After having a class with the yoga teacher, Clarissa kept on practicing at home.
Other than the weekly classes, it required consistency to become skilled in yoga.
Every morning, the woman would practice some stretches for a short while. At night, she would usually work out as well. Since she was trying to be stern toward Damian these days, she didn’t need to spend much time playing with him.
However, every time Clarissa saw her adorable son acting all obedient, she would have a strong urge to pull him into a hug and peck him on his face.
Yet, she restrained herself from doing so. I’ve to teach this little one an unforgettable lesson, lest he becomes more wayward in the future. Experts say that children tend to get more rebellious between two to three years old. Previously, Damian had shown some signs, refusing to obey me intentionally. After coming to D City, everyone doted on him, so he became overly pampered. I’m the only one who could remain stern in front of him, so I have to be firm in order to discipline him.
After tucking Damian in, Matthew went into his bedroom, but there was no sign of Clarissa. She had gone to the gym room again, as there was a dedicated space for her yoga practice.
The man sauntered toward the gym room and heard a soothing tune from inside. Pushing the door open, he saw the woman lying on a yoga mat, stretching her leg backward. However, her movements weren’t fluid, and she struggled to balance herself. A few seconds later, she stretched another leg.
Since Clarissa was at home, her body-hugging sportswear was more revealing than usual. She was wearing only a sports bra as her top, showing her fair-skinned and slim waist. Her beautifully toned leg muscles were tensed up as she practiced seriously. Soon, her forehead was drenched in sweat, and her breathing got heavier as she became strained.
It was only an ordinary yoga pose, but in Matthew’s eyes, Clarissa appeared extremely tantalizing. His body heated up and stiffened instinctively.
In silence, he tiptoed into the room. As Clarissa was bending forward, she felt a pinch on her hip.
Startled, she stood upright immediately and saw Matthew smiling faintly at her with his hands in his pocket, as though nothing had happened.
“I can see that your body is rather unstable. Do you need me to hold you?”
“Hold my waist and only let go when I ask you to,” Clarissa answered without giving it much thought.
Clarissa started bending her body over again while Matthew’s big hands were around her waist. She extended one arm forward while the other held her ankle up slowly, trying to balance herself. Thanks to Matthew, she could stand on one foot steadily.
“O-Okay… You can slowly let go of me,” she said.
However, Matthew didn’t let go, but his hand slid along her body gradually instead.
“Ah…” Clarissa yelped.
Losing her footing, she fell into Matthew’s arms.
Annoyed, she glared at him. “What are you doing?”
Matthew flashed her an innocent smile. “I saw that your posture wasn’t right, so I adjusted it for you.”
“What? How do you know that it’s not right? Stop fooling around.”
Clarissa pushed him away and resumed her previous posture. Even without Matthew’s help, she gritted her teeth and persevered. Nevertheless, after a few trials, she was still unstable. Seeing that, that man chuckled. “Let me help you. I promise I won’t fool around. I don’t know how a correct posture looks like, but I feel that your body has to be in a straight line to look elegant and pleasing.
After some thought, Clarissa agreed with him and let him help her again.
Sure enough, she trusted Matthew blindly and ended up in his embrace once again. The two fell onto the yoga mat in unison.
“Matthew Tyson!”
Enraged, she shot daggers at the man, who pinned her on the yoga mat with a devilish smile.
“I sincerely wanted to give you a hand, but I couldn’t hold myself back because of your seductive posture.”
His words further provoked Clarissa.
“I wasn’t seducing you! Scram!” she protested while poking his chest.
Matthew let out a hearty laugh. “Oh? Really? Why are you practicing yoga then? Aren’t you trying to train your body to be more flexible to improve the quality of our lives? At this thought, I automatically relate yoga to…”
“What the hell? Get lost! Who… Mmm!”
The man sealed her lips. In the midst of their passionate kiss, he mumbled in a croaky voice, “Let me examine the result of practicing for days…”
“Go away…. Mmm… No…”
Her resistance didn’t make any difference. In the end, Clarissa experienced a night with him after yoga practice.
Afterward, Matthew commented that yoga did help improve her flexibility. If she kept on practicing, she might be able to adopt more difficult postures in bed.
Feeling exhausted, Clarissa was in no mood to practice yoga anymore.
Practicing yoga at home made her feel as if she was doing it for Matthew’s sake.
As a result, Clarissa no longer practiced at night, but in the afternoon when Matthew was not at home, so he couldn’t disrupt her deliberately with ill intention.
Nevertheless, the man seemed to have read her mind and asked on purpose, “Clare, why aren’t you practicing yoga at night? Go ahead, I’ll help you out.”
Her face flushed beet red for a moment. Ignoring him, she lowered her head and taught her son some words.
Staring at her reddened ear, Matthew was amused. I know those thoughts of hers like the back of my hand. It’s fine that she doesn’t practice yoga at night. We can still exercise together on the bed, which is going to be even more pleasurable.
Meanwhile, Sandra went to the hospital to get the DNA test report at once.
The second she saw the result, a scornful smile broke across Sandra’s face. I knew it. There’s no way they can look so alike for no reason. It turns out Clarissa is the daughter of the Smallwood family and the offspring of the Wynters. Shermaine is only an imposter.
Sandra then went home. As soon as her husband came back, she laid out the report in front of him.
After reading it, Jacque wasn’t as astonished as before, but he still couldn’t believe his eyes.
How could this happen?
“Whether it’s an accident or not, nothing can change the fact that Clarissa is our blood-related niece. I collected her hair and Kayla’s hair for the test myself. Now the truth has been uncovered. As Kayla’s brother and Clarissa’s uncle, what are you going to do?”
Rubbing his forehead, Jacque seemed to be in a tight spot.
“Sandra, the New Year is coming. Can’t we have a peaceful New Year?”
“What has this got to do with the New Year? Are you trying to deny that Clarissa is your niece?”
“No, I’m not denying it, but exposing this truth isn’t as simple as you think. As I told you before, this matter is rather complicated. We can’t…”
“Yeah, right, it’s complicated. Everything is complicated in your eyes. You’re the one who makes things complicated. To me, it’s only a very simple matter. Just reunite with Clarissa, so she’ll know that the Wynters have her back. As for Shermaine, we’ll talk to her when she’s out. Then it’ll be up to Kayla and James whether they want to keep the both of them or choose either one. That’s none of my business. Anyway, I really like Clarissa.”
Glancing at her husband’s furrowed brows, she added in a low voice, “We don’t have to care about the Smallwoods. Since Clarissa is your niece, you can no longer be on bad terms with the Tysons. Matthew might lend you a helping hand for Clarissa’s sake. I’m doing all these things not only because I dislike Shermaine, but for you and our family.”
“I totally understand everything you said.”
“It’s great that you get me. Let’s come clean with Clarissa before the New Year, so we can take the opportunity to bond with her and the Tysons. Don’t you still have many issues to deal with? It’ll be awkward if you seek Matthew and Clarissa’s help after the New Year straight away.”
Knowing his wife’s thoughts, Jacque was deep in thought.
Sandra didn’t speak further, as she believed her husband was able to get his priorities right.
After a long while, Sandra came out of the bathroom and went through her skincare routine at the dressing table. Only then, Jacque part his lips to speak.
“Let’s meet up with Matthew and Clarissa this weekend and see how things go afterward. We’ll have to talk to Kayla about this separately.”
The woman’s lips curled up into a broad smile. “Okay, I’ll contact Clarissa.”
“Sure, go ahead with that.”
Since Jacque had agreed with her, the couple contemplated how to spill the beans to Clarissa. Then, Sandra made an appointment with the latter and her husband for a meal.
Judging from their solemn attitude, Clarissa could already foresee what was coming her way.
I guess the two have found out about me and Shermaine. Otherwise, Sandra wouldn’t have tried to sound me out so suddenly.
Hesitant and troubled, she gazed at Matthew.
“Should we meet them? I’m certain they already knew. I told you they have suspected it long ago. What if they ask me to reunite with them when we meet?”
Matthew consoled the woman, who was like a cat on hot bricks. “Yes, we should. They already knew the truth, so we have no reason to hide it anymore. However, they can’t force you to reunite with them. We’ll see how things turn out when we meet them. Besides, didn’t you say that Mrs. Wynter was a nice person? Even if she isn’t your aunt, you can still befriend her, as she seems like someone worth looking up to.”
With her face all scrunched up, Clarissa replied, “Yeah, I have no other choice.”
This outcome was inevitable. Since she was able to discover this secret, others might do the same as well. It was only a matter of time. Sooner or later, she would have to face reality.
