if her best friend would be able to keep her heart out of it.

---

**Meanwhile, Jarren was equally frustrated.**

He couldn’t get Keisha out of his head. Every time they argued, every time they clashed, it only made him more intrigued by her. She wasn’t like the women he was used to—she didn’t try to impress him, didn’t care about his wealth or status. She challenged him, pushed back, and it was driving him crazy.

_"Why does she always have to make things so difficult?"_ he muttered to himself as he sat in his office, staring at the pile of work he couldn’t seem to focus on.

His phone buzzed, and he glanced at the screen. It was a message from Gabriel.

_"Bro, you good? You’ve been pretty tense lately."_

Jarren sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew exactly why he was tense, but admitting it to anyone—especially his friends—was the last thing he wanted to do.

_"Just busy with work,"_ he texted back, not wanting to go into details.

But the truth was, it wasn’t just work. It was Keisha. She was always there, in the back of his mind, whether he wanted her to be or not.

---

As Clarisse watched Keisha across the lunch table, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much more complicated. Keisha could deny her feelings all she wanted, but Clarisse knew her too well. And she knew that if Keisha wasn’t careful, she was going to get hurt.

_"Kei, promise me something,"_ Clarisse said softly, her tone serious. _"If you start to feel something for him—anything—just be honest with yourself. Don’t try to hide it. But more importantly, don’t let it distract you from what’s important."_

Keisha met her gaze, her expression conflicted. _"I’ll be fine, Clar. I know what I’m doing."_

But as Clarisse looked into her best friend’s eyes, she wasn’t so sure.