Clara's eyes widened. She has heard this voice before.
Clara knew this voice. She can not forget it.
'What was he doing here?'
Clara turned her face to see the person holding Layla's hand. She saw the side of Oliver's handsome face.
His well-defined face was making Clara's heart beat faster. Oliver's jaw clenched as his eyes filled with rage. It was evident that he was angry.
Layla tried her best to remove the hand, which was holding her in place. When Layla looked at the voice, her breath hitched.
The man in front of her was mature and demurring. His looks could make any girl lose her mind.
Seeing the change of expression from angry to curious on Layla's face, Oliver left her hand in an instance. It was as if his hand burned.
Oliver smirked at Layla as he took Clara's hand in his palm.
Clara looked at Oliver with a questionable look. Oliver looked down at the pretty girl whose hand he was holding. He smiled at her as he squeezed her hand.
"Hiss," Clara was already painful, but, as her hand landed in Oliver's, her pain started to disappear until due to his reassuring, the pain came back.
Oliver looked at Clara's hand. There were red finger marks around her wrist.
Oliver's heart ached for her. He did not let go of Clara's hand, but he loosen his grip.
Oliver blew on Clara's wrist and kissed it lovingly.
Clara felt the tingling. Oliver's lips were cold, giving her a refile to the burning sensation. But as soon as Oliver's lips left Clara's wrist, the burning came back a thousand times stronger, and it was not because of pain.
Clara's face flushed pink. Her eyes were wandering around as she was afraid to meet Oliver's.
Oliver's gaze was filled with predator instincts. He had a well-prepared meal in front of him, which he wanted to savor but had to endure.
"Who are you?" Layla finally asked, breaking the atmosphere between the other two.
Layla has not seen this person ever. Curiosity was killing her. When did so many different people know Clara?
When Layla was with Clara, she had never seen Evelyn or the man standing in front of her near Clara. But suddenly Clara knew and was friends with them as well.
The unfamiliar man was tall and slender. His broad shoulder was strong.
His features were well defined with a straight nose, sharp eyes, and spark jawline.
He had an aura surrounding him, which was hard to ignore.
His indifference and ignorance were similar to Kyle, maybe due to this Layla was attracted to him.
It was hard for Layla to take her eyes off of him.
As Layla's eyes turned to the hands which were holding Clara's, her vision blurred with resentment.
Oliver's eyes turned sharped as he locked his hand with Clara's while his other arm circled around her in protection.
Oliver turned around to go out along with Clara.
"Who are you?" Layla repeated her question after getting ignored.
Seeing the man's protective behavior toward Clara, it was clear that her doubt was wrong.
Why would Clara not be over Kyle when she had someone like this man with her?
'Was this man introduced by Evelyn?'
'Evelyn should know a lot of powerful and strong men. And she even hated Kyle'
Oliver's not so friendly tone broke the trail of Layla's thoughts, "What is it to you?"
"I am her friend" Layla wanted to defend herself. She needed help. And if this man was Evelyn's friend, won't he help Clara's friend?
"Doesn't look like that to me." Oliver's words shred down Layla's pretense.
Layla's face flushed with embarrassment. She was about to talk when Clara interrupted, "Can we go?"
"Of course," Hearing a soft voice from below, Oliver smiled as he patted Clara's head and took her out from the presence of Layla.
Layla sighed. Her efforts were wasted because of her own foolishness.
Layla saw Clara's back being guided by a firm and reliable hand.
As much as Layla hated to admit it, Clara and that man really suited each other. She just wished that Clara could forgive her and forget about Kyle for good.
---------
Oliver helped Clara to sit in his car. Clara wanted to turn and go towards her car, but a sturdy grip on her shoulder was preventing it.
"I have my own car." Clara finally spoke as she could not resist.
Clara's mind was already messed up. Few questions were circulating around her brain in a loop.
'Why did Oliver help her?'
'Did he identify her?'
That was impossible. Clara shook her head.
Clara looked completely different now. She was confident with her makeup skills. Even Layla and Kyle did not identify her, then how can Oliver.
"I would still like to take you somewhere."
"Do we know each other?" Clara's eyes glittered as anxiety filled her heart.
Oliver chucked, looking at Clara's expression. It was like a scared child asking her kidnapper if they both knew each other.
"It's hard to tell," Oliver scratched his chin, "I still have the coffee stain on my shirt if you want to see."
'He knows' but how? Clara's mind was blank for a few seconds. His words were proof that he knew about her little disguise.
Clara sat inside the car quietly. It was beneficial to know your enemy better. But was Oliver a friend or an enemy? Only time could tell.
Oliver bent down and drew the seat belt for Clara. As he placed the seat belt properly on Clara, a 'click' was heard.
Oliver was still in place as he did not move. They were too close to Clara's liking. Their noses were almost touching as their breath mixed with each other. Clara's heartbeats raced uncontrollably.
Friend or enemy, the effect Oliver had on Clara was undeniable.
Oliver wanted to tease Clara more, but he cleared his throat to distract himself from his chaotic thoughts.
Oliver took the driver's seat and started the car.
"Now that we have dropped the facade, where should we go?" Oliver asked happily like the encounter before was Clara's pure imagination.
'Was this person for real?'
'He wanted to take me somewhere a second ago, and now he is asking me?'
Clara sighed, "Anywhere fun" She turned her face to gaze outside the window, "I had too much drama recently."
Oliver looked at Clara in silence.
The car was moving on the almost empty road. Clara is still peering out at the changing scenarios. Soon lights shined in her eyes, making it seem like crystals.
"Where are we?" Clara asked curiously. This was an unknown road for her.
'Is he really going to kidnap me?'
'I am worth a ton of money.'
Clara narrowed her eyes, waiting for Oliver to answer.
"I saw that you didn't eat yet, so we are here to eat," Oliver smirked. He could read all Clara's thoughts through her eyes.
"Oh." Clara hit herself in her mind. Her brain was thinking for itself again.
Oliver's gesture touched Clara. He not only helped her, but even paid attention to small things.
It looked like he was my friend.
"Do you know me?" Clara finally asked. He knew about her disguise but did he really know her, Clara Sheldon.
Oliver laughed "Let's see, Clara Sheldon. The sole heir of Sheldon Entertainments. Doing an internship under a camouflaged and what else," Oliver's looked ahead, thinking, "Opening her small company with help of Evelyn."
Oliver turned to look into Clara's eyes, "Does this count as knowing you?"
Clara nodded. He knows a lot of things about her. But why can't she remember him? Clara feared asking this question. She felt stupid as Oliver had answers for everything.
Clara decided to not ask anything further.
They reached a small restaurant in between the forest. It was a wooden structure decorated with fairy lights. The ambiance was not of a five-star restaurant, but it was warm, cozy, and breathtaking.
A few people were sitting there, which were mostly young couples.
"Did you like this place?" Oliver asked, seeing the glimpse in Clara's eyes.
"Yes." Clara nodded. The place was truly beautiful. "Doesn't this look like a couple's paradise?"
Clara's enormous eyes looked at Oliver like a little rabbit, waiting for her carrot eagerly.
"Does it?" Oliver slides a chair indicating Clara to sit, "I just saw this place on the way."
Clara widened her eyes. Her eyes were screaming, 'This place, in the middle of the forest, was on the way? Where were we going then? A place called the middle of nowhere?'
Oliver waited till Clara's order was placed. As the server left, an awkward silence followed the atmosphere.
"I feel like we are on a date." Clara giggled to ease the heavy air.
"Hmm," A smile graced Oliver's face, "We can count it as our first then."
"W-What?"
"That reminds me," Oliver grinned, "What were you doing with that crazy friend of yours?"
"Nothing much." Clara played with the glasses on the table to avoid further questions.
Clara was certain that Oliver might have heard Layla's sarcasm. Clara just wished she could not have met Layla, but then again, if she did not meet her, Clara and Oliver would not have been here.
Clara asked a question that was bugging her for some time now. All the way through the journey, Clara's mind was filled with it.
"When did you know it was me?"
"The first time I saw you," Oliver understood the meaning behind Clara's words, "It's not that hard to know."
"Your face structure is the same, just some makeup and lens with that specs." Oliver cannot tell the exact difference, but the first time Clara hit him in front of the cafe, he knew who she was.
Clara nodded in understanding. Was it that easy to know her? Why didn't Kyle and Layla know then? She has known them both for so long, yet Oliver knew her better.