He could have been more successful by now but was ruined by his stupidity and by Laura. He cursed when he remembered Laura.

"Paul, what are you thinking?" Vanessa noticed the man's sullen expression.

"Nothing."

"By the way, have you met Ingrid's son?" the woman's eyes flickered with wickedness.

"I haven't yet, but I have plans to meet the boy..." Paul sudden changed his mood when he saw Vanessa's eyes.

"Well, I had a very interesting idea, and I call it hide and seek..." the woman sneered.

...

"MARRY YOU. NOW? AS IN NOW, NOW?" Ingrid was dumbfounded. She could not figure out if the man in front of her is jesting or is he just trying to console her.

"Yes! As in now, now. Right this very moment, because for me that is the best way to do."

"Unbelievable! We had an agreement. It's seven months Clifford, seven months!" Ingrid still objected.

"Look, I know we do have an agreement but we both know that we'll also go on that route still in the end whether you like it or not. I am just cutting the agony that lies in that agreement and the main reason is I wanna protect you and Clark."

Shaking her head she said, "Geez, wait... I can't think straight. Oh my gos.h.!.+" Ingrid started to panic. Clifford laughed at the sight of Ingrid.

"Well, to be honest, I've already prepared the doc.u.ments for our marriage, all we need to do is to go to the officiating minister, say our vows, sign the papers, seal it with a kiss and voila, we're already married." But Ingrid did not respond.

She wanted to weigh things first, she could not just be hasty of her decisions just because there's a crisis that arise.

"Before I say my answer, what will be our arrangement?"

"Arrangement for what?" Clifford was puzzled.

"Arrangement like the living arrangement, sleeping arrangement, and you know, that arrangement." Ingrid blushed.

"That arrangement? Please be specific..." Clifford showed serious face but he's just controlling not to smile. He wanted to hear it from her.

"That thing, uhm, you know that.. that making love part. There I said it! geez you're making everything hard." She complained and that's where Clifford grinned.

"Oh my, I never thought that the mother of my child is still shy on talking about making love..." Clifford stopped when he perceived that Ingrid's face was so red. "...Wait, Ingrid, haven't you had any experience in that aspect?"

"Excuse me? I do, but to the point of you know and it's really complicated. Goodness!!! Ugghhh!! Why did I ask this topic?" she snapped.

Clifford laughed. "Oh Ingrid, you never knew how much you made me happy man..."

"Oopps... I think I need to cut your happiness because we need an arrangement first. If I marry you, should I live with you? Sleep with you? Minus the make love with you, though."

Clifford laughed out loud. "My, my Ingrid... You never really fail to amuse everytime we talk. As for the arrangement, it's like this, we should live together, sleep together and even though it will be hard, I won't force you to make love together. But if you don't wanna live nor sleep with me, then we'll have to make love so that I Clark will have a playmate. How's that arrangement?" he grinned charmingly.

"Are you nuts?? Those are all favourable to you!" she said pouting her lips.

"Or maybe it's more favourable to you..." he loves to tease Ingrid because she easily reacts to everything he says. Ingrid squinted irritably at him.

Clifford took something from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

"Ingrid, I have something to show you." and a black velvet box was shown to her. Ingrid's jaw dropped.

"That's Tiffany's..." she gasped.

"Yeah, it is and it's from my mom. She said that when the time comes that I need to propose to you, this should be given to you as our engagement ring. It's an heirloom from her great, great grandmother that's pa.s.sed on from generation to generation."

"Oh my...." Ingrid covered her mouth and was render speechless while she looked at Clifford then back to the cla.s.sic diamond ring. Clifford took her hands.

"Ingrid, will you marry me?"

Ingrid's mind was in riot. 'What am I suppose to answer?'