chapter 3

She laid her items in her closet before walking down to her vanity table and taking off her earrings. The day was stressful trying out different quality gowns for the anniversary but it was worth it. She finally found one that was breathtaking, a gown worth to the dollars they spent on it. Holding her top to get rid of it, she froze as her eyes locked with those green ones. Her breath hitched in her throat and she put the shirt down on impulse. She didn't know he would be back today; maybe the meeting lasted for only a few hours for him to have made it home today.

"Hey, we need to talk." He hesitated before adding, "I'll be at the pool when you're done." She nodded in reply letting him walk away from her.

There he stood, in front of the pool obviously lost in thoughts. She couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of what he was going to say. What if he wants to tell her that the relationship could never work? Besides, he is in love with another and he could guess the same for her. She sighed; she was definitely the only one over thinking this.

"Daniel," He didn't bother to turn to her because he was well aware of her presence even before she called out his name. "You said you wanted to talk?" The silence for a moment was almost deafening but he spoke anyways.

"What do you want for this marriage?" He started off. What was she to say? She wanted them to behave like a normal couple? That would sound hilarious to him. He would think her to be desperate. "People can't afford to see us like this; certainly they would know this is all bogus." She patiently waited to see if he had something else to say. Instead, he turned to look at her.

"I know you must be feeling sophisticated already, this wasn't what you wanted. But the truth is, we do not always get what we want." He paused looking for the right way to say this to her. "Mom and dad's anniversary is in a few days and I wanted us....I mean dad wanted us to pretend everything's okay between us for once."

Clarissa frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"It means we get to behave as if we are together for the anniversary."

"Okay." He raised a brow. "Let's say I agree with you. What happens next? What happens after the anniversary? Are we going to still pretend or what? Are we going to still pretend like everything is alright when it's not?" She scoffed when he couldn't give an answer.

He said, "It is as difficult for you as it is for me."

"Really?" When he said nothing else, she chose to walk away from him crestfallen that he couldn't even make his own choice. Everything wasn't right, she wondered how long till she exploded with all the pent-up feelings within.

He couldn't pinpoint what she really wanted. It couldn't be what he was thinking. She couldn't possibly be wanting chances with him. He had thought of the possibilities once, but no, he wouldn't be deceived by assumptions only. He had been broken once and wouldn't know how to repair the next.

___

Thia had gone into the office for the nth time in the last thirty minutes. She was his private secretary and all but Clarissa couldn't help but get the itch. Seeing her shirt buttons open, exposing her cleavage, the conclusion was quicker than she expected. Something was definitely going on, something interesting enough to put a smile of achievement on Thia's face when she came out of Daniel's office before going in the last time.

"How about tomorrow then?" Daniel raised a brow before throwing the file that he'd been holding on the table.

"For someone who claim to be mature, you behave quite like a child...too curious. Don't you think you should stop with the gestures already? I'm not interested."

But she was bold enough to play with his tie and press further into him.

"You should be careful, I could fire you. The only reason you are still here is because you begged for this job once do you remember. So, I advice you take your hands off me immediately." She paused with her lips ever so close to him. He was getting to her, her expression had began to change to worry and her courage was beginning to fade.

"I was just, I'm sorry i-" She tried but she knew more than to stay another minute. She moved away and quickly adjusted her skirt. When she began to walk away she paused at the sight of the figure that stared at the both of them in disbelief. Thia turned back to Daniel hoping to see something maybe indecision but his eyes were locked with Clarissa's so she walked away from the office. While he, waited for her to make a statement at the scene so he could tell her it wasn't as she thought but there was none from her. She looked away from him praying the burning sensation in her chest would go away. She tried telling herself that the reason she was probably upset was because, she had hopes for them. She felt an itch but an itch could ruin the whole thing for her eventually.

---

What did she think of him now? He groaned when he recalled her taking an excuse claiming to not feel well and went home. She was probably running away from him, avoiding him. She couldn't even meet his stare at the meeting. He had to clear things up really fast. Surely, she isn't meant to think that way of him but the fact that she did, made him worried.

He gripped her wrist when she attempted to walk pass him in the kitchen. "About today," he started.

"It was nice wasn't it?" She interrupted, but he shook his head at her reply. That wasn't what he meant.

"Are you two love birds going to stand there all day or come eat dinner?" Audora called out and she used the opportunity to release herself from his hold and walk away leaving him to sigh in exhaustion.

Now this, was definition of difficult!