Chapter 20 A Hint of Something More
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When she called his name, Jerry gave a slight nod. His gaze drifted to the hangover tea in her hand, and his brows furrowed slightly. “Emily went out drinking again last night?”
Clarissa gave an awkward smile. “Jerry, how about we talk about something else?”
She couldn’t bring herself to rat out her best friend like that.
Jerry glanced at her. “I heard you’re filing for divorce? Is it because your husband’s impotent? Low sperm
count?”
Clarissa immediately shoved the hangover tea into Jerry’s hands, looking serious. “Let’s stick to the previous topic, okay?”
Jerry’s lips curled into a faint smile, a brief glint flashing in his warm eyes. He raised his hand and gently tapped her head twice. “You’ll meet the right person eventually.”
Clarissa forced a small smile. “Let’s hope so.”
Jerry didn’t respond, but there was a brief flicker of an unreadable emotion in his gaze before he quickly concealed it.
“Go give Emily her hangover tea. I’ll wait for you both downstairs,” he said.
Clarissa nodded and headed upstairs to Emily’s room.
Jerry’s room was on the second floor, first door on the right, but she bypassed it and pushed open Emily’s door instead
On the massive princess–style bed, the blankets were tossed into a messy pile, with a lump in the middle where Emily was buried.
Clarissa placed the tray on the nightstand, sat on the edge of the bed, and poked the lump.
“Mmm… stop it!” came the mumbled response, clearly half–asleep.
b
Clarissa sighed and tugged at the blanket Emily was hugging. “Get up and drink this hangover tea, then you can go back to sleep.”
“Nooo…
“If you drink it, I’ll tell you a secret, Clarissa offered as bait.
Emily didn’t fall for it and rolled over, wrapping herself tighter in the blanket. “What secret of yours don’t I already know?”
Thinking for a moment, Clarissa dropped the big bomb. “Jerry’s here.”
“Oh, that’s… wait, what?”
Emily’s eyes flew open, and she shot up in bed. “What did you just say?”
To soothe her friend’s wounded spirit, Clarissa threw in a bit of gossip-
Chapter 20 A Hint of Something More
She wasn’t walking away from the divorce empty–hand
Emily frowned deeply. “I can’t believe it, Chandler’s rei
At the mention of “regret, Clarissa remembered what flared up inside her. “Plenty of prople would want me.
“Huh? What was that?” Emily hadn’t caught what she sa
“Nothing. Get up and have breakfast with me,” Clarissa with gossiping and ready to cat.
Emily flopped back down. “Nooo, I want to sleep.
Clarissa added in a low, dramatic voice, Jerry’s waiting
Emily sprang out of bed like a bolt of lightning. “I’m get
Emily, who usually took at least an hour to get ready in just ten minutes under the pressure of Jerry’s presence.
By the time the two of them came downstairs, Jerry was
oatmeal.
Jerry wasn’t much older than Clarissa and Emily, which intimidated by him.
The second reason, well….
“Clarissa, come eat,” Jerry greeted her with a warm, gent lighter.
“Much easier on the eyes than Chandler,” Clarissa thoug
Her dimples deepened as she spoke.
Jerry nodded, but his gaze shifted to Emily, who was pra
Emily flinched under his scrutiny and mumbled, “Uncle
“So, you’re getting bold now, huh? Drinking so much you
Jerry said, his tone pleasant, as he casually took another
Clarissa looked at Emily in disbelief.
She actually pulled something like that?
Emily knew she was the Wood family’s treasure, and be concession.
Her curfew was strictly set at midnight, yet she dared to
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Chapter 20 A Hint of Something More
She wasn’t walking away from the divorce empty–handed.
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Emily frowned deeply. “I can’t believe it. Chandler’s really giving you half his fortune? He doesn’t regret
it?
At the mention of “regret,” Clarissa remembered what Chandler had said the day before, and irritation flared up inside her. “Plenty of people would want me.
“Huh? What was that?” Emily hadn’t caught what she said.
“Nothing. Get up and have breakfast with me,” Clarissa said, trying to change the subject. She was done with gossiping and ready to eat.
Emily flopped back down. “Nooo, I want to sleep.
Clarissa added in a low, dramatic voice, “Jerry’s waiting for us downstairs.”
Emily sprang out of bed like a bolt of lightning. “I’m getting up right now!”
Emily, who usually took at least an hour to get ready in the morning, managed to pull herself together in just ten minutes under the pressure of Jerry’s presence
By the time the two of them came downstairs, Jerry was already seated at the dining table, sipping his oatmeal
Jerry wasn’t much older than Clarissa and Emily, which was one reason Clarissa never felt particularly intimidated by him.
The second reason, well…..
“Clarissa, come eat, Jerry greeted her with a warm, gentle smile that seemed to make the entire room feel lighter.
“Much easier on the eyes than Chandler, Clarissa thought, smiling back as she replied, “Sure, Jerry.”
Her dimples deepened as she spoke.
Jerry nodded, but his gaze shifted to Emily, who was practically hiding behind Clarissa.
Emily flinched under his scrutiny and mumbled, “Uncle Jerry”
“So, you’re getting bold now, huh? Drinking so much you almost didn’t come home for the night?”
Jerry said, his tone pleasant, as he casually took another sip of oatmeal,
Clarissa looked at Emily in disbelief.
She actually pulled something like that?
Emily knew she was the Wood family’s treasure, and being allowed to live on her own was already a huge
concession.
Her curfew was strictly set at midnight, yet she dared to push the boundary by almost staying out all night?
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Chapter 20 A Hint of Something More
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Emily was on the verge of tears at Jerry’s smiling reprimand “Uncle Jerry. I’m sorry! I promise I won’t do it again!”
“Hmph. Save that apology for tonight when you explain it to your parents.”
Jerry’s smile became even more radiant, and he gestured with his chin. “Sit down and eat. You starving is one thing, but don’t let Clarissa go hungry.
“Uncle Jerry, you’re so biased!” Emily protested immediately. “Who’s your real niece here?”
Jerry’s lips curled. “If I had a choice, I’d rather it be Clarissa”
Emily fell silent..
The insult wasn’t particularly painful, but it was deeply humiliating
She shot a wounded look at Clarissa. “Clarissa, you can’t betray me!”
Clarissa quickly pulled Emily down into the chair and sat across from Jerry. She picked up her oatmeal and took a sip. Soft, sweet oatmeal with maple and brown sugar–her favorite.
“Oh, Jerry, I still haven’t thanked you for helping me manage that trending topic the other day began.
At her words, Jerry’s expression shifted into something more meaningful.
“Anything involving you, I’ll always handle.
Clarissa
“Anything involving Clarissa?” Emily caught onto something, scratching her head as she thought. “Why does that sound kinda… suggestive?”
Clarissa had just taken a sip of oatmeal when she heard that and
Clarissa had just taken a sip of oatmeal when she heard that and promptly choked on it.
