Adrian had no idea why he questioned her about the person when he already knew who it must be. But still, deep inside his heart, he wanted her to prove him wrong. He wanted her to tell him that he wasn't that man who called her and there was nothing he should get worried about
Though it might seem like he was invading her privacy, but he cared about nothing but only a confirmation in return.
Clara found her heart pounding inside her chest. The way Adrian was hopefully waiting for her answer, eager to know about the person, something clicked in her mind.
'Boyfriend' she recall the words he said a few minutes back and she clench her palm into a fist.
She was about to answer him back but was taken by surprise when she heard him laugh. It looked like a forceful one as if he was purposely trying to act normal.
"I know you don't want to tell me about it, not that I care" Adrian shrugged trying to brush off the discomfort he was feeling inside his heart, and continued," But still Miss Clara, lying right on my face to escape from work just so you could talk with your so-called boyfriend isn't right"
"What do you mean by lying?" this time Clara didn't hold back her irritation and questioned.
Adrian scoffed watching her act like she didn't know what he was trying to say. Did she really think he would never know about the man she elope with?
Just the thought of her betrayal made his smile drop and his eyes turned cold. If he hadn't found out about it, she would have kept playing with his feelings.
"Don't pretend like you don't know whom I am talking about. Isn't he the same man for whom you left me" Adrian lost his cool ignoring the shock on Clara's face.
He knew she was trying her best not to let him know about him, but too bad that he already knew what had happened back then. She knew he couldn't handle lies but she played well turning his world upside down.
Clara watched Adrian in disbelief. He was accusing her of something that she never did. But then, she remembered wasn't it the same reason why her father threw her out of the house?
Feeling the numbness in her heart, Clara's gaze turned hard as she watched Adrian with utmost hate. She never thought the person with whom she bared her soul would end up questioning her character.
Her mind went back to thinking of the day when she begged her father to trust her. She recalled the moment she reached Adrian's apartment to look for him thinking he might not leave her alone and understand her.
But all she got was a disappointment. She trusted the wrong people, who she thought would never break her heart no matter what, but it was all a lie.
Just like her father, even Adrian turned his back on her. Her entire world came crashing down to her feet when she found that he was gone without a word.
Recalling her most vulnerable days, Clara felt her heart clench in pain. She knew she had done a mistake by believing a stranger who was never upfront with her. Then, why is getting upset to know whom she was associating with?
If he had already concluded it in his mind, then why not keep it that way?
Adrian was eagerly waiting for her to answer him back. Her silence was killing him within. Somehow he wanted her to fight with him, and tell him that he is wrong. But everything turned blank when he heard her.
"What if I say, yes?" her words made Adrian bawl his eyes wider in shock.
He felt like someone stabbed his heart mercilessly and the hope in his eyes dimmed.
'What was he expecting' he thought to himself.
Staring at her like a defeated person, Adrian quickly pulled his eyes away from her. He didn't want to let her see the tears in his eyes that her words brought in.
He already knew the answer but still, he was expecting her to prove him wrong. You can't let her words harbor your strong mindset.
Quickly composing himself, Adrian looked back at her with uttermost coldness and said," Turn off your phone and make sure your personal calls don't disturb my peace. This is the last time I am warning you, next time if he calls back again, then he had to face me"
Clara blinked her eyes as she heard him threaten her. What does he mean by he had to face him? Did he really believe my words? she thought, shaking her head in disbelief.
She should've known Adrian would never ponder on her words trying to distinguish them from her actions.
Without waiting for her answer Clara watched him resume his work.
Adrian passed her some work making sure she wouldn't keep complaining about him being ignorant about her job and was only paying her for staring at him.
He knew she had the caliber to pull off the work given to her and he didn't want to waste her talent. So he decided to divide the work between her and Austin, with her tagging in with the meetings inside the company while Austin would look after the outside work.
Happy with the change, Clara got fully immersed in her work, forgetting about the cold war that took place between her and Adrian.
Soon the time for lunch arrived and Adrian was yet to finish with his work. Clara wanted him to take a break and fill his tummy before he continues back to his work.
But the way Adrian was ignorant about health all she could do was get lunch for him in his cabin.
Before coming to the company, she sent a text to Leo informing him about Adrian's lunch. She made sure the food he ate was homemade. In that way, he wouldn't think of skipping his meal and would eat to his heart's content.
Switching her eyes from Adrian to the cabin's door, Clara was patiently waiting for the food to arrive when
"Knock"
The sudden disturbance made, Adrian break his eyes from the file in front of him and he looked at the door.
"Don't worry, I'll open it" he heard Clara's voice and watched her run towards the door like a kid who was waiting for his gift to arrive.
The sparkle he saw in her eyes, erased all the tiredness within him, and he leaned back watching her open the door.