Chapter 14 Her Tie With Christopher
It didn’t feel real. Clarissa hadn’t ruined the meeting–she saved it. She actually landed the contract?
When did this mess of a woman become capable of something like that?
Was Zack completely wrong about her?
And he wasn’t the only one shaken.
Even the executives who used to treat her like a joke now looked at her with a whole new kind of respect.
“Everyone out,” Jonathan announced suddenly. His voice was cold, flat, and gave nothing away.
The room fell silent.
The executives looked at him, then at Clarissa, and quietly filed out.
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Zack paused. He didn’t want to leave her alone with Jonathan, as he still didn’t trust her. However, the order had been given, so he stepped out:
Even then, he didn’t go far. He stopped just outside the glass wall, where he could still see everything happening inside.
Jonathan grabbed the remote with a cold, steady hand and lowered the blinds. In seconds, the room was sealed off from view.
Zack could no longer see a thing from the hallway.
The conference room turned silent. Only Jonathan and Clarissa were left.
Clarissa took a slow breath. Then, she stepped forward, nerves tight in her chest.
Jonathan didn’t move. He sat still, his eyes cool and distant, watching her like she didn’t belong there.
She paused in front of him, heart pounding.
Then, she dropped into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Jonathan…” she whispered, her voice barely hanging in the air.
The warmth of her body caught him off guard. He tensed, stiff as stone.
The ice in his eyes cracked, just for a moment.
“Get up,” he said. His voice was flat, but the sharp edge was back.
“No.”
“Clarissa.” His tone cut hard, but underneath it, there was something tired, almost reluctant.
“I’m not getting off. Don’t you want to hold me?” Her arms tightened around him.
Jonathan let out a low breath, worn and irritated. “What are you trying to do now?”
“I’m not trying anything. I just want to be near you.”
He didn’t buy a word of it. It sounded too neat, too rehearsed.
“Mr. Lawson cares more about his wife than anything else. That medicine you gave him–are you sure it’s safe?”
“Yes, completely safe.” Clarissa shook her head fast, eyes clear. “You don’t have to worry. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take the blame.”
“You’ll take the blame?” His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“What do you mean why?” She blinked like she didn’t understand the question.
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Chapter 14 Her Tie With Christopher
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“Clarissa, you’re smart. You could’ve stayed out of it today. Why take the risk? Why step in to help me close the deal?”
“Because it only fell through because of me,” she answered quietly. It was my fault. I should be the one to fix it.
So, it was guilt
Jonathan’s eyes lost their light. He didn’t say whether he believed her or not. He just asked again, flatly. “You know Christopher the Miracle Worker?”
Clarissa looked surprised. “No. I don’t.”
“I got that medicine when I first came back to the Chandlers,” she explained like it was nothing. “My dad gave it to me. They felt bad I’d spent so many years stuck in the countryside, so they pulled some strings and got it for me.”
There was no way Jonathan believed that.
“I’ll have someone drive you home.” he said, his voice cold again.
Clarissa didn’t move.
Her arms stayed locked behind his neck. She hadn’t asked the one thing she came here for. Not yet.
Clarissa clung to him, her arms tight around his neck. His face was right there, every line and angle sharp like it was carved by hand. She hesitated, then bit her lip and asked softly. “Jonathan… Zack came to my house today. He gave me back the engagement pendant. Are you really ending this?”
Jonathan’s eyes dimmed. Deep down. he didn’t want to, but Clarissa had never loved him. She had tried to end her own life.. If he kept holding on, she might break again. And he couldn’t stand to see that happen.
If he couldn’t keep her, he’d set her free.
Still in his arms, Clarissa murmured. “I know I did a lot of things wrong. I really do. But I’ve changed.
“I like you now, I really do. I want to marry you. Please don’t break it off.”
That plea made something shake inside him.
It wasn’t the first time she’d begged like this.
She had said almost the same thing when he stopped her from running away with someone else. And when they got home, she cut her wrists.
Now, she was doing it again.
Jonathan had been pushed
