Chapter 2

Clara's POV

My father sounded even more surprised. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

My father promised, "Don't worry, the man I'll find for your arranged marriage will be a thousand times better than Julian. Once you're back, I'll immediately withdraw the investment from Quinn Corporation."

I softly affirmed, ending the call with my father.

Julian didn't know that I wasn't some Cinderella. I was Clara, heiress of the powerful Sterling family in Manhattan.

Seven years ago, I moved from Manhattan to Las Vegas for university, where Julian and I were classmates.

Our paths first crossed at a university reunion at an entertainment club.

A drunk man was bothering me, and I stumbled, falling right into Julian's arms.

Julian looked at my face, his narrow eyes filled with an intrigued glint. "You look like such a good girl. You should stay away from places like this in the future; they don't suit you."

He shooed away the harassing man, but throughout the party, his gaze, full of intense interest, subtly lingered on me.

Perhaps he'd never encountered someone like me before; he was clearly fascinated.

To win me over, he changed all the habits I disliked. He'd bring me breakfast in the mornings, pick me up for lunch, and invite me to watch the moon at night.

But what truly captured my heart was the time I was accidentally hit by a basketball.

He carried me to the infirmary, looking paler than I, the actual injured party.

Even the doctor chuckled at his anxiety. "She's the one who's hurt, but you look more scared than she does!"

After we started dating, Julian was impeccably good to me, always putting me first.

Within two years, something unexpected happened to the Quinn family. Quinn Corporation faced a crisis, nearly going bankrupt.

It was I who pleaded with my father to inject capital, helping Quinn Corporation escape disaster.

Julian had an extremely strong sense of pride.

So, I never told him that the reason Quinn Corporation survived was thanks to me.

I thought I'd tell him about my identity as the Sterling family heiress from Manhattan when we got married.

But now, none of that mattered.

We wouldn't be getting married.

The person he secretly bought a ring for, the one he planned to propose to, wasn't me.

That night, Julian returned to the villa.

"Baby, I brought you your favorite mousse cake. I know you don't eat sweets at night, so I'll put it in the fridge for you to have tomorrow morning."

He tilted my chin up and kissed my lips.

My mood was sour, so I raised a hand to his chest. "Go take a shower first."

Julian smiled, soft and affectionate. "Alright."

He turned and went into the bathroom, leaving his phone on the bedside table. Messages kept pouring in.

Julian never set a password on his phone.

So, I saw message after message pop up.

"I've had my fun for all these years. I'm coming back."

"Is our agreement still on?"

"My flight lands at midnight tonight. Are you coming to the airport to pick me up?"

All the messages were from someone saved as "Vivian."

Julian came out of the shower, picked up his phone, and a flicker of delight crossed his dark eyes as he read the messages.

He quickly turned to me. "Baby, I have to go out for a bit."

I asked, feigning ignorance, "You usually don't go out this late. Is something urgent?"

Julian, while changing into clean clothes, replied, "A big client is landing in Las Vegas tonight. I can't be rude; I need to pick them up and host them."

A big client?

So, he could lie to me with a straight face.

Julian finished changing and came back to the bed.

He kissed my forehead apologetically. "This client is very important. I might not be back tonight. If you're sleepy, go to bed early. Don't wait up for me."

Before I could say anything else, he grabbed his car keys and hurried out.

For seven years, Julian never stayed out past ten, never left after ten at night, and certainly never spent the night away from home-

But on the night Vivian returned, he stayed out all night.

All the habits he had changed and maintained for me were shattered, completely disregarded, in front of Vivian.

I scrolled through Ins and saw a post from one of Julian's friends.

"True love is when, no matter how many years you wander, you always find your way back."

The photo showed Julian kneeling on one knee, placing a ring on a woman's ring finger at a welcome back party.

Julian quickly liked the post.

But he probably forgot to block me.

Less than two minutes later, the post was deleted.

A bitter, humorless laugh escaped my lips.

My heart, though, was bleeding, each beat a fresh wound.

I put down my phone and sat on the balcony sofa, staying awake all night, watching the moon.