Chapter 2

By the time the sun came up, Clara finally returned home and found me sitting alone in the living room.

“Did you not sleep, or–”

“About the funeral, do you have nothing to say to me?” I asked in a cold voice.

Clara frowned. “Are you talking about me wanting to leave early? Or are you blaming me for not protecting you?”

So she had understood everything all along. She knew what she should have done, but she simply chose to side with Ethan.

Fueled by anger, I let out a bitter laugh. “Do you even remember that I’m your fiancé? Do you even realize that your fiancé’s mother—your future mother-in-law—was laid to rest yesterday?”

“I know, but–”

“Not only did you leave me standing there alone, but when people started trashing the funeral home and split my head open, what were you doing?”

She walked over, sat down beside me, and hesitantly tried to wrap her arms around me. However, I turned away to avoid her touch.

Her hands froze mid-air, and her brow furrowed. “I apologize. Tomorrow I’ll visit your mom at the columbarium with some flowers.”

Here it was, another attempt to make it up to me, except I didn’t care for it, nor did I want to give her another chance. Once Mom’s case was over, we would go our separate ways.

Choking back my emotions, I fought to keep my voice steady. “No need. When can you give me your legal opinion on Mom’s fatal hit-and-run case?”

She was scrolling through her phone and couldn’t be bothered to look up as she replied, “I can’t take it. The amount in dispute is too small.”

“So you’re refusing to take it?”

“I’m not refusing it. It’s a matter of priority.”

What priority? My eyes drifted to the case files sitting on her table—the defense materials for Ethan’s younger brother, who was accused of school bullying.

“Are the amounts involved in school bullying cases higher?”

Silence filled the room for a few seconds before Clara cleared her throat, her eyes darting away. “Ethan’s been busy trying to make senior partner lately, so he doesn’t have time for this. That’s the only reason I’m helping him out.”

I stared straight into her eyes, my voice hoarse. “Helping him out… You’re always helping him out! When he’s aiming for partner, you help him out. When he gets a tiny scratch on his face, you help him out. And now, for the lawsuit over Mom’s tragic death, you’re still prioritizing helping him out?

“What does us being engaged even mean to you? What happened to the promise you made to my parents, that you’d take care of me and support me?”

In a daze, my mind flashed back to the day she held my hand against her chest and made a solemn vow to my parents. The memory, like a fine web, wove itself around my chest so tightly that no air could get through.

“Clara.” I sat still and called her name with absolute seriousness. “Let’s break–”

Clara’s phone suddenly rang, cutting me off. She quickly let go of me and glanced at the caller ID. It was a call from Ethan.

“Alright, no problem. You can head out now. I’ll be right there.”

To avoid workplace gossip, we had kept our romantic relationship hidden. Clara never even rode in the same car with me to the law firm, yet she drove Ethan back and forth every single day, rain or shine.

After hanging up, Clara grabbed her coat and headed out the door.

“What were you about to say just now? Never mind, let’s talk about it later.”

I watched her leave in a hurry while I sat frozen for a long time. Suddenly, all my strength drained away.

Shortly after, my phone vibrated. It was a call from a junior associate at the firm, Mark Bensen.

“Peter, regarding your mother’s case, Ms. Jennings has told me to assist you with it.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, then hung up.

By the time I took the bus and arrived at the firm, the breakroom was lively.

Seeing me walk in, a senior colleague, Ben Garcia, asked with concern, “Peter, why do you look so pale? Is your blood sugar low?”

I forced a weak smile and said nothing. Between Mom’s funeral and getting zero sleep last night, I was utterly exhausted.

Ben handed me some candy before turning back to gossip with the other colleagues.

“You know, we have Ethan to thank for all these snacks in the breakroom.”

“Yeah, ever since Ethan passed out from low blood sugar that one time, Ms. Jennings had someone stock up on all these snacks the very same day.”

“Plus, I see Ms. Jennings coming in with Ethan every morning. Do you think they’re a couple?”

I didn’t say a word and just popped the candy into my mouth.

Clara had selected all the snacks, drinks, and tea in the breakroom to Ethan’s taste, just to make sure he never went hungry. Yet, back when I had passed out at the firm from low blood sugar myself, all she gave me was a look of contempt.

“If you can’t even handle the operations workload, you might as well quit early, stay home, and live off me. Knowing how busy I am, you’re just adding to my trouble.”

From that moment on, I was too afraid to show any sign of discomfort in front of her. Right now, even the candy in my mouth tasted bitter.

Just then, my phone vibrated with a message from Dad.

[Peter, your mother’s case goes to trial this afternoon. If Clara is busy… let’s not bother her.]

Hit with a pang of sadness, I reassured Dad. “Her assistant will be helping us out.”

That afternoon, I stood outside the courtroom door. The opposing defense counsel had already arrived.

Dad was sitting in the front row of the gallery. Seeing me walk in alone, he panicked slightly.

“Where is the lawyer Clara sent?”

I comforted him, “Stuck in traffic. He’ll be here soon.”

However, Mark didn’t show up, and neither did Clara.

As the start of the trial drew nearer and nearer, my hands were soaked in sweat. I dialed the number ninety-nine times, but nobody answered.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated twice. I quickly opened it, only to find an apology text from Mark.

“I’m so sorry. The bullying case involving Mr. Dunn’s brother requires a statement from the party involved, and Ms. Jennings told me to make a quick trip for it. I won’t be able to make it to today’s hearing.”

A chill ran down my spine, and my heart sank.