"It's alright Grace... Don't worry, you can tell him when everything is over," he cajoled her softly while patting her shoulders then turned his gaze to Carl and slowly nodded.
********
When Clara got back to her apartment, the sun had already started coming up and she sighed exasperatedly, vowing inside that she was never going to fall for her friend's tricks again.
She quickly took a bath and after changing into her work clothes, glanced down at her wristwatch and sighed in relief.
Her thoughts wandered to the woman's strange behavior who had on the same kind of expression as Jack's mother and she sighed inside, then shook the thoughts out of her head and hurriedly left her apartment, toward the gate, where she was lucky to stop a taxi which was just passing by.
** After going to work **
She had still received the same kind of inquiring and scrutinizing looks from her colleagues which she couldn't be bordered with, as none of them had ever come to her and ask those weird questions again.
Switching on her computer, she started working on the latest document the manager had assigned her and even though it was a small task, it was worth her time.
She was busily typing away when a thought suddenly popped up in her head and she stilled then sighed again. 'That guy.'
Her hand wandered to her face where he had caressed that morning and a blush slowly crept up on her cheek.
"What am I thinking?" She shook her head quickly then puffed her cheeks with a sigh and turned her attention to the computer. 'Hmph' even though he has all the qualities Maya had mentioned, she would still stand on her ground, and besides, she needs to confirm something first.
'Hmph, I'm not falling for his charms.'
'Hypocrite Clara, you just blushed from thinking about him and you even spent the night in his house.'
'Well... that was under an unfortunate circumstance, and it's all Mira's fault__ and I'm not blushing.'
'Liar__'
'Argh! leave me alone.'
The voices in her head kept increasing and she sighed heavily while staring blankly at the computer's screen.
'There's something strange about that guy.'
Turning her attention back to her work, she realized that it was only half-done and she pursed her lips.
'Hmph, I'm going to stay far far away from that guy, If I want to keep my sanity.'
She was still in her thoughts again when a heavy sigh was suddenly heard from her side and her head snapped to the manager who seems like he had been standing there for a while now.
"Oh, Mr. Long... It's you. Good morning." Clara beamed and greeted the man cheerfully.
The manager sighed inside for the umpteenth time while staring at the girl sympathetically. She was just speaking to herself some moments ago, right? And those weird expressions she was making__ 'Poor girl...' Seems like her mental illness is not a__
"Mr. Long?"
Clara snapped the man out of his thoughts with a small frown, wondering why he is spacing out and staring at her in a trance.
"Oh... Clara, I was just passing by, and decided to check on you." The manager chuckled awkwardly.
"Oh, the work?... Don't worry, it's almost done Mr. Long," Clara replied hurriedly with a small smile, and the man nodded then turned back and rushed out of the cubicle.
He had not actually come to check on the work, but her condition which he already confirmed. He has to inform the CEO.
'Hmph... weird.' Clara frowned slightly, then shrugged and continued with her work.
Some hours passed by and it was already lunchtime.
Standing up, she bumped into Derek, Harry, and Ben who were on their way to her cubicle.
"Hey, Clara... care to grab a bite?" Harry beamed as he watched the girl's shocked expression.
"Oh... Okay." Clara nodded rapidly with a small smile and they started walking toward the elevator.
"It's a good thing that you're back here... I'm so relieved," Ben suddenly said as he placed a hand on his chest dramatically.
"Yeah, everyone's happy that the department's beauty is back." Harry seconded with a grin as they entered the elevator.
Clara chuckled softly and stared between the guys in confusion."Huh?... I only traveled for a few weeks__"
"Let's go everyone." Derek who had been quiet all along and was silently watching the girl's expression finally muttered with a sigh, after the elevator came to a stop.
They all walked toward the counter to collect their orders while chatting happily then sat down on an empty table.
"Ehm... Clara, about the__"
"Yes, Clara... What happened between__"
Both Ben and Harry sighed exasperatedly as they couldn't finish their sentence. 'Argh!' How comes they couldn't talk about the CEO? This is suspicious.
Clara looked up from her food and stared at the guys with knitted brows. "About what? What is it," she asked and the guys quickly shook their heads, with another bout of sighs.
"N... Nothing, hehehe."
"Yeah... The food is getting cold Ben, let's eat."
Derek sighed inside while watching them silently as he ate his food. He was also finding the situation very funny, as the rule was declared immediately after she got fired from the CEO's office. And what happened in the elevator that day, and her reaction with the CEO __
"Derek?"
Clara's voice snapped him out of his thoughts as she watched him staring at her in a daze.
"Oh." Derek clumsily adjusted his glasses and smiled softly at her then turned back to his food.
Clara shrugged as her frown disappeared, then she turned back to her food while Ben and Harry glanced at each other with knowing looks.
"Hey guys, I heard that a new hotel will be launched in a few days." A female employee suddenly walked to their table with her food. She was from their department.
"Yeah, I've also heard about it." Harry nodded.
"Well... Guess what?" The female employee gazed at them excitedly and everyone's attention was instantly piqued, including Clara and Derek.