Chapter 210 - Same Boat

A cold, mild night breeze was rustling around her while Clara was walking towards the parking lot, heading out of her workplace. It was almost past evening. She had to take care of some urgent business notes which made her stay until late in the office. Frowning her face, she was quietly walking at a slow pace when suddenly, her eyes witnessed an unusual sight!

At the large green office yard, on a wooden public bench, Eric was sitting still all alone, holding a half-burnt cigarette. He was staring up at the starry sky with a blank gaze in his dark eyes. His facial expression seemed a bit pale accompanied by dark circles beneath his eyes. Compared to Clara's puffy eyes, it was evident that both of them were sleep-deprived as something there was keeping both of them restless and anxious from inside. Even though Eric was a human, but he was the only person in her workplace, she felt a bit comfortable hanging around with. Unknowingly a small smile appeared on slender lips, as she whirled her short-shoulder length brown shimmering hair boldly heading towards him. 

"Can I have a cigarette too?" 

Hearing her sudden soft voice from behind, he flinched a little turning his neck back to sneak a glance at her. Clara was smiling tenderly while looking at him as she grabbed a seat next to him. 

"Miss Clara? You are still here?" He asserted quickly seeming a bit curious.

"Well, I had some pending works to finish...but I should ask you the question, Mr. Eric. As far I remember, you had finished your works almost an hour ago. Then, why are you still here?" She reciprocated holding that small smile. 

Lowering his eyes down, a small smirk appeared on his jowls as he mumbled genially, "I was sitting here trying to avoid getting caught by others but I guess...you exposed me, Miss Clara. If I am right, something must be bothering you too from the inside, right?" He stretched his arm grabbing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter while offering her one. 

"Yes." All of a sudden, her facial eloquence turned a bit sour as she blew out a heavy puff of smoke gazing her murky eyes up at the luminous night sky. "That's the reason I am here to give you some company. But...I had heard from the official gossips that...you had to undergo an accident and were admitted to a hospital? Is it true?" She probed him first. 

"Wow, I guess words really travel fast." He chuckled a little taking a deep puff of smoke out. "It was a trivial accident. Don't worry, I just had a minor injury at the back of my head but...I guess...it was worth it..." The smile on his grimace widened a little. 

"Worth it?" Frowning her brows, she repeated his words.

"Well, we met each other coincidentally at a place where the accident occurred...I had to risk myself to protect the one I love... I have also confessed my feelings to her. And...she was the one who took me to the hospital and looked after me till I revived my senses back. Also...I was able to learn her name..."

A witty little sneer appeared on her face hearing his soft response. Lifting her eyebrows, she tapped his shoulder once sounding very proud, "Woah! I didn't expect it to happen this quick...but it seems as if things must be working between you two! That's really impressive!" 

He smirked and shook his head slowly in declination, "nope. She firmly rejected me...also forbade me to seek for her again." His smile looked quite bereaved. 

"What?"

"She is in love with a person...who doesn't even bother about her. It seems she has loved that person for a long time..." Taking out a heavy sigh of despair, he tossed away the cigarette on the ground holding a small sad smile. 

"Gosh...I can't believe it! She is in unrequited love with someone else? Woah...life is really ridiculous sometimes..." She whined in a grumpy tone sneakily glancing at him once while he was lowering his eyes down, sighing heavily. Clearing her throat, she tried to converse in a soft note, "well...so...what you are gonna do now? Are you going to...give up?" 

"I wish...I could..." Slowly lifting his gaze up to glance at her, he continued rustling, "my insides feel hollow whenever I think about her... I wish to forget it all but my heart won't cooperate with my mind. You know, I have met countless women in my life but it's the first time...I want to...wait for someone... Deep down inside, she is a sad and lonely woman and she doesn't want anyone to know about it. That's why...she pushes people away. I just...want to make her happy." 

"I can feel you..." In a crooked voice, she reciprocated unknowingly glancing up at the horizon with her sad face. Tapping her toes nonchalantly while folding one of her legs over another, she whispered to him, "I know someone like that too...who hides his void of sadness behind his arrogant nature. I...do wish...to see him happy too..." 

Looking a bit startled, immediately Eric shifted his enlarged eyes at her gawking intensely, "don't tell me...but...are you in the same boat as me?" He asked.

"If not...I won't be smoking right next to you holding these huge puffy eyebags beneath my eyes. We both are devoid of sleep and peace...also, the reason is same too..." She answered while peering at him, blinking her long eyelashes nonchalantly. 

"Oh my God..." He sighed making a dull face of disappointment. Squirming with a bit of anxiety, he uttered in a curious tone, "have you confessed your feelings to that guy? Are you...being rejected too?" 

She smiled at his query softly shaking her head in declination. "No...But my situation is probably worse than yours. If I confess my sincere emotions...I am afraid...I will even lose the cordial relationship that is between us right now... Not only I will be rejected...but...maybe...I won't be able to see him ever again..." Her voice grew heavier as if her throat was getting constricted with all the glum feelings stifling her from inside. 

Ogling at her momentarily for a few seconds with his sad gaze, he scrunched his brows inquiring a bit perplexedly, "but why would he do so when you both are cordial towards each other?" 

"The reason is the same as yours too. He was sincere about a woman who would never love him back. Besides, he had...forbidden me from holding any emotions towards him but...I failed to keep my word and...I..." Her husky, shaky voice trailed off. 

He could evidently understand the immense heartache that was choking her insides. Taking a heavy sigh out, he put his arm around her shoulder patting her once to console her sad heart. "Miss Clara, I have never considered you as a mere acquaintance. Your warm behavior is kind of similar to my sister so...somehow...I can precisely understand your pain. You know...the saddest part of life is we keep falling for someone even though there is no guarantee that our love will be reciprocated the way we want it to be... But...Even though we despise the outcome...we can't control our feelings..." 

Apprehending his soft voice, she shifted her teary eyes at him keeping a sad smile intact to hold herself from crying out aloud. Nodding to his remark, she reciprocated tenderly, "even though it hurts so bad...but still...we can't give up on them and wish to see them happy though we will suffer like hell. It sucks...right?"

"Indeed. So...let's have a toast to forget about our fucked up life at least for today. So that...we can get a boozed sleep tonight. Okay?" He smiled wider to cheer her up a little, hiding his sorrow from her. 

Nodding her head in response, both of them stood up and steadily walked out of the premises chit-chatting among themselves. As soon as they headed out, a shadow-like figure who was observing them hiding behind a large boundary wall of the office soon stepped out forward. The person who was observing them was no one other than Calix, the ruthless alpha of the Lupos.

Wearing a full-framed square big goggle, a rolled-sleeve white shirt with blue denim, lowering his brown hair down he had disguised himself as a young man while watching over them. As soon as he walked forward, a wide cryptic smile appeared on his lips as he continued looking at them standing behind. 

Slowly, he took his phone out of his denim and dialed someone quickly. The one on the other side answered him quickly. "Hello, Master?"

"Don't kill Beck right now." He commanded in a deep, hoarse voice.

"But Master...Meghan...is already dead..." The person quivered from the other side.

"I knew it from the very beginning that...she won't make it through. Well...to push someone on the verge of insanity...to provoke someone in the cruelest way as possible, you gotta snatch his precious one from him. That's what I did... I never wanted to kill him this quick before making complete use of such a competent hellhound...but snatched away his only beloved support." He tossed a cruel smile while murmuring his answer.

"As...As you wish...Master." The voice seemed to be stuttered in fear.

He disconnected the call quickly and the smile on his face widened further. "So...it's time I have to step in the game of chase! For that...I must meet you...my little Clara..." He murmured deeply.