THE m a n she betrayed

"Clara! Clara!"

My chain of thoughts broke when Ava's voice pierced into my ears while her hand slightly tapped my arm. Moving out of trance, I looked around my surroundings and realised that we had already reached Steven Industries. Panic whirled inside my mind and I looked into the mirror.

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't even closed the side window and now I was ended up with a bird's nest on my hair. That's one of the many upsides of thick, wavy hair like mine and unlike blonde and brunette hair, this tangled mess look didn't suit my reddish brown locks.

"I can't appear in the interview looking like this." I exclaimed nervously and searched for the hairbrush inside my purse. When I didn't find one, my face contorted badly. "I don't think I should go inside."

Ava slapped her forehead and groaned before running her fingers through my hair, untangling the knots. "It's normal to panic before interview but if you talked about skipping this interview one more time, I'll push you out of my car."

After almost fifteen minutes of pep talk, I exited the car and walked towards the gigantic building of Steven Industries, which was the biggest one of its kind in California.

The dark green skyscraper greeted me as I entered inside, my borrowed heels making noise on the floor. It has been years since I last wore heels and I have been out of practice since then. In addition to my misery, due to Ava's slim built, her tea pink business suit was realky tight around my chest and behind, making it look like I intentionally did it. Hopefully Mr. Peter Steven won't turn out to be a creepy and predatory sort of guy.

I asked the receptionist about the interview and she guided me to the elevator. I pushed the buttons to 25th floor. Another girl entered the elevator and from the looks, she was here for the interview too. But unlike me, she looked really sophisticated and intelligent in her black business suit and blonde locks pulled up in a small bun.

Well, guess who is getting the job.

She smiled at me when she noticed me staring at her and introduced herself. I did the same and felt envious of her british accent and eloquence. If I were the one giving job, I would definitely give the job to her.

When the door of the elevator opened, my mind froze as I saw almost twenty women and ten men sitting there for the interview, half of them looked like they were Ivy League graduates, and then there was me who studied in a local community college.

I sat beside the same girl I met in the elevator and peeked inside her CV that she was checking. She was a graduate from Dartmouth. My nervousness heightened and I lowered my gaze to the ground.

One by one, a man in his thirties called each name. Each interview would take about ten minutes and most of the candidates came out with a smile on their faces.

"Clara Avery!" I was lost in my thoughts when the man called my name. Picking up my file and letting out some deep breaths, I stood up and trudged towards the room.

The man opened the door and I walked inside, trying my best to keep my face confident. The chair of the CEO was turned around so I couldn't see his face. I looked around and contemplated what to do before sitting on the chair.

I was still biting my tongue when the chair rotated, revealing the CEO to me and I couldn't hide my surprise. It wasn't a man like I searched on the internet, instead it was a woman, a really pretty woman. She looked like she was straight out of a fashion magazine. Her makeup was on point and her hair was styled with perfection. The dress she was wearing must have cost a grand and the best thing about her was the gentle smile on her face.

"You're the CEO?" I asked and instantly regretted. "Sorry I didn't mean.. Umm.. I just thought the CEO is a man named Peter Steven."

She chucked before passing the glass of water to me on watching my nervousness. "Peter Steven is my husband. He is working on his book so I am the new CEO. Hope you don't have any issue with it."

I gulped before shaking my head hard. She passed me another smile and looked into my file. I interlocked my fingers, something I did whenever I was nervous. She assessed my file cautiously after which she closed it and kept it away.

"Why did you take a two-year break after high school?" she asked, staring intently at my face.

I pulled my hair behind my ears and tried to think of an appropriate answer. I couldn't tell her the exact reason, could I?

"There were some family issues." I told her and she nodded.

"You had a good GPA in high school. Why community college then?" she asked and propped her elbows on the desk.

I licked my dry lips nervously and started, "Like I said, there were some family issues. I couldn't afford to join any big institute."

She nodded like she understood but I thought otherwise. "Any special skills, Clara?" she inquired using my name this time, leaning back into her seat.

I searched through my brain for the answer but didn't find any. I didn't have any special skills, life didn't give me a chance to learn. I was too busy trying to find food to eat that learning special skills were of secondary importance to me. "I make great coffee." I said and a grin appeared on her face.

"Well, coffee is a major requirement." she commented. She was about to ask me another question when the door opened and someone walked inside. I kept my face still, even though curiosity arose in my mind regarding the intruder.

"Amber, you need to be in the conference room. The chinese delegates are waiting for you." a masculine voice said. The voice was vaguely familiar and not to mention, deep and hot.

"Oh I totally forgot." Mrs. Steven said, pouting at the man. "Can you please continue the interview? I'll be back." she requested him and stood up and I got a chance to admire her full length dress. It was a dark green bodycon dress with two small slits at both sides of her shiny, toned legs. There was a white strap in the middle, decorated with small crystals.

"Miss. Avery, Mr. Vincent will continue your interview. He is the COO of this company. Best of luck!" she told me and then walked past me.

Vincent? It can't be that Vincent. Right?

The footsteps came closer as I felt a pair of eyes on me. The man started with a "Hello" and reached the desk, flopping on the chair without casting a glance towards me.

And when he finally looked at me, both of us froze for a moment. I couldn't believe my eyes for a minute. He was there, in front of me, after six years. I spent years hiding from him and destiny has brought me in front of him again.

He had changed a lot but I still remember these kind, light brown eyes and the way his jaw clenched told me that he remembered me too. Worse, he remembered everything I did to him.

Clara

A wave of indifference masked the anger on his face and he averted his eyes from my face. He had lost the extra pounds and his face was thinner than before. The way his black shirt hugged his forearms told me that he had spent his share of time in gym. There was a stubble covering his strong jaw and his hair was gelled to side with perfection.

But if the last six years had taught me anything, looks are deceptive. I am not that girl anymore who ran after beauty, that girl died years ago.

"Miss...?" he assessed my face with his calculative eyes, waiting for me to tell him my surname. The file was in front of him but he didn't bother to look into it. He wanted to hear it from my mouth, as if he wanted me to feel the guilt reverberating through each cell of my body.

"Clara." I said, lowering my head so that I won't have to look into his eyes.

"Clara Vincent?" he asked in a serious tone, his piercing gaze boring hole in my forehead.

"Avery. Clara Avery!" I said, my voice thickened with guilt and embarassment.

My eyes flickered to his hands which were balled into fists, indicating that he was trying to control his anger. If he was, he was really good at it because his face didn't give away. A faint hint of smile played on his face, probably at the cruelty of destiny that it brought both of us together after so many years.

"Do you think of yourself as a loyal person?" he asked, his light brown eyes holding me captive.

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Loyalty is an important quality Miss. Avery, something we like to see in our employees." he stated in a cold, distant voice. "So tell me, do you consider yourself loyal?"

"I.. Um.." I didn't know what to say. If I say yes, he would probably laugh at me. "I don't know." I said and the corner of his lips moved slightly upwards.

"You can go now, Miss. Avery. Our team will contact you if you get the job." he dismissed, lowering his head to my file. I whispered thanks to him and then stood up, but not before committing his face to my memory. Because there was high chance that we won't meet again.

...

"Are you sure it was him?" Ava asked and I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Yes Ava. I am sure." I rolled my eyes. Of course It was him. Even if I hadn't heard his name, I'd still recognize him. His eyes had haunted me for years in my dreams. Whenever anything bad happened to me, his face would appear in front of my eyes, telling me that it's karma for what I did to him.

"I'm not getting the job, right?" I sighed, putting the slice of pizza in my mouth.

"Do you want me to lie?" she said, looking equally worried.

Ava had been a constant support to me since I met her and I owe her a lot but I needed a job now. I couldn't be a burden on her anymore. To regain my self-respect, I needed to be independent and I couldn't do that if I stay with her without rent or don't pay my share of bills.

"Don't worry Clar, you'll be fine. Come on, let's watch a movie." she said and turned the TV on. A romcom was playing on the TV so I brought two cans of soft drink from the kitchen and passed one towards her.

I tried my best to focus on the movie but my mind kept diverting to Aaron Vincent. The contempt in his eyes, the ticking of his jaw, the hatred on his face, everything played in front of my eyes and I felt like drowning in guilt.

...

"How did your interview go?" Troy asked when he noticed me in the cafeteria. I had changed into the waitress' uniform and was now starting my shift. I told him that the interview went really bad and I might not get the job.

"So you'll continue working as a waitress here?" he asked while making the coffee. He was a barista in this cafe and he makes the best coffee in the world. He was the one who taught me how to make coffee.

"No." I let out a long sigh. "I might try my luck at any other restaurant or cafe with a better salary." The owner of this cafe was a single mom and she couldn't afford to give me a reasonable salary as she had three children. But despite the salary, working with such people was a nice experiment.

After my shift, I changed out of my work outfit and picked up my bag, strolling towards our apartment. The weather was really pleasant today. Stars sprinkled like salts on a black marble and moon shining in its full glory, I relished in the cold weather and wrapped my hands around myself.

Once I reached the apartment, I walked into the kitchen and pulled out a carton of orange juice, bringing it to the couch with me. When I sat on the couch, my phone started ringing. Exhausted, I dragged myself to my bag and pulled out my phone to answer it.

"Is this Miss. Avery?" a masculine voice said from the other side. My mind automatically went to Steven Industries and I prepared myself for rejection.

"Yes. You're talking to her." I mumbled under my breath.

"Miss. Avery, I'm talking from Steven industries and you're being appointed as the personal assistant of Amber Steven. You are expected to be here this Monday at sharp 8am." he said and without waiting for my answer, cut the call.

I stood there frozen, still surprised at my selection. I heard the opening of door and Ava's voice reached my ears but I didn't move, just kept staring at mobile screen.

"Hey, what happened?" Ava asked when she noticed me glaring at my mobile in a weird way.

"Um.. I got a call from Steven Industries." I informed her without any expression on my face.

Her face turned sullen at the mention and pity appeared in her eyes. "It's okay sweetheart. You'll find another job. Don't worry." she said and attempted to hug me.

"I got the job." I whispered and her eyes widened. A full blown smile appeared on her face and she excitedly jumped towards me, enveloping me in a hug.

"You got the job." she screamed in her loud voice, putting all her weight on me. Though she looked really happy, I couldn't help but feel worried. He gave me job despite everything and I couldn't figure out why. I wondered if it was a revenge for my actions or there was any other motive in his mind.

___________________________

Clara

Six years ago

"How can you do this to me, Dad?" I screamed at him, throwing the phone in my hand towards my bed. The veins in my head were palpating because of the rage I felt and I was seconds away from killing someone.

"Please Clara, just meet him once. Okay?" he tried to calm me by rubbing my arm but my rage didn't alleviate.

"Meet him? And then what? You know what, you have no right to arrange my marriage to someone. We live in twenty-first century and I have every right to choose my own partner." I almost growled, trying my best to keep my voice in control.

"Clara!" he looked desperate, his eyes told me but right now, my whole future was at stake. I wasn't going to emotionally blackmailed by him.

"Just go. Please Dad, just leave me alone." I said and collapsed on my bed, hiding my face in the pillow. He tried to talk to me but I was in no mood of replying so I just kept silent.

After he left, I shifted to sitting position and looked into the mirror. It wasn't supposed to go like this. I was supposed to finish high school, graduate college, get a job, find love and then get married, not the other way around. I would never let this happen to me.

No matter how hard they try to persuade me.

...

After taking a shower, I looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were puffy because of all the crying. Once this issue is over, I'll spend a day pampering myself, probably a facial and a hair treatment. I really need a new wardrobe before leaving for college.

Once I dried my hair and pinned them up in a high pony, I did my makeup to hide my swollen nose and puffy eyes and left my room. I trudged towards the living room and heard sobbing from inside. Increasing my pace, I reached inside and found my mom crying.

"Mom? What happened?" I dashed towards her and seated myself beside her, wrapping my arms around her. Her crying caught me off guard because I have never watched her cry before.

She immediately wiped the tears off her face and smiled but I could see the sadness hidden behind her smile. "Nothing Clara." she said but I didn't believe.

"Mom please, tell me. What happened?" I asked and before she could lie again, the tears leaving her eyes spoke the truth. "We are in debt, Clara." she mumbled, her voice laced with grief.

"Debt? How much? Ten grands? Twenty grands?" I asked in concern. My Dad was an owner of a small textile company and I knew the business wasn't doing well for some days but I didn't know things were that bad that we ended up in debt.

"Five hundred grands." she said and a surprised gasp left my mouth. "He has lost the company and we might lose the house too."

Her words caused my thoughts to jumble up. "Mom!" I didn't know what to say. My heart did somersaults in my chest and I fought the urge to cry. My stomach felt funny and the feeling made me nauseated. "Is there any solution?"

"Darren Vincent offered to pay out debt but you need to marry his son for that." she said and her eyes lowered to the ground as guilt covered her face.

Tears pricked the back of my eyes and I hid my face in between my hands. "How can Darren Vincent be so selfish?" I hissed in contempt. Darren Vincent was Dad's business partner and his old friend and I don't know why he put that condition in front of Dad.

"It's not his fault, he doesn't have five hundred grands. But his son does because his maternal grandparents left him a lot of money. The issue is he can only inherit it after his marriage." she told me and I heard each word carefully.

Why is it so complicated?

"I don't know what to say" I said, rubbing my temples with my fingers. My head felt like it was going to explode with all the information Mom was bombarding me with.

"We can't force you to do anything sweetheart. But please, think about it." her voice was exhausted and her tone was begging. I felt really bad for putting her in such position.

After she left to cook dinner for us, I hugged my knees and rested my head over them. My mind was a tangled mess at this moment. There was a lot at stake now and my decision can change everything. If I reject him completely, we might end up homeless and if I accept, I would be stuck in a loveless marriage with a stranger.

At the dinner table, both Dad and Mom exchanged few glances at each other. Now that I noticed, Dad had bags around his eyes and he looked older than his age, due to all the stress. I felt bad for them because at one side, it's their daughter's future and at the other side, it's their business and house at stake.

When I couldn't take the silence anymore, I began the conversation by dropping the bomb on them. "I want to meet Darren Vincent's son." I announced.

Both Dad and Mom stared at me like I have grown two heads. They didn't expect me to agree to help them and I couldn't blame them for that. Throughout my high-school, I acted like an obnoxious, self-centered person who only cared about looking the best, having the most expensive clothes and the latest trends.

"Are you sure?" Dad asked, leaving the fork in his plate.

"Yes. Just one meeting. I'll tell you my decision after that." I emitted in a weary tone.

Smile appeared on both of their lips and proud flashed in their eyes. Last time they were this happy with me, I had turned thirteen and I got first prize in an essay writing competition.

_____________________________

Any guess what Clara did that made Aaron hate her so much?