Back at Hank's penthouse, he fluttered his eyes open and was hit with a terrible headache.
This was the first time in years that Hank had gotten drunk.
Hank realized he was in his house. ''But how did I get here? I remember being at Oasis, and Chelsy...
Before he could remember what happened, Daniel walked in with a furious look on his face.
''I can see you are finally awake.''
Hank groaned as he asked, ''How did I get here? I was at Oasis last night.''
Daniel's face grew even colder. ''Hank, are you this stupid? How could you do this to Chelsy? I am truly disappointed in you.''
Hank was confused after hearing what Daniel said. He sat up from his bed and asked, ''What are you talking about? Speak.''
Daniel clenched his fist and replied, ''Oh. So now you are pretending you don't know what happened, huh? After hurting Chelsy like this, you still pretend you don't know what I am talking about? You have really changed H. I hope you are happy now after blowing up your chance with Chelsy.''
He turned to leave, but Hank grabbed him by the shoulder and said, ''Daniel, if you don't tell me how I got here last night, you will not like what I would do to you.''
Daniel laughed and said sarcastically. ''Yes the almighty Hank Fitzwilliam always gets what he wants. Very bossy and inconsiderate. Well, I will tell you. Last night, you were with Clarissa. Only God knows what would have happened if I hadn't been there on time to stop you from sleeping with her.''
When Hank heard this, his eyes were wide open. ''What? Clarissa? What are you talking about? How did she get into that suite?
Flashback to the previous night. When Clarissa had told the guard she was Hank's woman, the guard knew something was off. Hank had never brought a woman there before. As much as he was not sure if she was telling the truth, he decided to call Daniel.
He told Daniel everything that had happened. Daniel was shocked and thought that it was Chelsy. But he knew that Chelsy was not rude and inconsiderate.
Daniel asked the guard to describe the lady. When the guard gave the description, Daniel cussed under his breath. ''Jeez, it is that snake Clarissa. Listen to me. I will be there as soon as possible. Don't let anything happen between those two. Do whatever it is you have to do, to distract them. If they sleep with each other, I will break your neck to pieces. I am on my way.''
The guard held his neck, nodded and went straight into action.
He had gone up to the suite, and rang the doorbell. Clarissa and Hank were caught up in the moment. She was already undressing Hank, when the doorbell rang.
She cussed under her breath and shouted. ''Damn it. And who is that disturbing at this moment?''
She walked to the door and opened it. She saw that it was the guard, and she spoke with so much anger in her voice. ''And what do you want? Can't you see you are disturbing our peace with your constant presence? You know what, we don't need anything and no disturbance. So stay off.''
She banged the door in his face, walked back and continued from where they had left off. All Hank could see was Chelsy.
He whispered into Clarissa's ear. ''I love you so much Chelsy. Please don't leave me.'' As he spoke, his hands were all over Clarissa's body.
Clarissa's anger was boiling. How could he be referring to me as Chelsy? Anyway, by the time tonight is over, I will make sure she doesn't come an inch closer to you. She thought to herself with a coy smile on her face.
She slowly whispered over Hank's lips. ''I love you too, Hank. And I will always be here.'' It seemed as if what Clarissa had said ignited more fire in Hank's body.
His kisses became intense, and a strong desire had taken over him.
Just as she was about to take off her clothes, the door was suddenly pushed open.
''Get off of him you this little demon.'' Daniel shouted as he rushed inside and pushed Clarissa off Hank.
Clarissa was stunned. ''How did you get here, and how did you know I was here? She asked angrily.
Daniel walked towards her and spoke directly into her face. ''Thank your stars, I don't hit women. If not, I would have disfigured your face with a slap. I promise you this, Clarissa, if you ever come as close as ten meters near Hank, I will make sure you regret it. Now scram before I lose it.''
Clarissa was so scared that she was shaking. She hurriedly picked up her purse and ran out like a mouse being chased by a cat.
Daniel turned and saw Hank so wasted. He covered him up and took him home.
When Hank heard what had happened, he felt petrified. He looked at Daniel with so much guilt in his eyes. Hank sat down with an anxious look on his face like a little child who had been placed on time out.
Then, suddenly, he remembered he and Chelsy had to meet at ten. When he checked the time, it was already one in the afternoon.
Hank could not believe he had stood Chelsy up. This was one of the most irresponsible things he had ever done.
As he sat down thinking, Daniel calmly asked him. ''Hank. What really happened to you yesterday? Why did you go to Oasis? Was it the stress from work or was it because of your issues with Chelsy?
Hank remembered what happened before going to Oasis. He took a deep breath and responded with a sullen voice. ''D, Chelsy has moved on. She has a different man in her life. I saw them yesterday hugging and being intimate with each other.''
Daniel was bewildered when he heard what Hank said. ''But that can't be true H. I know Chelsy to be a very decent person and wouldn't fool around. There must be an explanation. Tell me exactly what you saw.''
Hank took a deep breath and explained everything he saw.
Daniel looked at Hank as if he had lost it. ''H, just because you saw Chelsy hugging a man, you think she had something to do with him? What if that was her brother, a cousin or even a friend? Jesus Christ. Your fear of being hurt again, has really clouded your sense of judgment when it comes to matters of the heart. Remember Hank, Chelsy is not Alexandra.''
Hank sat quiet and said nothing. Then, suddenly, Daniel's eyes opened wide as if he had remembered something. He quickly asked.
''Wait H. You said you saw Chelsy around Pearson boulevard?''
Hank nodded, and then he continued. ''Did the guy have blonde hair, and was wearing navy blue trousers and a sky blue shirt?''
Hank looked at Daniel with a confused look. ''Yes. Do you know him?''
Daniel stood up and looked at Hank in disbelief. ''H, you are a complete idiot. You judged her without finding out who the guy in question was? That was her colleague. They are on the same team, dammit. After Isaac and I left the meeting with you yesterday, we went for a quick drink in a bar, and I actually met Chelsy and her teammates leaving. They were all drunk and Chelsy was the one who had to put them all in a taxi to go home. Is that why you rushed like a mad man, straight into the arms of Clarissa? You know what, this is your cross, and you have to carry it all by yourself. Just pray it is not too late. And H, if you lose Chelsy, you will never find anyone else like her and I will never forgive you.''Daniel angrily stomped out of Hank's bedroom, and left.
This was the first time Daniel had been so angry and bitter with Hank.
Hank sat there looking so lost. ''What have I done?'' He muttered to himself. He turned around to pick up his phone in order to call Chelsy. Then he remembered that he had actually cracked the screen and left it inside his car.
He went into his study and used the office phone to call Gina. When the call got connected, he spoke sternly. ''Gina, I need a new phone as soon as possible. Ask Asher to get ready. We are going over to Chelsy's house right now.''
He ended the call and rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower.
Meanwhile, Chelsy left the coffee shop and decided to take a walk around the city center.
She had a lot on her mind, and wanted to let some of the stress out.
Since Christmas was around the corner, the streets were brightly decorated with bright shiny Christmas lights.
This was Chelsy's favorite holiday, because it reminded her of the cookies and brownies she would bake with her family. This made her smile.
After enjoying the view, she decided to go back home. On her way home, she saw that Hank had tried calling her, but she kept rejecting his calls.
When she got home, she was surprised to see Hank waiting in front of her apartment. She just walked past him and said nothing.
Before she could step inside, Hank had followed her and grabbed her by the hand. ''Chelsy, please wait. I know I have messed up big time. Please just let me explain.''
Chelsy turned to Hank with eyes depicting no emotion. The look in her eyes was full of fury. This was the first time Hank had ever seen such disappointment in her eyes. Her usual soft and sweet hazel eyes, which brought out warmth, were now filled with a coldness that could freeze one's soul.
She spoke softly but with coldness in her voice. ''Hank. Please, just go. You owe me no explanation. By the way, you and I aren't in any form of relationship. You can kiss and do whatever you want with anyone.''
She took a deep breath before she continued. It shows she was trying so hard to keep her emotions in check. She didn't want to look weak before Hank. She didn't want to look vulnerable.
She raised her eyes and looked at Hank straight into his eyes and said in a voice that sounded like a whisper. ''Hank, you broke your promise. You stood me up in that coffee shop, and that hurts more than anything. But you know what, it is my fault for believing you. So please, just go and don't bother me anymore.''
As she spoke, she walked into her house and shut the door behind her.
Hank stood there completely zoned out. He couldn't believe he would lose the woman he loved. Hank was shattered. It was the pain he saw in Chelsy's eyes that broke his heart. He thought it was best to give her some space. Talking to her right now wouldn't change anything. But he wasn't going to give up on her. He would do whatever it took to win her trust back.
It had been two weeks since Hank and Chelsy last saw each other. He made it a routine to send her apology messages every day. But Chelsy never responded to any. She had actually muted Hank's messages.
While in the office, Chelsy received a bouquet of Forget-me-not flowers. They symbolized true love, fidelity and memories. But in Victorian England's culture, it represented a form of apology.
When Chelsy saw the flowers, she was a little stunned. She understood the significance of the flowers and knew they definitely came from Hank.
She took out the card that was placed inside, and the message read, ''My dear fairy, I thought of coming to your house to apologize, but I was afraid you might shut the door to my face after what happened. So I decided to write you this letter. The thought of you hating me and not wanting to see me, hurts me even more than you could ever imagine. I cannot tell you how much I miss you and would want to hear you say everything would be alright. I am sorry my little fairy. I know I have hurt you and your anger is justified. I deserve to be ignored. I loved you from the very first moment I saw you, and I will always love you as time exists. I just hope someday, this bitterness fades away, and you find a place in your heart to forgive me. Until then, I will be right here waiting for you. Yours truly, gancarnagh.''
Chelsy's eyes welled up with tears as she read the card. Her heart was in so much pain. The pain of seeing Hank pour his heart out in this letter. Chelsy felt quite touched after reading Hank's deep and sincere apology. She made up her mind to go over and see him after work.
She had missed him too, and wouldn't want to waste both their time. Life was too short. She knew she had fallen in love with him and would want to be with him.
A flash of smile crossed her face as she sniffed the bouquet of flowers. ''I am coming Hank. Wait for me.'' She mumbled to herself.
As she sat there swooning, she received a message from their head of department that she, alongside Erica, would accompany her to represent their company for a Christmas party.
The Fitzwilliam Group threw a Christmas party every year for all its subsidiaries. Every subsidiary sent out three representatives to represent their companies in the party.
This year, Daniel had purposefully asked the head of Chelsy's to take Chelsy and one other person.
Chelsy knew Hank didn't attend such events, even though his company organized them. She was planning that after the party, she would go over to Hank's house.
She had dressed up and looked extremely beautiful. She and Erica left for the event, which was at the Sally Gardens.
''Chelsy, please tap me if I am dreaming. This place is heaven. For once in my life, I get to attend such an exquisite event, where there are top business executives and most of the wealthy people in this city.''
Chelsy just smiled and said, ''Erica, please let's just go inside before the department head starts looking for us.''
As they were standing and conversing among the crowd, the master of ceremony announced that, for the first time ever, Mister Fitzwilliam was present, and asked everyone to give a round of applause.
As Daniel and Hank walked in, it seemed as if the whole hall came to a standstill. They were so breathtakingly handsome that not only the women were swooning over them, but the men too wished they were Hank, and some wished they had Hank.
Hank just walked over to the microphone and gave a few words. ''Thank you all for coming. I wish you all a happy holiday.''
There was a thunderous applause in the room which could render one deaf. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Clarissa walked up the stage, and gave Hank a bouquet of flowers and a kiss on his cheek and spoke on the microphone. ''Thank you, Mister Fitzwilliam, for being such a great boss and a great friend. This is just a little way that we can appreciate you.''
Hank couldn't believe it. He just nodded and handed the flowers over to Gina.
Everyone in the crowd started murmuring. Chelsy was standing behind a woman who spoke up, ''Is that Mister Fitzwilliam's girlfriend? She looks so beautiful. I truly envy her. They really look good together.''
Chelsy couldn't believe what she had witnessed. A waiter, holding a tray of champagne flutes on a tray was passing by. Chelsy grabbed two of the Champaign flutes and drank all of them in one go.
Erica was surprised at Chelsy's action and spoke with surprise. ''Hey Chelsy. Slow down, okay? What is wrong with you?''
Chelsy said nothing as she was feeling so heartbroken. She was short of breath as she rushed outside into the garden. She pressed her hand into her chest as her heart ached so painfully. She felt as though her heart had been shredded into a million pieces.
When she reached the farthest part of the garden, which had a little fountain, her knees were wobbly as she came crashing down and buried her face into her palms. She felt so helpless as flashes of what the lady inside had said kept ringing in her ears.
Her world was crumbling and the tiny hope she held for her and Hank was finally broken. This was it. She had been hurt all over again. Everything Hank had said in the letter was all a lie. Chelsy wept and cried like a child.
Meanwhile, back in the hall, Daniel's face turned red with anger when he saw what Clarissa had done. ''This little demon.'' He muttered to himself. He knew Chelsy was there and had just witnessed everything.
Him bringing Chelsy there and convincing Hank to come, was because he wanted both of them to fix their issues. But Clarissa had to step in and spoil everything. ''H, what is Clarissa doing here? I thought you had her transferred to the Luton branch.''
Hank, too, was surprised to see her there. ''Daniel, I don't know what she is doing here. But why are you so annoyed? It's not as if I knew she would be here.''
Daniel couldn't believe it and just brushed his fingers through his hair. ''H, this isn't good. Chelsy is here, and she must have witnessed everything. I brought her here to surprise you and help you fix things. But it seems as if Clarissa always knows how to spoil everything.''
When Hank heard this, he shouted, ''What? Chelsy is here?'' He scanned his eyes through the crowd, trying to see if he could find her.
Clarissa walked up to Hank and tried talking to him. But he looked at her with cold eyes filled with rage. He spoke with so much disdain in his voice. ''Clarissa Adkins, this is the last time you will walk up to me and try this nonsense ever again. I have tolerated your excesses enough. I didn't sue you nor punish you because of the friendship I have with your brother. But as it stands now, I regret not doing that earlier. I don't ever want to see you anywhere near me. For your information, you have been fired from The Fitzwilliam Group. Gina, make sure you give Miss Adkins here a termination letter. And she is not allowed to go anywhere near Fitzwilliam Group and any of its subsidiaries. If she does, it will be considered trespass.''
Hank walked away and didn't look back.
Clarissa was stunned. She had let her greed and selfishness cost her job. ''No, no. I can't lose my job at the Fitzwilliam Group. I just can't.'' She muttered to herself.
Working at the Fitzwilliam Group was a thing of pride, and not just anyone was privileged to work there.
Daniel walked over to Erica and asked if she had seen Chelsy. ''Miss Langley, have you seen Chelsy?''
Erica, who was having the time of her life, replied. ''Mister Rivers, she was here with me. But out of a sudden, she stomped outside.''
''Okay. Thank you.'' Daniel responded and walked over to Hank who was still looking for Chelsy in the crowd. ''Hey H, I think you should check at the back while I ask the security if they have seen her.''
Hank nodded, and dashed outside to look for her.
He was in the garden, when he heard sobs and cries. He gently walked over, and saw Chelsy sitting at the foot of the fountain and sobbing her heart out. Her face was buried in her knees as she hugged her knees.
This sight of Chelsy in this cold weather crying, broke Hank's heart into a million pieces. He walked over, removed his jacket, and placed it over Chelsy. Chelsy raised her now puffed eyes and face full of tears. She saw that it was Hank standing before her.
She gave a drunk laugh and asked between sobs. ''Hank Delmonte Fitzwilliam. Why did you choose to hurt me like this?''
Hank looked at her and asked softly. ''Chelsy. Have you been drinking?''