***

She made a promise to him before she left him that she was going to hold unto him, never leave him. Now he was standing at the altar with another beautiful lady that was anything but a stranger to him about to call out the vows because 'she' had broken her promise. She left him. He noticed still, that the woman he held formally held hands with shivered in fear.

Silently, he cursed.

"Dang it!!"

Under the veil and in a sparklingly white wedding dress adorned with diamonds was a girl of 25. She was forced to break up with Nicholas a guy she believed she loved, to marry the billionaire's son. Yes, there came a moment where she had an itch of feeling for him, he was way off her class, i mean he was too charming to lay eyes on her, it was at that moment she spilled her unrevealing tears and began asking herself.

"Where's Clara? For goodness sake why did she stand this guy up? Oh God this is a mess help me!"

"Do you take Daniel Isaiah Thompson to be your lovely wedded husband, in sickness, in health, in poverty, in wealth and till death." She gulped. She exhaled and inhaled staring at the floor before looking up to catch of her mom who was staring at her with pleading eyes. She shut hers and the tears that gathered spilled.

"Yes, i do."

"And do you, Daniel Thompson, take Clarissa David to be your lovely wedded wife, in sickness, in health, in poverty, in wealth, till death?"

"I do."

"I thereby, pronounce you both husband and wife! You may now kiss the bride." The priest happily said joining his hands together.

Daniel leaned forward blinking twice as she shut her eyes to his kiss. He sighed and looked away from her. Staring at his father, he shook his head in disapproval. To him, he might have just taken a step to ruining his future.

---

***

She sat silently at the edge of the bed opposite him. It was their second day after their wedding and he still hadn't had a proper conversation with her. Not because she was a stranger or anything, but because he couldn't shake off the feeling of not getting married to the one he was supposed to. After a moment of silence, he decided to speak up and play the worried husband.

"Why aren't you coming to bed?" He asked and she turned to look at him.

"You don't want this....this marriage, it's not right to you is it?" She said to him after a while of contemplation.

"Come to bed Clarissa, we are not doing this now. It's the middle of the night, the least you could do is get some rest."

She almost scoffed at herself. She had so much to worry about that she felt she won't be getting rest any time soon.

"Why don't you look for her then. I mean she should surely be somewhere you know of." She tried again turning to him to take a better look at him.

"No." He plainly said before hesitating and she wondered why. He pinch the bridge of his nose before completing, "now come to bed, you must be stressed out."

"I want to be alone." Her voice came out as a whisper after some seconds but the quiet night made him hear her very clearly. He gave a heavy sigh before laying back to the bed.

"Suit yourself." He shut his eyes to sleep. She stared continuously at him before turning away. She was going to spend the rest of her life with a guy who couldn't stand a conversation with her.

Most probably...

A guy who was in love with another.

____

Daniel gently rolled to the other side of the bed before opening his eyes. Blinking to adjust his eyes to the morning light. He furrowed his brows when he saw the smooth side of the bed.

Looking around the room for where she could be, his eyes eventually landed on the sleeping figure on the couch. There was no need to be worried after all. He almost thought she pulled through with the idea of not sleeping.

As if she could!

Still, he was almost worried. After all, she was first a friend and now his wife and so, he had to be worried. He sighed before getting out of bed.

"Clarissa." He called and that was all he needed to wake her up. She slowly opened her eyes and covered her self more with her blanket.

"I didn't mind you sleeping on it." She frowned in confusion and he smiled before gesturing to the bed.

"I thought it made you uncomfortable, that's why." She replied after sometime. "But it's fine I'd totally preferred the couch."

"I insist but if you think you can manage you should make yourself comfortable at least, get yourself some pillows." He said and she nodded.

---

The sound of cutleries acting against ceramics were a little pronounced at the dinning table. The whole family had come down for breakfast.

Clarissa had been quiet and paid less attention to the rest of the family. A few times, she would catch a glimpse of Daniel already staring at her and then at his father. It was like he expected his father to say something any minute from then.

"Clarissa?" Daniel called obviously noticing her lack of appetite.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong?" She shook her head in response then forced a smile to act up.

"Would you like to work with us?" Every one stared in shock at Mr Thompson. Kara rose a brow at her husband in curiosity.

What was he up to...?

But then her response didn't surprise them all.

"I would love to." Clarissa told him and he smiled. Not every one seemed comfortable with what was going on.

"Are you interested in giving her a job at the company dear?" The man nodded and Kara frowned.

"Wouldn't it be best we see how hard working she is before making decisions." It was obvious she had unknown intentions. Daniel stared at his mother wondering where this was headed.

"I mean she hasn't done anything like it before." Daniel wanted to interrupt but the voice of his father made him pause. Before she became his wife, Clarissa was first a friend. His mother humiliating her, was something he noticed he couldn't take.

At least he hoped that it was the only reason.

"What do you suggest?" Mr Thompson asked.

"New workers are said to possess novice qualities, I would suggest that she starts from the scratch, a secretary wouldn't be that bad."

---

The moment she heard it, she choked. Mrs Thompson was forgetting that she 'Clarissa' would have to face the public and what would be their expressions?

'The wife of the billionaire, working as a secretary?!'

She would make the topic of the city. For now, she cared less.

Just for now.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you have a problem with that?" She had caught a glimpse of Daniel glaring at his mother with disgust then his face immediately gave no emotions. It almost made her think as if nothing was ever there.

"No I don't, I will start as a secretary or something." She replied.

Audora, Daniel's sister stared at Daniel's retreating back as he walked away from the dinning table. She discovered he was certainly not okay with the idea. Clarissa swallowed hard on her meal before gulping down some water.

"Excuse me." She requested and they all nodded. Mrs Thompson could not hide her expression of dislike for her. It seemed that she had not preferred her for her son but someone else instead.

---

Clarissa closed the door to their room in haste with her head on the door, she relaxed. She couldn't stay one minute with that woman requesting thousands of impossible things of her. She cursed before turning around to scan the presumed empty room, only to find those green eyes staring at her like she had done something wrong. Her heart beat became more disturbing, it was like every soul in the family was draining the life out of her. He stood taking his precious time to get to her and she retreated in ignorance.

"Are you scared of me?" He asked immediately he stopped walking giving her an intense glare.

She was anything but scared. "No...i mean. How can I be? We know each other remember?"

"Then calm down, I'm not going to harm you." She visibly relaxed still not meeting his gaze.

"When mother doesn't like someone, she stops at nothing to humiliate them. But in your case it's going to be difficult, just try to avoid her." It was then her gaze darted to him but he held the knob of the door already getting ready to leave.

"I don't think I can do what she wants me to do." She said.

"As I suspected, but trust me it's just doing everything you are told to not something too difficult." He told her before leaving.

___

Daniel got out of the car followed by Clarissa and they walked into the company-JK groups. She tried to keep her pace with him as he walked into the company. He finally stopped and turned to her.

"This is where you'll be working." She froze as eyes scanned her.

"Here?" She asked just to be sure.

"Hope it's not too sophisticated." She gave him no reply as she scanned the room.

"Everyone listen, I want to make a very important announcement!" He started and all attention darted to him.

"This here is your new Co worker she'll be joining you all as a new secretary here." He heard whispers and he swore he heard one calling her his wife.

"Now," it stopped. "If you do know what is good and you wish to keep your jobs, you wouldn't be rude and disrespectful towards her, am I understood?"

"Yes sir!!"

He spared her one last lingering glance before walking into his office. She scanned the three ladies before moving to take an empty sit besides some girl on glasses.

"Hey, I'm Becky."

"Clarissa, nice to meet you"

"Why do I think I've seen you before?" Becky asked.

"Of course, on papers. She's married to Mr Isaiah." A Blondie said and Clarissa turned to the stare at the lady.

"Who would have thought she would work as a secretary." Another said and they burst out laughing. Clarissa just rolled her eyes at the two girls that found her presence very amusing. The laughter stopped immediately footsteps stopped. Scanning around, he finally saw her busy with some papers, he smiled and walked away.

---

"What are you going to do now?" Someone spoke as a brown headed girl paced around.

"Why do you think I would care, Daniel is mine Hailey, he's mine!"

She played anxiously with her fingers.

"Forget about him Thia, he hasn't even given you attention for a day at most and now you sound just too possessive." Hailey told her.

"Look Hailey, I've waited for such a long time, every minute I spend in this office is to win his attention and now I finally have the chance to seeing him always, not even that wife of his can keep me away..."

***

She had a heartbreaking conversation with Nick that morning and it put her in quite the mood. He said he missed her so much.

'Living without you, I can't imagine it. I can't bear to see you with someone else Clarissa.'

It made her feel sad for him but the whole truth was that, she never had true feelings for Nick. The day he acted strangely was two nights before her wedding. By that time she was oblivious to the fact that she was getting married to Daniel. It was terrifying! He acted as if he couldn't live a day without her, as if he was obsessed with her. She shook her head and winced at the memory. It was terrifying.

When he called, she couldn't help but feel his pain. The fact in all the drama was that there was no chance for the both of them anymore.

There stopped being any the day her cousin fled with her lover...and now she was stuck in a wedlock with Daniel.

---

"Come in," a masculine voice answered. His secretary had entered into the office and closed the door behind her.

"What is it this time?" He asked.

She smiled at him and replied, "Papers."

He signaled for her to bring them to him.

"There, you can take a break now." He told her taking his attention back to the file he was holding.

"Are you sure you want me to leave?" He stared at her. "I mean, your father wants the file now."

"Really Cynthia, you can go have lunch, I'll bring him the file myself." He told her and she tightened her fist in rejection. Nevertheless, she forged a smile and went on.

She cleared her throat and started again, "I heard about your wedding-"

"You hear about a lot of things these days correct, but now I have things to do, you should really use the door." She stood up and did as he asked. But when she shut the door behind her, she bumped into Clarissa.

"I'm so sorry-oh its you." Clarissa said. They both paused for some seconds. Clarissa frowned in confusion as Thia stretched her hands waiting for the file to be handed to her.

"It's lunch time already. You must be really hungry, you should go have lunch I'll give him the papers." Thia continued.

"Personal documents, Sorry you don't really need to bother yourself."

Thia glared at her for a second or two before rolling her eyes.

"Whatever!" Thia muttered before walking away from her.

----

The clicking of heels made him sigh in frustration.

"I thought I told you I don't need to be disturbed Thia?" He turned around and the heels stopped.

"Well I'm not Thia." He looked up immediately to the familiar voice.

"Oh, it's you I thought it was-"

"She seemed to be really pissing you off." Clarissa mentioned.

"I see you brought a file, well can I have a look?" He tried hoping to take her mind away from the recent discovery.

He flipped through the file and a frown appeared on his face.

"Well this file....who gave you this?"

"Your sister and she said no one else should come to you but me, she didn't say why." Rissa told him and he nodded.

"You can go."

What was she thinking when she gave Rissa this old file? He thought.

He paused when he found a note.

'You both have been working all day. Don't you think you should have a glimpse of your wife every second?'

He closed the file and threw it on his desk just when Clarissa walked out through the door.

He didn't know what his sister was trying to do but he could already feel her hovering around his relationship.

---

Daniel had gotten home quite late that Friday. When he entered his room, he was greeted with a strawberry perfume he had gotten use to. He walked over but stopped just as he was about to enter his dressing room. For his reason, she had slept on the bed and the sight alone made him smile unconsciously. Taking off his jacket, he moved over to the dressing room.

To bed he had gone tired that he didn't realise when she woke. The hand hanging loosely on her waist made her stop her movement. She took a look at him and found out his touch was unconscious. But for a second she imagined them being real, she imagined his hands intentionally wrapped around her waist.

She shook her head to get rid of the thought almost immediately and got out of bed.

----

It was Saturday and she was alone. Daniel had left quite early with his father. For once she thought maybe he was over working himself, for goodness sake he hadn't even had breakfast yet.

"Why the long face Clarissa? He just left not too long ago." Audora started. Clarissa blinked at her comment but Audora only smiled at her.

"Okay, spend some time with me then. Since you can't take your mind off him, maybe a little shopping will help."

Clarissa nodded before replying with a 'sure'.

-----

It was the fourth dress Clarissa had put on that looked magnificent on her.

Audora gave her a thumbs up. It was having a split to the ground. A v-neck that showed a little too much cleavage. It was a beautiful red sleeveless gown.

"Are you sure he's gonna like this one?" Clarissa asked. "Though I might look amazing on it but-"

"But nothing you look amazing that's all you need to know and trust me, he won't take his eyes off you I promise."

Why does this look like she was asking for trouble?

"I'll pay for these, you just wait here." Audora said to her and was given a smile in return.

......" I just hope she's good." A faint voice was heard and when she turned to look in the direction of the voice, she only saw a brown headed guy who got lost typing a message on his phone. His friend walked away from him and when he noticed her staring, he didn't waste time to return the stare.