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Two days after Lucas started working at the shop, more customers are coming to visit and came by almost everyday, mostly females. Their age varies from teenagers to older women, even small kids sometimes tarry. What baffles her was the fact that eventhough they have more customers - to the point that her employees cannot pass the aisles with ease especially those who transports boxes - their sales are the same as before. She noticed this confusing detail during her stocks audit that she even made a comment to Bea in passing while she is roaming the floor to inspect.

"Why is it that out sales is still the same though more customers are coming?" Bea's face shows confusion at her question that she asked for clarification.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I know that we are selling better now than the previous months, but, what puzzles me is that, it is almost the same as the previous week, the margin of difference is not that great considering our store is always full." Claire explained her findings to Bea who laughed slightly shaking her head.

"What is so funny?" She asked with slight annoyance.

Bea stopped laughing and looked at her pointedly.

"Really?! Claire, where have you been all this time?" Bea asked incredulously which even made her more confused. Bea may have seen the confusion at her face because of what she had said that she offered an explanation.

"Claire, you hired a very handsome male specie. Do you think it will not attract customers, especially females?" Bea asked, unbelieving at her puzzled face.

"I hired a what?" Claire asked still in bewilderment that Bea huffed before answering.

"You really have no idea?!" Bea asked exasperated, then quickly added. "Lucas, Claire. It is because of Lucas that more people are coming to your store. Ever since he worked here, the place have been teeming with customers, mostly females. Though most of them come in just to gawk at his muscles or flirt with him. I also overheard someone who said that she is ready to die anytime if he will just talk to her." Bea whispered while explaining in great details then left her when somebody called for her.

Bea's explanation left her a little annoyed. 'Why will I be annoyed?' She asked herself while still walking around her store in deep thoughts when she suddenly heard somebody giggling followed by a hushed whisper. She searched where the voices came from and she saw three women in their twenties ogling someone outside through the large display window. She followed their line of vision and what she saw made her eyebrows raised. They are staring at Lucas who is currently lifting heavy boxes outside the store. He may be covered with bulky jacket because of the cold weather, his handsome face in utter concentration will definitely make you swoon. She looked at the women again and whipped her head towards Lucas when she heard them sigh. He is currently having a conversation with Mark - one of her employee, and he is laughing at what he said. She heard more sighing and when she looked around she was astonished at what she saw, almost all of the women inside her store are facing the window looking outside leering at her husband which is making her furious. She was about to shout at all the women when she caught herself - she is furious with everyone? and she suddenly remembered she called him her husband - What is happening to her?! She suddenly asked herself then quickly turned and left the scene. She didn't notice two sets of eyes following her, one with glee and the other one with malice.

---

Alessa went to the store to visit her daughter and their visitor. She already saw and talked to Lucas who have been lifting boxes outside from the delivery truck towards the storage area at the back. She just entered the door when Beatriz greeted her.

"Good morning Mrs. Anderson." Beatriz's beaming face came into her view.

"Oh Beatriz, how many times I have told you to stop calling me Mrs. Anderson, it make me feel so old. Please, just call me Alessa." She chastised her sweetly, like a mother should which she readily complied.

"Okay, it is Alessa then. How can I help you?"

"Have you seen my daughter?" Alessa asked.

"Yes..she is here somewhere. I left her by the aisle near the contemporary section. But I don't know where she went to after that." Beatriz explained while looking around searching for Claire when a customer approached her to ask something. She turned to her apologetically.

"Oh, it is okay Beatriz, I'll find her myself. If she is not here on the floor, then I will just go to her office and wait there." She assured her.

She walked towards the area for contemporary section when something caught her attention. Almost all the females are looking outside, what amazed her is that her daughter is amongst them, though her face shows a rather different emotion than the rest. Claire's face shows fury, of what, she is not sure but she might have an idea. She continued watching her daughter never minding all the hushed whispers and giggles of a few teens beside her, when Claire suddenly left the area with a face that now shows confusion and disbelief; that as someone as herself who watched her grow, knows that it is her face when she realized something is happening beyond her control and expectations, and right now, it is that she is affected by the man who is presently residing at their home, her temporary worker and her accidental husband. Her gaze followed her hurried steps with a glee, finally, her daughter is falling in love.

---

Lucas dropped the last box inside the storage room with a huff then went out towards the store proper with the invoice of the delivered stocks. His job here at the store is beyond his imagination, it was like he is not someone who owns a company. It is not that he is complaining, but what he's been doing here daily is more rigorous than his workout for an entire week. He's been working here for several days now, doing something and anything depending on Claire's order that she relays through her other employ. She only instructed him personally on the first day until yesterday morning but not after that. She's been avoiding him as well that everytime they will come across each other, she will turn and walk the other way, she's doing that as well at their home and it completely annoys him to no end. He wants to talk to her about their plan this coming Friday. He just hopes that she will not back out of her promise.

A woman's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hi, I'm Sarah. You're new here, aren't you?" Lucas, can tell that the woman is in her mid-twenties, beautiful but not as beautiful as Claire - his wife.

'Whoa! There it is again.' His brows furrowed at what he thought. He is comparing Claire to this woman, something that he never does. He willed his mind to refocus on the woman in front of him and gave her a smile in which she returned with batting of her lashes, which most females does everytime except, of course, Claire.

'Will you stop doing a comparison between any woman and Claire!' He chastised himself in his mind.

"Yes, I am actually doing a part-time job here." He answered her question, then he supplied quickly. "I'm Lucas by the way," and accepted her hand for a shake.

They were talking for several minutes when he heard his name being called and came face to face with his beautiful, fuming wife. "Lucas, please come into my office. Now!" She emphasized the last word then turned and left towards the stairs.

He excused himself from Sarah, then quickly looked for someone to whom he gave the invoices he's been holding with instructions to give it to their auditor and promptly followed Claire into her office.

---

Claire is pacing inside her office, she couldn't believe what she did. She is just walking downstairs to stretch her legs when she came about Lucas and Sarah - the snake, talking fondly with each other. Lucas is even smiling from ear to ear. She just couldn't help herself to come in between what they were discussing. She knows that even him is puzzled why she suddenly called and wanted to talk to him when she has been avoiding him both here and at her parent's house. She even refuses to join dinner claiming she is not hungry or she will just bring her food in her room to eat, so as not to be in the same room with him. Her avoidance of him started eversince she realized that she is falling for him which happened by the display window with all the other ogling females.

Her temper flares everytime she saw him talking to a woman or if she saw some female flirting with him that there is a tempting notion for her to tell everyone that they are married, that she is his wife, so that everyone will stop sending him signals and leering glances. But she caught herself everytime the urge came, though, she is sometimes afraid that her control is slipping each passing day.

A knock and opening of her office door stopped her pacing. She turned her back to the door and willed herself to be calm and to compose herself. When she felt she is calm enough, she turned and face the man whose been causing her a tumultuous emotions she had never felt before.

"You need something?" He asked.

She didn't know how to answer his question for she didn't know the reason why she called him. All she knows is that she doesn't want him talking to that woman. She opened and closed her mouth several times trying to say the words without giving him a hint of what she truly feels.

---

Lucas didn't know what is happening with her. She's been opening and closing her mouth to speak like a fish out of water after he asked his question.

He knows she is having a hard time based on her face, she is easy to read, she can mask her emotions well but only after you were able to glimpse something. It is like you caught her slip before she realized it.

He thought he needed to ask her again when she suddenly answered his question that's been hanging for quite sometime.

"What are you two talking about?" Her question confused him.

"Who?"

"That woman that you've been talking to before I sent you here." She asked while fidgeting. He knows she do it unknowingly so he didn't say anything that might jeopardize the conversation that they are having now.

"Who? Sarah? Nothing..she just approached me and we started talking. That's all." He answered carefully.

"Really? Because from my viewpoint, it looks like you're having a really good time." She asked while raising her brow and folding her arms to her chest.

He didn't know how to react. He was about to say something when she beat him to it.

"You know what? Don't flirt with any of my female customers. I forbid you. Don't bring here your attitude towards women when you're in Manhattan." She demanded that made him baffled. So he quickly countered it and defended himself.

"What?! I am not flirting with them Claire. They approached me while I am working, asking where they can find a certain book, I am just entertaining them like an employee that I am, even if this is temporary."

"What is this about? What brought this?" He asked when she remained silent after his explanation.

---

Yeah, what brought this situation that she's into? Claire didn't know how to answer his question when she didn't know herself. Instead of asking herself and delving into what she truly feels, she quickly answered.

"Nothing! I just don't want you flirt with any of them. I don't want you to be interrupted while working. Yes, that's the reason why, it is that simple." She explained trying to convince him as well as herself.

---

Lucas, tried to gauge her by staring. He cannot fully accept her reason. As simple as that? No, those women may interrupt his work but he never made any mistake since his first day. He continued assessing her features, he cannot see anything beyond her mask that she already wore, but when he look into her eyes, he saw it, a glimpse of uncertainty and fear, something that if he will truly acknowledge it himself, also mirrors what he feels. So instead of admitting it himself, he analyzed her's.

"You're jealous, aren't you? Are you falling for me already sweetheart?" He asked carefully and in all seriousness while slowly approaching her.

---

Claire suddenly became very afraid. He said the words that she so refused to accept herself. Heart pounding, she slowly step backwards matching his strides, until she felt her desk hit her bottom, she's cornered, still Lucas continued stepping forward until he came into her space. Looking into her eyes, she cannot seem to look away, it is as if it is magnetizing her. She forced herself to speak up and deny what she considers to be his accusations, as if her tongue refuses to comply, the words she wanted to utter came as a hushed whisper.

"No, I do not..I am not jealous nor I am falling to the likes of you." Lucas smirked at her reply.

"You're bad at lying sweetheart." Then he touch his lips into hers.

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I cannot..my gosh..I cannot..he kissed her!😍 Did you feel the shiver? Because I did. Lol! What do you think will happen next?

Please send me your comment(s)/& or insight(s) about this chapter.

Next set of chapters will be released sometime next week. Thank you for reading!

-blue