Chapter 4

Clair was twenty-three years old and came from a well-to-do family.

Her family wasn’t wealthy, but they lived comfortably. Her parents had always been able to provide everything their children needed, and Clair had never had to worry about where her next meal would come from or whether she would have a roof over her head.

She had grown up knowing the value of money without ever being obsessed with it.

Then she met Caleb.

Coming from one of the richest families in the city, Caleb lived a life far beyond anything Clair’s family could afford. His family had the kind of wealth that could solve almost any problem with money. They owned multiple businesses, lived in luxury, and had connections that opened doors most people didn’t even know existed.

But none of that was what attracted Clair to Caleb.

She believed she had fallen in love with him.

To her, Caleb wasn’t just the billionaire’s son.

He was the man who had made her laugh when she was having a bad day. The man who had made her feel special when they first met. The man she had believed would become her partner for life.

That was why she had never imagined that, only six months into their marriage, she would begin questioning everything.

That morning, however, Clair woke up in an unusually good mood.

She stretched beneath the covers before sitting up, a small smile forming on her lips.

She had an idea.

Determined to surprise Caleb, she made her way to the kitchen and began preparing breakfast.

The soft sound of music filled the kitchen as she moved around.

Clair swayed happily to the rhythm as she sliced the carrots, occasionally moving her hips to the beat. A bright smile rested on her face as she hummed along to her favorite song.

She was dressed in a silky nightgown that fell gently against her figure.

She looked happy.

Almost carefree.

For a moment, she forgot about everything that had been bothering her.

She forgot about the awkward silence between her and Caleb.

She forgot about the questions she had been asking herself lately.

This morning, she simply wanted to make her husband happy.

After preparing breakfast, she arranged everything neatly on a tray.

She checked it twice.

Everything looked perfect.

After all, it wasn’t every day she got the chance to surprise her husband with breakfast in bed.

With the tray carefully balanced in her hands, Clair walked toward their bedroom.

She pushed the door open slowly.

Caleb was still asleep.

A small smile appeared on her face.

“Sweetheart,” she whispered playfully. “Wake up, wakey. I made you some breakfast.”

She placed the tray on the bedside table before leaning down to kiss him gently.

Caleb stirred.

Clair smiled against his lips, hoping the affection would finally wake him completely.

For a brief moment, she allowed herself to enjoy the closeness.

Then she tried to move closer.

Caleb immediately woke up.

He pulled away and pushed her back.

“Clair, stop.”

The smile disappeared from her face.

Caleb sat up, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“I told you I wasn’t ready for this.”

Clair stared at him.

Her heart sank.

“Why?” she asked quietly.

Caleb looked away.

“Why do you always do this?”

Her voice trembled.

“This is six months after our marriage, Caleb.”

He remained silent.

Clair swallowed hard.

“You haven’t touched me. You haven’t even tried to be close to me.”

Her voice cracked.

“What am I supposed to think?”

“Clair—”

“Am I not attractive enough for you?”

Caleb looked at her, but the words wouldn’t come.

Clair’s eyes slowly filled with tears.

“You treat me like I’m nobody.”

“That’s not true.”

“Then what is it?”

Caleb looked down.

He had no answer he could give her.

Because the truth was something he couldn’t tell her.

Not yet.

Not when revealing it could destroy everything he had spent years hiding.

Clair wiped a tear from her cheek.

“I’ve tried, Caleb. I’ve really tried.”

She looked down at her hands.

“I keep wondering what I’m doing wrong.”

Caleb’s expression tightened.

He hated seeing her cry.

More than anything, he wished he could give her an explanation that would make everything easier.

But there was no explanation he could give her without exposing the truth.

And the truth could cost him everything.

Clair gave a small, broken laugh.

“Maybe you just don’t love me.”

“Clair…”

But she was already crying.

Caleb stood up, grabbed his clothes, and walked toward the door.

He couldn’t face her.

Not now.

“Caleb.”

He stopped for a brief moment but didn’t turn around.

Clair waited.

She wanted him to say something.

Anything.

She wanted him to turn around, walk back to her, and tell her that she was wrong.

That he loved her.

That she was enough.

But he said nothing.

The door closed behind him.

Clair remained sitting on the bed, staring at the empty space beside her.

The breakfast she had prepared so lovingly sat untouched on the bedside table.

The food was still warm.

But she no longer cared.

She slowly lowered her head as another tear slipped down her cheek.

For the first time since their marriage, a frightening thought entered her mind.

Did I make the wrong decision by marrying him?

Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her nightgown.

And even worse—

Does my husband even love me?

Outside the bedroom, Damien was walking down the hallway when he noticed the bedroom door slightly open.

He slowed down.

As he passed, he caught a glimpse of Clair sitting on the edge of the bed.

She looked completely different from the cheerful woman he had seen earlier.

Her head was lowered.

Her shoulders trembled slightly.

She looked lost in thought, as though she hadn’t even noticed the world around her.

Damien stopped.

His eyes remained on her for a moment.

He could have walked away.

In fact, he probably should have.

But something about the sight of her made him hesitate.

He had never seen Clair like this before.

She had always been warm and cheerful whenever he saw her.

Now she looked broken.

Damien walked back toward the room.

He stood outside for a moment before gently knocking on the door.

“Clair?”

She didn’t respond.

Damien knocked again.

“Clair?”

She suddenly looked up, startled.

Her eyes met his.

“Damien?”

He stood in the doorway, his expression filled with concern.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “What’s wrong? You don’t look fine.”

Clair quickly wiped her tears and forced a small smile.

“I’m fine.”

Damien frowned.

“You don’t look fine.”

“I said I’m fine,” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Damien didn’t believe her.

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

“Clair, you don’t have to pretend with me. What’s wrong?”

She opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

Instead, she looked away.

For a few seconds, the room was completely silent.

Then something inside her broke.

Clair stood up and walked toward him.

Before Damien could say anything, she leaned against him and began to cry.

Damien froze for a moment, caught off guard.

He hadn’t expected it.

Then, slowly, he gently wrapped his arms around her.

“Hey…”

Clair said nothing.

She simply cried against his chest, holding onto him as though she had been trying to keep everything inside for far too long.

Damien slowly rubbed her back.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Whatever it is, you’re going to be fine.”

Clair’s tears continued to fall.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Damien continued. “Just let it out.”

She remained against him.

Damien looked down at her.

For a moment, something unfamiliar stirred inside him.

He felt sorry for her.

But then another thought entered his mind.

Caleb.

His younger brother.

The same brother whose secret Damien had discovered.

The same brother who had spent years getting everything Damien believed he deserved.

And now Damien was standing there, holding his wife while she cried because of him.

It was almost ironic.

After a while, Clair’s sobs began to quiet.

Damien looked down at her.

“You feeling a little better?”

Clair nodded faintly.

He gave her a small smile.

“Good.”

He paused for a moment before speaking again.

“How about we get out of here?”

Clair looked up at him.

“What?”

“Let’s go grab lunch sometime. Just you and me.”

She hesitated.

“I don’t think I’m in the mood.”

“That’s exactly why you should come.”

A small smile finally appeared on her face.

Damien smiled back.

“Come on. One lunch. You might feel better after getting some fresh air.”

Clair wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks.

“Okay.”

“Okay,” Damien said. “Then it’s a date.”

Clair looked at him for a moment.

Damien quickly corrected himself.

“I mean… lunch. Just lunch.”

For the first time that day, Clair let out a quiet laugh.

And Damien smiled.

But as he looked at her, something inside him shifted.

He had gone into that room because he had seen her crying.

Yet now he was beginning to realize something.

Clair was vulnerable.

She trusted him.

And more importantly, she needed someone who would listen.

Damien knew exactly how useful that could be.

He just didn’t know yet how far he was willing to take it.

Because revenge had always been the goal.

And Caleb had given him the perfect weakness.

His wife.