Third Person POV

It was the day when the whole nation was waiting to come. After the news broke about the famous models' conviction, anyone who cheered or rooted for the models was glued to their seat, eyes on their television screen, watching with growing anticipation as the scene unfolded.

As Claire Preira stood on the podium, standing next to her were Ms. Tabitha and the former beauty queen, Mrs. Helena Ratskin, with several reporters, media flanked them.

"I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you. I was filled with jealousy. My dark desires controlled all sense that was left in me..."

As she apologized, words of regret poured out of her lips and were aimed foremost at Ms. Clara Bell Valiente, whom, at some point, she cared for. Tears rolled down her bared cheeks as she spoke of misery. Her beautiful face is filled with remorse, but Clara Bell, sitting next to Alex as they watched the scene through the big screen, didn't feel any sympathy for her.

She knew Claire was an outstanding actress.

"It's over, sweetheart," Alex murmured against her ears and she nodded.

She agreed that her battles is over. And she is looking forward for their future with Alex.

"Thank you for standing next to me, for always there with me," Clara Bell smile at him.

"I will always here for you," Alex replied and leaned down and kissed her.

A loud cough coming from Rafael Valiente broke the kiss and that's when they realized they are not alone.

They always forgets their parents seemed glued to their companies since they were engaged.

They appointed themselves to be their wedding planner.

"Sir," Emily's voice broke into my lost thought, "your meeting with Mr. Monroe is in five minutes," Emily announced, tearing my eyes away from the desktop screen. It rested on her.

She was standing in the doorway, one hand holding the lever handle. "Who is Mr. Monroe?" I asked.

My brain has seemed to process things slowly since this morning. I've been missing Clara Bell, but she's busy finding her wedding dress today.

"He's the realtor," Emily briefly explained, and just then, it dawned on me."Ah, yes!"

I decided to buy the building we saw the other day, perfect for Clara Bell to start her foundation. My wedding gift for her. I had already contacted a few lawyers who are inclined in this field to process all the papers needed.

Just then, my phone rang, and it was Clara Bell.

All thoughts about the said realtor forgotten... temporarily.

All that exhaustion I felt suddenly faded. A wide smile broke from my lips as I connected the call.

"Are you busy?" she asked before I could even say hello.

"No," I replied.

I'm never busy when it comes to her.

"Always have time for my future wife," I teased, but she wasn't amused.

The smile died down on my lips. My spine steeled at the thought that she might be in trouble.

"Can you please come and pick me up?" she said before I could even say hello. The desperation in her tone caused me to frown as a question popped into my head.

What happened?

My heart picked up speed as negative thoughts ran through my head.

You are overthinking things, Alex. What could happen to her? She's with her parents... and mine.

Blocking the unpleasant thoughts, I agreed.

I caught Emily's back disappearing from behind the door.

"Emily!" I called.

She peaked her head around the door. "Let Mr. Monroe know that I accept the offer. I'll be off and clear off my schedule for the rest of the day," I instructed as I turned off the desktop computer.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"At the Carrots and Dates, do you know where is that?" she asked in her sweet, melodious voice.

I missed her so much.

"I believe Langdon knows it," I replied as I grabbed the coat hanging behind my high-back swivel chair.

I slipped one free hand into the sleeve hole, switched the phone to the other hand, and shrugged it on, and while doing so, I headed towards the door.

I saw Emily talking on the telephone on her desk through the glass wall, inside her own office.

I cocked my head briefly at her, and she nodded back her recognition before turning my back and heading towards the lift, my phone still close to my ears.

"I can't wait to see you," I said, and Clara Bell chuckled.

"I'll tell you later what happened," Clara Bell laughed, and I burst into peals of laughter.

"I'm going back to our table. I must put the phone down. Please hurry. I can't stand watching them arguing over petty things," Clara Bell complained, and I laughed.

"You mean those women bullying their husbands?"

Clara burst into waves of laughter.

I stepped into the metal box and hit the lower ground button. The lift softly jerked, moving downward.

"Yes,  sweetheart. I'll be there soon. I love you," I said."Love you too," she replied before she ended the call.

.....

BEHIND THE SCENE (BLOOPERS)

THIRD POV

"Oh, I'm so happy he's marrying her and not the bitch Preira!" one of the staff of the famous bridal shop twittered cheerily to her co-staff.

They were standing next to each other as they busied themselves at the back of the elegant shop.

A public apology made by the known supermodels through famous networks, radio stations, and other media became global news that rocked the world of modeling. Every household preferred gossip. And still, a hot topic to think it's been a month since passed.

And today, inside the Trendy Bridal Shop, the staff can't help but spill out their thoughts, no matter how they made an effort not to attract attention. But their constant buzzing and those not so furtive glances thrown in the direction of the two imposing unaffected shipping magnates with their stunning wives, too busy choosing the bride's wedding dress, had not missed Clara Bell's attention.

Apparently, she's the only one who's too painfully aware of her surroundings.

"UGH!" a loud grunt tore from Stavros Demakis' lips while Rafael Valiente's lips broke into a victorious grin.

"I'd say give it up, viejo amigo!" (old friend)

The two friends were so lost in their games, noses glued to their phones, forgetting where they were, and the narrowing eyes of their wives directed at them severely.

Clara Bell laughed as she shook her head.

"Mom, let them be," she said, and Mrs. Tatiana Valiente turned her eyes at her daughter and sighed.

"I bet you, if we leave now, those two oldies won't even notice it," Mrs. Alessandra Demakis stated, and they all laughed, including the owner of the shop, Mrs. Amelie Sudbury.

Clara Bell turned to look at the mirror, and she ran her palm over her toned flat belly, feeling the silky fabric on her palm, and she smiled. She likes the cut of the dress.

A classic beaded appliques A-line tulle wedding dress with tule sleeves just past her elbows. The dress fitted her perfectly like a glove.

The wedding is in five months, and she knew she had a lot of time, but her mother and her fiance's mother had longed to do the preparations. And she couldn't bear or be callous enough to take that happiness and excitement away. So she let them drag her here and there, including their spouses.

Mrs. Valiente stared at her daughter with threatening tears in her eyes. "You look enchanting, honey," she crooned as she smiled tenderly, meeting her eyes through the mirror.

"Indeed," Mrs. Demakis agreed fondly, and Clara Bell gave her a tender smile, meeting her gaze through the mirror.

They were standing on each side of her.

Even Mrs. Sudbury nodded her head in agreement. "I agree. She looks positively glowing in that dress. She made the dress quite captivating," she beamed at Clara Bell.

"Thank you," she murmured gratefully, swallowing that lump of overwhelming emotions suddenly choking her.

"Rafael, what do you think?"

Mrs. Tatiana Valiente turned her head in her spouse's direction, all smiling, but it died down when her gaze met the two giants huddled together as they stared at the old Demakis' phone.

"What are they playing?" Mrs. Valiente asked no one in particular, frowning, and Mrs. Demakis replied with a clipped, unimpressed tone.

"If they had forgotten their wives, I'm sure they are playing the Puzzles and Conquest," she explained, eyes narrowing at her husband.

Clara Bell burst into a fit of laughter.

That drew the attention of the two elderly, not that they both are ancient.

"Isn't it nice, Auntie Ali?" she giggled, darting her mirth-filled eyes at her father and uncle. "We are free from their claws and constant complaints. No groaning or grunting hovering over us. And while they are both affixed on their games, we can sneak out," she suggested, winking at her mother and Auntie wickedly.

Mrs. Demakis look at the owner of the shop, Mrs. Sudbury. "If they ask about us, just tell them you didn't notice us when we left," she said and the owner at first gaped at the notion of lying to the two high-profiled shipping magnates.

But then when she turned her head in the direction of the two men, they looked like two teens who were in their own world. Naughtiness glinted in her gray eyes as she bobbed her chestnut brown head in agreement.

"Hurry then, take it off!" Mrs. Valiente urged her daughter as she helped her get off the platform where she was standing.

She picked up her skirts and Mrs. Valiente followed her inside the dressing room and helped her out of it.

Clara Bell, Mrs. Valiente, and Mrs. Demakis left the shop, and they decided to stop by a restaurant nearby, unknown to their husbands.

When their assigned driver saw them, he hastily moved from his spot and opened the seven-seater white van but Mrs. Valiente stopped him.

"We're just gonna get something to bite," she said and he nodded, looking behind them and Mrs. Valiente got the hint that he was looking for the men.

"They are busy right now," she explained and he again nodded his head stiffly. She turned but then stopped abruptly as she remembered something. She swiveled and spoke with sternness,  "and Michael..."

The mid-fifties caramel-skinned man stopped on his track and turned to face his mistress. "Yes, Ma'am?"

"If my husband asks about us, tell nothing," she smiled but laced with threat and the man nodded acquiesced.

"Thank you, Michael."

Back in the shop, Rafael Valiente was having so much fun.

"Damn! You got eight billion points?" Stavros Demakis scowled good-naturedly at his best friend, leaning in closer to watch him attacking a few castles level 30 and above.

"I told you to move to our kingdom. We usually paired with two or three kingdoms every Valiant Conquest," Rafael Valiente replied.

"I can't leave Demi. I invited him and he just joined my alliance last week,"  Stavros explained.

He frustratedly left the game and looked around the shop, noting the silence inside the shop and suddenly realization hit him.

"Shit!" he cursed. "Rafael, I think our wives left us," he got up abruptly, his tall and huge frame pacing across the room looking for his wife.

"Excuse me," Rafael who was standing in the middle of the shop, surrounded by white elegant silks, tules, and a variety style of wedding dresses hung on the opposite walls of the shop, called the owner of the shop, Mrs. Sudbury.

Mrs. Sudbury forcefully swallowed down the laughter bubbling up inside of her. The two well-known billionaires look rather lost. Their towering frame somehow started to intimidate her, but she quelled the unpleasant feelings. Though intimidating, the look in their eyes, scared as shit was enough to overcome her nerves as she stood in front of them.

"I apologize, Sir, but I didn't notice them when they left," Mrs. Sudbury explained as she forced her face to look neutral.

Rafael and Stavros looked at each other.

They pulled their phone out from their tailored coat's pockets and called their wives' numbers.

Stavros let out a disappointed sigh, shaking his head as he looked at Rafael.

"She's not answering too," Rafael dropped the call, disappointed. "They are probably pissed off... when we ignored them," Rafael sighed as he stashed his phone back inside his pocket.

Stavros frowned. "I don't understand what they are looking for," he complained. "We have been too many places since nine o'clock this morning, and all those dresses they picked all look alike," he rambled on.

Mrs. Sudbury hardly holds her laughter back. While the two are lost in their thought, she turned on her back and left them to ponder. She pretended to fix one of the dresses hanging closer to the two men, trying to grasp some of their conversations.

"Women are hard to explain, so don't bother analyzing it," Rafael shook his head, resting his hands on his hips.

"True, they talk in riddles," Stavros commented drily as he glanced down at his watch wrapped around his left wrist and then decided their wives must be waiting in the van.

"It's almost midday," Stavros commented.

"I guess they went to get a bite," Rafael decided.

"Or in the van waiting," Stavros concluded.

"Or they headed home," Rafael scowled at the realization.

The two suddenly turned towards the door and stormed off like fire chasing their asses.

But as soon as they arrived to the van parked on the street, Michael held the van's passenger door at the back.

"Did you see our wives?" Rafael asked his employee. Michael shook his head briefly.

The two let out a defeated sigh. Their hearts sank.

Just then, Rafael's phone tinged when all his hopes disappeared.

He pulled it out of his pocket and immediately open the messages when he saw it was from his daughter Clara Bell.

He excitedly read it.

We are at the Carrots and Dates restaurant, and please don't mention Mom, I told you. They wanted to punish you both, and I can't blame them. Oh, pretend you guys are just walking around, and you spotted us. We are seated by the window, so you should be able to see us right away.

"I know where they are," Rafael said to Stavros, smiling like he just won a lottery.

"Did Tati text you?" Stavros raised his eyebrow, a grin teased the corner of his lips.

"It doesn't matter," Rafael grinned, and the two started walking, merging with the people on the sidewalks.

"Where exactly are they?" Stavros asked as they split and skirted around a couple strolling, taking their time, in no rush.

Then fell back in step next to each other. "Carrots and Dates," Rafael replied as soon as they were close.

"Ugh!" Stavros briefly stopped in his tracks, then continued, catching up quickly on Rafael's steps. "That's my wife favorite restaurant," Stavros complained as he winced at the thought of eating yet another vegetable dish.

Rafael briefly shot his friend a glance, noting the faint complaint in his tone. "What's wrong with the restaurant?" Rafael asked, and Stavros frowned, noticing the innocence of his friend's tone.

He figured he had no idea.

"It's a vegetarian restaurant," Stavros replied, and Rafael, this time, stopped on his track and faced Stavros.

Stavros almost burst into laughter at the look on his friend's face.

"After that long hours trailing them like a dog, we have to eat grass?" Rafael's face twitched into somewhat funny as he had just eaten a lemon.

Stavros smothered his laughter with all his might and forced a straight face.

"They also have some fake meat," he added, feigning innocence.

Rafael scowled at him. "I hope it doesn't taste like an ass!"

Stavros couldn't hold his laughter any longer, and he burst.

"Well, we acted like an ass... I guess we deserve it!" Stavros winced at the realization of that thought.

Rafael shook his head and resumed walking.

"So you are now vegan?" Rafael asked.

"No, not ultimately, but I had to force myself to eat those crap with my wife's determination. And you should," Stavros smiled at Rafael.

Rafael only scoffed.

"We are not young anymore, old chap," Stavros said. "Our main goal now is our health," he added.

"As our dear friend Nicolas calls it, I do sexercise often!" Rafael grinned wickedly, and Stavros laughed.

"Don't we all?" he quipped, his boisterous laughter catching the attention of every walker they met on their way.

"I eat some vegetables too," Rafael grunted after a while.

They both stopped in their tracks when their eyes met with the woman they loved.

They didn't realize they'd reach their destination.

The looked on both women's faces marred with guilt.

Rafael and Stavros strode inside the small restaurant, like two giants scowling.

"Hi, Dad!" Clara Bell was behind Rafael as he pulled the chair next to his wife, and Stavros settled on the chair next to Alessandra.

Rafael turned his head, waited for his daughter to get closer, then leaned in and kissed her on her cheek as he whispered thank you.

She only smiled at her.

Rafael pulled another chair for her, but she refused it.

"Alex is coming. I remember there is something we need to see," Clara Bell explained briefly.

"Is he here?" Alessandra asked.

"No," Clara Bell replied shortly.

"Then have a seat. Maybe Alex will have lunch here first before you guys leave," Alessandra smiled, and Clara Bell just nodded her head.

Rafael then pulled the chair next to him for his daughter.

They all settled on their seats. "Here," Tatiana handed the hardcover menu to her husband, and he reluctantly perused the menu.

Stavros did the same, but it didn't take him a long time to pick. He had been in the restaurant too many times to count with his fingers.

A waiter arrived with their food. Rafael had gone through the menu repeatedly, but he had no clue, and he didn't care about it.

Stavros took his order, and the lady waitress waited for him.

He frustratedly looked up to meet the brown-eyed petite waitress. "What do you recommend that doesn't taste like an—"

"Give him the beefless burger and fries," Tatiana cut in, smiling at the waitress patiently waiting. She narrowed her eyes at him. He scowled back, but he approved.

"Beefless..." he uttered, frowning. The waiter left them.

Just the sound of it, he thought it was scary. "Sounds pretty shady," he remarked drily, causing the others to laugh at his comment.

"So, if not beef, what's in it?" Rafael asked, looking at Stavros, who was enjoying his misery.

"It's better if you don't know," Stavros grinned.

Rafael scowled. "You don't know what you are eating?" Rafael doesn't look convinced.

"It's better, trust me!" Stavros replied.

"Alright," Rafael conceded. It's not like he has any choices anyway.

The ladies didn't touch their food, waiting for their husbands' orders.

Not long, their orders arrived.

"Why did you leave without us?" Stavros asked Alessandra with no accusations in his tone.

"If you guys had paid attention, we have been calling you, but your game seemed more important than us," Alessandra narrowed her eyes at her husband.

Stavros' face heated up as embarrassment and guilt ripped through him.

He realized it was true. It was inconsiderate of them, but they've been following them for almost four hours, hopping from one shop to another. Yet he kept those words in his head.

They grew bored, so while they were picking and Clara Bell put on one after another white dress of the same style, they decided to sit on one of the chairs at one corner and let them do their thing while they busied themselves, playing the online game.

They started eating except for Rafael, who was still staring contest with his beefless food served on a white plate. The presentations looked appetizing enough, but Rafael was still not convinced it tasted good as it looked.

"Dad, try it. It tasted better when it is warm," Clara Bell rolled her eyes at him, and he looked at her like he was going to gag.

"Fine," he said and tentatively took the burger. The red juices that ooze out of the fake meat look like some blood or berry juices.

He bit into the burger, chewed it a couple, and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

He drank some water, then since he was hungry and had no other choice, he chewed the food twice and swallowed.

He filled himself with the fries after he had endured eating half of his burger. He decided that it would take him some time before getting used to the taste.

Alexander arrived, and Clara looked relieved.

"Have something to eat," Alessandra said to her son after giving him a hug and Alex shook his head, grimacing.

"I just had my lunch," Alex politely refused, and Alessandra nodded her head.

"Lucky you!" Rafael mumbled before he filled his mouth with fries.

"You are acting like a kid," Tatiana frowned at him, and Rafael gave her a quick kiss on her lips.

"Okay, we'll go," Clara Bell tucked her hand in the crooked of Alex's elbow, then nudged him to move along.

Alex sensed the urgency of her action and quickly left their parents.

END OF BLOOPER.

........

"Did you really eat?" I asked Alex as soon as we were out of our parent's earshot.

"No," Alex grinned at me guiltily.

I chuckled.

"The quinoa salad I had was good," I commented, and he smiled.

"Glad you like it."

"Was it your first time?" Alex asked.

"I've been there several times with friends. I'm sure you are aware of one of those foolish requirements as a model," I replied, mindlessly rolled my eyes.

Alex nodded his assent.

"Like skin and bones?" he commented disapprovingly.

I just chuckled at his remarks.

And he's quite right about it. I've told him about our day before we reach his sports car, parked on the other side of the street, not missing all the funnier bits.

By the time we get into the car, we are both laughing.

"The only time Dad stood up to mom was his online game," Alex laughed.

"Oh, you should have witnessed my Dad whining like a kid when mom caught him spending money on the game, which, by the way..." I giggled, words hanging as I buckled my seatbelt with a click.

Then shifted to face him, "your dad introduced it to him," I reminded him.

We all know Uncle Stavros coaxed all his friends to play the addictive game. "True." Alex agreed, shaking his head but laughing.

"Well, they are all retired; they have nothing to do besides doting to their wife and children. Children who are now all grown up don't need their parents' care."

"Unless we give them babies to fret," Alex leaned in, his deep voice dropping low and tempting.

And that day, I fainted in the courtroom, they thought, or he thought I was pregnant since my mother predicted I might be.

The only plausible cause until the doctor confirmed it was stress and lack of sleep.

The only thing they can think of as they are so excited to have grand-babies and Alex to be a father.

They forget other reasons that cause one to collapse, such as exhaustion.

The disappointment on their faces tattooed in my memory.

I felt the heat creeping up to my cheeks and resided there. The longing in his eyes is too apparent, and my tongue felt heavy. For once in my life, I couldn't find the right words.

Of course, I'd like to have babies, but not so soon.

I just started working in an established foundation empowering orphaned children, and I finally felt complete, whole. I found my existence a new meaning, a new purpose.

After Tammy's death, I swear that I'll do everything to help those children abandoned by their parents, those in need of care, love, and a family. Those kids that deprived of opportunities to reach their dreams.

And so, to start, I sponsored several kids from different countries until university.

But my dream is one day to establish my orphan foundation and start helping those focusing here in America. Hopefully, it will grow in the future, and in each developing country, it will branch out and focus on each area.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Alex's deep voice, soothing with a hint of worrying, snapped my wandering thoughts.

"Err... y-yes, I believe I am," I stuttered and looked away.

"You suddenly became silent," Alex muttered, seeming bothered.

I felt a pang of guilt.

"If you don't want to have babies, I understand. Don't think it will change how I feel for you, Clara Bell," Alex muttered tenderly, and I met his eyes gazing softly at me.

I felt the tears prickling under my eyelids, blinking them away.

What good have I done to deserve such a thoughtful, kindhearted, and loving man like Alexander Demakis?

A big lump suddenly stuck at the back of my throat. Mixed emotions clogged my throat, and I swallowed it down hard.

"It's not that I don't want babies, Alex. I love to have my own, that is for sure. But..." I swallowed again. "I... I am not ready," I said and let out a deep sigh.

He smiled, a reassuring one.

"I love you, and I can wait whenever you are ready."

At an awkward angle, our body was facing forward as we were seated at the back of his SUV, with our heard turned sideways, facing each other, upper bodies tethered with the seatbelts. He leaned down his head and claimed my lips in a brief kiss.

"I'm in no hurry, sweetheart. I'm still enjoying having you by myself for several years before I'm ready to share it with another little creature," he whispered against my cheeks before sitting up straight.

A smile tore from my lips, and I rested my gaze forward. Just when I realized the car was moving with the traffic, Alex reached out for my hand and interlaced it with mine, occasionally lifting it close to his lips and kissing the back of my hand lovingly.

It was a very tender gesture, and it always made my insides turn into mush. A loving gesture I'll never tire off.

The following days, no matter how I tried to dissuade my parents and Alex's parents, well, except the fathers, for they are too happy to oblige, but not the wives. They are more excited to prepare all the necessary things for the wedding than I do, not that I'm not happy. I am thrilled and looking forward to being Mrs. Demakis.

And just one of the days, dad and mom were bickering over a trivial thing like which flavor is better.

"I like vanilla, and I'm sure many would agree with me," Dad said.

Mom shook her head in disapproval. It's too plain, and they eat that every day. We need something that people don't eat every day. Something uniquely tastes but good.

"Like that beefless burger?" Dad teased, and mom scowled at him.

"Should we interfere before mom strangle dad?" I whispered at Alex standing next to me while we watched them bickered.

Auntie Ali and Uncle Stavros were busy tasting all the flavors of the cakes presented to them.

"We should," Alex chuckled softly.

I walked over to my parents, and they both looked at me when they felt my nearness.

"Mom, since it's going to be a five-layered cake, why don't we pick a flavor for each layer, and then you and dad can pick your own flavor?" I suggested, and dad grinned.

"Whatever makes you happy, mi princesita," dad smiled affectionately.

Mom let out a sigh and nodded her head.

"I just want it the best," she murmured after a while, and dad seemed to soften, and then he pulled mom to him.

"Sorry, mi amore." I heard dad whisper to her, and I smiled.

Turning to look at Alex, he was conversing now to the owner of one of the famous bakeries in New York.

The day, just like the other days, passed by in a blur.

Next thing we knew, the wedding arrived....

.....

Sorry, this was too long, I had to cut it.

Will do the rest on the next page.

Thank you all for the constant support!

Let me know what you think.