Up close, Red could see Emerald's nervous fidget while seated on the bench outside the emergency room.
Self absorbed, Emerald wasn't aware that Red was closely observing her. Unable to hold back, Red opened his mouth to speak out his observation. "It seems that you and my cousin have known each other." Emerald snapped back from her musing, abruptly turned her head so that it hurt her neck a little. "Nonsense, I don't know him," Emerald just hoped Red would believe her and ask no more questions. "The way you called his name felt like he's someone close to you and why did you cry?" Red couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something between Clayton and Emerald. "I was the one who ordered the food. And if he died, who would be held responsible? The time his life ends, so does my career. Do you understand it?" Emerald stood up, feigning anger so as not being interrogated again.Comparing the two cousins, Red and Clayton both are good looking men but Red was inferior when it comes to masculine aura. Clayton's aura commands respect and attention. Red couldn't help but worry that Emerald will be drawn to Clayton. To know that Emerald was acting like that was because her career was in the line if ever something will happen to Clayton consoled him greatly. Half an hour later, Clayton was brought to the private ward. Emerald restrained herself from asking the doctor so as not to arouse Red's suspicion. "He had an allergic reaction to sesame. Good thing you have brought him to the hospital right away, if not you'll be widowed," the doctor gently patted the pale faced Emerald. "She isn't his wife," Red unhappily corrected the doctor. The doctor's lips twitched and looked at Emerald knowingly."I didn't know that he was allergic to sesame and I was the one who chose food for our group," Emerald explained to clear the air. "Oh, sorry," the doctor said and left. "Did you know he had an allergy?' Emerald asked Red, her eyes trained on the unconscious man whom she nearly killed accidentally. Red was nervous as he screwed up. If he didn't persuade Emerald to order for Clayton he wouldn't have almost lost his life and end up in the hospital. Red was to reply to her query when Shannon barged into the room. Shannon strode and stood at the bedside. "What happened to him?" Red rolled his eyes as Shannon acted like his cousin's girlfriend. "A friendly advice for you. Stop whatever silly thing you have in mind. You could never get my cousin's attention as his heart belongs to someone else."Red caught wind about Clayton's relentless search for that woman. Paying a hefty amount just to find her. However, Red had no idea who the woman was. Emerald thought it was Lizzy who Red was talking about and felt a dull pain in her heart.'Even Red knew that Lizzy's position in Clayton's heart was irreplaceable.' Later, Red had to leave as there were things he needed to attend to, leaving only Emerald and Shannon in the private ward. "You should have been careful when you ordered food and asked him if he had allergies. You were so careless," Shannon put all the blame to Emerald. Emerald didn't retort as it was useless explaining to a blockhead. She knew that this girl is stupid but only let her join the pit team because of Shannon's cousin Jonas who was part of the pit team. Seeing that Emerald would not retort, she opened her mouth to give her a piece of her mind but a cold and harsh voice halted her from spitting nonsense. "It wasn't her fault," Clayton was furious at Shannon as she scolded Emerald and acted as if they were close. "But she almost killed you. Clayton, you must let her pay for her mistake," Shannon countered boldly. Emerald looked down successfully concealing her smirk. This woman is ridiculous. She doesn't know her place, acting like she's Clayton's woman. What gave her that courage? "Who are you to decide for me? Get lost!" Clayton was so livid that the veins in his forehead and neck bulged. How could he let someone who was a complete stranger to him scold his woman?Scared of him, Shannon walked away from the bed and grabbed Emerald's wrist.She wouldn't allow Clayton to be with Emerald alone in the private ward. "Stay with me, Emerald," Clayton's voice was pleading a complete opposite of his tone when he talked to Shannon harshly. Guilt stricken, Emerald couldn't refuse him. She pulled her hands from Shannon's grip, making Shannon glare at her and stomped her way out of the room. "Why didn't I know that you have an allergic reaction to sesame?" Emerald asked after a long silence. "The allergy developed as my immune system dropped after our divorce," Clayton wanted her to know that he wasn't living well when she left. Life was so unfair, after all she did taking care of him, she was discarded like trash. While Lizzy who obviously had not taken care of him was treasured by him.Emerald's chest tightened and started to play on her phone to deaden the pain.Seeing that Emerald didn't want to talk to him, Clayton kept mum and watched Emerald play.At night, the butler was stunned to see Emerald in the private ward. He smiled politely and placed the food on the coffee table."Thanks, I'll feed him," Emerald said to Mr Hodge. While being fed by Emerald, Clayton was ecstatic and a euphoric heat swarmed in his chest. Clayton knew that she was doing it out of guilt but he couldn't care less as long as Emerald was by his side. Late in the night while Clayton was sleeping. "Emerald help me, I am in Donavan's Bar, please!" Shannon's voice was trembling.Emerald didn't take to heart what Shannon told her in the afternoon and went to the bar to help Shannon but Shannon wasn't there. Due to exhaustion Emerald went home and didn't go back to the hospital to accompany Clayton. Early in the morning Emerald went back to the hospital with the breakfast she prepared for Clayton.Slowly she opened the door and was stunned to see Shannon lying beside Clayton.Without making a noise she closed the door. She's no longer Clayton's wife so she has no right to make a ruckus. It's Lizzy's role anyway. Speaking of Lizzy, she came as soon as Emerald turned her back. Lizzy didn't notice her as she was busy answering a call while making her way to Clayton's room. Lizzy stood rooted on the floor upon seeing Clayton being hugged by a woman while he slept. "What are you doing here?" Her loud voice woke up Clayton. The antihistamine Clayton took made him sleep soundly and wasn't aware that Shannon came in the middle of the night. Clayton was so shocked that he froze and was unable to push the woman hugging him. Lizzy pulled Shannon's hair making Shannon fall from the bed. Lizzy took advantage of it and sat on Shannon's body while slapping her. "You whore!" Fully awake, Shannon fought back. As a woman who was used to manual work, Shannon was strong and agile, hence she overpowered Lizzy. She flipped Lizzy around and was now on top, reversing the s
Emerald parked her car and alighted from the vehicle. And then, strolled towards her apartment building. As she was entering the lobby she heard someone calling her. She turned towards the source of voice and saw Red. He was standing beside the guard. "What are you doing here?" Emerald asked as she approached Red. "It's been a while since the last time I saw you," Red said, looking at her with pleading eyes. Considering that Clayton was not with him, Emerald had no reason to refuse him. She only avoided Red because she didn't want to cross paths with Clayon again. What she witnessed in the hospital altered her decision. Initially, she accepted the fact that she and Clayton will eventually meet again because of Red. But seeing how Lizzy went berserk when she saw Shannon lying on the hospital bed with Clayton, she feared that she would be misunderstood by Lizzy and create a scene. She knew Lizzy was not afraid to hurt her as she tried to do it multiple times. She was fortunate
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
"Woah! You did it Emerald!" Emerald's coach was so happy that she beat her record yesterday. Her team was rooting for her to qualify for the main race. They were confident that she could achieve it. "Let's call it a day. See you tomorrow," Sean said to Emerald before leaving. He was in a hurry to leave as he needed to catch up and pick his wife from work. "Bye, Emerald," Jonas, Shannon's cousin, bade his goodbye and grabbed Shannon's wrist as if he was afraid that Shannon would blurt out unnecessary things. "See you tomorrow," Emerald replied, Jonas gave a thumbs up. Emerald took off her helmet and left the cockpit simulator. She felt the need to have a shower first before leaving as she was sweaty after hours of rigorous practice. Ready to leave the center, she went down to the parking area and rode her car. Nearly an hour, she arrived at her apartment complex. In a good mood that all was going well with her training and practice, Emerald hummed a song as she strolled from h
"What are you doing in my kitchen?" Emerald followed him to the kitchen. "Didn't I say, I am going to cook dinner?" Clayton rolled the sleeves of his shirt, ready for action. He then took Emerald's apron. Instead of scolding him, a ghost of a smile was etched on her lips seeing him in a small apron. He looked funny but it did nothing to decrease his attractiveness. He became charming even more. Emerald protested no more. She sat on the chair. "Are you sure you know your way around the kitchen?""You'll see," Clayton took ingredients from the fridge. Clayton caught sight that she yawned a few times while washing the vegetables. "Go and take a nap, I'll wake you up when I'm done." "Okay," Emerald, feeling really tired, did not refuse and went to lay on the couch in the living room. In no time, Emerald drifted off to dreamland.Once in a while, from where he was, Clayton would glance at her.Fulfilled that he was able to do the same to her, Clayton's smile deepened. Clayton saunte
How could his father force a marriage to him that he didn't like? Clayton, a person who was stubborn as a mule, when pressed to do something, usually turned unbending, but this situation was an exception. Meaning to say, he liked Emerald. He was just too afraid to get invested in a relationship. He was afraid Emerald would leave him in the end just like Charlotte. So to save his ego, Clayton made her sign a divorce paper on the day of their first anniversary. This time he wasn't abandoned but the one who left first. "To say sorry… for all the pain I inflicted…" He paused reflectively. "I'm guilty… because of our child." Emerald wanted to teach him a lesson for hurting her so she discarded the thought of telling him the truth. She's got to give him a taste of his own medicine."Emerald, my conscience is bothered and please let me make it up to you. I want us to be friends."The fear of rejection overwhelmed Clayton, in the end he drew back from declaring his love for her and ple
"Red is wasted and can't drive his car. I'm going to pick him up," Emerald yanked her hand from Clayton's grip. "You stay, I'll take care of it," Clayton said and strode towards the door. "No, I will pick him." "No," Clayton said, suppressing his rising anger."I will!" Emerald insisted. Clayton lost his head and roared. "When I said, No. It's No! Understood?" Startled, Emerald took two steps backward and stumbled. Clayton was fast enough to stop the fall by snaking his arm around her waist.He pulled her in his arms and hugged her tenderly. Emerald was in a daze that the things she wished in the past was now happening. She wondered what she would feel when a sober Clayton hugs her. Clayton hugged her before but he was drunk. She remained in his arms without a sign of resistance. "I'm sorry," Clayton whispered on the crown of her head, muffling his voice. Clayton lost control of his emotions at the thought that Red would force himself on her. Just as he did to her a month be
Clayton nodded without correcting Tyson, his driver. His response irritated Emerald and she glared at Clayton but he just shrugged his shoulders. Emerald was about to open her mouth to correct him but Tyson walked around the car to the driver's side. Totally piqued, Emerald did not look at Clayton all through the trip. It's not her style to mislead others and let them think that she and Clayton were together again. After her broken marriage, Emerald learned to differentiate between fantasy and reality. Back then, when she married Clayton, she lived in the world of fantasy. Firmly believing that if she puts effort into their marriage and be a good wife, Clayton will love her back. Now that she had broken free from that delusion, she dared not think that Clayton realized that he fell for her and wanted her back in his life. She isn't an assuming woman. Just because Clayton was treating her well doesn't mean that he loves her. She knew where she stood in Clayton's life and she had