Chapter 21

After checking in at the hotel, Clara saw that the rain had stopped. She grabbed her bag
and hurried to a r

They hugged each other tight, then sat down and started catching up. When Olivi

net worth, her jaw hit the floor.

restaurant to meet Olivia.

heard Clara had walked away from the divorce with half of Damon’s

Ignoring the curious looks from other diners, she flung herself at Clara and shrieked. “M
y best friend is loaded now! Oh my goodness! Does that mean I’ll never have to worry a
bout money again if I latch onto you?”

Mortified, Clara clapped a hand ever Olivia’s mouth and shot an apologetic look at the st
artled diners. Then, she dragged Olivia into a private room. Once they were alone, Olivi
a’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as she whispered, “Did the money actually hit your acco
unt?”

“It did,” Clara said. “But I’m scared to spend it. It feels like a lucky break and could be ta
ken away any second.”

Olivia refused to let her think like that.

Taking Clara’s hand, she reassured her patiently. “It’s not some lucky break. It’s your fai
r share! Damon was generous enough to split his fortune, so why shouldn’t you spend it
? It’s not like you held him at gunpoint to marry you!”

That logic made Clara stop and think

Olivia saw her start to unwind and couldn’t help but grin. She grabbed the menu, skimm
ed it real quick, and slapped it into the walter’s hands.
J’T’ll take the priciest stuff–spiny lobster, top–shelf everything–
one of each!” With that, she leaned back, looking completely pleased with herself, and

smirked. “How was that? Did I nail the role?”

Clara shot her two thumbs up and decided to tease her. “Not bad, Ms. Hyde. But let’s se
e if you still feel that way when the check comes,”

“What? You’re not picking up the tab, Clara? Guess we’ll just have to split it then…”

Once the feast was over, Olivia looked completely pleased.

Noticing how satisfied Olivia was, Clara pressed the bell to call the waiter. She was rea
dy to pay when a mocking voice broke the silence. “Well, well, if it isn’t Clara.”

Both Clara and Olivia looked up. A group of people–most of them from Aeloria College–
was coming down the stairs, with Giselle right in the center. As they got closer, Olivia le
aned in and whispered some gossip into Clara’s ear. “Clara, the day after you left the co
untry, Giselle’s whole mess with juggling multiple guys blew up. It got so bad it even tre
nded online. Apparently, she was involved with way too many men.

‘Word is, Damon’s friends were the ones who spread it around. Her reputation’s
been in shambles ever since. She tried crawling back to Damon and begged
him to take her back, but he completely shut her down. You should’ve seen her face wh
en he rejected her in front of everyone–
it was priceless.” Giselle approached them and caught fragments of what Olivia was sa
ying. Her face soured, and she shot Clara a harsh look.

“Didn’t you leave the country, Clara? What are you doing back here?” she snapped.

“That’s none of your business,” Clara said.

“What’s
there to be so sinug about? Do you think coming back will get you anywhere with Damo
n? He never cared about you before, and he definitely won’t now!”
Clare had no idea why Giselle was so hostile, especially since she and Damon were alr
eady divorced. Not wanting to make a scene, she quickly paid the bill and took Olivia’s
hand. She was ready to leave.

But Giselle only got angrier when Clara ignored her.

She stepped forward, blocking their way. “You walked away with
half of Damon’s fortune because you took my wedding. You’re nothing but a gold- digge
r, so stop acting like you’re better than me!

So what if you’ve got all that money? Look at you–

you still reek of poverty, no matter how much you try to cover it up. Don’t come anywher
e near me with that stench”

Chapter 22

When Giselle’s little entourage heard her remark, they burst into mocking laughter. Fumi
ng, Olivia was about to go after them, but Clara quickly pulled

berback

Clara stayed calm and collected. She met Giselle’s gaze as she spoke in a flat, controlle
d voice. “The money was Damon’s idea. Just like those rumors about you—
legit and true as they may sound.”

When Clara finished talking, she didn’t even glance at Giselle before yanking Olivia awa
y.

Clara’s jab hit Giselle hard, making her snap. In a fit of rage, she shoved a passing wait
er in their direction. The hot soup flew through the
air. It was just about to spill all over Clara and Olivia.

Out of nowhere, Danois appeared. He pulled Clara and Olivia

behind him, taking the full force of the scalding soup on his left arm. It wasn’t long befor
e angry blisters popped up on his skin, and his face turned ashen.

Giselle hadn’t expected him to show up, and in a panic, she rushed over to check on his
arm.

Fighting through the seating pain, Damon clenched his jaw and shot her a glare colder t
han ice. “I’ve let your past behavior slide out of respect for Mr. and Mrs. Sutton. But I w
on’t hesitate to make sure you learn your lesson if you keep this up.”
Giselle tried to explain, but he didn’t give her the chance. He turned and left with Clara
and Olivia, both of whom were still shaken.

A blast of cold night air helped clear Clara’s head. Noticing the burn on Damon’s arm, s
he reached into his pocket, grabbed his car keys, and drove them straight to the hospita
l.

The nurse on duty blanched at the severity of the burn and immediately called for the do
ctor. It was already late, and Olivia had work in the morning. It took Clara quite a while t
o convince her to go home.

That left just the two of them in the ER. Clara turned to Damon, who was barely holding
back the pain. She gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with a few tissues.

When he met her eyes, which were heavy with guilt, he tried to calm her with a shaky vo
ice. “This isn’t on you. She’s holding a grudge because of me. If anyone should be apol
ogizing, it’s me.”

Clara knew there was no use arguing about blame right now. Without a word, she went t
o get the prescription the doctor had given them.

By the time she got back, Damon’s wound had already been treated. The doctor rattled
off a long list of aftercare instructions before finally letting them

Clara drove Damon home. Stepping back into the villa, she noticed the living room look
ed almost exactly the same as before, and for a moment, she felt dazed

Douglas lit up the second he saw her and hurried over. He was talking a mile a minute. “
Mrs. Croft, you’re finally back! Mr. Croft’s been waiting for you this whole time…”

He stopped mid–
sentence the moment he noticed Damon’s injury. “Mr. Croft what happened to your arm
?”

Clara acted like she hadn’t heard Douglas‘ words. She handed hirm the medication, rep
eated the doctor’s instructions, and turned to leave.

Damon felt a hollow a ache in his chest as he watched her walk away. He wanted to call
her back, but the words wouldn’t come.

Douglas felt a rush of desperation when he saw how defeated

Damon looked. He didn’t think twice before chasing after Clara, catching up to her, and
finally saying everything he hadn’t gotten the chance to say.

“Mrs. Croft, now that you’re back, please don’t leave again. For the past three months,
Mr, Croft has done nothing but work and stare at the flowers you used to plant.
“At night, he tails in his
sleep about how much he wants you back. He flies so he won’t even reach out…

sto Amethria every week just to see you, but he’s too afraid of disturbing you,

Clara had no idea. She had assumed Damon had moved on and started a new life with
out her

Hearing what Douglas said, her first thought was that it was ridiculous. Hadn’t Damon al
ways been in love with Giselle? How could he possibly have done all that for her, his ex
? She pushed the thought aside.

“Damon and I are divorced, Douglas,” she said in a firm voice. That chapter’s closed. W
hat happens with the Crofts is none of my business anymore. And stop calling me Mrs.
Croft–just call me Clara. It’s late. I should head out. Take care of yourself ”

Chapter 23

After taking two days off. Clara dove back into work. Tagging along with Selina to negoti
ate the collaboration details taught her a lot, and the project moved forward so smoothly
that it felt almost effortless.

Damon didn’t show up when it came time for their meeting with Croft Group. He had the
COD take his place instead. Clara breathed a sigh of relict as she passed the contract
she’d carefully prepared.

After reviewing the terms, Crott Group was eager to move forward but had one conditio
n. They wanted Clara to serve as the main point of contact between both sides during th
e contract period.

Selina immediately figured this was Damon’s doing. He was clearly using the partnershi
p as a way to keep Clara around. After giving it some thought, she decided to ask Clara
directly how she felt.

They left Croft Group and found a quiet café.

“Clara, I know this is personal, but if you don’t mind, could you tell me about your marria
ge to Damon? How did it start and end?” Selina asked.
Clara fell silent for a moment before telling the whole story. They had spent four years a
s classmates, then three more as husband and wife. It was a span that made up nearly
a third of her life.

But saying it out loud now felt strangely weightless like she was describing someone els
e’s experiences. The deep love that had once carried her through so many nights had fi
nally faded with time.

When Clara finished, Selina sat quietly for a long time. She was unable to shake it off. S
he didn’t know what to say. Every word felt painfully inadequate, and silence settled ove
r the small booth.

Sering the pain and regret on Selina’s face, Clara gave her a faint smile. Her voice carri
ed the steady calm of someone who had been through it all. “Salina, I know what you’re
worried about. You want this project to succeed, but you don’t want me to get hurt. The
reason I opened up about these memories–memories I could’ve just kept buried–
is to let you know that I’ve truly moved on.

“No matter what Croft Group asked for, I only see it as work, and I’m ready to handle it. I
may you and the team. I won’t let anyone down.”

not have a ton of experience, but I’ll give it my all–for

Selina’s eyes welled up at Clara’s unwavering promise. This project was her big break,
and Clara was the key to making it happen.

As much as Selina hated the idea of leveraging Damon’s feelings for Clara, she knew s
he had to in order to lock in the deal. Thankfully, Clara understood and was willing to hel
p

In the end, all the things Selina wanted to say boiled down to a single crisp clink of their
glasses in a toast.

Selina was ready to fly back to Falverton with four signed contracts by late April. Clara s
aw her off at the airport, and they shared a long hug. Noticing a familiar figure in the dist
ance, Selina couldn’t hold back her question any longer. “You loved him for seven years
, Clara. Are you really not giving him another chance now that he’s finally realized how h
e feels?”

Clara knew Selina only wanted what was best

for her. But only Clara understood how unbearably slow those

able to move on.

those seven years had felt before she was finally

She might have only felt regret if it was just about longing for someone she couldn’t hav
e. But she had thought she was holding the bright, untouchable moon, only to find out it
was just a reflection in the water.

After going through that, Clara had no desire to chase after the impossible again. Some
things, she understood, were meant to be admired from a distance.

So, she said, “Selina, life doesn’t hand out second chances. We just have to keep movi
ng forward.”

Chapter 24

To make things easier for work, Clara rented a top–

floor apartment. The very next day, someone moved in across the ball.

hall. It was Danion. Over the next month in Jeston, she ran into him everywhere by the s
upermarket shelves, outside the pizza place, in a quiet corner of the park. Given his stat
us, these weren’t places he was supposed to hang out.

Clara knew he was following her. Now and then, when they ended up face–to–
face, they’d make small talk, like regular friends, Otherwise, he stayed.

behind her like a shadow.

Eventually, lost in her little world, Clara stopped noticing him as much. She told herself it
was just like having a free bodyguard.

Once they were neighbors, they bumped into each other even more, and Damon’s smile
only grew brighter. Every so often, he’d ask her out for a walls, dinner, or a short trip so
mewhere.

“sorry“, his eyes dimmed noticeably.

Clara always came up with an excuse to say no. Every time she said “sorry

She kept thinking that Damon would give up after she turned him down. But the very ne
xt day, he’d show up just the same. He would greet her with the same fresh enthusiasm.

Watching how eager he was to please, Clara was somehow reminded of Damon’s colle
ge days with Giselle. He used to be like this back then too, always afraid she’d reject hi
m or get mad, so he did everything he could to keep her happy, even at his own expens
e,

But Clara wasn’t Giselle. She wouldn’t feel right taking advantage of his kindness and h
ad no interest in playing games with him. She wasn’t the type to flaunt her appeal. All sh
e wanted was to live her life and enjoy each day.

all gave way to early winter.

Time went by day after day. Spring gradually turned into summer. Before long,

ong, late fall g

The nearly year–

long project was wrapping up, and the contract was set to end right on Clara’s 25th birth
day. She booked a flight back to Falverton for that very day.

The night before she left, she was up packing until dawn when she happened to notice li
ght snow falling outside the window. When the clock hit midnight, there was a knock at t
he door.

She opened it to find Damon standing there with a birthday cake. He was smiling as
he wished her a happy birthday, but she could sense the sadness behind it.

Clara hesitated for a second, then quieldy pulled herself together and thanked him polite
ly. Once the candle was lit, she pressed her palms together and

made a wish.

When she opened her eyes, she saw the expectation in Damon’s gaze.

“What did you wish for?” he asked.

“The same as last year,” Clare said.

And that was it.

Remembering her last birthday, Damon felt his smile fade into something bitter. Clara dr
opped her gaze to avoid his eyes. The air between them grew heavy.
After a long silence, he asked something unexpected, “Clara, what did you say the day
you left last year, when you walked me out? I didn’t catch it back then.”

“What had she said? Clara couldn’t remember. Those cold, damp memories–the ones
she had no desire to revisit–had long since faded. They were blurred by time.

All that remained were the brighter, livelier moments, the ones that still warned her whe
never she thought of them.

Now, at the start of another year of her life, all she wanted was for everyone she met a
nd everything ahead of her to find a personal happy ending. So, on a whim, she came u
p with two sentences.

I wished you well. And I wished the same for myself.”

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

When Clara woke up, everything outside her window was white. It was still snowing. Sh
e headed downstairs and saw Damon waiting by the curb.

He moved toward her and reached for her luggage. His voice was laced with emotions t
oo tangled to sort out. “It’s almost impossible to get a cab in this weather. Let me take y
ou to the airport.”

This time, Clara didn’t turn him down. She could tell he still had things he wasn’t saying.
And after all, this really was a one–way trip. Some things needed to be put to rest

Once they were on the road, Damon drove painfully slow. Maybe it was the snow–
covered streets, or he was just trying to stretch out the drive. Either way, they
had plenty of time. So, Clara stayed quiet as she watched the scenery pass by.

The silence grew heavier with each passing second until Damon couldn’t take it anymor
e. He wanted to
speak, to spill everything weighing on his heart, hoping somehow that it would make her
stay.

“Clara, do you remember our second Christmas after we got married? It was snowing ju
st as hard that year. My mom wasn’t to a church to pray for her.
well, so you took me

“I lit a candle and made a wish. Then, I cracked open a fortune cookie, and inside it rea
d, “May you find a love that lasts forever…” Hearing that, Clara was pulled back to that
distant moment. After Demon got the message, she remembered how the priest looked
at them and said something cryptic,

be the greatest blessing

“Some things are meant to be, and some are meant to test us. But if you see the truth in
time, it may turn out to be

At the time, Clara hadn’t really gotten what the priest meant. She’d thought he was givin
g her some advice and spent a long time trying to figure it out. After all, she’d wanted to
spend the rest of her life with Damon.

But looking back now, it was Damon who had opened the fortune cookie. The priest’s w
ords hadn’t been for her. And back then, the person he’d wanted to grow old with… It w
asn’t her, was it?

Clara chuckled at that thought and said, “I don’t really remember.”

Damon hesitated for a few seconds before quickly changing the subject–
mostly small, everyday details from their married life, things Clara could barely rememb
er. But he remembered everything

Without her realizing, he’d replayed those moments countless times over the past year.
Now, he was hoping those cherished memories from their time together would light a sp
ark in her,

Yet Clara’s face remained unreadable like she felt nothing for what was already gone. B
efore either of them knew it, they arrived at the airport. She grabbed her suitcase and st
arted to walk away when Damon called after her. He handed her a small box and watch
ed her with quiet hope.
Clara opened it to find a pair of bracelets–
the ones Damon’s grandmother had worn every day. They were said to be the Croft fam
ily heirloom. Why was be giving them to her?

“These are far too valuable for a farewell gift. I can’t accept them,” she said.

Damon was on the verge of losing his composure after yet another rejection. His throat t
ightened, and desperation flickered across his face.

“Please take them. This is what I want. It’s what my mom wanted, too,” he said.

Clara shook her head gently. Her voice was flat. “I know what this gift means. That’s ex
actly why I can’t accept it. I’ve told you over and over–
our story is over. It’s time we go back to where we belong.”

Each word cut deep into Damon.

He stood in the snow, watching her walk away, step by step, without looking back Snow
flakes settled in his hair, turning it white. It was like a quiet echo of the future he’d once i
magined–growing old together.