CHAPTER 23: SEEING HIM AGAIN

The smile disappeared from her lips. She avoided looking at him.

"Y-you don't know him," She lied.

"Then introduce me to him. Is he going home to Olongapo with you?" He did not stop at questioning her.

"No because he will never know," she replied evasively.

"Why? Does the man responsible for that already have a family?" He was more serious asking her that.

She knew that he would not think of Clayton as the father because Red doesn't know yet that his brother is already cured. Red had no idea that Clayton was completely healed because of her.

"Y-yes. He's married," She agreed with what he said because it seemed to look like that once Clayton is married to Faith.

He thought about it deeply before speaking again.

"What if we get married? I'm willing to take the responsibility to become the father of your child," he suddenly said.

She was surprised by his offer. She did not expect that from him.

"I know you'll think I'm just going to use you to cover up my gender to my brother but I just want to help too. I also want to have a child that we both know is unlikely to happen. I also want someone to use my last name. I want give it to you and your future child. We will live in the US. I will take you there with your mother. I know Mike will also agree with our set-up." He held her hand tightly.

She shook her head. Everything will be more complicated when that happens. What she wants is to stay away from Clayton forever and that means she also has to cut off her connection with Red even if she doesn't want to.

"Just think about it, Sam. Decide for your baby. Don't you want to give your child a complete family? Mike and I will be his or her daddy," he said with a smile.

Her eyes dimmed as she stared at the man. If the situation was different, she might accept the offer. She was determined to leave the life of the siblings forever. She was contented with the memories she would have of them through the child she was carrying in her womb.

"Thanks, Red, but I can't accept your offer," she sadly declined.

"Don't say no yet. I want you to think it over," Red said reluctantly.

She knew that it would be like hoping for a miracle to hope that Clayton would still call her or go to their house and say he couldn't afford to lose her in his life.

She wished that he will say that he loves her and that she will marry her and not Faith. She's probably going to be the happiest woman in the world if that happens. But she realized that even if she would stare at her phone the whole day and night, Clayton will never call her to say those words.

She has been quietly crying every night since she stopped working at his company. She only stops when she remembers she has a child to think about. She calms herself when she touches her womb.

Red's birthday.

He said it's not going to be a party. He said they would just have a little family dinner at home and the only guests would be her and Faith. She wanted to back out but she knew Red would be upset if she changed her mind.

She didn't know how she was going to deal with Clayton again. There was this longing in her heart to see the man again but there was also the pain especially since she will also see Faith, the woman he loves and wants to marry.

She said goodbye to her mother. Red would pick her up that night. He went inside their house first to give the food that he had brought with him to her mother.

He also invited her but her mother just refused politely.

Her mother thanked Red after she greeted the man with a happy birthday. Red personally asked for her mother's permission to bring her to their house for his birthday dinner.

She was simply wearing a white dress. She wore what she was used to wearing before. She knew she looked like she was going to church wearing that but she decided to wear that kind of dress. She didn't want others to notice her baby bump as much as she had already started to notice it as well.

"Happy Birthday," she greeted him and handed him a small gift before he could start the car.

"Thank you but you shouldn't have bought me a gift," he replied smiling.

She was a bit emotional because she knew this will be the last time that she would see Red.

Next week, she and her mother will leave to return to Olongapo.

She was nervous when Red finally stopped the car in front of their house. He guided her inside the house.

Suddenly the memory of her and Clayton in that house came back to her. She wanted to cry. This will also be the last time that she would see the man she loves.

She clung to Red's arm as they walked. Her heartbeat seemed to stop immediately when she met Clayton's eyes. He was sitting on the sofa and Faith was next to him. Their eyes locked for a few seconds.

"Happy Birthday, Red!" only then did their eyes part when they heard Faith's voice.

The woman stood up and approached Red and kissed him on the cheek. She removed her arm from Red's grip.

"Thank you, Faith," Red said smiling.

She saw Clayton approach them as well and patted Red's shoulder and then hugged him.

"Happy Birthday, bro!" his greeting to his brother.

"Thanks, bro!" Red also returned his brother's hug.

"Okay, guys! Enough with the drama. Let's eat. I brought your favorite food, Red," Faith held the man immediately.

Red turned to her and just smiled at her to tell her not to worry because Faith had already led him to the dining room. She just nodded at him.

It was just her and Clayton awkwardly standing there.

"How are you?" He was the first to speak as he accompanied her walking.

"I'm... okay," she replied sparingly.

No one ever speak again until they reached the dining room.

Faith was already sitting there while Red was standing next to a chair. He was waiting for her to sit there. She immediately sat down and then Red sat next to her. Clayton sat down next to Faith.

Faith and Red talked a lot while they eat. They told them stories on the day Faith flew to the U. S. from London. Faith had only been in the U. S. for a few months before Red arrived there.

Occasionally Clayton also joined the conversation. She felt that she was the only one who doesn't belong there.

"Do you want this?" Red asked her as he handed over the salad as she didn't say a word since they were in the dining room.

"It's okay," she replied shyly as Faith and Clayton were already looking at them as well.

"You should eat a lot of this for your b-" Red's mouth would have dropped the bomb about her getting pregnant if she hadn't squeezed his arm.

"Your brother is so sweet. Why aren't you so sweet to me now, huh, Clay?" Faith noticed and she turned her gaze to Clayton who was silent.

She and Clayton looked at each other again. She saw his forehead begin to wrinkle again as he looked at them.

"Did you have a girlfriend when we broke up?" Faith asked doubtfully even if it was just a joke.

The man just laughed softly and resumed eating.

"By the way, I just want to know if you've set your wedding date again?" Red suddenly asked.

She didn't want to hear the details about it because she might not be able to stop herself from crying in front of them.

Smiling, Faith turned to Clayton who was speechless.

"I don't know about your brother. He's not even courting me again. Maybe, he wants me to make the first move," Faith said.

They were both surprised to hear it, Red and her.

The two haven't gotten back together yet?