When the hug went on for too long, Thalassa shifted, which finally made Clark break the hug

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry if I'm acting all clingy," he immediately apologized. "It's just that I'm really happy to see you again."

"You weren't exactly happy with me the last time we talked," Thalassa recalled, adjusting herself in her seat.

Clark cringed. "I was a bit of an ass, wasn't I?" He chuckled lightly. "Well, to my credit, you'd just told me that you were going to choose Kris over me because he was the one you loved and not me. That really hurt." Confusion marred his face. "Only for me to hear just a few minutes ago that the two of you aren't together anymore. What happened?"

Thalassa gave him a hard smile. "Am I really supposed to believe that Kris hasn't already told you what happened or that you never heard it on the news?"

13

He shook his head. "No, he refused to tell me anything. As for the news, I returned to Europe a few months after your rejection. I've been there all this time and haven't really been following any news from here." His forehead creased. "Why? What happened? He wasn't able to make you happy, was he?"

Thalassa's chest tightened. If only he knew how close he was to the answer. But she was still surprised that Kris hadn't hastened to narrate his version of events to Clark.noveldrama

Their drinks arrived just then, the waitress setting one fancy glass of apple cider each in front of her and Luisa.

"Come on, tell me," Clark probed after the waitress had left

"I don't want to talk about it, Clark," Thalassa stated firmly

"Okay, I'm sorry for insisting. Why bring up the past? All that matters is the present, right?"

"Is someone going to do the introductions?" Luisa finally cut in after observing the two of them for some time.

"Oh, how rude of me." Clark beamed as he stretched his hand out towards her. "I'm Clark Morgan. Thalassa's ex." While Luisa's eyes widened, Thalassa rolled her eyes, "You and I never dated."

"But you went on some dates with me. You wound me." Clark pouted, dramatically covering his chest with his hand.

The expression on his face was too funny. Thalassa found herself bursting into laughter.

At his table, Kris was watching the duo with narrowed eyes, his nostrils flaring. Ever since he saw Thalassa again, she had never even spared him a smile that didn't have malice behind it, but here she was, laughing so heartily at whatever the bastard was saying. What was so funny about the guy anyway? To him, Clark tried too hard to be funny with his terrible jokes which always fell short. So what could he have said that was so funny to her?

Kris was so agitated that he didn't realize he was tightly clenching his shot glass until Alden suddenly snatched it from his hand.

"What the hell, dude? Do you want to hurt yourself?" Alden questioned, setting the glass back onto the table." What is wrong with you?"

"She's laughing at his stupid jokes," Kris gritted out.

Alden raised a brow. "And? It bothers you? Why?"

Kris didn't have a response to that because he didn't know why he was so bothered by it. He felt like he was transported back to five years ago, recalling how he and Clark had rivaled for Thalassa's love, the anguish he'd felt thinking Thalassa was going to choose Clark over him.

Why the hell was he feeling that way right now? It made no sense.

At Thalassa's table, Clark was regaling her and Luisa with some amusing moments he experienced while away in Europe.

"Okay, as much as I'm enjoying this conversation, I really feel like dancing," Luisa finally said, her body moving to the overwhelming allure of the beat playing-

She drank the last bit of her martini for a boost before getting up. "Girl, let's go hit the dance floor for a bit unless you'd rather continue talking."

"Nope, I'm coming," Thalassa said and also got up.

Before they could walk off towards the dance floor, Clark suddenly grabbed her hand. "Can I come too?"

Thalassa tensed up for a bit before shrugging and pointing out, "What's stopping you? The dance floor is free and open to everyone."

Clark slowly rose to his feet, the look in his eyes turning a little serious as he stepped a little too close. "You know what I meant, Lassa. Will you let me dance with you?" "Clark..." Thalassa began to say, wondering where he was going with all this.

She felt conflicted, but her uncertainty vanished when she slightly turned her head and realized that Kris was still staring at her, his gaze seeming to dare her to accept. Without a second thought, she turned back to Clark and let her lips part in an eager smile. "Okay. Let's dance."