I was in the taxi with Clariana when calling Hank Gibson.
Hank picked up the phone. He seemed busy, because the sound of keyboard could be heard. However, his voice was warm, “Have you had dinner yet?”
“Meet me later.” I said, with the taxi already driving to the Gibson Group.
He kept silence for a while and said, “Okay.”
The taxi parked underneath the Gibson Group. Clariana fell asleep after crying.
Sitting in the rest area of the Gibson Group, I found two beautiful front desk ladies.
But I did not ask them about Hank. As for as I knew of him, he would come down himself.
After about five minutes, he came down.
Seeing Clariana asleep, he frowned and tried to cradle her. But I dodged and said, “Should we go to somewhere to talk? Or should we talk here?” People coming in and out of the company had noticed him.
Hank frowned again, “Let’s go to my office. There is a lounge there, and Clariana could lie on the bed to have a rest.”
I nodded and followed him upstairs in the president’s elevator, unwilling to let him cradle Clariana.
The Gibson Group had almost doubled in size in four years. Even the president’s office had become a luxurious two-story office.
After putting Clariana on the bed, I sat in the meeting room. Hank asked his secretary to serve me tea. It was inevitable that someone would look at me for several times. After all, it was the first time that they saw me, and I was still being manned.
“What would you like to eat later?” asked Hank. He didn’t seem to care about why I came here.
I pursed my lips, and didn’t answer his question, “I will accept unconditionally whether you wanna embarrass me or revenge. But Clariana is innocent. My only purpose of returning is to provide a bright future for her. She is just a kid who doesn’t know anything, but you are an adult. You should make it clear that you should not hurt innocent people, especially kids.”
Finding my words inexplicable, he frowned and asked, “What? Revenge? To embarrass you? Why would I do that?”
I shrugged, “The only reason I could think of is that you hate me. I can bear it. But Clariana is innocent and I don’t want her to be involved.”
He was silent for a long time, then he looked up at me, “You think I’m behind Bernice Miller’s suicide and the press conference?”
“Aren’t you?” There weren’t too many people around me. I couldn’t think of anyone else but him who could encourage Bernice to destroy her career, just for framing me.
He sneered, somewhat disdainfully, “Ridiculous, Clara. When did I become so dirty?”
“Not dirty. You are a businessman who is not short of money. I can bear your unwillingness and resentment. I know, you keep Yara George for so many years, because you want me to be driven out of George’s. Honestly, you don’t need to do that. I can be with Dennis at anywhere else. Besides, Yara is Dennis’ aunt. He can respect her, but everyone has a bottom line. Both you and I know what he will do if the bottom line is touched.” I said.
He sneered sarcastically, with his sharp black eyes looking at me, “Clara, you are smarter than you were four years ago.”
I pursed my lips, not feeling that he was complimenting me.
Hiking his legs, Hank paused and said, “I did give Yara some hints, because I don’t want you to live with Dennis. I’m jealous. But the matter of Bernice has nothing to do with me. I’m not that bottomless.”
“Believe it or not, I didn’t do that. In addition, I know how much Clariana means to you, so I won’t hurt her. I don’t want you to be sad, so I will only protect her. I love you, Clara, always. I will handle the matter of Bernice. Trust me, you will be better and better as long as you break up with Dennis. I will ensure a bright future for Clariana.”
Not finding his words moving, I said indifferently, “I don’t need…”
“Hello, Miss Jane.” Someone was speaking outside of the door.
I was interrupted.
Jane!
I was frozen slightly, and my heart thumped. Jane was already standing there when I turned around.
Unlike the first time I saw her, she had gained some weight and her belly was slightly bulging, seemingly pregnant. Her long blonde hair was coiled up. She was looking at me with her blue eyes, surprisingly.
I unconsciously stood up and said, “Jane!”
Jane gazed at me incredulously, almost bursting into tears, “You know each other?”
Then she turned to Hank and said hoarsely, “Is she the one whose room you’ve been keeping me out of? Is she the one who you desperately want to protect? Is she the one who appeared in your dream? Is she the one who you cannot forget?”
Hank frowned and said angrily, “You are not allowed to come in.”
Jane smiled, but her sorrow could bu seen from her facial expression, “You want me to go away? Then you can be together with her?”
I pursed my lips and heard something from the restroom. Clariana might had woken up because of the noise.
Not intending to explain anything, I stood up and said, “Sorry, Jane. I should not be here. I have my family, child and sweetheart.”
Then I turned around and walked into the restroom. Clariana had woken up and was about get out of the bed with messy hair.
Once she saw me, she ran toward me tottering, “Mom, you quarreled with someone because of me, right?”
I froze for a while. Then I shook my head and picked her up, “No, honey. Nothing to do with you.”
She buried her head in front of my chest, seeming a little self-blaming. “Mom, I had brought you a lot of trouble, right?” muffled Clariana.
Shaking my head, I was heartbroken and confused. I wanted to give Clariana a bright future so I brought her back to City P. But did I do wrong?
When I walked out of the restroom, Jane was not in a good mood. She looked at me, no longer as friendly as she was four years ago.
Hank looked at her unhappily, “That’s enough! The Gibson Group is not a place for you to be wild.”
Jane sneered, “I’m wild? Do you know what shame means? You are the one who wanted to get engaged. But all my fantasies about marriage and love have been ruined by you in the four years! You have made me go through the most horrifying things, and now you are resenting me for pestering you?”