Loving You Is Not An Accident: It’s Destiny - 256 T EMPTATION AND T RICKERY

Several days later, Clifford is too much engrossed with work. Still, he did not fail to fulfil his promise to his wife that he will come home even if it’s late and it’s his kissed that will greet her very morning.

On the other hand, Vanessa has been determined to get an appointment with Clifford but was always rejected; cutting every opportunity she had to disturb Master Clifford. There were times that she could pass from their scrutiny but was cancelled at once. She tried all means to get near him and that annoys Clifford so much, since he is busy with so many things, he just shrugged his annoyance and would just forget about her.

When Vanessa could not go through Clifford for the nth time, she went to Lance, to ask for help.

On the other hand, Lance just finished his work and he decided to leave his office. While on his way, he was busy tapping his phone to check if he missed some messages earlier that he did not notice that Vanessa was already waiting beside his car.

He unlocked his car when suddenly…

“Mister McNaught…” he jolted when he heard the coldness from that voice.

“Miss Reiley? What are you doing here?” he could not believe what he is seeing. Gone was the sophisticated woman and replaced by a depressing sight. No makeup, her hair was a mess, dishevelled clothes, and a pop up eye bags.

“What happened to you?”

“Please help me. I am cold.” The gentle man that he is, he hurriedly takes off his coat and covers it to Vanessa. He then leads him inside his car

“Where do you live? I’ll bring you there.” He asks while he starts his engine.

“No, please, take me with you. I am all alone and I feel lonely. I needed company right now.” She shies away because her eyes started to sting and in any moment, her tears would start to fall.

“No, it’s not a good idea. I’ll definitely bring you to your home.” He stubbornly said.

“Please… don’t… just this once,” there is much pleading in her voice that it suffocates the hell out of him. So, he loosened his tie.

“Where’s that man Paul?”

“I don’t know… I don’t care… you are the only person that I know here and the only person I…. I… I- co-could t-trust…”

“WHAT?! Are you kidding me? oh God! You are insane woman!” irritation fills his eyes but his eyes still lingered on the road because he was still going on circles. He doesn’t know where he’ll drop her.

Suddenly, their stomach growled in unison.

“OH God! Help me… what am I going to do with you woman!” Lance muttered under his breath.

Therefore, he decided to go to a not so fancy restaurant, away from the onlookers.

Every minute, his irritation grows. He is confused, angry even, with Vanessa who keeps on pestering Clifford and now, him. He let out a breathy sigh, then brushing his face with his hands. He could not entirely understand her obsession. It is already becoming a disorder. A disease.

When he was about to speak, their order arrived. He let out another sigh again. He just thought that his frustration comes from his hunger. Again, silence takes over while they ate.

“When will you stop, Vanessa?” Lance could no longer hold back.

“Huh? What do you mean?” her eyes showed uncertainty with his question as though she was innocent after all while Lance rolled his eyes in frustration.

“Don’t make a fool out of me will you? You know exactly what I mean…”

“I wanted to… but I… I can’t…” she lowered her head down again. There is something about her that night which mirrored himself years ago.

Same sensation he had when he was, well, obsessed with Ingrid, been a stalker even and because of that obsession, he committed a grave sin that is haunting all of them now. He knows.

‘God knows how I much I regretted what I did back then, if only… if only I could turn back time… I should have never done that to them…’ he feels hopeless upon remembering that one incident that caused him nightmares after.

Then again, the woman before him is screaming danger and he must warn her to stop it or she will suffer the consequence for the rest of her vain life.

“What do you mean you can’t?” she raises her head again and looks him intently in his eyes.

“I can’t tell you now, I just need to do this… I must do this…” deafening silence once again reign in their midst. Caught in a very strange yet dangerous situation.

Lance could not bear their silence. He puffs for some air before he speaks, because he feels suffocated with their current situation.

“What if, ONLY IF, you will have him for yourself, would that make you happy?”

Without second thoughts, she answered enthusiastically,

“YES!”

“Even if you know in your heart that you will never have his love?” he asks, testing her but it perturbs him in return that Vanessa may interpret his question in any way around.

“I’ll work hard to earn his love.” He sighed while looking at her with so much pity.

“That, I know and I am sure of, plan of yours will just come into ruin. You see, love is not to be worked hard for, it is freely given either to those who deserved it or not. It is not just felt… it’s experienced. Love is not possessive and what you’re doing and feeling right now isn’t love, it’s obsession, and that obsession of yours will be the end of you. It will destroy you.”

“But if I won’t do this, I might regret this for the rest of my life…” Lance shakes his head in disagreement.

“The evil in our desire is when we want it too much… and that desire of yours is too hard for the taking…” he pauses thinking that everything about her is incredulous, and then he continued.

Vanessa’s eyes bulge in surprise.

“…I’ve been in your position before, Miss Reiley and believe me, it’s no fun having or wanting everything for yourself. You lose parts of you. It consumes you and it makes you to be the bitter person you are. It takes the life out of you. It makes you greedy… and selfish,” shaking his head, he stared at her and for the first time, she neither utters any single word nor confutes him.

Vanessa feels like that she has been slapped numerous times by what he just said to her. She feels like she has been having a nightmare and only a slap on her face could make her wake up. She wanted to speak and defend herself, but she could not.

There is much intensity in his gaze, was it sincerity?

Concern?

Pity?

But, why?

She swallowed an invisible lump in her throat, she’s unmoving, stunned.

“I hope we will not meet each other again in the future and if by chance we meet again, I am hoping that you’re over with it and done. Despite everything, I still hope the best for you. Good bye, Miss Vanessa Reiley.”

With that, Lance. Leaving the woman dumbfounded.

The moment he steps out from the establishment, there’s still some heaviness he feels but he is glad that he could now speak from his experience. For the last time, he looks back at her. sympathy reigns that he still managed to arranged a cab to take her to her place, safely.

Then, he left.

…♥…♥…♥…

It was already past five in the afternoon when Clifford remembered that he has a meeting over dinner and have not informed his wife. Immediately, he called her.

“Ahh, love, I forget to inform you earlier that I’ll be having some meeting over dinner later this evening, please don’t wait for me. I might come home late.” Clifford informed.

“Oh, okay, it’s already time for you to go. Please keep safe, okay?” He smiled when he heard some frustration in her voice.

“Yeah, ma’am… I will, for you and our children… please kiss them for me.. I love you.” Gary entered his office.

“I love you,” she replied.

“Sir, I’ll be just outside if you need something,” Gary said.

“Yes, thank you… are you nervous, Gary?” the man did not look to him, but just lowered his head.

“To be honest, sir? Yes, I am…” he sighed heavily.

“I understand. Just gather yourself together and make sure that everything will fall according to plan. Get everything and everyone ready.”

“Yes sir…” then he left his office.

Exactly eight in the evening, Clifford arrived at the hotel where some of these are staying. Therefore, to lessen the hassle, they decided to meet there. As he enters the premises, he stops in his track, scans the whole place as though he is looking for someone or something, and when he is assure of his surrounding, he keeps on to his destination.

He is then ushered to their reserved secluded table.

He let out a breathy sigh and murmured, ‘this is it…’ he prepared himself to plaster a façade intended only for hi business affairs.

The meeting involves Sheldon and some investors. Sheldon has been dramatically enthusiastic about his being part of the company so he fished out some potential investors. Sheldon explained that he has been so excited since this is the first time that his family have given him the chance to prove himself.

Clifford recalled that Sheldon told him that he was a jerk before and would just splurge his family’s fortune on whims. That is why, this time, he wanted to make things better.

As Clifford was approaching them, he noticed Sheldon and the rest were already enjoying themselves as though they have known each other for years.

“Good evening, gentlemen… I apologize for –” but Sheldon prevented him to speak further.

“It’s okay, Mr. Briggs, we just arrive earlier than the appointed time. I have to make up for the last time we had our meeting. By the way, these were my college friends who we are meeting tonight.” he introduced the two men to him Tyler Damon and Nick Dice and he shake hands with them.

They ordered their fill and as they wait, they started to talk about their proposal. Clifford just silently listening to them and from time to time would just nod in agreement with them. He must say that they really have their proposals were well thought and appealing.

“So, what do you think, Mr. Briggs?” Nick asks. Clifford paused for a while and scanned the document again.

“Well, the proposal is not bad at all, it’s rather appealing, I must say… though, it lacks some other things, which my lawyer would gladly to work on with. So, I guess we’ll see each other more often then.” He smirks.

“I told you, man!” Sheldon chuckled. “…they have been nervous back then, you know, so I entertained a little bit. Thank you for this chance, Mr. Briggs, this means so much for them. For us, starters,”

“Oh, the order is already here..” Tyler declared.

“I think, this calls for a celebration,” Sheldon said, then called the waiter and ordered the best wine they could offer. “Everything is on me…” he then grinned.

“You’re really a big time, man,” Tyler and Nick chuckled but Sheldon just shrugs and grin and then shifted his gaze to Clifford.

“But I am nothing compared to the boss, here… oh by the way, do you remember Ingrid Howard?” Clifford suddenly pauses midway chewing his food.

“Ingrid? You mean your ex in college?” Tyler responded. Sheldon scratches his head shyly.

“Oh that lady you, err, I mean, we –” Sheldon glared at Nick.

“Shut up, will you, I am not referring about the past, I just want to inform you that Mr. Briggs here is her husband…” both of them are incredibly amazed of what they heard.

“Woah… really? What a lucky man… I remembered that when we were in college, she was head over heels with Sheldon. No offense Mr. Briggs, but, oh well, I am glad she found the right man for him… this friend of us here is such a douche bag before –”

Panic and fear registered both on Nick’s eyes the moment he realized what he just said to Clifford about Ingrid’s past with Sheldon.

“I-I, uh.. apologize for what I just said, it’s unbecoming of me…” Nick slightly lowered his head, focusing on his food.

“No offense taken. Well, everyone of us go through stupid relationships before and more often than not, it taught us to be… mature and would lead us to the right one for us. I am thankful to Mr. Measley here that he messed up before, I may not found my wife now…” He smiled at them, but his smile sends nothing but chills on their spine, more like terrorizing them.

No one dared to speak after except for Sheldon who is nonchalant to his nervous friends are feeling. Awkward atmosphere engulfs them that Tyler and Nick decided to call it a night, apologetically excused and exited.

“About what Nick had said, it’s not what you are thinking…”

“Nah, it’s in the past, unless you want to do it again?” he said probing the man. Sheldon winced and then nervously chuckled.

“Oh no, I wouldn’t dare…” he grins at Clifford.

Several minutes passed before they decided to go separate ways, but Clifford did not immediately went outside but went to the comfort room to pee. After his business, he washed his hands and then looked at the mirror. He sighed. He is tired and just wanted to go home and cuddle his wife to sleep.

‘Just little more sacrifice and all these things will be over and done.’

He walked out and in the middle of the hallway, he saw a woman approaching him which he faintly recognize, so he just pass by her and did not bother to look at her. But when he was about to make another step, she heard her calls his name.

“Cliff…” he suddenly stops in his tracks hearing that familiar voice, turning his head towards the woman. To his utter surprise, he saw her barefaced, gone was the haughty look he saw her everytime.

“Miss Reiley,” he almost whispered. She looks so…

‘Pitiful?’ he thought to himself.

“Can you spare me a little bit of your time? I just want us to talk…” the man stilled in his stance, weighing the urgency he heard from her voice.

“for the last time… please…?” she lowered her head.

“Follow me…” Clifford went back to the hotel’s restaurant, then scanned the surroundings again, and then nodded.

“Talk, I only have few minutes to spare…” he sternly said.

“I… please… f-forgive m-me… for everything, for what I have done…” he heard her silent weep.

“What do you mean? What have you done that you need my forgiveness?” Clifford narrows his eyes in suspicion.

“I have some confession to make but I think this is not the right place to talk about it…” she paused and she too looks into her surrounding as though someone is watching her, them.

“Please come with me in my room –”

“Oh no, no, no.. Miss Reiley, I will never fall into your trap, if you have something to say, speak it now…”

“NO!” she almost screams, when she realized her action she calms and starts to shake. “…please, I mean no harm… this is not a trap. But I am afraid, that person might hear me, he has eyes everywhere…” he stood up.

“Okay, where to?” Vanessa is somewhat taken aback to his action, did not anticipate that he would consent her appeal.

“O-oh,” she gulped and check the place again and when she feels no one’s looking at her, she scurries her way to her room.

“I am sorry, if this room’s a bit mess… I am not in my usual self lately… if not for… Lance, I mean Mister McNaught, I will not come into my senses and realize what I did…”

“Cut the crap, Reiley, I really need to go, my wife’s waiting for me and my children…” Clifford is starting to have some irked feelings towards the woman but he needed to be patient.

“I, uh, I’m sorry…” she went to one of the drawers and then handed her some document that is tightly sealed.

“Here, if you have time, you or your lawyer can read it, you can do whatever you need with that… and with me… that’s the least thing I can do to receive your pardon because of the grave thing that I have done… I-I am willing to suffer the consequences…” he took the document and did not bother to look at it.

“This means that we need not see each other in the future Miss Reiley…” he then decided to leave.

“Before you go, can I, at least, hug you, for the first and last time?”

“No.” he said stiffly.

“Good bye! Miss Reiley…” but Vanessa is swift that she sprints to his side and steals a hug and a peck on his cheek.

Clifford right away pushed her to the floor.

“What is wrong with you, woman?” without a word he stormed away from that room, leaving the woman weeping silently, hugging herself altogether.