Chapter 10 - Walked Out of His Life

It was really Clayton and not a product of her imagination.

Emerald, however, kept her mouth tightly shut and refused to talk to the man.

A glum settled on Clayton's chest as Emerald regarded him as some stranger in the street.

As though a large rock was pressed against his chest making him difficult to breathe.

Emerald wondered who he was going to see at this time of the day. It was nearly midnight.

With a chiming sound, the elevator stopped on the 20th floor and opened.

Placing a hand on the elevator, Clayton gestured for Emerald to step out first before him.

Raised and taught by her parents to be polite and grateful, Emerald said, "Thank you."

Though she said it in a polite tone, it was tinged with distance and alienation.

Wistfully, Clayton watched Emerald walk away as in reliving the day she walked away from his life.

Why didn't he realize sooner that he fell in love with Emerald?

Didn't they say that regret always comes at the end not in the beginning?

But Clayton was unwilling to throw in the towel. He had to keep trying until he wins her back.

With that Clayton caught up with her with a few strides.

"It's late, where have you been?"

Clayton wasn't someone who was good at coaxing people. So, his first attempt to win her back failed miserably.

His question irked Emerald to the core, making her stop from her tracks. "Where I have been and what time I come home has nothing to do with you, Mr. Strong. Please, know your place."

Clayton was at a loss what to say and didn't make a sound.

Seeing that Clayton was speechless, Emerald felt accomplished and happy.

Without wasting time, she had her thumb scanned, pushed the door open and strode in before slamming the door.

Clayton was still in front of Emerald's door thinking what was wrong with his words. He just wanted to talk to her.

Clayton opened his apartment door and stepped inside.

After showering he took his MacBook and began searching on the internet on how to regain a woman's love.

The following morning after a run, Emerald spotted Clayton standing by her door. In his hands were a bouquet of flowers and breakfast for Emerald.

Refusing to lose herself to this man, Emerald held her emotions in check even when facing the ever handsome Clayton who was oozing sexiness in his tight fit t - shirt and sweatpants.

"You came to the wrong place, Mr. Strong. Lizzy doesn't live here," A sardonic smile painted on her red pillowy lips.

Emerald thought that it was time for him to pay for his mistake.

Their situation now was reversed. In the past it was Clayton who'd say nasty things but now Emerald was the one taunting him.

Compared to what he has said and done to her in the past, what he did was far worse than what she's doing now.

Pushing away the pain, Clayton smiled at her.

"I didn't. These are for you," Clayton stretched his hands but Emerald put her hands on her tiny waist, refusing to accept what was given to her.

"I'm allergic to pollen and I don't eat breakfast," Emerald wasn't happy that in their one year together, he knew nothing about her. She opened her apartment and slammed the door to his face.

Clayton looked at the closed door glumly and threw the flowers in the thrush bin.

Carrying the breakfast in his apartment, he showered first and ate afterwards.

Emerald was now considering moving out as she was certain that Clayton was just living next door.

However, the season of car racing was about to begin at this rate she needed to train and practice frequently. And that leaves her no time to move out.

She'll just move out after the race is over.

Clayton had just came back to his office after a business meeting at the hotel next to his company building.

"You're fast," Clayton said to Red who was seated on the couch.

He only called him when he was on the ground floor.

"We are in the same building. Why would I be late?" Red said complacently. "What did you call me for?"

Clayton sat on his swivel chair and crossed his legs on top of his desk.

"Emerald, isn't the right woman for you. There are plenty of women out there and you can find a woman who's compatible with you."

After what he saw the other night, Clayton will not allow Red to make another move.

"I don't need your approval! Even without it, I will still court Emerald!" Red exclaimed as his anger reached the tipping point.

"Dare to defy grandpa's order?" Clayton knew that Red was just a trust fund kid. If that financial support was taken from him, he wouldn't know how to survive.

But Clayton was wrong, the years Red stayed abroad he was able to put up a small company that is now gaining momentum.

He only came back because he followed Emerald and worked in Clayton's company temporarily while chasing the love of his life.

Red heed his grandpa's command because he didn't want to provoke him to anger as he was already old.

"I dare. I'm no longer the Red you could control!" He stormed out of Clayton's room.

"Let's see!" Clayton smirked. Clayton dialed his grandpa's number.

"Hi, grandpa, how are you?" Clayton said when the call was connected.

Clayton was closer to his grandpa than Leonardo, his father. Leonardo had been busy in the company and had no time for him and his brother. So, it was Wallace who took care of them.

"Grandpa had just come back from fishing," Wallace Strong answered.

"Is there something you want to tell me?

"Grandpa, the girl is not compatible with Red," he didn't beat around the bush and directly said what needed to be said.