Facade Love: Marrying A Perfect Husband

What kind of peace did the woman wish for?

Cleo had never seen a former partner who can rekindle their relationship well, after a breakup that destroyed the taste and beauty of their relationship at the beginning.

Aretta was certainly too open-minded and distant.

Until Cleo saw a flash of anger flashed from Harry's eyes when he saw her. Cleo felt the chills down her spine. Chose to take a few steps to go backward.

Harry who was aware of her step, immediately held her. Made her unable to move to stop in her first step and then went back to where she was at the beginning. Cleo looked at him confusedly. 

Felt the man's hand shaking when he touched her hand.

Cleo didn't dare to say anything. Because she knew that Harry's current feelings must be vacillating between the painful memories of his past and the feeling of not accepting her now. 

Cleo really wanted to help the man to rise from all his wounds. And gave him deep peace, hoping that the pain would go away.

Harry had already issued his final statement to Aretta.

"I think I already know what you want and I can't take it. You should be grateful that I am still willing to work with your company regardless of who works in it. I don't want to have any kind of relationship with you. So don't expect anything. And you don't have to say anything that makes me feel sick. Let's end this conversation here," said Harry quickly and calmly.

Harry then looked at Cleo. Pulled her along with him. 

Cleo just followed him from behind. She felt Harry was pulling her hard enough, but she didn't dare stop him or say anything.

Harry had just let go of Cleo's hand when they had come all the way out of Aretta's office. They were now waiting for their driver. Because before that Harry had already called someone to pick them up as soon as possible. Harry then realized that Cleo's hand was slightly bruised because he was gripping her hand tightly without realizing it.

Harry looked at Cleo seriously. Felt quite guilty and worried about it. Harry then asked her.

"Are you hurt?" asked Harry while still looking straight at Cleo along with the bruises he had caused.

Cleo had covered the wound with her other hand.

"It is okay. Just a little bruised because it's not usually to be gripped. You don't have to worry about it," Cleo exclaimed, tried not to make a big deal out of it.

Harry kept looking at her worriedly.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. And I didn't realize I was gripping your hand so tightly. Do we need to go to the hospital?" Harry asked with all his anger which now turned into an overabundance of the worry out of nowhere.

Cleo was confused half to death.

"What? Hospital?" Cleo asked a little worried and doubtful about her own hearing.

"Are you not wrong?" Cleo repeated.

Harry nodded spontaneously.

"Of course. Why not?" Harry asked back. And he immediately made Cleo unable to reply with normal words.

"Do you think my hand hurt so much? Why are we going to the hospital when I'm only hurt by your strong grip!? Do you want to make fun of me?" Cleo quipped.

Harry just stared at Cleo in surprise.

"Why am I making fun of you? When did I do that?" asked Harry who did not understand why his actions were always treated differently by Cleo. Yet he had been very kind to her.

Anxious to the point of wanting to treat her if she was injured. Was it wrong?

Cleo then glanced at Harry briefly and asked.

"Are you okay?" Cleo asked as if she had déjà vu. Cleo was sure she had asked Harry this before.

Harry then glanced at her slightly.

He knew that Cleo was also worried about him. Harry smiled slightly at her. Felt a little flowery when for the first time someone he cared about was also paying attention to him, except his family.

Harry answered the question gently while he was looking warmly at Cleo.

"At first, it might be difficult. But now I'm fine. But I can't deny that the pain is still there when I think back on it. But, I can confirm now that I'm fine." 

Harry tried to reassure Cleo and said what he believed.

Because Aretta didn't have as much influence on him as before. And Harry's trust in her had thinned to near zero. Harry was only willing to budge a little to accept her to be a part of his business partner just for a business tolerance. 

Which can well separate work from hatred. Until his feelings which still didn't want to accept her bad character. 

So, should Harry have pointed out emphatically that the woman had no influence on him?

"Thank goodness, if you are fine now. But just tell me anything if you need support and a friend to confide in because I will be there to help you and listen to you. Think of this as an added bonus to our agreement contract. We seem to be getting closer together lately, aren't we that?"

Cleo teased Harry on purpose to lighten the tense atmosphere that had enveloped them. Felt the wound was not serious and they still had time until their pick-up car arrived.

Cleo took Harry somewhere.

"How about while waiting, we go somewhere. There seems to be an interesting place around here. If I'm not mistaken," Cleo wasn't really sure that Harry would want to follow her.

But she wants to offer an alternative.

And then surprisingly! 

Harry accepted the invitation with open arms as well as good spirits. They then walked around the shops near the office complex. And Cleo did not expect that her invitation would lead to his long regrets.

Had seen several people staring at them with fascinated eyes and envious faces. Cleo knew which direction those gazes were directed and centered. 

Many people couldn't resist Harry's charm.

So that Cleo was rendered helpless to keep up with their stares. Harry who didn't realize that, stared in wonder at Cleo.

"Is there something you're thinking about?" Harry asked of unable to read the meaning of Cleo's expression.

Cleo had glanced at him a little and knew that the man was completely unaware that his good looks had hypnotized many people.

Cleo laughed at the question. While Harry became more curious.

"What are you really thinking about?" he asked, he repeated the same question.

Cleo held back her amusement.

"Nothing. I'm just amazed to see everyone staring at you. I think many of them are willing to take my position," Cleo said casually and didn't mean it seriously.

Harry looked around and looked back at Cleo. Harry had a very serious expression on his face.

"You  are willing to have them replace you?" Harry asked with great curiosity as well as trepidation. Cleo responded to the question with a frown on her forehead.

"Why should I not be willing and object?" asked Cleo, "Didn't I do never give you a limit for freely in choice?"

Harry stared intently at Cleo's face. Tried to read every expression she showed.

"What if I object?" Harry asked.

Cleo stare at him even more, "What kind of objection do you mean?" 

Harry then sighed.

"Your brain! About your shallow brain that never progresses every time you spend your days with me. You seem to have to upgrade it often!" 

Harry felt half annoyed and tired.

Didn't know what to say anymore and didn't understand why Cleo could never read the code from him. Harry seemed to always have to be extra patient to deal with her.

Cleo looked at him in annoyance.

"Were you just time mocking me?" said Cleo displeased.

"I was not mocking you!" Harry chimed in.

"I'm just telling the truth. I think your brain really needs an upgrade!" Harry added.

Cleo finally became sulky. While Harry laughs out loud.

Harry then asked, "What are we going to do here?"

Cleo thought for a moment.

"Just to take a look and also refreshing? And I sure that you certainly won't feel a loss," Cleo stated her goal.

Then looked at Harry again, "Isn't your brain tired?"

Harry answered hesitantly.

"Yes. But I'm not a woman who likes to see all the knick-knacks to relieve stress. And normal men don't usually do this!"

Cleo smiled.

"So you are now confidently saying that you are a man?" quipped Cleo on purpose.

Harry usually didn't care what people thought. But this time he confidently said that he really was a man and not the abnormal man that people often talked about in the rumors.

Cleo laughed amused at the thought of her joke.

Until Harry finally chose to come closer.

"Of course. Why not? You want me to prove it?" Harry asked while he drew himself closer and closer.

Cleo immediately became a stance.

"What are you doing? Don't start trying to fish in murky water! Maintain a distance! Okay?!" threatened Cleo.

She felt that Harry seemed to be getting more and more shameless. So that, did he take the wrong medicine?

Cleo hastily evaded by entering one of the shops selling lots of unique and cute items. She stopped in her tracks when she wasn't sure to enter after finding something was holding her back.

Harry asked her.

"Why did you stop? Won't you come in?" asked Harry.

Cleo replied while turning her body.

"I'm not sure if you want to come in. Shall we go to another shop?" Cleo offering another solution.

  ***