"Ashley, when you have something tangible, let me know," Clara said, her voice laced with exhaustion. The day had drained her mentally, and this conversation wasn't helping.
"Who was that, Clara?" Natasha asked, walking into the room with an inquisitive look.
"Uh, it was Ashley," Clara replied hesitantly. She wasn't sure how Natasha would react, given how much she despised Ashley.
Natasha's brows furrowed. "Ashley? Clara, shouldn't we have kept this between us, as agreed? Why involve him?"
Clara sighed. "Natasha, listen. Ashley is close to Master Alexandro, and as his PA, he has access to information we don't. He can investigate discreetly without raising any suspicion."
Natasha shook her head, unconvinced. "I don't trust him. Clara, this isn't about friendship; it's about keeping things under control. This doesn't feel right."
"I trust Ashley, Natasha. He's my friend, and he wouldn't betray me," Clara argued.
Natasha's lips thinned into a straight line. "All I'm saying is, I don't support this. Goodnight." She turned on her heels, heading to her room.
Clara sighed again, brushing off Natasha's concerns. She felt her friend was overreacting, unaware of the deeper suspicions Natasha harbored about Ashley.
---
Elsewhere, Ashley sat in a dimly lit bar, staring at a photo of Clara on his phone. A crooked smile played on his lips. "Clara, I'm sorry for this betrayal, but I can't lose you. You belong to me."
Brooke, who had been sitting nearby, watched him with a wary expression. "Ashley, don't you think you're going too far? This obsession isn't healthy."
Ashley turned to him, his eyes cold. "Am I a bad person, Brooke?"
Brooke sighed, his voice softening. "I don't think you're a bad person, but this path you've chosen will destroy you and maybe Clara too."
Ashley's jaw clenched. "I don't care. I've loved her all my life. Watching her drift toward another man feels like a knife to my heart. Even if it means selling my soul to the devil, I'll have her."
Brooke leaned back, crossing his arms. "You're losing yourself, Ashley. Love shouldn't turn you into this… stranger."
He ignored his words, his gaze fixed on a golf ball he rolled between his fingers. "She asked me to help investigate her parents' deaths. I'll use that to get closer to her and eliminate my competition."
Brooke stood, shaking his head. "You've changed, Ashley. I hope you realize it before it's too late."
Around them, women whispered and cast admiring glances at Ashley, the most handsome man in the room. But he paid them no attention. To him, Clara was the only one who mattered.
---
Meanwhile, Clara lay in bed, her phone clutched tightly in her hand.
"He said he'd text," she muttered, staring at the blank screen.
Minutes passed, and doubt began to creep in. "Maybe he meant tomorrow? He should've been clearer," she grumbled, annoyed.
Just as she was about to give up, her phone vibrated. A notification lit up the screen.
"Hi."
Her heart skipped a beat. It was Mitchell.
"Hey. Still awake? I see some things never change," Clara replied, unable to hide the smile spreading across her face.
Mitchell smirked as he read her response. "So, you'd had kept tabs on me back at Ottad, huh?"
Clara rolled her eyes, though her cheeks burned. "I had not been keeping tabs on anyone. Don't flatter yourself."
"How's Grandma?" Mitchell asked, steering the conversation to safer ground.
"She's doing great, thanks for asking," Clara replied, her smile softening.
An awkward silence followed. Both hesitated, unsure of what to say next. Just as Clara was about to end the conversation, she saw the typing indicator appear on her screen.
"Let's play a game," Mitchell wrote. "It's called 'Ask the Thing'".
Intrigued, Clara typed back, "Alright, I'm in."
"You first," Mitchell prompted.
Clara thought for a moment. "What's something you can't stand?"
"Betrayals," Mitchell responded without hesitation. "And when people take my kindness for granted."
"Your turn," Mitchell said, his curiosity piqued.
Mitchell didn't skip a beat. "What's your biggest relationship turnoff?"
Clara smirked. "A guy with no ambition."
They continued exchanging questions, laughter punctuating their messages as they delved into lighter topics.
But as the night wore on, Clara felt her eyelids grow heavy. "Mitchell, we'll have to continue tomorrow. I'm falling asleep here."
"Alright. Goodnight, Clara. See you at work tomorrow.
"Wait", she suddenly sat up. "He's coming to the office tomorrow? Oh no... how am I ever going to kill this ridiculous crush?"
She groaned, flipping back onto her pillow, her mind a chaotic mix of excitement and nervousness.