Chapter 318

"Clifford, what's so wrong with telling reporters that I'm your girlfriend?"

"Are you?" he countered.

Yesenia's throat tightened, and tears welled in her eyes. "Aren't I? We were together before you abandoned me to marry that mute. Does that mean I'm not your girlfriend anymore?"

Clifford leaned forward to tap the ash from his cigarette, his expression as calm as ever. “When did I ever abandon you?"

"Then why did you marry her? It should have been me! Can't you ever try to see things from my perspective?"

Clifford turned his head slightly to meet her tearful gaze. He took her hand. "If I wasn't seeing things from your perspective,” he said softly, "you wouldn't be here right now."

Yesenia fell silent. He was right. Aside from the marriage he wouldn't give her, he had never denied her anything. In many ways, he treated her better than he treated Latisha. The truth was, she was the one who was never satisfied.

Clifford stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and stood up. "Go home for now. I'll think about the press conference."

At those words, Yesenia's despair vanished, replaced by a flicker of hope. "Really?" He just looked down at her, his expression giving nothing away. Yesenia knew when to quit while she was ahead. If he said he would consider it, there was a good chance he'd agree.

"Okay, fine. But please think about it. The conference is this weekend, so you have three days. I'm going now."

"Mm."

She moved closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You're the best. I love you."

Clifford simply patted her shoulder, a clear dismissal.

Yesenia let him go, grabbed her bag, and left with a renewed sense of optimism. As she walked out the door, she nearly collided with Latisha.

Latisha had been standing there for a while. The door had been left ajar, and she had heard every word. She'd heard Clifford's indulgence toward Yesenia his admission of guilt and the tragic story of two lovers kept apart by a mute wife. She was the villain, the obstacle, the one who was so terribly in the way. For a moment, even she began to find herself repulsive.

Yesenia glared at her. "What are you doing standing here?"

Latisha didn't answer, trying to step past her into the office. But Yesenia grabbed her

arm, pulling her back and dragging her into the empty office next door.

“Latisha, let me ask you something. Do you know who Clifford's other woman is?"

Latisha froze, looking at her in confusion. Another woman?

Seeing her reaction, Yesenia let out a cold laugh. "Looks like you don't know either. Serves you right for being so neglected. I bet you didn't know they ve already slept together, did you?"

Latisha's face grew a shade paler, but the news wasn't surprising. For al man like Clifford, having multiple women seemed perfectly normal One Yesenia or two, it made nd difference. He wasn't going to love her any more or any less.

She turned to leave, but Yesenia blocked her path. “You pathetic mute. One of these days, Clifford is going to kick you to the curb. And when he does, you won't even know what hit you!"

“Is that so?” the man's voice cut in from behind them. “Then why don't you tell me how?"