You'll Fall For Me, Today or tomorrow

Hilary remained distracted and had little to contribute to their banter.

Though that was how she had always been in front of outsiders, Yvonne did not particularly appreciate her speaking in front of them.

She secretly despised Hilary, and would rather that the latter kept her mouth shut, especially in front of her own fiancé.

Hence no one found Hilary’s silence unusual.

When she got home, Hilary stayed in the room by herself and sifted through her smartphone for information on Shermaine. The more she saw, the more her mood devolved. She went on to look up on James Smallwood and immediately knew that it was him.

Hilary understood now why she had found Shermaine awfully familiar and even took an instant liking to her.

She began to sob uncontrollably away in the washroom with the showers left running so that no one could hear her and continued this way for some time.

By the time Zach entered the room, Hilary was already fast asleep.

Or rather, she pretended to be asleep, as she was worried that Zach might notice something amiss.

The next morning while Zach was away at the office, she immediately called up Clarissa.

Clarissa was a little miffed that her mother has asked to meet. There was a chill in the air which encroached upon her skin, so she would rather sleep in.

“What’s so important that we’ve to do this so early, Mom?”

Hilary’s words were almost upon her own lips before she swallowed them back down. She opted to adopt a more measured and casual approach.

“Early, you say? Is this your daily routine? What kind of work are you doing that doesn’t pay and leaves you so undisciplined? Look at how hard everyone else is hustling. You aren’t bad looking so even if you don’t want to work, you should put in a little effort to doll yourself up when you go out.”

Clarissa laughed a little, only to patronize her mother.

“Why aren’t you talking?”

“Your observations are spot-on, Mom. I’m not able to defend myself!”

“You know, I’m this close to giving up on you, girl.”

You had never cared about me that much anyway.

That was what Clarissa thought. Hilary paused before she asked, “Remember that we’ve met Shermaine last time? Do you know her? I really like her, so do you think you could introduce us?”

“Huh?”

Clarissa’s brows perked up. “I don’t really know her as we operate in different social circles. I’ve only interacted with her back then because she’s a friend of my classmate.”

“I see. That makes sense.”

mildly disappointed, yet oddly

become a

to explain this? I just enjoyed one of her movies that I’ve

but is it necessary to try to reach out to her? Haven’t you have anything better to do recently than

ever going to meet anyone when you’re holed up in the house with your so-called essays. You’ll be turning thirty soon. At this rate, you could

An awkward silence ensued.

have slapped herself if

her own mouth for saying all the wrong things at

resolve to speak less

is getting colder, so I should be heading back to spend winter in W City. Probably be back next year. Got a deadline to meet so I really should get back to it.

only because she did not understand that

she left Hilary, Clarissa did not return to Zen Highlands, but

office once or twice a week. She was practically like a junior employee who needed supervision. Mandy in particular had constantly pressed her for updates to her works, amongst all the other things

of her writings herself with an insatiable

so that she had to have snacks at the ready with which to pacify Mandy so that she may be

assistants to Yael. They were able to bring in more sources of income in the form

you posting new chapters? Even if you write only a thousand words a day, you should

spoke as she stuffed her own mouth with the pastries that

this by now. “Alright, you do whatever you have to do. I’ll send them to you as

“You’re an evil mistress.”

not yet

that she might run with that and have

a boyfriend and are cohabiting with him, what else would that

and tone left Clarissa red

teasing me now? Aren’t

“Oh, I’m so scared!”

the office. “Mandy’s right. You should finish up whatever articles you have on hand soon, cause that’s what the production company is keen on. There are also a few more requests for you to do some screenwriting. It would be better to step it up before the end of the year, or we won’t be able to hand these guys

“What?”

that she would not only need to avoid speaking but

she had on her mind was idling and

say you want to earn more to make rent? How is this lackadaisical attitude going

immediately. “I’ll get down to writing

thought of the rental brought her focus back. She wished she had more arms

been underutilized all this time. You should get

mean like right

“Yes, now. Questions?”

“Nope. None at all.”

It was really quiet once

like, why’s she even working so hard? I’d do absolutely nothing were I in her shoes. I’d fly to

know about Matthew before, it would be

going through all these