This had been long overdue. The explanation's at the bottom.

Again, I don't own the Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare does.

CHAPTER 11

Clary stood still, her body became stiff as she laid her eyes upon the person who opened the door. She felt like something popped inside her and unidentifiable emotions came rushing in. Standing at the doorway was Clary's confirmation of what she found out the day when she was with Maia; Aline Penhallow in flesh making her way towards Jace.

She saw Aline wrapped her arms around Jace's neck and she kissed him on the lips. He seemed to look surprised at her forwardness, and she would almost like to believe that he was repulsive towards her endearment. Clary wanted to sink in the penthouse floor, feeling like she's going to get sick. She couldn't bear to see Jace and Aline, and the slap-in-the-face truth that they were really together. She was straightforward honest to him about her relationship with her ex-fiance, but never did he mention that he's already with someone. She felt a lump forming in her throat and she forced herself to hold back a cry. Stupid, stupid Clary, she scolded herself. Was he really just going to lead her on? Of course a guy like Jace, Jonathan Herondale could have any girl he wants. And she knew she was naïve and a fool to even have the sliver of hope that she and Jace might have something more than being friends after she figured out that she has feelings for him. She even tried to deny the building subconscious thought in her mind because of her messed up relationship with Sebastian. But it was too much for her to hold back and she realized that it was more than attraction she felt for him.

Aline was looking at Jace, then her eyes landed on her. Her stare lingered for a while, her mouth curved into a wide smile which made Clary uncomfortable.

"Hi, I have been expecting to see you, Clarissa Morgenstern." Her voice was too sweet for Clary's liking like there's something hidden in it, but her next words make her heart sank. "I am Aline Penhallow, Jace's girlfriend." The irritating smile still on her face made Clary wanted to run and leave the building.

Jace scowled hearing how Aline introduced herself to Clary, while Alec's eyes went wide but pursed his lips and kept silent.

"Aline, I think you're having a mistake here…" Jace interrupted as Clary cleared her throat. He looked at her but her eyes were directly at Aline.

She tried her best to be as professional as possible trying not to show how affected she was now. She forced a smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Aline. You can call me Clary. I am the interior designer." She gestured towards Magnus and he moved beside Clary. "This is Magnus, he is one of the best architects we have in The Firm." She tried her best not to let her voice quiver.

"So I have heard," she waved her hand dismissively. "Come inside, so that we can have this small talk." She gestured for them to go inside. Aline walked beside Jace, her hips swaying, while sliding her hands on his arm. He tugged his arm away from Aline took a step back. She looked at him sharply and pursed her lips.

"What are you doing?!" he snapped at her. Aline looked innocently at Jace and gave him a wry smile.

"Don't tell me Jace you're embarrassed by my lovingly gestures because that was not the case when you and I were alone in your room the other day," she purred, loud enough for all of them to hear. Jace had a shock look on his face, Alec and Magnus both looked uncomfortable and Clary maintained her business-like expression like nothing she saw or heard affected her.

"It was a mistake and you know it!" he hissed. She really was starting to get into his nerves.

Jace glanced quickly at Clary but she still isn't looking at him. She was looking everywhere but him, maintaining the expressionless look on her face. Jace was cursing himself, blaming himself from being in this situation. He knew that Clary might have been thinking that he tried to hide Aline and his previous relationship with her, and as far as he is concerned, will not give a good impression. He should've been more open to her when he had his chance and now it was blowing off his face. It was a lapse in judgment that he did not tell her about Aline and how their relationship was almost at the end of the line. What will Clary think of him now?

"You don't need to be coy and shy in front of them." Her smile was vicious. Jace hated himself that he couldn't counter her words just like he was so good at doing. He couldn't push his luck and be blunt about he ended his relationship with her but too stubborn to accede. If it was true and not a bluff that Aline somehow had an idea or completely knew about him regularly meeting with Clary, it will not be a good idea to put her in a compromising situation.

"Just stop Aline. They are here for business and not to sit down and hear you talk about shit," he barked, he tried but couldn't help himself.

"Shit? Is our 3-year relationship and counting shit to you Jace?" She questioned with wounded tone. She placed her right hand on her chest, hurt flashed in her eyes. Great, really great Jace, now you pushed her to her drama. He chided to himself.

Jace shook his head and gestured his hand for her to stop. "Don't say anything more if you don't want to hear what I will say back to you!" he rejoined. He suddenly was aware that they were not the only ones in the room. Alec and Magnus had the astonished look on their faces, but what concerned him was Clary's impassive expression. He was not aware that he had been staring at her for a few seconds.

Aline snapped her fingers in front of his face breaking his gaze. "Fine! I'll go ahead and have a small talk with Clary and Magnus. Just a quick one, after that, we'll talk. ALONE." She said without a hint of surrender in her voice, enunciating the last word she said. He didn't know if he was just being paranoid or his eyes deceived him, he saw Aline glared at Clary.

Jace felt defeated, spun around and started walking away from them. He glanced at Clary, who didn't return his gaze after coming in Aline's unit, which made him more distressed. He should've known better than let them be in this situation, especially Clary. He was muttering curses while walking away towards the living room. Alec looked at Jace's direction, shrugged and started to follow behind.

"Why don't we go to the entertainment room so that I can give you brief details of what you both will be working on?" Both of them nodded. Clary couldn't help but feel inferior to Aline who was walking in front of her and Magnus. Her eyes lowered to her long legs emphasized more with the high-waist shorts she's wearing. Her long black hair was swaying together with her hips, and she has a body to die for. Clary shook her head making a few comparisons to her. Aline was simply a goddess, while she's just ordinary. How can she expect Jace to choose her when his girlfriend was incomparable to her?

All her thoughts were disrupted when she heard a door being opened and saw Aline went inside, both Magnus and her followed in. Once they got inside, Clary noticed the look of the room and she liked it somehow. It was painted gray and black interchanged, a flat screen TV mounted on the wall, while beside it was the entertainment and sound system. At the opposite side of the room, there was the sofa which looked like a bowl. At the corner side of the room there was a small round table with 4 shoe chairs where Aline motioned for them to sit on. Aline crossed her legs, and started tapping on the table. Clary pulled out her notebook to scribble any details she would give her.

"So, let's get things started. First, I want to make revisions of the home my parents gave me last month. It's actually my favorite home since I grew up there." She started, her eyes fixed on Clary as she opened her notebook to jot down.

"The house has an oriental design, and I would like you to modify some parts to add a different feel to it, of course, without compromising much of the original," she added with haughtiness. She leaned closer to Clary's direction. "You know Clary, it's good to have something new as it may lessen the monotony, but at the end of the day, you would still want what you have for so long. That you don't want to get rid of the old one, but you just want it to be improved for the better. Don't you agree?" She gave her a sardonic smile. Clary snapped her head back to look at her and stopped writing on her notebook. She met Aline's stare, with hint of arrogance, which made Clary's insides twist. There was a biting message out of her words like she wanted to imply something, and the way Aline talked to her, it may sound like she's giving her a warning.

"I'd like to also make some extensions, build another receiving area at the side, and also make a smaller detached cottage at the back. I would want Magnus to make some layouts for me and of course you for the design." She continued with the same tone making her sound like a brat. Clary lowered her gaze and went on with jotting on her notebook. Aline handed out some pictures to her and Magnus.

"Clary, separately, you would be redesigning the master's bedroom, together with the bathroom and the walk-in closet. As much as I would love to retain the current design, I prefer it to have a modern-Bali-inspired theme." Aline tilted her head not removing her eyes off Clary's face.

Clary raised her head and looked at Aline. "Great, so the master's bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet will all have modern-Bali-inspired design?" Clary asked trying so hard to maintain her composure.

"That's right," she smirked. " Jace wants it simple." She gave her a taunting smile. "We will be spending more time in the bedroom rather than in the living room or any part of the house, so I want to have it done more inclined to his liking." She replied with a dreamy look on her face.

Clary felt like she was being pricked with needles and her heart being constricted. As much as she wanted to not feel affected, it was the other way around for her. She can't deny that she's not hurting with the way Aline was rubbing it in her face that Jace was hers. And she knew that even if she wanted Jace for herself, it seemed like impossible now.

Aline's phone suddenly rang and she immediately answered. "Hi there Celine," she greeted with a sweet tone.

"Are they already there?" Celine asked.

"Yes, they're here. I have already talked to them about how I would want to redesign my home. I thought you were coming here?" she asked with the same sweetness. Clary lowered her gaze. She reached for her mobile phone in her bag and saw there were few messages.

Clary, can we talk later? – Jace

Please reply. – Jace

"That's alright. I'll see you in a few days. Bye." Clary saw that Aline's expression changed again when she hung the phone. She looked suspiciously at her going to and fro her from phone and her face.

Magnus asked Aline few questions as to how she wanted the extension and the cottage to look like, but Clary was only half listening to them. Her mind drifted to Jace and how is she going to survive the whole month working with his girlfriend, his mom and seeing him frequently.

"That's it so far. I'll be making arrangements so that we all can have a look at the home. Hmm… Maybe this Tuesday." Aline announced which brought Clary's mind to the present. All of them rose from their seats, and Clary straightening her dress. Aline's eyes pointed to her scrutinizing her from head to foot, making Clary conscious and uncomfortable. "I really like your taste in clothing Clary, I assume you have a good taste in men as well. You're dating Sebastian Verlac?"

Clary's eyes widened a little shocked with Aline's question. "Yes, I used to but not anymore," she answered with quivered voice.

"Oh, is that so." She replied. "So the rumors were true," she mumbled. "Don't you worry, there are a lot of fish in the ocean. I am lucky I found mine 3 years go." She continued with emphasis on each word she uttered.

Clary swallowed hard trying to shrug off the sting it brought her heart. How did she know about her and Sebastian. Clary face-palmed herself as she realized that Aline is also a model just like Sebastian and Seelie, and she might have researched on her. She felt smaller and stupid like she was a victim of a conspiracy. She has just been through a degrading relationship, why did she let herself be in a complicated situation again.

Magnus and her followed Aline until they reached the living room where Jace and Alec where sitting. When they saw them, Jace approached them right away.

"Jace, we need to talk now, you can leave them to Alec," Aline said in a serious tone.

"We can talk some other time, I need to bring them to Dumont Mansion where they will be staying." Jace wearily replied.

"You're going to ditch," she was interrupted by Jace. "Think anything you like Aline, we'll go now," he spat. He walked towards the door being followed behind by Alec, Magnus and Clary, leaving Aline protesting.

xxxxx

The ride to Dumont Mansion had been quiet for Jace and Clary and it was only Magnus and Alec who did the talking. Jace kept on looking at Clary through the rearview mirror and it frustrated him that she still hasn't uttered a single word or look up at him.

He remembered his conversation with Alec while Clary and Magnus were having a talk with Aline. Alec made it a point that if Clary gets hurt and Aline would be a bitch to her, everything should be blamed on him. Sad to admit, Jace knew that Alec was right. He needed to talk to Clary to apologize and explain everything to her.

They reached Dumont Mansion, Jace, Alec and Magnus unloaded the luggage from the Range Rover. All of them went inside the building, Clary and Magnus taking their keys from the receptionist and headed towards the elevator. Their unit was on the 10th floor the first door from the elevator. Jace helped Clary and brought the things in her room while Magnus and Alec were finished with the other luggage.

Clary plopped down on her bed and placed her bag beside her. Jace stood still near the bedroom door; he rubbed his face with both hands and dropped them at his side.

"Clary, I would like to explain what happened back there at Aline's…" Jace ran his fingers through his hair, his voice trailed off. She shrugged and looked up at him with a stoned expression of her face.

"I knew you might be thinking that I hid having a relationship with her. But I want you to know that what happened back there was not what it looked like." he sounded in agony. Clary sighed and placed both of her hands on her lap.

"You don't need to explain everything Jace. I went here to work, and it was just pure coincidence, or should I say luck that your mother and your girlfriend happened to be my clients." She sarcastically remarked.

Jace's heart sank at how Clary talked to him. "I didn't expect it to be this way Clary, should I have known, this will not happen."

"I know Jace, because if you have known that it was me your mother and your girlfriend hired for their project, you have gotten in the way. You have stopped this so you'll not be in this situation." The sudden clipped tone made Jace more desperate.

"What are you talking about? The only thing I wanted to happen for the past months was to see you Clary. I told you I miss; you kept on filling my head. Heck, I didn't even delete your pictures because I'll be insane without them," he explained desperation in his voice.

Clary still maintained her impassive expression."Don't Jace, stop leading me on, stop hiding things from me. I have been through so much and this is the last thing I wanted to be in," she warned.

"I didn't lead you on Clary, please believe me. I care about you. I know it was my mistake that I didn't tell anything to you about Aline, but it was not because I wanted to hide her from you." He explained holding both of her hands out.

"Then what is it for?" she countered. Jace was about to open his mouth when Clary continued talking. "No, stop. I said you don't have to explain, everything's clear to me. You and Aline are together, I get it, and how she talked about you earlier, how she treated you, it's very clear to me." There was finality in her voice.

"Clary, will you listen to me, please," he pleaded closing the gap between them. He kneeled in front of her and took both of her hands in his.

"There's nothing more to tell. And besides, I am a friend to you. You don't have to explain to me about you and Aline." Clary pulled her hands from Jace's

"Clary," he begged.

"Just leave Jace. This had been a day for me already. I'm tired, I want to rest." She answered fatigue apparent in her face and tone.

Jace sighed in defeat, stood up and headed towards the door. He stopped and looked back at Clary who didn't bother looking back.

"I'll see you later," he whispered, continued walking out and gently closed the door.

Clary waited for him to be out of her room and heard the closing of the door. She felt like her heart's being gripped painfully. She couldn't suppress the emotions anymore that she held back earlier. Burying her face in her hands, she sobbed, tears sprung out of her eyes.

xxxxx

A/N

Sorry this again took some time to be uploaded. I was finished with this chapter and chapter 12 unfortunately my external hard drive messed up and I couldn't open some of the files including this and chapter 12. I had to re-write and it was so hard for me to do since I am kind of loaded with work and home errands.

Anyway, thanks for the reviews from xoxNxox, bunnyboo65656, IChangedForYou, KyKat, eva and the two guests who took time to read my story. I seriously hate Aline too in this story and yes, Jace needs to make some damage control.

I love your reviews, keep them coming in.