LOVE AND TREASURE | ❝I still love you, Ben after all this time apart.❞
━ IN WHICH Clara Bass is pulled back into the world of treasure hunting through her ex-boyfriend and this a new love grows between them.
| Clara Bass' Standalone Book
| Clara Bas...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
▌Chapter 1 ─ The Treasure ▌
━━━━━ THE SUN FILLED Clara Bass's apartment as she sat in one of her chairs looking over the essay's her students had written for history class. The blonde had decided that she needed the day off so she could catch up on grades before the midterms came up.
Benjamin Gates stood outside the apartment building thinking of ways to tell the woman he loved that he had found another clue, that he needed her help, and that he needed her to come with him and his new partner.
The truth was simply, Ben Gates hadn't seen Clara Bass since she ended their relationship six years ago. They hadn't contacted each other since, while Ben would visit her place of work to see her teach.
He knew that she kept in touch with both of his parents who loved her and were sad to see her go but didn't blame her. He took a deep breath, then released it moving up the steps of the building he came to a stop in front of the door.
Ben looked over at the buttons where numbers to a specific apartment rested. Ben scanned the names until he came upon Clara's name, pressing down on the button he listened to the ring waiting for a response.
The blonde looked up from her papers, at the ring, throwing the pen on the papers she stood up placing the papers on the chair. Then she turned around walking over to the speaker at which she could talk through. Lifting her hand up she pressed her finger down on the button pressing on it.
"Hello?" She questioned, not sure who would be on the end of the speaker.
"Hi Clara. It's me, Ben." The familiar voice spoke, causing the blonde woman to groan.
She looked down at her feet, knowing exactly why he was here, a part of her wanted to let the love of her life in and attack him with a hug. But at the same time she wanted to yell at him for ruining fourteen years of her life.
"What do you want, Benjamin?" Clara questioned, turning to look at the pictures that rested on the mantle. She never brought herself to throw away the pictures of her and Ben, the ones she had kept were the good memories, and those were worth keeping.
"Clara, look, I need to talk to you. It's important." Ben said, hoping she would let him in to talk.
"You have ten minutes. Come on up." With those words she buzzed Ben in.
Ben smiled, opening the door and running up the steps towards Clara's apartment. The apartment used to be theirs, they shared it and when they broke up Ben had left because she loved the size of the apartment.
Clara walked towards the door, unlocking it and opening it she leaned against the door as Ben came up the steps turning with the railing, a smile fell onto his face as he looked towards Clara.
"Seriously Benjamin, why are you here?" Clara asked as he walked into the apartment.
She closed the door, leaning her head against the door. Even though she hadn't seen him in fourteen years she could never get him out of her head.
"I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence." Ben informed her, catching the blonde haired woman off guard.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Clara asked, turning around to look at Ben. He watched confusion fall onto her face, as she stared at him.
"Some very bad people are going to steal the Declaration of Independence, so I'm going to steal it before they get a chance too." Ben informed her, turning slightly scanning the small apartment.
His eyes landed on the mantle that had numerous picture frames, he walked away from her heading towards one that was on the edge. It was one of the first pictures that they had taken together, the date on the side of it.
"You still have these?" Ben asked, looking over at Clara.
"They're the good memories, the ones I couldn't throw away." Clara said, walking over to the couch and sitting on it, still looking at her ex-boyfriend. "So, why do you need to steal the Declaration of Independence?" Clara asked, watching as Ben placed the picture back down and walked over to her sitting down next to her.
Ben looked at her, staring into her bright blue eyes. They were one of his favorite things he loved about her.
"There's a clue on the back of the Deceleration and if we can get it and decipher it we can hopefully find that treasure." Ben explained to her.
Clara stood up from the couch pacing back and forth, memories of their clue heist had been what ended their relationship. She had realized that it had all been lies and like Ben's father she didn't want to waste her life on the lies.
"Why did you need to tell me all this, Ben?" Clara asked, stopping in her tracks to look at the man. Ben only laughed nervously, not sure how to tell her that he wanted her to come with him and Riley, who she hadn't meant. "Oh my god, no it's not happening. I have classes to teach and work to do." Clara said firmly, looking down at the man.
Ben sighed picking himself off the couch, walking over to her he grasped her hands something he hadn't done in a long time.
"Clara, please. I need your help with this. I wouldn't come to you if I didn't think we would find the treasure." Ben said, placing a soft smile on his face.
The blonde sighed looking down at their hands. It was something she missed more than anything and maybe this would be the thing that would bring them back together.
"Let me grab my shoes."
With those words the blonde walked out of the living room towards her bedroom to grab her shoes, along with her black leather jacket. While she had missed the thrill of searching for clues, she missed Ben. A part of her hoped that this treasure hunt would re-spark the chemistry that they already shared with each other.
