Niles and CC remained quiet the entire time they were in the car, both uncertain how to deal with their situation. Niles was debating whether to take that step in professing his love for Ms. Babcock if he didn't want the inevitable to happen, for her to belong to Maxwell Sheffield in a blink of an eye. Should she rebuke him, what shall he do? Can he carry on as usual?
Several thoughts had been plaguing her mind, she didn't know which one to deal with. Maxwell's thoughtful, attentive behavior, Niles' tender affection and passionate kisses; both acting uncharacteristically, she wasn't sure how to react to either of them, and her missing best friend, presumed eloped, but possibly abducted. She was having a headache thinking of all of them.
She rushed out of the car with a quick "Thank you, Niles," before dashing to the elevator leading up to her penthouse. Unlocking the door, she threw her purse on the living room couch and proceeded to the bedroom. Throwing herself on the bed as soon as she entered when she suddenly heard a muffled cry coming from the bathroom.
Getting up to investigate she followed the sound all the way inside her walk-in closet, and found Jocelyn huddled on the floor, her back resting on one of the closets, a box of scented tissue lay beside her.
"Jocelyn! Oh, thank God! We were all so worried about you," cried CC as she slumped on the floor beside her, taking her into her arms to comfort her.
They sat together in silence for a few minutes as CC comforted her by rubbing her back to assuage her sobs.
"What happened? Where have you been the past three days?" she asked kindly.
But as Jocelyn remained mum, just wiping her eyes with the scented tissues in white and gold box, CC lost her patience.
"Do you have any idea what you have put me through? So may crazy things kept popping in my head. I thought you were dead, kidnapped, raped, or dumped somewhere we can't find you," scolded CC sternly.
In a low voice that made her start to cry again, she replied, "I'm sorry, CC, I've nowhere else to go…I don't know what to do… I'm so scared."
Her anger vanished immediately at the sight of Jocelyn's fresh tears.
"Hey, Joce! You know you can come to me anytime… why didn't you come sooner? Please tell me what the matter is?" she said gently, brushing Jocelyn's hair away from her tear-stained face.
She was debating weather to tell CC. But she had nowhere to run to, no one to confide in. CC was the only one, but she was afraid to see the disappointment, and the judgement in her blue eyes.
"You know you can trust me," said CC.
What was so hard that made her runaway and hide?
Jocelyn didn't know where to begin. She was afraid to open up to CC. She didn't want to shatter the perception she was perfect.
Come on Jocelyn, Tell CC. Her life isn't exactly perfect either. She's got no perfect beau like your duke. You are in the same boat. You both look perfect outside but inside you're both struggling to keep up to people's expectation of perfection.
"CC...I'm pregnant!" she blurted out.
CC gasped at the news but it was not like they were sixteen years old and being pregnant certainly felt like the end of the world.
She took a few moments to settle the news before bursting into a slow smile.
"Just tell me it's the child of the man you love who happens to love you in return. Then there's nothing to worry about. Everything will fall into place for two people who love each other."
She Jocelyn nodded. "Yes, it belongs to the man I love."
"That's wonderful news… the duke will be pleased," said CC.
Muffing her sobs with the tissue, she replied forlornly.
"You don't understand CC. It's Lester's," she said, trying to read CC's reaction intently.
CC looked at her in confusion. "So what if it's Lester's. I thought you said you love him, and he loves you. I don't see where the problem lies. I just assumed it was the duke whom you loved. Seeing how excited and proud you were about the engagement."
Jocelyn pushed her as she stood up, walking to the other side of the walking closet, her eyes blazing with fury.
"I thought you were my best friend! How could you say it's alright!" yelled Jocelyn.
"You just said you love him," protested CC.
"He's a chauffer! My mother would kill me. Everyone's going to laugh at me, talk about me! I don't want to marry him. I want to marry the duke. How can he marry me now that I'm pregnant!" spat Jocelyn.
"I need to convince him... to pass of this baby as his. It's the duke I want to marry," said Jocleyn.
CC stared at Jocelyn in disbelief.
"Are you insane? That is terribly wrong. Why don't you tell him honestly," protested CC.
"You want my life ruined, don't you? So CC Babcock can come out the sole winner… You're just envious!"
CC ran across the bathroom and slapped her, her whole-body trembling in fury and hurt. Why would Jocelyn say something so hurtful. She loved and cared for her.
"How can you accuse me of that? I love you. You are my best friend. I meant no harm. I wat you to be happy. How can a baby from the man you love be wrong? He's not married, and he loves you too. And it's wrong to trick someone into believing the baby is his."
"Would you fall for a domestic? Would you marry him? Answer me!" yelled Jocelyn.
But before CC could answer, they heard someone walking inside CC's bedroom.
"Ms. Babcock! Ms. Babcock!"
It was Niles!
CC was surprised he was still here. She thought he had left after dropping her off. He must have asked the security to let hm. They remembered him from two months ago when he brought her home after their shopping date.
CC saw the fear in Jocelyn's eyes. She didn't want Niles to tell her brother where she was.
"Y…yes Niles? What is it?" asked CC.
She peered through the bathroom door and was surprised to find him just outside the door, inches from her, his expression earnest. CC did not want him to see Jocelyn, so she stepped outside, closing the door behind her.
"I wanted to talk to you, Ms. Babcock. I want to tell you something important."
"Now is not a good time, Niles," said CC, her voice quivering a bit.
Niles had decided to profess his feelings for CC, but one look at her face, he decided to postpone it. Something was troubling her. He knew her too well, like the back of his hand that he could easily read her body language. She was hiding something.
"What are you hiding from me, Ms. Babcock?" asked Niles.
"Nothing…" she uttered uncertainly.
He wanted to push but he knew he was not in the position to do so. He touched the side of her jaw that had turned crimson from Mrs. Sheffield's onslaught. She looked so beautiful and he wanted to ease the sting on her face.
"Does this still hurt?" asked Niles but without waiting for her response he tilted her face to receive his kiss. His tongue gently explored her lips and the inside of her mouth. It felt so wonderful she whimpered at the back of her throat.
She was horrified that Jocelyn might hear it. Reluctantly, she pushed him away.
"Niles… please…" she pleaded. She meant for him to stop but he took it differently and started feeling her from her blouse as he lips descended on hers again.
CC was grateful the front door banged loudly before things could get heated, a clear indication that someone just came in. Niles moved away from CC as fast as he could until he was on the other side of the bed near the bedroom door.
"CC! CC! Where are you?"
Another Britishman entered her house.
"Maxwell!" she exclaimed in surprise.
He hardly came to her penthouse in the past years so why was he suddenly here during this importune time.
Maxwell entered her bedroom and was surprised to find Niles standing near the door. A flash of anger glazed his eyes but it was gone in a second.
"What are you doing here, Maxwell?" she asked, her face still flushed.
"I…I wanted to check if Jocelyn was here," he stammered.
Could he possibly know?
"Sir, you could have just asked me when I get home, and it would save you the trip," said Niles.
"I also wanted to ask how you are, CC?" he said, coming closer until he was only inches away from her.
"For heaven's sake Maxwell, it was only a light slap. No need to be worried about it," said CC.
"Nonetheless, I wanted to check it and put some cold compress on it. Here I brought one," said Maxwell.
She took CC in his arms and before she could protest, he had held her firmly close, dabbing the ice pack on her little pink bruise. He was so close CC could feel his breath on her cheeks.
Noticing that Niles was still in the room watching with an unreadable expression, Maxwell barked at him.
"Niles! What are you still doing here, standing there like a bloodhound? You have the limo. You can go! No need to wait for me," ordered Maxwell.
It took a while before Niles started to move. He was reluctant to leave Ms. Babcock with Mr. Sheffield because as he clearly suspected all these years, Mr. Sheffield was her Achilles heel.
"Niles! What are you doing standing there for? I told you to bloody go!".
"Ms. Babcock…" he started to protest.
"I can take care of CC myself. Just bloody go, Niles," said Maxwell irritably.
Niles left, slamming the door behind him.
"I'm inclined to think mother was right that Niles is smitten with you," said Maxwell.
CC took the ice-pack from Maxwell and held it on her cheek herself, stepping a little farther from him.
She gave him a wry smile. "Jealousy does not suit you, Maxwell. Interested is just not your color. Go back to detached… or strictly business. Now that's you."
He was behaving so out of character she was getting uncomfortable. She started putting more distance between them by casually walking to the other side of the bed, pretending to get something from one of the drawers while his left had held the ice pack to her face.
"Now get out of here before your mother comes barging into my front door accusing me of an entrapment for you to marry me."
"As if you don't know my mother, she'd be the first to rejoice at the prospect of us getting married."
Before she could move away any further, Maxwell had her back on the wall, his arms on either side of her, a flirtatious smile flashed on his handsome face, his eyes intently looking at her.
"Did Niles really kiss you, CC?" he whispered in her ear, giving her shivers down her spine.
She gasped, unable to answer.
"Let me show you the proper way to be kissed."
Before his words sunk in, his lips descended on hers, hot and searching. She couldn't count the number of times she had dreamed of kissing him when she was younger, before he married her best friend Sarah, and how she had hoped he would look at her after Sarah died, but that was years ago. She had already moved on from it; accepted the fact that their relationship was strictly business and family related so why was he suddenly dancing to a different tune. She wanted to slap him, but she couldn't. He was too dear to her.
She would have gladly accepted him with open arms and give him everything back then, but now was a different story. She had reconciled her feelings as professional and brotherly, or had she?
She could hear her heart pounding wildly, she was afraid Maxwell could hear it.
"Maxwell..." she whispered.
"What is it CC?" asked Maxwell.
"You're moving too fast," she said, pulling away from his kiss.
"What was that kiss for?" she asked curiously.
Maxwell smiled flirtatiously. "Because you're beautiful."
She found her guts back and pushed him away.
"Are you in the habit of kissing every beautiful woman? Maybe I should be insulted. You never kissed me before," said CC walking to the bedroom door, flinging it open for him to leave.
Maxwell walked to the door but before stepping out, touched CC's bruised jaw once again and answered nonchalantly.
"No, I don't kiss every beautiful woman. Just the one I intend to marry."
CC stared at the closed door long before Maxwell had gone. She was speechless. Was he flirting with her? He was not the flirtatious type.
Suddenly the bathroom door flung open, and Jocelyn stepped out with her arms crossed, shaking her head in amusement.
"I don't suppose you heard everything?" said CC with a sigh.
"I came here for some enlightenment, but it looks like you're in a much bigger predicament than I am, Sissy," laughed Jocelyn.
"I know what I want. I just needed help to pull it through… while you… You are confused…baffled… afraid…weak" accused Jocelyn smugly.
"I am not weak," protest CC angrily.
"You are weak because you don't know what you want!"
"And if you have any sense in your thick head, you will not choose the butler over my brother. Oh yeah, how was your date with Ron Calvin?"
Jocely laughed hysterically.
"If you are choosing my brother's butler over Ron Calvin then you are a much bigger idiot than I thought you to be."