In the end, Clara decided to tell the truth.
After all, Daniel and Ethan weren’t close, so she could just blame Ethan.
Besides, it wasn’t really blaming.
It was Ethan who had asked her to call Daniel.
“My husband deleted it,” Clara said.
As expected, it was just as he thought.
It was indeed that dog, Ethan.
Heh…
Did Ethan make Clara delete him because he felt insecure? Did he see Daniel as a threat?
He thought the Logan family members were confident, but apparently not.
“Why?” Daniel asked in confusion. “Did I offend your husband in some way?”
Should she tell him that Ethan thought Daniel had ulterior motives towards her?
Saying that in front of Daniel would be so awkward.
Daniel might think she was being self-important and shameless.
“My husband… is very possessive. He doesn’t allow me to have too much contact with other men,” Clara said. “All the men on my WhatsApp, except for relatives and professors, have been deleted.”
So that’s how it was.
He thought Ethan was targeting him specifically.
It turned out Ethan was indiscriminate in his attacks.
“Can you accept that?” Daniel asked.
Not allowing any men on her WhatsApp… that was too domineering and controlling.
It seemed like Clara had no freedom, no social circle of her own, as if she were his possession.
Indeed, one lie leads to another. She had to tell countless lies to cover up the first one.
“Ah…” Clara sighed softly. “What can I do if I don’t accept it?”
She was scared.
Daniel looked at Clara. He couldn’t help but ask.
“Clara, were you forced to marry Ethan?” Daniel asked seriously.
She looked at Daniel, feeling uneasy.
Based on her years of watching TV dramas and reading novels… was Daniel going to say he wanted to help her escape from Ethan?
No way, right?
It couldn’t be that melodramatic, could it?
And what did Daniel mean by this?
What did it matter to Daniel whether she was forced to marry Ethan or not?
“Clara, if you’re unhappy, we can find a way to get you away from Ethan,” Daniel said.
Clara’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Daniel in surprise.
Daniel actually said such a thing… What did he mean?
Could it be that Ethan was right, and Daniel really had ulterior motives towards her?
If Daniel saw her as just a girl next door… why would he suggest she get a divorce?
Daniel…
Clara felt like she had missed something.
She thought back carefully over the years. She really didn’t feel that Daniel had any improper thoughts towards her. In her memory, Daniel was always kind and gentle to her, but he was like that to everyone.
It wasn’t just towards her.
Clara thought carefully. She hadn’t interacted much with other women around Daniel, so she wasn’t sure how he treated them.
But in their neighborhood, Daniel treated her, her sister, and other girls the same way.
There was nothing special about it.
But now, why was Daniel trying to persuade her to leave Ethan?
Could it be that Daniel simply couldn’t stand seeing her suffer and wanted to help her escape?
But…
Clara felt that her current life wasn’t really suffering.
She didn’t know what the future held for her and Ethan or how Ethan would treat her. It was unpredictable.
But for now, she felt that Ethan treated her quite well.
She was quite happy being with Ethan.
At least happier than when she was with the Everett family.
“Daniel…” Clara looked at Daniel. “You misunderstood… I wasn’t forced to marry Ethan.”
Actually, it wasn’t really forcing back then either.
At that time, the Everett family did hope she would marry Ethan in place of her sister.
But she was willing too.
It wasn’t because she liked Ethan, but because she knew clearly that if Ethan left at that time… the Everett family would be finished.
Marrying Ethan was for the Everett family and for herself as well.
If the Everett family fell, she wouldn’t have a good life either.
Even though her parents didn’t like her much, they still raised her in comfort and luxury all these years.
Daniel was stunned for a moment and looked at Clara in surprise. “So… you liked Ethan from the beginning?”
Clara: “… No.”
She looked at Daniel and said, “I didn’t like Ethan back then, but… no one forced me. I married Ethan willingly.”
Willingly sacrificing her future happiness for the Everett family.
But unexpectedly… it seemed she hadn’t sacrificed wrongly.
The man she married reluctantly… treated her quite well.
Daniel looked at Clara.
His mind turned over a thousand times.
Clara said she didn’t like Ethan back then… So now, did she like him?
Thinking about it, it made sense. A man like Ethan… it would be hard for a woman not to fall for him.
Clara spent every day with him… It was understandable if she liked him now.
“Clara… do you like Ethan now?” Daniel asked. After asking, his heart ached. He looked at Clara seriously… Had he missed his girl?
If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have gone abroad back then.
But when he left, Clara was still young. His plan was to return after completing his studies when Clara had grown up enough for dating and marriage. Then he could confess his feelings to Clara.
But unexpectedly… just before his return, an accident happened… Clara suddenly married Ethan in place of Iris.
Clara was stunned for a moment and looked at Daniel.
A normal man wouldn’t ask a woman such a question, right?
“… Yes.” Clara nodded reluctantly.
If Daniel really had ulterior motives towards her, wouldn’t this make him give up?
Daniel clearly heard the sound of his heart breaking.
With a ‘bang’… it shattered into countless pieces. Looking at Clara, his nose tingled, and his eyes stung… He wanted to cry.
How did he miss his girl like this?
Clearly… before going abroad, he could feel Clara’s admiration for him.
At that time… he should have confessed to Clara.
If they were in a relationship then, the Everett family wouldn’t have forced Clara to marry Ethan.
“Clara…” Daniel looked at Clara.
Clara felt that something was off about Daniel’s expression…
Was Daniel going to confess to her?
If it were before, she would have been thrilled and excited. But now… she was scared.
She no longer liked Daniel.
Moreover, she was already married. If Daniel confessed… she would have to reject him.
After rejecting him, meeting again would be so awkward.
If he didn’t confess, she could pretend nothing happened and continue being friends.
“Daniel.” Clara glanced at the time and said, “I have an appointment with my husband tonight… I’m running late. Goodbye, Daniel…”
With that, she ran off.
Afraid that if she delayed any longer, Daniel would catch up and confess to her.
Daniel watched Clara’s retreating figure but didn’t chase after her.
What could he do if he caught up?
Confess to Clara?
Would Clara accept?
No… She already liked Ethan now.
What did he have compared to Ethan?
He wasn’t as rich as Ethan or as good-looking as Ethan… He didn’t even have Clara’s love now, while Ethan did…
What did he have compared to Ethan?
–
Clara hailed a taxi. Once inside, her pounding heart slowly calmed down.
It really scared her just now.
For a moment there, she really thought Daniel would confess to her.
Ah…
What did Daniel mean by all this?
Did he really like her?
But if he really liked her, why didn’t he say so earlier?
If Daniel had confessed earlier when she also liked him years ago… they could have been together happily then.
No matter how much pressure there was, she wouldn’t have married Ethan then.
Maybe… Daniel didn’t intend to confess or like her. Maybe she misunderstood?