Misstaken ✓ | #Wattys2019

22. c l e o

hey! i realized i have never actually talked to my readers bc i thought it might ruin the flow of my writing, but yes popping in to say there's a human here! ☺️

you guys are honestly the sweetest! i LOVE seeing your comments, it makes the writing so much more fun 💓  ps i love exchanging books so leave a comment here if u want me to check your book out too!!

love u & cherish u loads, have a great day!

***

Against my better judgement, out of everyone in this world, I decided to seek comfort and advice from none other than Cleo herself.

I didn't know what to expect when she walked in. The last time we had seen each other, she wasn't in her best condition. And she had revealed that she had liked Nick all this while. I was worried things would be awkward between us, and consist of hatred, even. However, she came in looking as strong as ever.

"I'm a disaster." I said openly.

"Hi, disaster." She strut in, tossing her shopping bag to the side. She sat down on the chair, and then surveyed her surroundings.

"I heard that you haven't even been using this penthouse very much. I regret taking so much time to negotiate this deal, then. You know, it was a fight between Kendall Jenner and I for this place."

"I— I'm —"

"Sorry?" She predicted my next words. "For what? Sorry that Nick liked you? Nah, hun. It's his loss."

I had to say I admired the strength in the girl. "Are you over him?" I asked.

She looked into the distance. "Not yet. It'll take a while, but I'm getting there, I think. I mean, obviously it isn't easy to just abandon a ten-year crush like that. I used to see him every day, and know everything about him. But that's okay, because I know this is right. Plus, I can tell he's happy with you."

She turned to me, a smile twitching on her face. "I've never seen him grin as widely as he has with you. At first, I was so angry because I thought you agreed to the deal to seduce him, and I couldn't believe I lost to someone who played tricks. But if you were sincere, then I'm glad that Nick found someone he liked to help him through this dark period in his life."

I blinked. Frankly, I wasn't expecting this. Thankful, I responded from the bottom of my heart.

"Well, he already had someone else too. He had you."

Cleo smiled and looked down a little, her golden locks falling to her face. "Is Emma Trinket really giving a compliment? Wow, they were right. Love changes things."

I laughed. "Well, I have to admit that my perspectives have changed a little. Maybe the elites aren't always obnoxious. And I think I've opened up more, I realized that other people can really be of help."

"Wow, congratulations." Cleo mocked. Next, she kicked her legs up onto my table, no doubt paying me back in my own coin. I had done the same to her in her office the first time we met. "I'm glad that I quit, anyway. It gave me some time to myself, for once. For ten years I have dedicated every moment to the Sheldons. The past week, I could finally do other things. Spas, manicures, even things like friends; not just people who were my colleagues, or other elites I had to take care of on behalf of the royalty. And I even found a new hobby -- art appreciation. I found out why I always made a point to decorate the Sheldons' homes and HQ with artworks. I didn't even know I had an interest in it all this while."

I grinned. "That's great, Cleo." I was genuinely happy for the girl. She said she had started working for them at a tender age. She may have been enviably wealthy after working for them, but she didn't really get to have a life outside of her job.