You'll Fall For Me, Today or tomorrow

Clarissa started preparing the food for Matthew’s birthday party a few days in advance.

She did not know how many people would come, or whether Matthew would invite his best buddies. Either way, eight dishes should do it. She had even gotten some wine ready. It was more than enough even if it was just the two of them.

Of course, if it really was just the two of them, she could prepare the candles early on. She had never done a candlelight dinner before, but she was sure it would go really well with her cooking.

Matthew’s birthday was on Friday. He still had to go to work that day.

Usually, Clarissa would sleep in until nine or ten in the morning, but on that day, she had quietly set an alarm. While Matthew was off on his morning run, she got out of bed and went to make pasta.

Every year for Clarissa’s birthday, her grandmother would make her tagliatelle in the morning.

It had become a habit, and Clarissa figured that this was how it should be for birthdays.

When Matthew came back from his run, Clarissa, donned in an apron, was already waiting for him at the kitchen door, a broad grin plastered on her face.

“Happy birthday, dear Uncle Matthew.”

Matthew’s lips curved upwards into a smirk. He moved closer to her, pinched her on the chin, and gently pecked her on the lips.

“Yes. Very happy, indeed.”

With a pretty lady like you by my side every day, how can I not be happy?

Clarissa giggled, hands on Matthew’s chest, coyly rejecting his invitation to a deep kiss. “No, we’re not having that,” she said. “Go take a shower, change your clothes, and then come down for pasta.”

“Pasta?”

Clarissa smiled at him. “Yes, I’m making tagliatelle. Should be almost done.”

She slipped into the kitchen, ready to boil the tagliatelle strips which she had made from pasta dough that morning. Clarissa seldom made her own pasta, so she had no idea how it would turn out.

Matthew chuckled softly and headed upstairs to shower.

Sometime later, when he got downstairs, Clarissa came out with a bowl of pasta in her hands. She seemed quite excited. She walked over to him, held his hand, led him to his seat, and then handed him a fork.

“Go on. Take a big bite.”

Using the fork, he spun the tagliatelle until it resembled a giant ball before popping it into his mouth. Under his lover’s gaze, he chewed with all his might and eventually swallowed everything.

Fortunately, the amount of pasta he had gathered in one mouthful was not too big. Otherwise, he would have made a pig of himself.

“Haha… That’s wonderful, Uncle Matthew. Happy birthday! This is my gift to you.”

Clarissa wished him a happy birthday again. At the same time, from behind her, she revealed the tie which she got for him as a present.

Matthew arched his brows while Clarissa beamed at him. “Shall I put it on for you?” she offered.

“Sure.”

it with the present. Her technique was clumsy, and the end product did not look very nice, but

this was

of Matthew, admiring her handiwork with great satisfaction as it

lover. Pride and smugness were written all over his face. He looked so

the woman’s waist, allowing their bodies to get closer. Clarissa smiled skittishly as she

“What’s this?”

“Are you

was indeed happy. She felt that the tie around his neck meant that he was currently

her hand stroking Matthew’s

“Of course. That’s because…”

of what, she

on tiptoe, she wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered

tied down by

into Matthew’s dark eyes—one twinkling with glee, the

he kissed the woman heavily on the lips. As they were entangled in

registered some sounds coming from the kitchen. It was only

Matthew away, whispering shyly, “Mrs. Lawson’s still here. You should sit down for breakfast. I’ll have dinner ready In the evening, so you better leave some room for that and

was a given that Matthew had to celebrate his birthday with

Matthew had told her. What he failed to mention was that his mother would be in charge of

other words, he would have to stay at the Tyson residence for some time before coming back

was the reason why Clarissa

the lips again before leaving the

off, Clarissa got herself

baking supplies. This was her first time

to do

her newly beaten cream and, confident that the third time would be the charm, she started doing it all over

Tyson residence, where she was welcomed by a lively setup. She gaped in confusion

Uncle Matt’s birthday, not some anniversary! You’re literally putting on a show by

like they had their work cut out for

laughed it off. “Ellie, this is nothing. It’s just a birthday

turned stone-cold upon

sort of ‘friends’ her

looked over to her mother who

you have planned, pigs will fly! He’s not going to like this,

How could you talk to your

who overheard her

you’ve been acting so

party for your Uncle Matt, what’s so wrong with that? Who

She was doing the best she could so that her son could get married one day. But her son

upon receiving her mother’s sharp,

own good, but

perspective. They had never considered what he wanted. Most importantly, the family’s obsession with privileges and ‘good matches’ was the reason why the romance between Uncle Matt and Clare could