Chapter 14

They spent their trip to the charity day's location nearly in complete silence. The King tried to communicate with her a few times, but she was totally dismissive. She never replied, just looked out of the window and when he tried to touch her hand she pulled it away instinctively. So the tension literally could be cut in the limo, but when they finally arrived, they put on their business smile and did as nothing would have happened in front of the guests.

The night came fast, a few hours later they were in the middle of a party surrounded by newly rich people. These wives were simply irritating for Clarisse with their uproarious and tasteless style. She was just suffering hard when Joseph showed up from nowhere and saved her...

"Excuse me Ma'am, would you be so kind to come with me?"

"..."

"Security checking, you know."

"Oh, yes... yes, of course." she quickly pulled herself together from daydreaming. "I'm so sorry ladies, but it was a pleasure, really." she said with a professional smile and they quickly left them behind.

"...I saw how desperate you looked."

"Yes, thanks so much. You really arrived at the last moment." she smiled a bit nervously as they reached the end of the garden, where everything was much quieter.

"What's the matter?"

"Hm?..." she asked absent minded as she looked back.

"Clarisse... what are you afraid of?" he softly stopped her.

"He couldn't see us here, right?"

"Who?"

"Come..." she pulled him behind a bigger tree.

"Clarisse, what's going on here?"

"He knows it..." she whispered.

"..."

"Rupert knows that I have someone..."

"Ah," he finally understood. "You okay? You two had a fight?"

"Um, just as always... but he wanna kill you. I mean he doesn't know you are the one I cheat on with, but..."

"So that's why you afraid that he will see us together?"

"Yes," she sighed. "And I think it would be better to stay away from each other, at least for a while."

"Why? I mean I'm your bodyguard. It's natural that I'm with you."

"Yes I know, but I don't want to get caught about a glance or something like that."

"I see," nodded Joseph then grabbed her hand. "We'll be careful Clarisse, so please don't worry. Okay?"

"...Don't you afraid of him?"

"No," he shook his head with a smile. "And you also would not have to."

She just stood there, her eyes slowly filled up with tears. "I just don't want to lose you."

"You won't Clarisse... I promised you," he said softly and tried to pull her to his embrace, but she rather sat down to the ground and started crying. That was the moment when they heard a man's voice behind them...

To be continued...