Xavier paused.
Clara waited, her brows drawn —half in curiosity, half in displeasure.
How could she not be displeased?
Her boyfriend ... her fiancé ... had run out searching for soone else, ignoring her completely, as if his life depended on it.
Who exactly was he looking for?
"Xavi, —?"
"No one," Xavier said, fastening his seatbelt.
Clara frowned. Pointing toward the road, she almost accused, "You ran so desperately, knocking on every single window ... to find no one? Are you hiding sothing from , Xavi?"
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel. His jaws flexed in irritation —a rare emotion for him, yet strangely natural today.
"I said it was no one, Clara. Can’t you just accept it without probing for more?"
He turned to her, his gaze nearly furious.
"Why do you always have to ask about the things which I clearly don’t want to discuss with you? Why can’t you just be a little like Adelyn? She would never ask things that I wasn’t comfortable sharing about."
Adelyn ...
Clara froze.
Her fingers that were resting over her lap, curled into fists. Her nails dug into her skin, almost drawing blood.
It took a mont, but Xavier soon realized what he had said.
Guilt flashed across his face. His brows tightened in regret.
"Clara ... I didn’t an that. I was —"
He quickly pulled the car to the side and unbuckled his seat belt before turning toward her. Taking her hands, he spoke urgently.
"I was just a little irritated, and I lost control of my words. I ... I’m sorry."
Clara’s eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t let them fall. She stared at him, looking into his eyes, completely unguarded.
"Clara, I —"
Before he could say more, she shook her head, stopping him.
"You don’t have to feel sorry, Xavi," she said, forcing a smile that trembled with pain. "I understand. You didn’t say anything wrong. I’m not like Adelyn, after all. I can never be ... no matter how hard I try. I ... I can never be like her."
"No ... no," Xavier said quickly, shaking his head. Desperation crept into his voice.
"You don’t have to be like her. You are your own person —unique and distinct. There is no need for you to be like her or like anyone. You’re lovable in your own way."
She smiled, but that smile never reached her eyes.
"You and my three brothers have been telling this for years," she said quietly. "But I know the truth. I can never be like Adelyn. Not in the decade I have lived with you ... and not in the decades to co. I have accepted it, after failing every ti I try."
Xavier’s brows furrowed deeper. He didn’t know what he should say. The hurt in Clara’s eyes weighed heavily on him. It pained him equally.
He lowered his gaze to their joined hands and gently adjusted his hold, slowly caressing her fingers.
"I know my words hurt you," he said softly, looking back into her eyes. "But trust ... I didn’t an them. Clara ... Adelyn was soone special to . That will never change."
He paused. Pain and regret surfaced briefly in his eyes —emotions he had learned to bury over the last seven years.
"But there is also another thing that could never change," he continued quietly. "The truth that she is no longer with us. That ... we have lost her ... lost her seven years ago."
He would never forgive himself for losing her.
But he had accepted it.
Accepted to live with regret while moving on in his life.
A tear slid down Clara’s cheek.
"It was because of ," she whispered. "She left us because of ."
Xavier imdiately shook his head.
"No, it wasn’t because of you." His one hand moved to her arm, right below her shoulder. "It was never because of you. I never blad you. None of us did. It was fate ... sothing none of us could change."
"But —"
"Shh ..."
He pressed a finger gently to her lips, then cupped her face.
"We have moved on from that day ... long ago. Let’s not bring it back. Okay?"
She stared at him and nodded slowly, sniffling, tears slipping down her face.
He wiped them away for her and leaned forward, kissing both her eyelids gently.
"I love you, Clara. Seeing you cry like that, it breaks my heart."
Clara closed her eyes, absorbing the warmth. But sothing inside her remained unsettled ... sothing that made her fingers curl tightly again.
"Would you still have loved ... if Adelyn had been there between us?"
Xavier froze.
He pulled back and stared at her. Her eyes were wet, vulnerable —quietly insecure.
All she needed was reassurance.
He should have given it to her instantly.
But —
He couldn’t.
Sothing inside him refused to answer so simply.
Perhaps Clara saw the hesitation clear in his eyes, because she suddenly she let out a light laugh.
"How silly of ," she laughed, shaking her head. But that small laughter clearly was devoid of any humor. "How could I even ask you sothing this absurd? I know how deeply you felt for Adelyn. How much you loved her. You would never have betrayed her. Not for ... not for anyone."
Xavier’s expression grew complicated. His jaw tightened slightly.
"Clara, I —"
She shook her head gently at him. "There is no need, Xavi," she said, letting her lips curl into a reassuring smile. "I don’t bla you. In fact ... I admire you for it. You are not soone who betrays love. And I am lucky to have you as my fiancé."
She then leaned forward and hugged him. "If Adelyn had been here, I would have never co in between you two. I would have never ruined whatever you two had."
His arms wrapped around her in return.
But his gaze remained distant —a little complicated, as if thinking of soone and the possibility.
—————
anwhile ...
On the other side —
Adelyn finally reached ho.
Just as she raised her hand to press the password, the door opened.
"You are finally back?" Nigel said, his gaze narrowing at her. "I almost thought Grandma will return after earning the entire world."
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