Chapter 3

I saw the last person I wanted to see.

Julian had blocked Claire outside the company building. His eyes were bloodshot.

“Claire, why did you make the Carter Group stop sponsoring me?”

“You know perfectly well that without the company’s support, I’ll have no choice but to work for a mining tycoon!”

Claire was clearly losing patience. She was still carrying the hot pot she had prepared for me.

When she saw me, she looked even more upset. She shoved Julian away and ran over to me.

“Ethan, he’s been harassing me. I haven’t even looked at him properly, so you can’t misunderstand me.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Julian clench his fists. His face was awful, but he still refused to back down. He stepped forward and grabbed Claire by the arm.

“Claire…”

Claire shook him off like he was trash.

Julian’s face turned deathly pale.

Anyone would have been lying if they said seeing an unpleasant person first thing in the morning didn’t affect their mood.

But this was the entrance to a Carter Group building. It wouldn’t look good if outsiders saw Claire and me “bullying” a poor student.

If he made a scene and someone used it to stir up public opinion, that would be a problem.

I put an arm around Claire.

“Claire, let’s have this gentleman come inside. It’s better to clear up any misunderstanding.”

Claire rose onto her toes and brushed her nose against mine.

“Whatever you say.”

Our intimacy made Julian’s expression even uglier, but he had no choice except to follow us inside.

In the elevator, he pressed the floor button before I could. Then he turned toward Claire with a smug smile.

The little stunt was obviously meant to tell me that he knew which floor Claire worked on—that his relationship with her was special.

What a pathetic clown.

When the elevator doors opened, Julian shoved past me and rushed toward Claire’s office door.

The system beeped.

【Face recognition failed.】

The disappointment on his face was impossible to miss.

“Sorry… I forgot it’s not time yet.”

Claire and I exchanged a glance. We both agreed that someone should probably call a psychiatric hospital.

“Excuse me.”

I gently moved the delusional man aside and unlocked the door with my face.

Claire had registered me in the system long ago. Her love for me had always been absolute.

No one invited Julian in, but he still forced himself through the doorway just before it closed, wearing the expression of a man who had been humiliated.

Claire placed the food container on her desk, carefully opened it, and fed me a meatball with her own fork.

When Julian saw the steaming, delicious hot pot, his expression shifted.

He picked up the matching cup I had bought for Claire and walked over to the water dispenser.

“This food is spicy. I’ll get you both some water.”

He said “both,” but he only took one cup.

When he carried it over to Claire, I finally dropped my fork.

“Are you applying to be our servant, Mr. Hayes? Even as a servant, shouldn’t you be pouring water for both the master and mistress?”

Julian stared at his reddened hand and forced himself to stay calm.

“Women shouldn’t eat food that’s too spicy. I’m worried about her.”

Claire kept piling food into my bowl and calmly said, “It isn’t spicy. Ethan can’t eat spicy food, so I never add any to his meals.”

Julian silently set the cup down.

“So that’s how it is… You used to make everything extra spicy for me. I thought…”

My family had always wanted me to remain calm and unshaken, no matter what happened.

My chopsticks smacked against the table.

I stood and punched him in the face.

“I know a psychiatrist who might be able to help you, Mr. Hayes.”

Julian clutched his cheek and stared at me in disbelief. Then he turned toward Claire and shouted, “You’re just going to let him hit me?”

Claire glanced up at him.

“My husband hitting you is a blessing.”

Julian charged forward.

“I’m your husband, Claire!”

He lunged at me, but Claire suddenly stepped in front of me.

Smack!

Her palm struck his left cheek. Now both sides of his face matched.

Claire smoothed her hair.

“My family wanted me to become a proper lady, so I took self-defense classes instead. If you keep acting crazy, I won’t hesitate to knock your teeth out. We can afford your medical bills.”

“And as for your sponsorship, you’re an adult now. The Carter Group ending its support is perfectly legal. If you have nothing else to discuss, you need to leave. Security, remove him.”

Julian’s eyes were blood red as he stared at Claire with desperate grief.

Security arrived quickly. This was the second time Julian had been dragged away.

He twisted around and screamed, “Claire, I’m from the future! I’m really your future husband!”

“You have a red mole on the inside of your left thigh!”