"About what you heard earlier is all about...a family dinner date that my mother set up for us. But don't you worry, I don't have a plan to show up later on that date," he explained. He reached for my right hand and squeezed it gently. I couldn't look him in the eyes. I just bowed my head and looked at the food that Bel and I had cooked for him.
It wasn't about the dinner date that was the main reason why I suddenly acted differently. I wanted another explanation.
"The w-wedding? What about the wedding?" I asked in a cracked voice and stared at him. I could see that he was stunned in his seat for a second and swallowed hard. He didn't immediately utter a word which made tears fall from my eyes. I looked away at him and cried. I immediately wiped away the tears that look like a running faucet that keeps on dripping.
"Angela..." he whispered in a worried tone. He got up from his seat and approached my direction. He knelt in front of me and looked at my face which was now blurred by the tears. He tried to wipe my cheek but I moved away from him.
He sighed at my behavior and touched his neck out of frustration. He gently placed his hands at the top of my knees. I felt him catch his breath first. It seemed he was gathering courage in whatever he was going to say.
"I'm sorry if I haven't told you about this thing."
I shut my eyes tightly when I heard that from his own lips. I smiled bitterly and boldly met his gaze.
"Is that the reason why you are so busy lately? Is this what you are working at?" I accused him. At what I said, he shut his eyes. He massaged his temple and seemed embarrassed to meet my gaze again.
"My mother wanted me to marry Natasha to expand our business here and abroad. At first, she reasoned out it was for the salvation of the company but after I fixed the problem on my own, she changed everything. She's now commanding me to marry Natasha with or without a reason. She just really wanted our family to join forces with the Sy family," he tiredly explained.
I held my chest after I felt something had pierced my heart.
"But, don't you worry, Angela. No matter what happens, I won't agree about the marriage," he firmly said and in a hurry, he took my hands and kissed them. I looked at his face. I could see he was worried about what was happening. It looked like he was pleading. Even if he didn't say directly to me to stay, his gestures and his eyes were begging and screaming. He was no longer the Clark I often see as powerful and with self-confidence. All I could see right now is the other side of Clark, the weak one.
I gasped and tried to digest all he had said. At the speed of events, I was almost overwhelmed and could not keep up. I tried to inhale-exhale a few times and blink a couple of times. When I calmed down, I stared at Clark again. His eyes screamed begging me to stay.
I couldn't bear to look at him in that condition. I couldn't stand to see my man with that weak expression.
I nodded slowly in front of him, as a sign, that I will not leave him. He smiled tearfully in relief after he saw it. He immediately hugged me tightly and he repeatedly thanked me for understanding him.
I hugged him back and closed my eyes.
"Forgive me Clark if I doubted you right away. I just can't help myself to act like that because... I just love you," I apologized. He let go of our embrace and stared into my eyes.
"Be my girlfriend, Angela," he said seriously while staring straight into my eyes. He did not even move or bother to blink. He seemed determined to get a "yes" he had been waiting for for almost a month.
I nodded slowly and smiled.
"Say it, Angela... Say it," he said in anticipation. He seemed to want to hear that word right from my lips. I could see in his eyes that he was eager to hear it.
"Yes, Clark. I'm now your girlfriend," I finally said. Clark immediately got up from his knees and shouted inside his office in ecstasy. He was even punched in the air and quickly approached my direction. He took the tupperware that rested on my lap and placed it on top of his office desk. He took both of my hands and gently stood me up. He greeted me with a hug that I immediately returned.
"Thank you, Angela! Thank you! I'll do everything to keep our relationship strong. I want you to be my first and last, Angela. No one can replace you in my heart. No one," he said lovingly and I smiled as I cried.
"Thank you, Clark," I tearfully responded. Clark let go of my hug and stared into my eyes. His right hand caressed my left cheek. His eyes lingered over my face. Looked like he was memorizing every detail of it. He brought his face closer to me little by little until he lovingly offered me a sweet kiss. I responded and snaked my hand around his neck. The soft kiss became passionate in an instant.
We both gasped for air as we parted from each other. After that, we both smiled at each other.
"Come on, let's eat the food that Bel and you cooked for me."
I looked into his eyes and with a smile on my face, I replied "let's eat" to him.
We both approached his office desk. He even took the free chair in front of his desk and set it aside in his office chair. When he finished arranging the seats, he came up to me and held my left hand. He led me there and helped me to sit up, then he sat down in his office chair, and with a smile, he opened the tupperware containing rice and chicken adobo dish. He even called his secretary from the intercom and told her to bring drinks and cakes for desserts.
We happily shared the food that Bel and I cooked for him.
"I'll introduce you to mom. I'll introduce you to her as my girlfriend."
My heart skipped a bit after I heard it. I know how strict his mom is. I witnessed that when I first saw his mom at the parent meeting at school when we were in high school. But I think it's too early to judge his mom.
Seriously, I just couldn't control my anxiety. There were what-ifs playing right now in my head.
What if his mom dislikes me for him? What if I didn't pass his mom's standards? And most of all, I couldn't help but belittle myself because of the fact I am just a prostitute. I felt like when the time comes his mom would know about it, she might accuse me of being a gold digger.
A prostitute with a billionaire boyfriend? A car manufacturing CEO has a low-profile girlfriend?
Who wouldn't think that way, right? Anyone can think I'm a gold digger, especially the people who don't know me very well.
I couldn't help but feel worried.
"Angela..." he called my name softly and held my hand. I thought he felt something was bothering me.
"My mom is going to love you. Don't you worry about it. At first, maybe she will feel upset because she likes Natasha, but I know, in the long run, once she knows you very well, she will like you. And if things go wrong, I'm always here, ready to save and protect you at all cost," he assured. I just sighed at what I heard. He pulled me closer to him and sat me on his lap. After I sat down, I leaned my head against his broad chest and listened to his heartbeat.
Hopefully, Clark. I hope so. I hope your mom likes me for you.