Clara nodded. “Yes, he believes me.”
Iris responded with a disappointed “Oh.”
She felt very disheartened.
If only Ethan didn’t believe Clara… If only Ethan thought Clara was the one who pushed Nora into the water, believed Clara was a malicious woman… that would have been perfect.
Clara looked at Iris and sensed that her sister’s final “Oh” seemed filled with disappointment.
Could it be… her sister hoped Ethan wouldn’t believe her?
Clara sipped her coffee, head lowered. She knew her guess was correct.
The relationship between her and her sister had completely changed because of Ethan.
Her sister was no longer the one who cared for, loved, and protected her.
Did her sister also think she had stolen Ethan?
“Sis…” Clara looked up at Iris and said, “Mr. Barber is a very good man.”
Iris was taken aback, looking at Clara, wondering what she meant by suddenly bringing up Alexander.
Of course, she knew Alexander was a good man.
If Alexander wasn’t good, how could she have been so foolish to betray Ethan?
“When are you and Mr. Barber getting married?” Clara asked with a smile.
Iris looked at Clara and understood now… Clara wanted her to marry Alexander quickly so that she would have no chance with Ethan.
So… Clara now saw her as an enemy? Was she worried she would take Ethan away?
Iris felt angry, thinking Clara was simply ungrateful. Ethan was originally hers; he should belong to her. She wasn’t stealing; she was just taking back what was rightfully hers.
“We haven’t considered that yet,” Iris said. “No rush… we’ll take it slow.”
Clara responded with a simple “Oh.”
“Clara…” Iris suddenly said, “If you’re unhappy with Ethan, you should get a divorce.”
Clara looked at Iris in surprise.
Iris gazed at Clara with guilt. “I know you don’t really like Ethan… You married him for me, for the Everett family. It’s all my fault; I should bear all the consequences. If Ethan wants to torment someone, let him torment me. You shouldn’t suffer because of me.”
Tears welled up in Iris’s eyes as she looked at Clara.
Could she say she wasn’t suffering at all?
Ethan hadn’t tormented her either.
If anything, she felt Ethan treated her quite well.
Though he had his bad moods occasionally, it was normal; everyone had moods.
“Sis… Ethan treats me very well,” Clara said.
Iris shook her head, tears streaming down. “Clara, you don’t have to comfort me… I betrayed him; he must hate me and the Everett family. How could he treat you well?”
Clara hesitated. “Sis, don’t cry… Ethan really treats me well.”
Hearing Clara say Ethan treated her well made Iris cry even harder.
This wasn’t an act; she was genuinely heartbroken.
Clearly… all this goodness from Ethan should have been hers to enjoy.
But now… it had all gone to Clara.
Thinking of Ethan treating Clara well, buying things for Clara, buying her a diamond ring, holding her to sleep every night… it drove Iris mad!
Since Ethan and Clara got married, Iris had spent almost every night crying herself to sleep, filled with regret and remorse.
“Sis, really… Ethan treats me well. Don’t cry; you haven’t wronged me…” Clara said while wiping Iris’s tears with a tissue.
Iris wanted to cry even more.
—
Clara returned home feeling exhausted after a long day.
She had met Belle at noon, received a call from her father in the afternoon, and then comforted her crying sister after school. It had taken a lot of effort to calm her down.
She felt she was bearing too much for someone her age.
In the evening, Ethan came home.
Clara hesitated before asking Ethan, “Did you go to the hospital to see Nora?”
Ethan raised an eyebrow and looked at Clara. “Do you want me to see her?”
Ethan asked persistently, “Do you want me to or not?”
Clara looked at Ethan, who seemed determined to know the answer.
“I don’t want you to,” Clara said softly.
Ethan replied, “I didn’t go.”
Clara blushed suddenly as she looked at Ethan.
She didn’t know why she blushed; it just happened suddenly.
Ethan slightly curled his lips into a smile.
Clara’s face turned even redder, feeling like there was a little deer running around in her heart.
—
Late at night, as Clara slept soundly, the phone rang.
Clara turned over, frowning, not wanting to answer it.
She was very tired.
Ethan had exhausted her two or three times; she didn’t want to move at all.
But the phone kept ringing.
Ethan stirred beside her.
Worried the phone would wake him up, Clara reluctantly opened her eyes and found the phone. It showed an unfamiliar number.
It couldn’t be a prank call.
Who would make prank calls in the middle of the night?
Even prank callers worked an eight-hour shift and would only call during working hours.
“Hello…” Clara answered the call.
“Clara… I’m sorry… Clara, I’m sorry…” It was a man’s voice.
Clara paused. “Who are you?”
It couldn’t be a wrong number since he called her by name.
“I’m… a big fool…” The man said. Clara could tell he had been drinking; his voice clearly indicated he was drunk.
The voice sounded familiar…
Who could it be?
Clara couldn’t recall immediately.
“I’m a big fool. Clara, do you think I’m a big fool?” The man asked.
Could it be an unknown admirer calling her? Drunk and ready for a late-night confession?
“Oh,” Clara responded.
“So you also think I’m a big fool… It seems I really am a fool,” the man said.
Then Clara heard the sound of cars speeding by.
So… this person was on the road?
A drunk man on the road?
That was dangerous!
News often reported drunk people getting hit by cars and dying.
“Clara… come out; I want to apologize to you… come out…” The man said intermittently.
Suddenly, Clara recognized the voice.
“Benjamin?”
Clara was surprised.
How did Benjamin know her number?
Why was he calling her in the middle of the night?
“I’m… a big fool,” Benjamin said.
Benjamin was drunk and on the road…
“Benjamin, do you have any friends with you?” Clara asked worriedly.
“I have no friends… I’m a big fool; who would be friends with a fool… I have no friends…” Benjamin slurred and even hiccupped drunkenly.
Clara could hear it clearly on the other end of the line.
She guessed Benjamin might be alone. If he had company, they would have spoken up or stopped him from calling so late at night.
Clara was very worried about Benjamin.
Suddenly, a large hand reached out and pulled Clara into an embrace. “Don’t worry about him,” said Ethan’s voice.
Ethan was awake?
She turned to look at him; his eyes were still closed but he was definitely not asleep.
“Benjamin seems drunk… alone on the road…” Clara hesitated to say.
Ethan opened his eyes, clear and cold.
“So…”
She felt Ethan was unhappy about this situation.
Without thinking further about why he was unhappy, she said, “What if he gets hit by a car?”
Ethan coldly replied, “If he gets hit and dies, it’s his own fault.”
She looked at Ethan. Were all powerful men this cold-hearted?
“If he really dies… what if June follows him in death?” Clara said weakly.
June liked Benjamin very much after all.
Ethan was defeated by this reason of hers.
“Ask him where he is,” Ethan said coldly.
Clara sighed in relief and quickly asked Benjamin, “Where are you? We’ll come find you.”
Benjamin replied, “I’m at Frenzy. Clara, come here… I want to apologize to you in person…”