A Night of Desire

"How should I know what to do? You’re the one who caused this mess!" Clara rolled her eyes. "Weren’t you just being all high and mighty, saying you were walking away from the project?"

River Sterling’s eyes darted around, looking embarrassed. "Fine, I’ll go apologize in person, okay? Clara, please, help me get in touch with him again."

"Let’s wait a couple of days for Ryston to cool down first," Clara said irritably.

"Okay, okay. Please, I’m begging you," River Sterling said, forcing a smile.

"What are you doing here so early in the morning, anyway?" ’Didn’t they say he loves to sleep in?’

"I’m on a date with a beautiful woman. She just went to the restroom." River leaned back nonchalantly in his chair, one leg crossed over the other.

Clara stood up. "Well, you have fun waiting. I’m leaving. Oh, and remember to pick up my check. Bye-bye."

"Hey, hey, Clara! You’re not finishing your drink?" River turned and shouted at her retreating back.

Seeing Clara wave him off without looking back, he pouted, turned around, and unconsciously picked up the coffee in front of him, taking a sip.

Only after swallowing did he realize it was Clara’s coffee. UGH, SPIT, SPIT. A look of disgust crossed River Sterling’s face. ’I wonder if that old prude drank from this?’

...

While standing by the road waiting for a car, Clara’s gaze drifted about aimlessly. A taxi pulled up, and just as she raised her hand to hail it, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in the corner of her eye.

She instinctively looked over. Not far away, a young woman was hurrying across the street toward a small alley.

"Poppy?" Clara murmured. Forgetting about the taxi that had already stopped for her, she turned and chased after the figure.

The figure was moving quickly. Clara called out tentatively from behind, "Poppy?" The figure faltered for a moment but then immediately started walking even faster.

It really was Poppy Vance!

Clara immediately broke into a jog to catch up, and Poppy started to run.

’If Poppy hadn’t accidentally bumped into someone,’ Clara thought, ’I probably wouldn’t have been able to catch her.’

"Poppy, are you okay?" Clara rushed forward just in time to help her up.

Poppy finally looked up at her, her lips moving as she said, "Clara."

"Poppy, where on earth have you been all this time? Brother Jennings has been going crazy looking for you, did you know?" She felt a pang of sorrow thinking about the situation between Poppy and Linden Jennings.

Poppy just faintly said two words: "He did?"

’He looked for me? After I left, didn’t he have other women to keep him company? Why would he go crazy looking for me?’

’Besides, wasn’t our relationship just a transaction from the start?’

’How much could I possibly have meant to him!’

Clara sighed and asked, "Poppy, this whole time... have you been okay?"

Poppy looked up and smiled at her. "I’m doing great. Life’s pretty easy and carefree on my own."

"Poppy, I heard about what happened between you and Brother Jennings. I think he must really love you. Otherwise, he never would have helped your family like that."

"I became his woman, and he used his money to support my family. You call that love? That’s just a transaction." Poppy, however, didn’t see it that way.

"But if he just needed a woman, plenty of women would have been willing to be with him. Why would he spend so much money supporting your family just to have you?"

"Clara, that’s not love. Maybe it’s just because I’m more his type!"

"Poppy!" Clara felt a little helpless. She wanted to say more, but Poppy cut her off.

"Clara, do you have any idea how I felt when I found out our relationship was held together by money?