OPPOSITE ATTRACTION - Part 2 Episode 12

Clara’s POV

“Thank you,” I say taking the tray from Nick.

“Welcome.” He sits down beside me and we all resume chatting again.

“So, how is everything going on with the boss?” Lia asks.

I can’t stop the sigh that left my mouth. The boss? Yes, the Boss.

One or the other thing keeps happening and I keep hearing these voices in my head that I can’t stop.

Sometimes I am having dreams that don’t seem like dreams at all.

I definitely think these visions are not just my imaginations anymore.

These are purely memories. I can’t see the faces of whom I am talking to, but the voices… they seem so real.

My head is aching more than usual. Maybe it’s because my memories are coming back or at least I think they are.

“Fine, I guess.”

“Something happened?”

“No. All is well. Oh God! I am supposed to send him the presentation by two O’clock.”

I gather my things to get up when my phone ring.

I look at the caller ID and there it is, the mystery ID that I have on my contact list. DB.

After I lost my memory, I have called this contact number which was nearly a year ago and no one responded.

Now I am getting a call from this number. I quickly pick it up. “Hello!”

I eagerly wait for the person to respond. There was no response.

“Hello. May I ask who is speaking?”

I wait for the other person to speak.

“Hello. Can you please-” The line suddenly goes dead before I can complete my sentence. “Hello! Hello!” I look at the phone and sigh.

“What happened?” Nick asks.

“They have cut the call.”

“It might be a wrong number,” he says eating his burger.

I look at him and then back at the phone feeling disappointed.

Who is the caller? Was it a male or female? Why didn’t they respond?

Why did they call suddenly call after all these months?

I don’t usually save numbers with such small code words unless I am close to them. That person must know me as well.

But why did they cut the call instead of talking?

I call back at that number again and that person has cut the call.

Of course! I look at Nick and that’s when I remember something. “Nick.”

“Yeah.” His mouth is filled with the burger as he answers.

“You said your brother is a cop right?”

“Damn right he is!” His concentration is completely on his food.

“Can you please ask him for a favor for me?”

“What?” Now I have his attention.

“Pleaseee.” I give the pleading look with puppy dog eyes.

“No.”

“Oh, come on. Please.”

He rolls his eyes. “What is it?”

“I have a contact number that I want him to find out who it is.”

“Something sounds fishy.” He looks at me suspiciously.

“There is nothing fishy about it. I have saved the number in my contact and I forgot who it is.

Now this person is not responding to my calls. I want to know who it is.”

He looks at me for a few seconds before speaking. “I have so many questions, but I am not in the mood to ask. Send me the number, I will see what I can do.”

“Thank you!” I get up and hug him excitedly. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”

“You are welcome.” He laughs at my excitement.

I quickly message him the number. “I have messaged you the number. Please don’t forget about it.”

“Okay.”

My phone starts ringing again and it’s Mr. Bryant. Oh no! The presentation! “I have to go!”

“Is the call from The Boss?” Lia asks teasingly.

“Oh yes. Bye!”

I quickly go to the lift while picking his call. “Yes, Mr. Bryant

“Mail me the minutes of yesterday’s meeting, please”

I get out of the lift and go to my cabin in a rush. “Sure.

I am on it.” I sit down in my chair and check the contents of the mail before sending it to him.

As I work on the presentation, my head starts hurting.

This is starting to become a daily routine these days.

Maybe it’s because the memories are coming back.

It’s hurting too much today. I clutch my head in my hands.

I suddenly feel like the earth is moving. What is happening? I see black dots appearing in my vision. That’s all I see before my head hits the table.

The sound of typing the keys furiously reaches my ears and I feel someone kiss my forehead.

I feel something soft under me. I can feel that I am sitting on someone.

I feel a hand soothing my hair and another one rubbing my knee.

The sound of typing keys starts again and I try to slowly open my eyes.

“William, bring the files from Clara desk.” I hear a voice say.

It sounds very familiar, like the voice in my head.

Am I imagining again? It sounds like Mr. Bryant.

Wait a minute? William?! I don’t usually imagine William! Maybe this is not a memory!

“Okay.” I hear a response. Oh I am definitely not imagining then! I hear the screech of a chair and quickly open my eyes.

My eyes scan the surroundings and I know I am in Mr. Bryant cabin.

My heart starts beating rapidly. I look down. God!

I am in Mr. Bryant lap! F*ck! How did I end up here?!

Oh. My. God! As I look around, my eyes meet William’s who is about to leave the room.

I immediately close my eyes and clutch on to Mr. Bryant’s shirt unknowingly.

“What?” Mr. Bryant says. Is he speaking to me? Does he know that I am awake?

I am dead today! How am I supposed to come to work from tomorrow?!

“Nothing,” William says. So he was speaking to William.

I let out a breath I don’t know I was holding. The door closes and I slowly open my eyes.

I breath in his scent and… He smells so good! I lose my hold on his shirt.

What should I do now? Should I let him know that I am awake? How did I get here in the first place?

But I want to take advantage of this situation. It’s okay to stay in his arms for a few minutes right?

But William knows that I am awake! Wait! William saw me sleeping in Mr. Bryant lap this whole time! What will he think now?!

I want to hit my head. I should probably let Mr. Bryant know that I am awake now.

But staying a few more minutes in his lap wouldn’t hurt, right?

My head in on his chest. He is not wearing his suit.

Just his shirt and tie. Even though my heart is racing, I take my sweet time in observing him.

Sure, I can’t see his face, but everything on his table and how his hands are working on the keyboard.

He signs a file and puts it away. His fingers are so long. My eyes land on the ring on his finger. Why didn’t I ever see it before?

Suddenly pain shoots through my head.

What is it?” A voice asks.

“Open it.” A female voice says.

The man’s fingers work on the ribbon on the gift and pulls it apart.

He unwraps the golden gift wrapper and finds a small box.

It looks like a ring box. “Oh, are you proposing tonight?” He asks.

His voice sounds like he is teasing, but there is hope hiding behind.

He opens the box as he speaks and there is a gold band in it.

“No.”

He pulls out the ring and sets the box aside. “Then?!”

“Look inside the ring,” She says.

He looks at it and reads what he finds there. “I love you.” Inside the ring are these words engraved on it.

“I want the women around you to know that you are taken. So…”

The lady takes the ring from him and holds her other hand out for him to give her his hand and he does.

“I bought you this. You better wear it all the time.” She puts it on his ring finger.

“I love you.” She kisses his lips. “Merry Christmas!”

“I love you too.” The man pulls her closer and kisses her passionately.

They pull apart breathing heavily. “I am never taking this off.” He says and kisses her again.

“I want to celebrate all of my Christmases with you.”

The pain in my head increases and I grab on to Mr. Bryant shirt again.

I feel him hug me tightly. Though the pain is as hard as I usually have, it’s still there.

I grab on to his shoulders as the pain increases and decreases. I feel his arms engulf me completely.

“Cara.” His voice sounds tender.

Did he just call me Cara? Me? What is this?!

I let go of his shoulders and relax in his arms as I feel the pain subdue.

Was it another memory? The ring I saw on his finger perfectly matches with the one I saw in my imagination or whatever it is!

I have to see the inside of his ring to know if all of this is my imagination or just a memory.

That’s the only way. It will answer most of my questions! But how?!

I should first get out of his lap. Not that I like the idea of it, but I have to.

If I do get up now, it will only make things more awkward.

William might walk in any minute now. Before I can open my eyes, his phone rings.

I half open my eyes and find him looking at the caller ID before muting it.

He looks down at me and I close my eyes, pretending to be sleeping.

I feel him lifting me up and carrying me. He lays me down on something soft.

It must be the sofa in his office. His hand soothes my hair and the next thing I hear is the door open and close.

I slowly open my eyes making sure not to be caught in case he is in the room.

Once I don’t find him, I take a deep breath. My mind is all over the place.+

I sit up and there it comes. My head ache. But it’s not as bad. Sighing, I push my hair back and rub my face with my hands.

All things aside, although I have actually fainted, it felt like the best sleep that I had in a while.

My best sleep was in Mr. Bryant arms? Wow! I can’t believe myself.

The door opens again and in walks William. Now I just want to dig a whole and die.

a whole and die. He saw me sleeping in Mr. Bryant lap.

I wish there is way I can describe how I feel right now, but the closet one is embarrassed.

He looks at me and I look away not knowing what to say.

“Good. You are up. How are you feeling now?” He asks.

I look him and he is smiling at me. He is behaving as though he didn’t find me in our boss’s lap.

“Um… I feel better.” Even I can hear the hesitance in my voice. “But, what happened?”

“Mr. Bryant found you passed out in your cabin.”

“Oh. What time is it now?” I don’t want to ask him how I ended up in Mr. Bryant’s lap.

He looks at his watch before answering. “It’s past five O’clock.”

“Oh-What?!” I slept for three hours.

“Yes, the doctor…” He stops talking suddenly and looks at me.

I wait for him to continue. “On the internet… suggested… to not disturb a fainted person.

Yes! That’s what it is!” I look at him like he lost his mind. Even he doesn’t look convinced with his answer.

“The doctor on the internet?”

“Yes. There are online services now. Why can’ there be online doctors if there are online delivery services.

Why are you asking me all these questions? You are the one who fainted.

Ask yourself.” He speaks so quickly that I almost don’t catch half of the words.

Why is he behaving like this? He goes to his laptop and closes it.

The door opens again and Mr. Bryant walks in. His eyes instantly land on me. I can see the worry in his eyes.

Why does he have to worry about me? He walks to me and puts his hands on my shoulders before pushing me down gently to sit back down on the sofa.

Thank God for that phone call! I wouldn’t know what to do otherwise. It would have been too awkward.

“Why are you standing up?” Before I can answer, he asks me another question. “How are you feeling?”

“I am fine now, Mr. Bryant.” My eyes divert to William.

He might think we are in a relationship if he sees all this.

But he is just grabbing all his things like he is about to leave.

He isn’t even paying attention to us. I look back at Mr. Bryant and he doesn’t even care that William is here.

They both are acting like this is some sort of natural situation.

But it isn’t. A boss taking care of his secretary in this way would only raise more questions and curiosity.

My heart is completely swaying with the things he does and the way he is taking care of me.

I like him. “You should go home. The Christmas holidays starts from next week.

Take this week off as well.” I open my mouth to say that I can’t, but he cuts me off.

“It’s on the company. William will take care of you and you don’t have to worry about anything.

Think of it as my gift to you for Christmas.”

“No, Mr. Bryant. I am completely capable of working. This wouldn’t happen again-”

“No more arguments.” He plainly cut me off.

The way he is looking at me, with worry and care, I can’t take it.

I just can’t! My eyes fall on his ring. The one I saw in my memory.

I have to look at the inside of it. He notices me looking at his ring and turns around to go to his desk.

“Go home, Ms. Edwards. My driver will be dropping you off.”

There they are his cold voice, cold eyes and cold behavior. I absolutely hate them.

I get up and go to my cabin. My mind is filled with hundred different things.

Firstly, the memories or imagination or whatever the hell they are.

I am close to think they are my memories. Secondly, the phone call. I have to find out who it is.

Thirdly, Mr. Bryant! God! I have deep feelings for him.

I accept that. But I feel that he is connected to my past in some way.

Why is he taking care of me? He is just my boss! He doesn’t have to.

Who is his ex-girlfriend?

Or am I just linking my memories with him because have feelings for him.

Whatever the case maybe, why is he warm a minute and cold the next minute?

He cares for me one second before turning into his cold self. Which is true?

Why is he playing with my feelings? Why is he pulling me close before pushing me away?

much importance. You were just an employee. Why didn’t you wake up if you were conscious?”

“I am just an employee, right? Then why was I in your lap?”

“Clara.”

“I know that you care for me. I can see it in your eyes!”

“Don’t put meaning to meaningless things!”

“Then stop giving me hope. Stop caring for me!”

“Stop rushing into trouble. Stop getting yourself hurt!” He nearly shouts. He takes a step closer to me.

“What does it have to do with you?! So what if I get hurt?!” I shout back. I take a step closer to him too.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt?!”

“Why? What is it to you?!”

“Because I…” He stops speaking suddenly. No words come out of his mouth. I move am now standing right in front of him.

“Stop playing with my heart.” My voice came out as a whisper.

He just looks at me. “Stop pulling me close if you are only going to push me away.”

“Don’t you think you are crossing your limits? I can’t believe that you are actually this gullible.

Go home, Ms. Edwards.” Hearing those words coming from his mouth, just puts me back in my place.

What was I thinking?! I am just a nobody to him.

“Why?! Why do you hate me so much?” I want to know today.

I can’t take this anymore. I don’t want to be his toy. His eyes boring into my tears filled ones.

His scent is as always making my thoughts fuzzy.

He didn’t respond. He is just staring at me. He opens his mouth to say something then closes it.

His jaw tightens and he turns around. His hand run through his hair….