Chapter 234 - Brown Hair

''How is your sister? ''

Nicklaus asked suddenly making Tiana turn to him with surprise. This was the first time he was asking about Gwen;

''Oh, Gwen, she's doing fine, she's in New York, practicing to be a makeup artist. ''

''Mm… '' Nicklaus nodded; after a moment, he said;

''I met her once, one of the days I waited for you at your house; ''

Tiana's eyes widened, ''really? '' Gwen didn't say anything about meeting him. She was quite stunned when he said that;

''Yeah, she told me you didn't want to see me anymore, and that I shouldn't come to you again, I tried to talk to her, but she didn't even want to hear me out. ''

''Haha, '' Tiana laughed; ''she was just being protective of me, that's how Gwen is. ''

Nicklaus laughed; ''Alright, I'll like to meet her, when will she be back? ''

''Um, this time next year, but if we have our wedding before then, she'll surely come back. ''

''Alright ''

Three weeks later

…

Today was a rush, there was an important meeting with the CEO and Claire was already late, her phone was buzzing with calls and she cursed under her breath as she ran towards the building. Her steps slowed when she saw she wasn't the only one late, many others were running towards the elevator as the meeting was to be held upstairs.

Claire ran to the first elevator but it was filled already and she couldn't wait so she ran to the second, thankfully it was still half-empty, as she got in, she froze as she stood face to face with Leo.

She had been avoiding him for weeks now and the first time she was seeing him after so long was in an elevator with no escape. She blinked severally and quickly pulled her eyes from him, going to stand by his side.

Just when the elevator was about to close, it flung open and a large number of people flooded in; and in the blink of an eye; Claire was stuffed in between two people. She turned her head to the side so she could breathe properly. A woman was in front and a man behind her, she was very uncomfortable because her backside was rubbing against the man, but she couldn't help it, she just prayed for them to get off quickly.

Leo clenched his fists as he tried to stop himself from thinking about the woman by his side. She was trying to shift but there was little or no space for that, and the man behind her was having his fill of her backside; he wanted to ignore, but he could not bring himself to, he forced his eyes to look forward and not think about her, but when he heard her short frustrated sigh, he couldn't help it, and in a second, he pulled her towards him, making her face him. The people in the elevator turned to him with an angry glare but he didn't mind them.

Claire's eyes widened in shock at his action, and she looked up at him;

''Stay like this; we'll soon get off,'' he said, his eyes still looking forward as though she was not the person he was talking to.

Claire gulped and her head fell, she couldn't help the pounding of her heart against her chest, it was so loud that she wondered if he could hear it. Suddenly the person in front of them shifted making her slam into him, her hands involuntarily gripping his shirt;

Quickly, she let go of him as though she touched a hot object; ''sorry; '' she immediately apologized. Leo kept mute as though he did not notice her actions; his eyes still stared indifferently.

Claire could not control her pounding chest and a thousand thoughts that raced through her mind, she prayed the elevator would open quickly and they would get out, why the hell was everyone going to the last floor?!

''you dyed your hair?''

She was kicked out of her thoughts when she heard his voice ask in a whisper; she had dyed her hair brown a week ago, but he was just seeing it now;

''yeah; '' she replied meekly, her head still down. Wasn't he offended that she had been avoiding him for a while now?

He was quiet for a moment;

''It suits you; ''

''Thank you; '' she said, involuntarily breathing in his scent. He smelt so nice and so manly; she imagined what it would feel like to hug him. Her heart sank when she remembered the night he had begged to hug her and she felt so awkward. Right now, she could die to be given a five seconds hug.

Sadly, the elevator clicked open and everyone started to leave. Claire badly wanted to linger but she couldn't. Biting her lower lip, she turned around painfully and walked out of the elevator.

''you got time this weekend? ''

Leo asked as he walked out of the elevator. He knew she had been avoiding him, even going as far as sending all his calls to voicemail; but it was his birthday this weekend, and he really wanted her to be there.

Claire stopped in her tracks and she turned to him; she knew why he was asking, but she pretended as though she didn��t know,

''No, I don't, I won't even be in town, I have a shoot in Texas. ''

Leo nodded painfully, ''Okay; wish you a safe trip. ''

''yeah; '' Claire nodded and turned around, continuing to the meeting room.

Leo stood at a spot staring at her walk away. Even after so many weeks, just one look at her and all his feelings came flooding back in. He knew she was avoiding him, ever since that night. He knew it might be because of what Larissa had said, knowing her, she wouldn't want Hazel to misunderstand them, but if they continued like this, they might never be friends anymore.

Leo sighed, running his hand through his hair;

He cared about Claire and valued their friendship a lot but if this was what she wanted then so be it. He wouldn't want to force her to do things she didn't want to do. Surely, as long as they were with different people and he once had feelings for her, they were bound to get distant. Maybe this was for the best; it would help him forget her.

.