UNLOVED: sometimes Love is hidden behind hatered

Clarissa's POV.

"Pim pimmm" the car behind me horned, the traffic lights had turned green, and it was time for me to move, but I guess I got carried away by my own thoughts again. Despite leaving East Delva eight years ago, few months after I clocked Twenty, my past and pains still hunted me once in a while, and I guess today was one of those day.

On my way to the office, I saw a little kid, being walked to school by her mom. Something I never got to enjoy as a kid, but I guess I was above that. Life happened and I had to move on. I didn't want to think about my past, it only made me have a bad day.

Immediately I came down from my car, I handed over my car keys to my driver to park the car at the parking lot. He couldn't drive me to the office today, because I just wanted to be on my own, I didn't feel so good. I guess it's what some people say 'waking up on the wrong side of the bed'.

As I walked into the building, as usual everyone began to comport themselves, honestly I wasn't ready for any bullshit today.

"Good morning ma'am." Jasmine greeted while running to catch-up with me as I walked towards the elevators.

"Good morning Jasmine. What's my schedule for today?" I asked taking the cup of coffee she handed to me.

"You have your first meeting with the Delacosta Coffee shop by 9am, followed by the CoffeeCo Enterprise by 12pm. By 2pm you have a virtual meeting with the coffee seed suppliers from Saudi and finally the meeting with the company farmers by 3:30pm".

"All right Jasmine. Get me the Delacosta documents and contract so I can review it in my office". I guess I was going to have a long day after all, so I had to start from somewhere.

Finally I got into my office, and as usual I had my prayers, but before I started working, my mind flashed back to the little kid I saw earlier with her mom. I stood up from my chair, holding the cup of coffee in my right hand and went to my office balcony to get some fresh air. The view of Salva from my office balcony was so sorting and relaxing.

As I continued staring into the blank space and letting my mind roam around, the sound of my office Telecom brought me back to reality.

"Sorry ma'am, its your Dad, he said his been trying to reach you, but you haven't been picking his calls or replying his text messages, should I connect him to you? Jasmine asked from her own end.

"Why...what....for God's sake Jasmine!!!!!. You know what? just tell him I'll call him myself" I said as I hung up.

I wondered what Pàpà had to tell me that was so urgent for him to buzz my phone and call my office Telecom. At this point if I really wanted to have my peace, then I guess I had to call him.

" Hello Pàpá" I said in a grumpy tone.

"Someone doesn't seem happy talking to her father, and I guess finally you decided to speak to me, I almost thought you didn't remember you had a Father again".

" Pàpà am sure you didn't go through all this stress of calling me just to tell me of how bad of a daughter I've been. Besides, whatever form of daughterly love you want, I guess you can get it from your Precious daughter, Eloise" I said with the double quotation finger sign.

Eloise was my Half-sister, she was the daughter of my dad's wife, after the incident with my mother... sorry the woman that gave birth to me. I definitely learnt the difference the hard way. While growing up as a child, without my biological mother in the picture, I didn't have a nice relationship with my Stepmother Claudia, and my half-sister. And later on they began to manipulate my dad and this brought the friction my dad and I had now.

"Rissa, I've told you on countless occasions, what you and I have cannot be compared to what I have with Eloise. I know I've messed up many times and am really sorry, I just...."

"Pàpà why did you call me, just say what you want to say, I've got a lot of work on my desk" I said cutting him shut. I was tired of the 'am sorry' card Pàpà always played when he wanted a favor or whenever he wanted to bring the topic of coming back, and honestly, I wasn't ready for that now.

" Your sister is getting married in few weeks and..."

" My half-sister Pàpà, my half-sister and if she's getting married, how's that any of my business, besides she doesn't need my blessings or anything from me. She made that clear while I was at East Delva" I interrupted before he could continue.

" Rissa, half-sister or what, she's still your sister and you have to be present at the wedding, whether you want to or not" he replied in a harsh tone now.

" Ohhhh, am not surprised, what I wanted never really mattered to you anyways, that's how you've been to me ever since I was a little girl, and I would not be surprised if you hadn't changed. So you know what Pàpà?, you, your daughter, and her wedding should go to hell...but as for me?....am not stepping a toe in East Delva for any wedding, and please don't try calling me again" I said as disconnected the call.

At this point I was so furious that I could break the table in front of me. Pàpà and I were not always like this. Before I clocked three, I was his whole world, he cherished me so much. But after my Mother, Fabiola left us for another man, he took out his pain on me. He said i reminded him of her, my grey eyes, my brown hair and skin color was just a replica of hers. And sometimes this made me hate myself.

Now Eloise was getting married, once again, I was going to be the center of discussion in the family. Grandma would whine and whine about the fact that I was the first child and should have brought my husband first before my younger sister. And to be honest, I wasn't ready for all those family dramas. At this point, I just wanted to focus on my work, and my relationship with Justin. None of them was worth me getting angry.

Time passed and it was already 5:25pm in the evening. I was so drowned in work that I forgot my dinner date with Justin by 6pm. Thank God I had some extra clothes in the office that I could just change into. But I still needed to finish what I was doing with the Delacosta documents. They were potential clients that I needed to get on my side.

The Delacosta Coffee shops were the no.1 coffee shops around Salva, and being their Coffee bean supplier for two whole years was going to be a big win to my company, and I wasn't ready to miss this opportunity for anything in the world.

The next time I checked my time, I discovered it was just 10 minutes to 6pm, so I had to stop. I wouldn't want to keep Justin waiting for too long. Immediately I ran to the shower in my office, took my bath and quickly had my dress and make up on.

By the time I was done and came out of the office, the office was supper quiet, I guess everyone had gone home. That was much more better, the peace, quiet and serenity was everything. I just wish my life could be as calm and sorting as this.

Immediately I came out to the parking lot, I found Johnson, my driver waiting for me at the spot he parked the car.

The drive to the restaurant was not really a long drive. In less than 20 mins, we had arrived at the restaurant. It was so beautiful, the lighting, the flowers all around and aroma of the food and the soft cool music that filled my ears from the sound system was so nice and relaxing. I wanted to be here forever.

I scanned through the restaurant to find Justin, when I saw him coming out of a door with VIP on it. And once again I was lovestruck. Looking at him, all dressed in the most sexy and fancy way. He wore a black shiny dust suit, with a dark blue long sleeve shirt, half way buttoned, revealing his chest. I could see part of the eagle tattoo on his left breast. God!!!!! He was damn hot, his chiseled chin, his beautiful lips his light brown eyes, his hair was just everything.

I kept on staring at him until he tapped me and saved me from the most unruly imaginations and desires that awoken in me.

" Gosh!!!! Babe you look so hot In this gown, I thought you were never going to put them on" he said in my ears as he pecked me on my chicks. I couldn't think straight at that point, the butterflies in my bellies Increased as my knees almost became weak.

"Hmmmm" I replied with a big smile on my face " I guess we should eat now, all eyes are on us , and am getting uncomfortable" I said said as he rapped his hand around my waist and walked me to the VIP section.