A/N: A big thank you to everyone whose been following this story. May you be a silent reader or someone who voices out their liking to my work, I give you my gratitude.

For all of you, here is the next part of Lucas and Claire's story, hope you will love this.

Happy reading!

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Lucas was put in deep thoughts with Claire's condition. For if he will comply with her, there is a fifty percent chance that she will not agree, for she used the word 'might', it is not an assurance. But if he will not, then the remaining fifty percent of her agreeing will puff out of thin air, like a smoke. He is a businessman, he had gambled before for his company to prosper, far riskier than what she is laying on the table. So without much thought, he agreed with her condition.

"Okay, I will strike a bargain with you. I will work here - free of charge, for a week, as an all-around, whatever it is that I have and can do. But, I want you to give me a word, right NOW, that you will concede with my idea of you coming to the charity ball with me and eventually meet my family especially my grandmother." Lucas retorted with emphasis that Claire quickly countered.

"Isn't it that you needed me to go with your plan, that is why I gave that condition, why are you giving me one as well?" Her eyes are starting to flash with fury - again.

Lucas sighed in disbelief, it is as if everything he does makes her mad. Lucas tried to plead to her.

"Claire, sweetheart, please, I am begging you now. Just please, concede with my plan. I will do anything that you desire, within my capabilities of course."

---

Claire cannot believe that he gave her a condition of his own. Isn't it that he needed her more because of the ploy he is hatching to trick his grandmother into plotting something for him to finally marry? She was about to retort something again when Lucas begged her to comply and using an endearment that she knows he uttered unknowingly. She knows that someone like him, with his position, rarely begs, but he is doing it now just for his scheme.

'He really is in despair' with that thought and with how his face shows despondency, she huffed at the way her thoughts is going - which is inevitable - she realized.

"Fine. I am giving you my word, right now, that I will come with you to that ball and meet your grandmother, if, you will lend a hand here, at my store, for a week without pay, with anything within your capabilities. Happy now?" With what she said, Lucas beamed at her, 'Good heavens! He have a wonderful smile' she thought. Good thing she is sitting, otherwise, she will crumple on the floor. She willed herself not to show her amazement with his smile and put on a blank face.

---

Lucas can't contain the smile on his face. He cannot quite believe that Claire agreed on his terms. He didn't caught himself in time when he suddenly called her sweetheart, and he thought she didn't catch it as well for she didn't reprimand him for his slip. So he simply said his gratitude.

"Thank you Claire, for agreeing. I will go back today in Manhattan to settle everything since I will be gone for a week from my company. But I will come back this Saturday to start my work, and it will end by Friday afternoon. Is it okay with you? Or do you have other specification?" Lucas stated in which Claire only answered with a simple 'no'.

"Well then, I'll see you Saturday Claire. Have a nice day." With that he stood and turned to leave. He was at about to close the door when he heard her uttered something.

"Drive safely, Lucas."

---

Claire was feeling confused after Lucas left. She is asking herself if what she did is correct or will it lead her to her doom?

A knock on the door cut her train of thoughts. Bea's face came in between the door and the frame. She smiled when she saw she was alone.

"I thought your visitor is still here." Bea said slightly teasing.

"He already left. What brought you here? Is there something wrong downstairs?" She asked worriedly.

Although Bea or Beatriz isn't really her employee for she only help every now and then, she trusts her fully and she is like a sister to her as well. With a straight jet black hair paired with dark eyes and long lashes, high cheek bones, a slim figure, stands at five feet eight inches and with a tanned, natural skin, she is beautiful in an exotic kind of way. She had known her for almost a year and she had proven herself that she can be trusted. Eventhough a year older, they became fast friends, they met when she bought a book from her and asked if she can apply as a part timer in which she happily agreed.

Bea cleared her throat first and fidgeted with her hands.

"Please seat Bea, for I am afraid that you might fall." Claire said after noticing her nervousness.

"Claire, I just want to ask if you can clear my schedule this Saturday, I needed the day off since I have to move out of my apartment. I did not renew the lease anymore and you know why." Bea stated her reasons with a forlorn expression.

Yes, she knows she's been having some difficulty with her place and it is also a bit far from here.

"Sure, you can have the day off. I can have someone replace you for that day. Where will you move?"

"That is another of my predicament. I cannot find a suitable place where everything meets my taste. It is either too loud, too small, too big for me or too far from here." Bea answered truthfully.

Claire thought for sometime when an idea struck her.

"I think I know a place that is suitable for your preference. I will ask the owner if it is okay for occupancy. Meanwhile, just go back to the floor and I will find you once I talked to the owner. Okay?" She said that made Bea smile in wonderment.

"Oh, thank you Claire. I hope it is available, and that it will be to my liking. I also wish that the owner is not like my previous one. Anyway, I'll go back downstairs. Thanks again Claire, you're an angel." She said her gratitude with happiness on her dark eyes then left her office.

She then promptly called Ollie, her brother to ask about the apartment. He answered by the third ring.

"Claire, is everything okay?" Oliver asked from the other end.

"Everything's fine Ollie, do not fret. How's your fight? Did you win?" She asked consecutively.

"Yes I did." Elated by the news, she hurriedly congratulated him.

"Why did you call?" Oliver asked thereafter.

"Can't I not call you if I miss talking to you?" She answered that he replied with a scoff.

"We both know that is not true and you're a bad liar." Oliver countered her reply.

"You make me look like a bad person, Ollie and it hurts me." Claire answered with a pout eventhough Oliver cannot see it and she knows he is only teasing her.

"Alright, I'm sorry for my insensitive comment with regards to your personality." He said apologetically then continued after sometime. "But really Claire, what is the reason behind your call?"

"I just want to ask if the apartment beside your place is still available."

"You are the one managing the place for me, why are you asking me?" Oliver answered with slight annoyance.

"Well, duh, you own it. Maybe you already reserved the place to someone without my knowledge. I don't want to risk refering that place to my friend without making sure that it is empty and available." She explained lenghtly.

"Yes it is empty and available and I did not reserved it to anyone. Nobody that I know needs a new place to live. Who is this friend of yours? Do I know her or him?" At the word him, an edginess came with his tone.

"My friend is a she okay, no need to send for the cavalry. Her name is Beatriz but we call her Bea, and no, I don't believe you met her yet. But mom knows her, she's been a part-timer here at the store for a year now. So, it is okay, right? I can give it to her as a rental?" Claire ranted in lenght.

"Yes, you can. Give her the same rules and regulation, okay? She is not exempted with it despite the fact that she is your friend, is it clear?" Oliver emphasized.

"Crystal." She replied with a smile. "Thanks Ollie, take care of yourself, okay?" She said solemnly afterwards.

"Welcome Claire-bear. Tell mom I will call her tomorrow and don't hesitate to call when something came up."

"Yes sir!" She answered exuberantly especially because he called her by the pet name he had given her when they were still small. Then they cut the call.

She stood and went downstairs to look for Bea who had been so happy and excited that she now have a new place to live.

'At least someone I know is having a good day today.' She thought to herself.

---

Saturday came and Lucas is now driving back to Claire's town. He cannot forget how Alessa radiated with happiness when he told her that her daughter already agreed with his plan. Speaking of Claire, she is scowling at him when she opened the door. Alessa once again offered for him to stay at their home while he is helping at the store, which he thinks his wife is not happy about.

"You can use the same room that you occupied before. Just go up and unpack your things if you want, I will wait for you to finish and we will go to the store together." Claire informed him still with furrowed brows.

He can only nod since Claire left him at the doorway. He went straight up to the room and unpack his things, he only packed light since he will not be staying longer than a week, so he finished right away.

When he went down, Claire is patiently waiting for him at the living room while watching a TV show. She immediately stood when she saw him and motioned for him to follow her.

When he saw that she is going towards her car, he suggested for them to take his car instead of bringing two, where she only replied with a raised brow. He can only sigh to her nonchalance attitude.

They parked at the designated area for employees beside the bookstore. Claire immediately ushered him towards the back door and into the staff room where she showed him his locker and gave him a shirt with the store's logo.

"Come in front once you finished changing and I will tell you your work for today." He heard her say before leaving him.

He quickly changed and went out front. Claire brought him into the storage room where boxes of different books are located. She faced him and straightaway instructed him his chores.

"Now, you will bring this boxes out front into its designated aisle, somebody will put them into the shelves, you only have to transport them. Got it?"

"Wait..you mean I will do the labor today?" He asked in puzzlement which Claire promptly answered him. "Yes, is there a problem?"

"I thought, you will only give me an office work, like doing your books or something." He tried to excuse himself of the task but the lady is adamant.

"Our agreement clearly states that you will do any task here within your capabilities." When he nodded, she added, "Then, it will not be difficult for you to do it. I know you are regularly exercising at the gym, so I'm sure you can transport these boxes from here to outside without too much exertion." She said to him like a dare. Since he is someone who is not backing out of a challenge, big or small, he did what she instructed.

It took him several times to bring out all the boxes from the storage room to its designated aisle. When she saw her watching him with a slight smirk, he then realized that the woman - his wife - gave him this chore to piss him off and to make his life this week a living hell.

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Lol!!! Lucas as a porter? You think Claire is too much?

Please comment your insights about this chapter. Don't forget to vote as well.

Thank you for reading!

-blue