Chapter 5: I Don't Love Him, I Love You!

After pouring himself a scotch on the rocks, Joseph looked around the room while putting the bottle down and picking up his drink before making his way over to the armchair. He had been kicking himself ever since he left the Palace, why couldn't he just be honest and tell her that he loved her. Sitting down, he took a puff on his cigar before resting his arms down on the arm rests while tipping his head back. Blowing the smoke out above his head slowly before lifting his head and taking a sip of his drink, staring out at the view of the city around him. Knowing that his best friend, the woman that he loved more than anything in the world was now a married woman.

As he sat alone in his apartment, studying the the city his heart broke. Sure he loved Jasmine, but no where as much as he did Clarisse. He wondered if he had been honest, if she had known about his feelings would she had gone through with the wedding, or would she had cancelled to be with him. Shaking his head, he looked blankly at the glass in his hand knowing he would never know and moving away to another country and putting Clarisse to the back of his mind was the only option he had.

Hearing a knock on his door a short time later, he slowly lent forward with a sigh and wondered who it could be, disturbing his peace. Putting his glass down on the coffee table and placing his cigar down in the ashtray he stood and made his way over to the door.

Opening it, he had to do a double take as there in front of him stood the woman he loved, still in her wedding dress. "Clarisse?"

"Hello," She said softly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, watching her as she looked down at her hands "Shouldn't you be celebrating your wedding now?"

"I should be yes," She nodded and slowly looked back up at him "But I couldn't go through with it," She said and studied his face "Please may I come in?"

"Oh, of course." He exclaimed and quickly stood to the side for her to enter. "Come in." He said, watching her walk in.

"Thank you," She said and turned to him as he closed the door.

"Can I get you a drink?" He asked, turning back to her.

"Please," She nodded and watched him make his way over to the drinks table. "You know, this is the first time I have seen your apartment." She said, looking around the room while removing her tiara carefully from her hair and placing it down on his coffee table. "It's spacious, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," He nodded and poured her a drink. "The view is breathtaking, which is what I loved about it." He said, making his way back over to her and handed her, her drink.

"Thank you," She said quietly and raised her hand, sipping her drink.

"What happened?" He asked, putting his hands in his pants pockets.

"I realised I have been oblivious this whole time, you paid more attention to me than he did, and as I walked down the aisle, I realised that I wasn't happy, and that I didn't really love him." She began and watched him as he walked over to the window, standing with his back to her. "So I ran out on my own wedding." Putting her glass down on the table beside her tiara, she took a deep breath and continued. "Pierre told me something today, and I want to know if it's true." She said and watched as he turned his head to the side. "Do you love me?" She asked.

As the silence filled the room, she closed her eyes and looked down. "I don't love Edward, Joseph. I love you." She said and slowly looked up to see him as he turned his head back to look out the window momentarily before slowly turning to her. "Did you really spend your day off in the perfume shop, just to find my favorite perfume?" She asked.

"Yes I did, I wanted it to be perfect and because I couldn't remember the name of it and because I didn't want to ask you, as it would have gave away what I was getting you, I decided to go through every one in the shop." He said and watched as she made her way over to him.

Standing in front of him, she put her hands up to cup his face while looking into his eyes. "No one has ever done anything like that for me before," She whispered and reached up to kiss him. Slowly pulling back a moment later, she studied his face while moving her hands onto his chest. "I love you, Joseph." She whispered, glancing down at his lips as he put his hand up onto her neck, caressing her jaw with his thumb as they looked into each others eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asked and watched as she nodded.

And there in his apartment, as they shared another kiss and both getting caught up in the moment he scooped the woman he loved up in his arms and carried her through to the bedroom.

Standing her on her feet beside the bed, he wrapped his arms around her and slowly unzipped her dress as they shared several kisses.

"Wait," Clarisse exclaimed, breathing heavily while putting her hand up to her chest, holding the dress to her. Looking up, seeing Joseph looking at her she sighed. "What about Jasmine?"

"And what about Edward?" He asked, and watched as she turned for him to zip up her dress.

"We can't do this," She exclaimed, shaking her head while walking away "Not until we have talked with them." She stopped and turned to him "I will leave, go home and talk to Edward."

"I agree," He nodded and watched her a moment. "I will book a flight to England as soon as you leave, and break it off with Jasmine." He said and walked over, taking her hands in his.

"I think it's best, I mean I'm still in my wedding dress." She said, walking through to the living area and over to the door, still holding onto Joseph's hand.

"And looking very beautiful, like always I might add." He said, giving her a cheeky smile as she turned to face him.

"Are we doing the right thing?" She asked, looking up into his eyes as he pressed her back against the door.

"Clarisse, I love you with all my heart. And being with you is all I can think about, more than anything in this world." He said, placing his hands on her sides as she placed her hands on his chest.

"I want to be with you too," She nodded "I love you, Joseph." She whispered as he lowered his head, kissing her a couple times while wrapping his arms around her.

After a moment they stepped apart and he opened the door, cupping her face as he kissed her goodbye.

"I best go," She whispered, looking into his eyes.

"Ok, please call me when you get home." He asked and watched as she nodded.

"And you call me when you get to England, and let me know what's happening." She asked, cupping his face.

"I will." He smiled, kissing her before stepping back as she watched in surprise. "You can't forget this." He said, hurrying over to the coffee table to retrieve her tiara.

"Oh no, I can't leave that behind." She said, watching him walk back over to her. "Thank you," She smiled and kissed him while taking it from him.

After sharing a loving kiss, she left and made her way back down to the waiting driver as Joseph closed his apartment door, returning to his seat to finish his drink before booking a flight.