Chapter Five - Campaign

"Who are you, and what do you want?"Claire asked.

"Nothing," the lady replied, raising her hand. "I just wanted to see you up close. I don't know what I was expecting, but certainly not this, " she said, seizing her up.

Claire was getting a bit apprehensive. The lady looked like someone who could fight. Claire suddenly became afraid for her baby.

"Please leave," Claire demanded,

"it's ok," the woman said and laughed as she walked away.

Claire exhaled and shot the door.

When Lucas came that evening, Claire recounted everything that happened, Lucas could see that Claire was frightened, "I will look into it," Lucas had said.

Because of the strange lady, Claire wasn't in the right head space to confront Lucas on the nature of their relationship. There was a bigger fish to fry.

At London, Ethan was in deep soup. The marketing campaign his company had painstakingly prepared for one of their biggest companies had just been launched by another company. Everything was the same, including the catch phrases. Ethan didn't know how to get out of the mess his company was currently in. it was eight in the evening, and everyone was still working tirelessly, trying to reduce the damage that would be done in a few hours. Samantha strutted in, "I have been at the restaurant waiting for you for almost an hour," Samantha stated, Ethan didn't need to be told that Samantha was furious.

"Why were you at the restaurant?"Ethan asked.

"What sort of stupid question is that. we had a date for crying out loud, " Samantha said.

"I had sent you a text to cancel, and i even explained why," Ethan stated, "Sometimes you act like you are living in a world of your own," Ethan added.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that. Do I look like that ugly wife of yours? "Samantha asked.

"we can't make a reservation two weeks in advance, and just cancel. Just because you're having a bad day, "Samantha rattled on.

"You can not be compared to her because she was more understanding and reasonable," Ethan said, and the next thing he felt was a slap on his cheeks.

"How dare you raise your hands on me," Ethan demanded.

"How dare you talk to me like that. if you ever talk to me like that , be ready for all hell to break loose", She said and walked out. Immediately she came out, everyone in the office that had been watching returned to their business or pretended to.

Ethan sank back in his chair. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He got up and walked to a decorative mirror hanging at the opposite side of his office. he looked into the mirror, and he saw the imprint of her palm. That part of his face burned. It wasn't a dream. Samantha just slapped him right across the face. The following morning, by the time the campaigns his company had prepared starting airing, he lost the client. Two of his other big clients called to cancel. What brought tears to Ethan's eyes was not the clients he had lost. It was the manner Samantha had humiliated him that hurt him the most.

That evening, Lucas couldn't sleep. He had an idea of the person he felt had pulled that stunt, but he just had to be sure. Claire had become so dear to him, and he knew he could do anything for her. The following morning, he arrived at Claire's house bright and early with breakfast. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't cheer her up. Finally, he just had to ask, "Would you please be my date at a little work event this tomorrow evening?".

"A date?"Claire asked.

"Yes, it would make me very pleased if you'll be my date," he pleaded.

Samantha looked at Lucas straight in the eye,

"It's time we had that talk," Samantha said.

Lucas knew what was coming, and he was prepared, "Lucas, i need to know what you want from me. Why are you being so nice to me? "Samantha asked.

"And don't tell me it is friendship. Because if this was how you treated all your female friends. That lady wouldn't have come here yesterday. "

Lucas drew closer to Claire on the three seater couch they were seated.

Lucas took Claire's hand in his and looked into her beautiful green eyes as he professed his love to her.

"I was waiting for the right moment to tell you how I feel. But I guess I was waiting because I was afraid you would reject me. I know you have been deeply hurt by your ex, but I love you with all of me.

I thought my heart was dead, I thought my heart could never conceive love, but I have never been so wrong. Loving you has made me stronger, fierce, and happy. Whenever I am around you, I feel content and fulfilled.

If you accept me, I promise to always put your first and to love your child like my own."Lucas said.

Claire opened her mouth, but she didn't speak, tears trickled down her cheeks as she kept staring into his eyes , "Please say something," Lucas begged.