CHAPTER 18

Kyle really did order lunch for the both of them. However, the guy just ate his food quickly so Natasha had no choice but to eat in a quick manner as well. She had also picked up the clutter after finishing before the guy became busy at what he was doing once more.

Most of the time, she would just be staring at whatever Kyle was doing. Sometimes, he’d ask for her opinions regarding the pictures that he was editing. In fairness, the results were really good. Nicole didn’t look like a clown in the pictures even when her clothing style and hair style were used for the photo shoot.

She couldn’t help but feel happy as she quietly stared at Kyle who was busy with his laptop and camera. She only talked whenever he talked to her. She preferred it better when the guy was serious like that because he wasn’t annoying. What she did was that she just imagined that it was Clyde that she was together with since the twins looked like each other in the first place even when Kyle had more appeals than his twin. Maybe it was because the guy was always laughing and smiling whenever he wasn’t busy with work, unlike now it seemed like he didn’t even remember that she was beside him.

It was almost four in the afternoon when Kyle suddenly stopped.

"Alright. I’ll just be finishing it at home. You may go now. Just don’t report to Zara yet because she’d surely have commands for you. You can have a tour inside the building or do whatever you want. If you ever encounter her along the way, just tell her that I told you to do something. Just wait till it’s five, and you can already go home by then,” he said before standing, and stretching his limbs once more.

Natasha stood up as well.

"Okay. Thank you, Sir," she quickly answered, not giving the guy the chance to change his mind.

She was quick to get her bag before going out of that room. Her plan was to pass by Clyde’s office. She wanted to see him before she’d go home. She knew his floor already since his office was on the same floor as the conference room. She quickly went inside the elevator to go up the guy’s floor.

When the door opened, she quickly looked at the doors that were in there. There were four doors on the floor, and one of them was the conference room. She saw a room that had the name of the twins’ grandmother, and below it was the CEO title of the old woman. She walked towards the other room, and finally saw the name of the guy on the door.

Feeling accomplished, she smiled. She quickly searched for the cologne in her bag before putting a little on her neck. She also fixed her hair and her glasses. She was about to knock on the door when her hand stopped midair.

What would she say to the guy if he’d ask what she was doing there?

Shit!

She looked around. Her face brightened upon seeing the vendo machine. She read in a magazine before that the guy liked drinking coke whenever he was stressed.

She was smiling as she walked towards the direction of the vendo before buying a can of cold cola. There was a huge smile on her face as she picked the can up after she paid for it using the spare coins that she had.

Her smile was still wide as she went back in front of Clyde's office. Accidentally, she dropped the can, and watched it roll towards the door of his office. Her smile dropped before she quickly picked the can up before wiping the dirt off it using her clothes.

Gathering a deep breath, she knocked on the door three times. After a while, she heard someone from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

Her smile was quickly back upon recognizing Clyde’s voice.

She was forcing her hand to stop trembling as she twisted the knob of the door. She even just peeked inside it, and saw Clyde sitting, his eyes focused on the paperwork. When she thought that the guy had no plans on looking at her yet, she slowly went inside. She was also gentle as she closed the door before walking closer to him.

Natasha was already in front of the guy’s table, but the guy still hadn’t looked up to look at her. It seemed like he was utterly busy because his forehead was even creased. Even before she felt the need to go out, she cleared her throat to get his attention. That was when Clyde finally looked at her with confusion in his eyes.

She still didn’t know what to do so she just put out her hand that was holding the coke. The guy’s forehead creased even more.

"Uhm, M-Miss Zara told me to g-give this to you because it seemed like y-you’re still working on a lot of things, a-and you probably need this to relax for a bit.” She knew that she’d really be scolded if Zara knew that she used the girl’s name just to have an excuse to see Clyde.

The guy quickly smiled, although his forehead was still creased.

"Really? Maybe you’re mistaken. That might be for Kyle,” he said. She felt like the guy knew about Zara’s feelings towards Kyle as well.

“N-No, Sir. Y-You drink this whenever you’re stressed out, right?” She was quick to answer.

He dropped the pen that he was holding before staring at her intently.

"How did you know?" he asked in a curious manner.

Her eyes widened. Maybe he’d see through her.

"I-It was Miss Zara, Sir!” She could no longer think of anything else to answer.

The guy didn’t look convinced with her answer, but just get the can from her.

"Well, thank you.” He gave her a small smile.

Confusion was across his face when she still hadn’t let go of the can.

“I’ll be opening it for you, Sir,” she said before opening it in front of the guy.

The both of them were even surprised when the content of the can poured out. Clyde was quick to get the papers on his table even before it’d get wet. Feeling a mixture of surprise and nervousness on her chest, she quickly threw the can into the trash bin nearby.

She remembered that she dropped the coke, and it rolled which was probably the reason why that happened. When the can was already in the bin, she looked back at Clyde.

"Sorry, Sir. I’m really sorry," she apologized, feeling ashamed.

She saw that the guy was already wiping parts of his coat. Luckily, his coat was black.

"It's okay. Excuse me first," he said briefly before standing. She saw that he entered the room in the corner which probably was the comfort room of his office.

Natasha couldn’t help her eyes, and she let them wander across the room, looking for something to wipe the table dry. She saw a box of tissue on the table so she got some, and dried the spilled drink off the table.

She was just cleaning the table when she suddenly heard a series of knocks on the door. She stopped before looking at the direction of the door. It opened, and in came Mrs. del Espania, the twins’ grandmother! She was looking at the phone that she was holding so she didn’t see her immediately.

Panicking, she looked around, and when she saw the table of Clyde, she quickly hid under it without even thinking twice. She was kneeling on the floor while her arms were supporting herself as well. Luckily, there was a huge space under the guy’s table.

She didn’t exactly know why she was hiding under it. That was the only thing that she thought of doing.

She heard the door of the comfort room open.

"Grandma, why are you here? You should’ve gone back home already after the trip.” She heard Clyde ask.

"I just don't want to miss the chance of seeing your brother here. I still can’t believe that he agreed to focus on our business instead,” replied the old woman.

"He is doing well, grandma. Don't worry. By the way, have you seen Miss Policarpio?" Clyde suddenly remembered.

She even closed her eyes slightly when she heard that he was looking for her, feeling the hard thudding of her heart against her chest.

"Who's Miss Policarpio?" There was a hint of confusion in the voice of the old woman.

"She is Zara's new assistant," he briefly answered.

"Oh my! Her other assistant had resigned already? I think I need to speak to her. Not because she’s my goddaughter then I’ll just let her do whatever she wants.”

"Well, you know Zara. I think Natasha went home already. It's her first day today. Anyway, regarding Kyle, he was busy with the photo shoot the whole day. I think he loves doing it," Clyde said once more.

"What? We have our own photographers. I didn’t tell him to stop with his band just for him to be a photographer here. He should be helping you manage our companies.” There was a hint of disappointment in the old woman’s voice when she said that.

Natasha grimaced when she felt her hands getting sore so she gently shifted into a more comfortable position. That was when her hand landed on a picture frame that was placed upside down. Wondering what it was, she lifted it as she gently sat on the floor.

"Sit first, grandma. Kyle will have a meeting with one of our clients tomorrow. I assigned Mr. Jackson to him. I know that Kyle will do whatever you wish him to do because he’s worried about your health. I’m also worried so please follow what the doctor told you. Let Kyle and I handle things here,” Clyde pleaded.

"I'm perfectly fine. I’ve already given up everything to you two, but I still want to guide you, especially Kyle. I don’t want him to be gone in a snap for his band. You’re no longer kids. I’ve already allowed you to do whatever you want before, but that time is already up. I want to have grandchildren with you already. I’m so happy, and you finally agreed to do what I wished. Have you talked about the date of the wedding already?” There was a hint of excitement in the old woman’s voice.

Wedding? Clyde’s getting married? But with whom? 

It felt like someone just stabbed her across the heart after knowing that information.

"You'll be the first to know if we’ve already set-up a date. For now, I’ll just drive you back home. I told them to prepare food for you. Kyle will also go home early for our dinner, okay? I already agreed to stay in the house until I marry. Kyle had also decided to stay there as well so if we tell you to stop exhausting yourself, and let us handle things here, I hope you’ll listen, grandma. We are here to take care of you, okay? Let us handle the business,” Clyde gently said.

"Okay, iho," his grandmother said briefly, and she knew that she was already smiling.

She, however, was almost crying as she was on the floor.

"Let's go," Clyde said.

She saw that he walked closer to the table, and got something so she was barely breathing. However, he went away quickly, already holding something. When she heard the door closed, that was when she was finally able to breathe properly.

That was when she finally came back to her senses.

Clyde’s getting married? To whom?

That was when she remembered the frame that she was holding. She slowly looked at it, and immediately gasped after seeing the picture.

In the picture, Clyde was smiling ear to ear as he was embracing a girl who was also smiling. Her hand was also up, showing the ring that she was wearing.

She couldn’t believe it when she got to see the girl. Was he the girl that Clyde’s gonna marry?

The girl in the picture who was together with Clyde was none other than Kyle’s ex-girlfriend, Claire!