6. LETTING GO

CLARA

I sucked in a deep breath.

“What did you say the money was for again?” I asked. Maybe I hadn’t heard right. Maybe I was just imagining the worst about the man I loved.

“For your silence,” Raymond repeated. “Mr. Lucas hopes you’ll reconsider the lawsuit. His nephew, Connie—” He adjusted his tie, unfazed by the way I was shaking with rage. “Connie is young. Losing his aunt would be inconvenient for everyone. The Sinclair family is willing to cover funeral costs… along with this.”

He gestured to the briefcase. Five million dollars. Life-changing money. Enough to walk away, to start over.

But then I saw my mother’s face. Her trembling smile in that hospital bed. Her voice, weak but proud, calling me her brave, bold girl.

My jaw tightened.

“And if I don’t agree?”

Raymond sighed. “Then you won’t be part of the Sinclair family. If you love Lucas, you’ll do this for him.”

A bitter laugh tore from my throat. I grabbed the briefcase—and flung it. Cash scattered like filth.

“Get out.” My voice was ice.

His jaw dropped. He recovered quickly, bending down to collect the bills. “You won’t win this,” he murmured before walking out.

The next morning, my lawyer called. The lawsuit had been dismissed—lack of evidence. The security footage was gone.

The ever-powerful Mr. Sinclair.

He hadn’t even tried to be discreet about it. Ella wasn’t just some girl after all. She was family, and everything Raymond said about the Sinclair family was true. They stuck together like glue. One person’s word was every person’s word. Nothing and no one else mattered.

Like my mother’s death.

Lucas didn’t call. Didn’t check on me. And by the time my mother’s funeral came, I buried any love I had for him along with her.

But then he showed up, right when my mother was being lowered into the ground.

I turned away when he reached for me. His river-green eyes darkened. “Why didn’t you call me?” he asked, trying to reach for my hands. I pulled away from him without sparing him so much as a glance.

But he didn’t stop.

“You were going through all of this, and you didn’t even bother to let me know. I had to find out through a friend, Clara. What’s the matter with you? How do you think it makes us look?” He sounded pissed, more than worried.

I scoffed. Loud enough for everyone to hear. I turned to him, my grief curdling into something sharper, something lethal.

“It was unnecessary,” I tried to reply to him as calmly as I could.

“I would never let an accomplice to my mother’s murder spit on her memory by attending her funeral. I don’t even know why you’re here.”

Lucas Sinclair frowned at me. He reached for my shoulders, but I shot him a glare. I could immediately tell he was rethinking it when he pinned his hands to his sides. His blue eyes searched my face. What for? I didn’t care. I was done with him.

“Clara, what the hell are you saying?”

A bitter scoff escaped my lips. Of course, my words would never get through to him. I had to act.

I pulled his 12-karat princess cut diamond ring off my finger and threw it at his chest. “We’re done.”

He caught it, and I watched his expression shift from shocked to annoyed.

“You’re grieving,” he said. “You are only acting rashly, I will not take this seriously.”

When had he ever taken me seriously?

“So, I am going to give you another chance.” He held the ring out to me.

“Take it, Clara. Don’t let anger and pain make you throw away everything we have together. It’s always been me and you against the world. You know this.” He paused. “Take it back. I won’t ask you again.”

Even now, he couldn’t tell that I was done. Or maybe he didn’t think I could be done with him. Him and I versus the world? That might have been the case before, but I didn’t feel like that anymore. Not since Ella's return.

This man here never loved me. Love didn’t hurt like this.

“You don’t believe I mean it?” I asked quietly.

“I know you don’t mean it.”

I stared at him. Of course. I always went back to him, why would he take the disabled, low self esteemed girl seriously now?

“Security.”

He didn’t move. The guards hesitated.

“What the hell are you waiting for? Get him out!”

“Sir, please you have to leave.” They managed to say. With clenched fists and a sinister glare, Lucas finally stormed out with the guards on his trail.

Then I saw her. Ella.

She was waiting for him. She wrapped her arms around him, comforting him—him.

And just like that, whatever hesitation I had shattered.

She turned, found my gaze, and smiled. Smug. Satisfied.

Finally.

I had wondered how long she’d keep up the act.

I didn’t look away. I wanted to take it all in. To make sure I’d never forget that look. I swore, right then and there, that I would make her pay for all the pains she’d caused me.

When all the guests had left, I returned to the cemetery and sat beside my mother’s grave where I remained till late in the evening, before managing to pull myself up so I could at least have a meal.

My feet carried me, and not the other way around. I could barely see or make sense of anything. It was only a miracle I hadn’t crashed into…And I crashed straight into a man.

I spoke too soon.

“Ah, I’m so sorry,” I mumbled, stepping backwards.

I could barely make out the features of his face, but I could tell he was at least 40 years older, sharply dressed in a black suit, white undershirt, and a tie.

His face was awfully familiar.

Yes! The chairman of Evergreen pharmaceutical group. I had seen him a couple of times on the news.

“I’m so sorry,” I said again, about to walk past him when his assistant suddenly stepped in front of me.

What now? Why wouldn’t the rich let me be in peace?

“Wait,” the man called out.

I turned back to see he was holding something in his hand.

My mother’s necklace. I must have dropped it when I bumped into him.

His fingers tightened around the chain.

Was he okay?

Definitely not. When he looked up at me, he had tears in his eyes.

“Who are you? How do you have my daughter’s necklace?”