Chapter 336

Ziven later returned with a stack of documents for her to process. This time,

however, he had her use the highly secure internal corporate system to enter Clifford's executive schedule. He even set up a temporary account for her, though it only had access to two basic functions.

Latisha sat quietly in the office, inputting the data. It was mindless work, but today, she couldn't summon an ounce of focus.

It was likely due to her completely sleepless night.

Every so often, her eyes would dart toward the door, but just as Ziven predicted, Clifford never showed his face.

Throughout the day, Greyson Lambert stopped by the suite several times looking for Clifford, leaving empty-handed each time.

When the clock struck five, Latisha had no choice but to pack up her things. She patted her pocket-she only had a single hundred-dollar bill to her name.

It was the cash Mortimer had lent her yesterday. It had been the only physical money he had on him.

Too anxious to waste it on a cab, she walked a dozen blocks to the bus stop and rode it all the way to the hospital for her scheduled IV drip.

By the time the drip was finished, it was nearly 9:00 PM, just in time to catch the final bus back.

She took the bus toward Aqua Harmony Haven. After getting off at the nearest stop, she still had a grueling twenty-minute walk ahead of her.

Halfway there, a freezing drizzle began to fall. She opened her umbrella and finally arrived at the grand, familiar villa. The lights in the courtyard were blazing.

But the massive front gates were firmly shut.

Latisha paced the sidewalk, staring through the wrought-iron bars. She simply couldn't muster the courage to ring the bell.

She had no idea what she and Clifford even were anymore.

Husband and wife? They were on the brink of divorce.

Brother and sister? That was an even bigger joke.

He was supposed to summon her to sign the papers, but instead, he had blocked her entirely. Standing outside this opulent estate, she felt like an unwanted stray.

As she stood there paralyzed by indecision, the heavy front door of the villa suddenly clicked open.

Panicked, she quickly collapsed her umbrella and darted behind a massive stone pillar near the gate.

The icy rain intensified, slicing through her thin clothes and chilling her to the bone. Pressing her back against the wet stone, she carefully peeked around the edge. Two people walked out. One was Clifford.

The other was Yesenia.

Clifford popped open a large black umbrella and handed it to Yesenia. She took it with a demure smile, waiting gracefully on the porch.

Clifford closed the front door behind him, jogged over to the garage, and backed a sleek Mercedes onto the driveway.

Yesenia closed the umbrella and slid into the passenger seat. Clifford hit the gas, and the car glided toward the exit.

Latisha watched the scene unfold in agonizing slow motion. Standing completely alone in the freezing rain, she watched the luxury car roll out the gates. As it passed her hiding spot,

t, the tires hit a deep puddle,

sending a wave of filthy, freezing

water splashing violently against her

legs.

The muddy water instantly ruined the new clothes Mortimer had bought her, leaving massive, ugly stains across the fabric.

Splatter dotted her cheeks, quickly washed away by the relentless rain pouring from her drenched hair.

In just minutes, she was soaked to the skin. Her wet hair clung to her pale face, dripping icy droplets down her neck.

She stood miserably by the imposing gates, completely stripped of any idea of where to go.

Inside the warm cabin of the

Mercedes, Yesenia casually glanced at the side mirror Through the rain, she caught a fleeting glimpse of a pathetic figure huddled in the shadows.

"Did you see that?" Yesenia asked, a glint in her eye.

She had seen her. There was no way Clifford hadn't.

Clifford ignored her completely, his jaw clenched as he stared dead ahead at the road.

Yesenia wouldn't let it go. "What's going on? You two aren't officially divorced yet, are you?"

Clifford tightened his grip on the steering wheel, shooting her a dark, warning glare. His silence spoke volumes.

Yesenia pouted, determined to dig the truth out of him. "If you're not divorced, why didn't you let her inside?"

"Which eye of yours saw me deny her entry?"

Yesenia's temper flared. "Why are

you snapping at me?! I was just

Whether

asking a simple question! you let her in or let her freezehas nothing to do with me anyway!"