"Cliff what's up! I've a favor to ask..." Clifford sense an urgency in her voice. "...it's about Tristan's school activity today... can you accompany your nephew? You see, Aris and I are out of the country and our flight is delayed and we couldn't make it."

"Okay.." he answered. Clifford consider it as an advantage for him so that he has a valid excuse why he's present.

"Really? Oh, you're heaven sent! Thanks brother, you're the best!" Clifford snorted and he hangs up the call.

He fetched Tristan and went straight to Clark's school. Today is the day. He was so tempted to fetch them and wanted to know first thing Ingrid's answer, but he stopped himself knowing that it will just ruin the excitement.

As he drove off to school, he couldn't contain his thrill at the thought of Ingrid wearing the ring that he unconsciously hums a song and then frequently smile.

Little did he know that his nephew, who is beside him on the pa.s.senger's seat, was just observing him.

"Uncle Clifford, you seem so strange today." Tristan suddenly commented.

"Huh? Me? Strange? And what do you mean by that?" he ask smiling.

"Uh, you're always smiling which I seldom observe on you." The child said his remark innocently.

"So you're observing me all along, huh?" he chuckled. Tristan nodded bit Clifford diverted his nephew's attention. "By the way, how often did you win in the games?"

"We didn't win any single game..."

"Woah, that's... sad.." knowing his sister and her husband who is not really fond of any physical activities so basically they couldn't win.

"But how about Clark and his mom, did they get the chance to win?"

"I think, this is Clark's first time to attend this event."

"Oh really that's good..."

"But we won't win this time again uncle, there's just the two of us. Mom and dad isn't here." The child looked so sad.

"Hey, cheer up buddy! I have an idea... we'll win this time!" he grinned and winked at him at the same time.

Clifford arrived on time and immediately he looked for Ingrid and Clark, but he couldn't find them there. There are lots of people around already. Most of them stared as he pa.s.sed by and was surprise at his arrival.

He sat down at one of the chairs together with Tristan. Women flocked on the other side opposite him and glance at him and talked among themselves.

"Isn't he Clifford Briggs and who is that boy beside him?" one of the women asked.

"Yeah, he is and that boy beside him is his nephew, his sister's son."

"Isn't he appetizing? If I'm not married I already approached him by now." Another woman teased and they all giggled and each one stole a head to foot glance at him. They couldn't get enough of his presence.

"He looks so fresh and I wanna be held by those strong arms and lean my head on that muscular chest. I wonder who his girlfriend is now."

"Haven't you seen the news and the hottest gossip of late? It's Ingrid Howard, Clark's mom..."

All of them gasp with eyes grew bigger, murmuring in agreement and they squealed in delight to find something to gossip later on.

"I think this will be an exciting day. We should ready our cameras, phones to capture some juicy pictures." Someone suggested.

"But hey! I read other blind item days ago about him and another lady and someone told said that the rumor is true because that person was present at that time."

"What is it all about?" the women's ears were itching to hear another gossip.

"Here take a look at this picture," she showed the picture to everyone and continued, "..that person says that it was Mr. Briggs who was on the picture kissing Vanessa Reiley, the heiress at the Veanco Square which happened to be his newly acquired company." the women murmured again in disbelief.

But their murmurings were interrupted by the emcee saying that they'll start in a few minutes. However, Ingrid and Clark haven't arrived yet and he started to get worried. He kept on looking at the entrance to know of their arrival. He's itching again to call Ingrid to know their circ.u.mstance but he controlled himself again.

'If they won't arrive after the opening ceremony then I'll call her.' His thoughts were distracted when someone tapped his shoulders.

"Hi! Cliff... I'm glad, I decided to attend today..." the woman then kissed him on his cheeks.

"Miss...Reiley, why are you here?"

.....

Ingrid instructed the driver to go back to their house to get the thing she forgot to bring and they're so late for the activity. She hurriedly gets hold of it and then they sped off to at least arrive at the start of the ceremony.

Both of them were gasping for air just to reach the event place. The opening ceremony has just ended when they reached the area.

"Thank G.o.d, we aren't that late." She scanned the area and looked for Clifford and her eyes narrowed at what she saw.