Annoyance flared within Emerald and she looked at Clayton sharply. But having an outsider with them, Emerald held back from scolding him.
"Shall we start?" Lance said after the handshake.Gripped with a feeling of jealousy, Clayton was unwilling to leave Emerald with a male therapist."I'll be fine, you don't have to watch over me. You have to do your work," Emerald said as he sat opposite them."I have to watch him do it so I can help you with your exercise when we are at home." Clayton read regarding post operative therapy."He's right, Miss Emerald." Lance agreed to Clayton, smiling.Although Lance had backed Clayton up, he still decided to demand to the orthopedic clinic to send a female therapist.A possessive man like Clayton didn't like his woman being held by another man. The entire time of the therapy, Clayton had a dark countenance."Thank you Lance," EmApart from the time she cried because of her injury, Clayton had not seen Emerald cry. This time, she was weeping in anguish. Bewilderment mixed with sympathy swirled in his chest. Clayton gently held her in his arms until she stopped crying. "I'm sorry, babe. But please don't ask me about them again." She said while her eyes were trained on the car window. "I will, babe," Clayton took note that her parents were a taboo for her. Perhaps, he could ask Jim the reason Emerald didn't want to talk about her parents. However, Jim and him were not close. Additionally, Jim didn't like him at all. He had to commission his private investigator to look into it. He has to know what caused that deep pain that she refuses to talk about her parents. Dusk has arrived as the sun fades, heralding the coming of the night, Clayton and Emerald were having a meal with Leonardo in one
Myriads of thoughts came rushing into her mind. Tears stung her eyes. Reason warred with fear. 'It's an old photo, he had long forgotten about it,' a part of her consoled Emerald. 'What if this woman comes back?' another part of her contradicted. 'She belongs to her past and you're Clayton's present and future' 'She's irreplaceable, that's what he said.'The war within her went on until Clayton lifted his eyes from the document he was reading and caught sight of Emerald frowning. "Anything wrong, baby?" Clayton left his desk. In panic, Emerald abruptly closed the book and looked up. "I'm sleepy," Emerald faked a yawn, strode approaching the bookshelf and put back the book. "Let's get you to your room," Clayton said at the same time sweeping her to his arms. Startled, Emerald let out a squeal. "Can you please let me know when y
Emerald's mind went into overdrive. Who is the woman talking to Clayton? Is she Charlotte? Did she come back?Panicking, her hand trembled. "Ms Brown, please call me Mr Strong, it might bring misunderstanding between me and my fiancée." Clayton spoke coldly, he didn't care about the collaboration. He can withstand losing one business collaboration but losing Emerald, he doubted he could survive it. He looked away from the woman and talked to Emerald, this time he let the people in the private room hear him. "Baby, you have to eat in time. The therapist will be there at two in the afternoon." Clayton's once cold voice while speaking to Ms Brown had turned considerably gentle and warm as he spoke with Emerald. "Is Constantine with you?" Overwhelmed, Emerald couldn't hide her doubt. She just can't tolerate that there is a woman fancying her man. She's extremely selfi
Emerald's eyebrows furrowed, creating a crease between her brows."Why is he here?" Emerald muttered. Red was standing in the middle of the large lavish living room with a bouquet of tulips. "Red? What are you doing here?" Emerald was somehow nervous that Clayton would be infuriated upon knowing that Red came to see her. She knew that Clayton wouldn't doubt her but she was afraid of what he'd do to Red. "I came to see you, Emerald. I missed you." He gave the flower to Emerald and she took it from him. "Have a seat Red," Emerald said and Red sat on the couch but Emerald took the single couch chair. Her action saddened Red. Prior to knowing his feelings for her, Emerald and him would sit on a sofa next to each other. Sadly, now that she knew his intention, Emerald put a gap between them. "Red, I want you to be happy," Emerald started to e
"Ms Charlotte, I won't beat around the bush. I came to seek your help to get rid of that woman pestering Clayton." She had been going back and forth at Charlotte's office to see her but Charlotte always declined and refused to see Lizzy. However, the last time she came to Charlotte, she left a letter regarding her relationship with Clayton. And updated her regarding Clayton and she tucked Clayton's latest photo in the letter. Clayton shed his boyish appearance and became manly over the years. Charlotte could tell that Clayton was smoking hot. That sparked her interest and agreed to meet Charlotte. "Ms Frank, I am just wondering. How did you know about my past with Clayton Strong?" Charlotte asked. "I'm his brother's fiancée and his brother told me about Clayton's profound love for you." Lizzy let out a light chuckle. "His profound love?" Charlotte raised an eyebrow, she wasn't a naive person. "
"Babe, wake up," Emerald said as she pushed Clayton's arm that was snaked around her tiny waist. They had been sharing a bed for a month now but Clayton didn't make love to her. Since they were remarrying a month from now, Clayton kept his promise not to touch her until they remarry. "Let me hold you for a minute," Clayton said while he burrowed his face on her nape, feeling in his lungs with Emerald's fragrance. Emerald let him be and true to his words, Clayton got up from the bed after a minute of embracing her. "I'll be going down to prepare breakfast," Emerald said as Clayton walked into the bathroom. He hugged her from behind as she pat dry her face. "Okay!" She heard him say, Emerald left the bathroom, then stepped into the closet and changed her night gown. All of Emerald's clothes had been transferred into Clayton's walk- in - closet. While t
Believing that what was in the past will remain in the past, Emerald dismissed the idea of asking Clayton. Moreover, she was willing to take a chance with Clayton. The uneasiness in her heart let up when Clayton called late in the afternoon. "Babe, how are you?" Clayton asked."I'm doing good, are you having your rest?" Emerald asked. "I had just come back from a series of meetings," Clayton said as he looked at their picture on his desk. "Did you have lunch?" Emerald was worried that he skipped lunch. Clayton was silent and didn't dare to lie to her. "Babe, I told you not to skip lunch even how busy you are." "That's why I'm asking you to work here in my office so you can be here to remind me," Clayton replied. "No need for me to work there, I'll just send Mr Hodge to bring you lunch and he'll also be watching you finish your meals." Clayton chuckled as he felt he
If she didn't barge into the room, what would have happened?Slapped with reality on the face, Emerald regretted coming into Clayton's office. All color from Clayton's face faded in an instant leaving his face as white as a sheet. Tongue - tied and aghast, Clayton couldn't make a sound to utter her name. Despite the difficulty in breathing brought by her stuffy chest, Emerald was able to steadily strode away from Clayton's office and went straight into the elevator. Despite that she was reeling from she had just seen, Emerald managed to strode away without staggering and entered the elevator. Charlotte seized Clayton's waist just as he was about to go after Emerald and locked him up in her arms. "Let go," Clayton snarled but Charlotte was adamant to have him stay, she tiptoed to kiss him. "Don't blame me for being rude," Clayton extricated himself and threw Charlotted away. She was like a paper that flew from across the room. Charlotte screamed painfully as she landed on the co
“Dad!” Maya pouted while Spencer chuckled. He’s used to the father and daughter’s antics. Clayton ignored Maya’s protest and talked to his granddaughter. “And don’t take your grandma and mother’s love for extreme sports.” Clayton looked at Spencer. “Make sure that your daughter won’t get involved in any extreme sports.” “Yes, dad.” Spencer nodded. He too didn’t want his daughter to take a liking to extreme sports. He would surely have a heart attack. “Are you going to make her life dull? No hobby? Just study and take over a company?” Emerald asked in a teasing tone. “Of course not, just no dangerous sports. There are sports that aren’t life threatening. She can choose from those. I can’t teach her to play golf when she grows up.” “That’s a great idea, dad.” Spencer agreed and added. “Maya and I also planned to enroll her for piano, dance and art lessons.” “Really?” Clayton was excited. Clayton wants diversity in their family. He wanted his grandchildren to have different hobbie
Zoey bit her lips. The feeling she had for Maurice was an elephant in the room that she was unwilling to face. Maurice was in a relationship and Zoey didn’t want to be the third party, destroying a relationship. Ignoring her feelings for the man would eventually kill it. That was the reason she didn’t want to admit to herself that she had fallen for the man. “Do you like me, Zoey?” Maurice’s voice was so gentle that it touched Zoey’s heart. Despite knowing that Maurice was currently free and had no girlfriend, she had no courage to confess. “If you say you don’t like me. I will tell mom and ask her to search for another woman that wants to be with me. I don’t want to force you into this relationship, Zoey. I won’t bother you again. ” Zoey's heart thumped painfully in her chest. Just the thought of losing Maurice to another woman was tearing her heart to pieces. “Do you like me, Zoey?” Maurice repeated his question a while ago. “How about you, Maurice?” Zoey asked with teary eyes.
Zoey bit her lips as her entire body and heart turned cold. “Sir, I’m not making an excuse. My phone and wallet had been stolen.” Zoey’s distressed look moved Emerald’s heart. She can’t just watch at the sideline and do nothing to help her. She couldn’t help but imagine her own daughter. What if her daughter, Maya was the one in this situation? Of course, she wanted someone to step in and intervene to help her daughter out of her predicament. “I’ll foot the bill,” Emerald passed on her black card to the server. Grateful that a good samaritan had stepped in to help her, Zoey stood up and bowed several times and unceasingly said, “Thank you.” She was in a foreign land without her phone and any money. If this kind hearted person didn’t take the initiative to help her, she couldn’t imagine what would have happened to her. She didn’t know if justice prevailed in this nation. “Come with us,” Emerald said in a soft voice. Since she had started helping her, she will follow through a
“Ms Desmond,” the man called out, his voice having an edge of huskiness. Recognizing the man, Zoey nodded and said, “Mr Fuller.” Jonathan Fuller was the president of the company that hosted the event. The event was exceptional and everything went well and beyond what he had expected. Since taking his father’s position, this was the first time that he hosted such a big event. He got curious about who was the event specialist that handled their event so well. His assistant took Zoey to meet Jonathan before the event concluded. Jonathan was smitten by the woman’s beauty and grace. “Get in the car. I’ll drive you home.” Confident that Jonathan wasn’t a pervert, Zoey didn’t refuse and hopped into the car. It was almost one in the morning when they arrived at Zoey’s apartment building. Zoey could not unbuckle her seat belt and Jonathan volunteered to help her. Not far from them, Maurice saw everything. From his vantage point it seemed that the man and woman in the sports car were
Zoey was snapped back from her own world and remembered that she wasn’t alone in the living room. She sat on the couch still hugging, Chubby the giant chubby penguin. Having no idea what to talk to, Zoey said nothing. Exhausted from the long journey, Zoey could not stop her eyes from closing when she was hugging the plushy. Maurice observed the sleeping woman, her eyebrows were drawn to a frown and her mouth slightly parted. But it didn’t lessen her beauty to a tiniest bit. “Here you go,” Trina served the hot chocolate drink. One for Maurice and one for Zoey. Trina smiled sheepishly at Maurice. “Zoey, sweetie.” Trina tried to wake Zoey by pulling the plushy away from her. “Mom, no, don’t take away Chubby from me. I missed him so much, I haven’t hugged him for two weeks,” Zoey murmured while she hugged Chubby tighter. Something flashed across Maurice's eyes while listening to Zoey. He took a sip on the hot chocolate while his eyes never left the woman who was mumbling in
Zoey felt Maurice’s body turned rigid. She bit her lips and wished that Maurice would go along with her. The man beside her looked down on her with an unreadable expression, and Zoey gave him a pleading eyes to act along with her. Zoey’s heart thumped strongly, banging her ribcage as she waited for Maurice. “Let’s go,” Maurice said indifferently and guided Zoey to his car. He opened the passenger seat and protected Zoey’s head from hitting the car frame. It was quite a romantic gesture that crushed Nick’s sliver of hope. Inside the car, Zoey fiddled the strap of her handbag, guiltily. “I’m sorry for using you Mr Strong. Please tell me how do I compensate you?” Zoey said but Maurice remained silent. Zoey felt goosebumps covered her entire body at the eerie silence that enveloped the car. “You can compensate me by making a plan for a marriage proposal.” Maverick spoke after an undetermined time of silence. “You have a girlfriend?” Zoey exclaimed in shock and added, quickly. “
Maurice pressed his lips into a thin line, waiting for Zoey to react and decline Tracy’s proposal. Caught unawares, Zoey's mind went haywire and she couldn’t form a word to refuse the idea. She swallowed several times to moisten her dry throat. Seeing that she wasn’t refusing the idea, Maurice frowned and said. “Her apartment is in the opposite direction to the manor. I have to go to bed early.” At this time, Zoey already recovered from her surprise, nodded in agreement and said, “It’s still early, taking a cab isn’t dangerous and I have learned some self - defense. So you don’t have to worry about me.” “Ten o’ clock is already late. Maurice, do me a favor. Drive Zoey to her apartment.” Theo spoke this time, he knew that Maurice would not refuse him. Maurice's hand that was in his pocket balled into a fist. “Please, don’t worry about me. I’m used to taking cabs.” Zoey was telling the truth. Before she managed to buy a second hand car, Zoey used to take cabs even in the dead
“Congratulations, Mr Strong and Ms Wagner,” Zoey said when she was near them. Maverick and Esther, shook hands with Zoey. On the other hand, Maurice who was near them took his phone and pretended to check on his messages.“You did a great job, Ms Desmond,” Maverick gave her two thumbs up. “Thanks Mr Strong but I only managed to come up with that idea because of the information you gave to me about Ms Wagner.” Zoey didn’t want to take all the credits. With clients' willingness to give her an input she was able to come up with such ideas. “By the way, Ms Desmond, I will introduce you to my siblings and in - laws, who knows, perhaps they will be your clients soon. That man wearing a black suit with gold tie is Theo, my eldest brother and his wife, Tracy. Next to her is my sister, Maya. Well we are triplets, and Maurice is my identical twin. Next to Maya is her husband, Spencer. And also the one seated on Maurice’s left side is Esther's best friend, Betty with her boyfriend, Rex.” Zoe
Although she had made a decision to let her know that she saw Maverick leaving the hotel with a beautiful woman, she found it hard to begin. “What? Cat got your tongue?” Esther teased her to alleviate the tense atmosphere. Betty swallowed before opening her mouth to speak but the phone atop her desk rang, stopping her from disclosing what she saw. She picked up the handset. “Come to my office,” Betty heard the familiar voice and her body went straight like a ramrod. “Okay sir,” Betty answered and she looked at Esther while putting down the handset. “I’ll talk to you later, the boss wants me to report to his office.” “Okay,” Esther sighed. Meanwhile in his office, Maverick was tapping his fingers on his table as he waited for Betty. “Come in,” he said as the first knock. “Betty, I need your help,” Maverick said as soon as he saw Betty enter the office. Betty couldn't help but frown, she couldn’t forget that he and a woman got into the same car, leaving the hotel. B