f without even changing his expressi

y sagged wi

s mind, she grabbed a pen and signed he

ched her as

t she pressed down so hard that the tip o

o go through with it, leaving no room to

ent away and rose from

ceptional

oad frame blocked most of t

hurried after him, struggling t

.

y hall with only ten min

em. "You made it just in time. Y

k went by so quickly that Clara bar

tificate was placed in her

d walked away fro

plete stranger, though it wa

side her and loo

nd thoughts?

her daze and handed

id. "I don't

ord. She barely had time to cry, let alone sit

just then with

nd dollars had been depo

ring of zeros, and tears im

h money for her mothe

o both men. "Mr. Barnes, Mr. Hayes, something urgent came up, so I nee

d answer, she turned and h

.

spacious backseat with the marria

been smiling, but it was obvious

en something clear an

ed at a red light, he couldn't hold the question in any longer. "Mr.

ression, "No. She asked for f

don's voice. If anything, he sounded

t was safer to

d the rearview mirror again. "Mr. Barnes, the Bennett famil

t even look u

ved on. "Then I'll take y

gave a s

d himself to continue, "Your doctor also called. He said your eye condition

rkened immediately. "Yo

ut, and a chill ran dow

he tried one more time. "Once Ms. Lambert moves in tomorrow, I'll go over ev

t the leather seat, his gaze turning cold. "

.

inic in her hometown with the Vital Card

ase between her brows finally eased. Her breathi

to loosen. Completely drained, she dropped into t

up, and she imm

ent. Missed calls and unread

s location along with a text. "Ms. Lambert, this is the address o

it two hou

Mr. Hayes. I only just saw your messag

eply, her eyes drif

e one wit

le before a bitter laugh slipped out. E

ith me just because I didn't t

he hotel last night. There is rea

hy aren't you ans

ously still m

is. Threatening to break up wi

ugh with th

one by one, and nausea

king thing

d done, how dare he sp

e man who used to look at her like she meant everything to him, could turn in

ed to keep trying t

he had wasted five years of he

f you while you recovered, paid for your food, clothes, rent, and transportation, and used

ank card numbe

ely, her phone

two seconds, then declined the c

if you're going to keep acting like this, I'm done putti

act. She blocke

orning, Clara rushed back

ld clothes she owned, her medical tools, and the

looked back at the faded ph

e tenderness in his eyes looked so convincing that anyone

e crushed them together in her hands until they formed a

lara walked out of the apart

nger going to be

ho gave a liar both her heart and the