Clara’s heart tightened. Just as she was about to signal the director to cut the feed, Julian staggered over to her and grabbed her wrist.

His eyes were red, tears rolling down, his voice incoherent with pleading:

"Clara... I have something, something I need to tell you..."

Clara looked into his eyes and suddenly remembered the scene at the subway station yesterday morning when he had called out to her.

It had been too noisy then for her to hear clearly.

In this moment, she suddenly understood the words he hadn't finished—

He had said: "Clara, I regret it."

Chapter 9

"Clara, I really regret it."

Julian repeated it once more, every word sounding as if it were being crushed out of his very soul.

His fingers gripped Clara’s wrist tightly, his eyes burning with a desperate plea.

Clara was prepared, but her heart still felt a sudden, sharp squeeze, and her breath hitched for a moment.

But eight years of time had long since turned her heart into a block of ice; that bit of pain was quickly submerged in a bone-deep coldness.

She calmly shook off his hand and reached out to press the bright red termination button on the console.

Beep—

The sharp alert tone pierced the silence of the studio, and the monitor screen abruptly cut to black.

Julian’s pupils shrank. He grabbed her wrist again. "Clara, it was my fault back then... I repent!"

"I’ll do anything you want, just please forgive me..."

Clara couldn't pull her hand away, so she looked up at him with a frigid gaze:

"If I had done these things to you back then, would you forgive me?"

Julian froze. "I..."

"Furthermore," she interrupted him, "Clara Vance died a long time ago. A late repentance is worth less than weeds."

Julian’s face went deathly pale, his fingers involuntarily losing their grip.

"No... you didn't die, you're still alive..."

Clara took the opportunity to pull her hand back and glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'm sorry, my shift is over."

She stopped looking at him, turned off the lights, and pushed her wheelchair toward the door.

"Clara!"

Julian snapped back to reality and chased after her.

The white corridor lights cast her departing back into a long, resolute shadow.

For a moment, it overlapped with the scene eight years ago when she had walked out of the Vance estate with her suitcase.

Just as he was about to step forward, Jane, the producer, came around the corner with some documents. She froze when she saw them:

"Clara, the 'regret' Mr. Vance mentioned on the broadcast... what was that? Why did it cut off so suddenly?"

Clara spoke first, her expression calm and unruffled:

"Mr. Vance was still immersed in the story; he got a bit emotional. I was afraid it would affect the broadcast quality, so I cut it early."

Jane gave an understanding smile and didn't ask further, handing over the documents:

"Tonight's data exploded again! The station director is here specifically to see you. It's been hard work, but please join the meeting; we'll give you make-up leave over the next two days."

"Alright."

Clara took the documents.

The two briefly discussed the follow-up schedule, and Jane headed to the conference room first.

Julian immediately blocked Clara’s path, his voice trembling: "Clara, can we please have a talk?"

"Regarding what happened back then... I want to make it up to you! The day I heard you were gone without a trace, I nearly went mad..."

His eyes were bloodshot. "I finally realized it was you I loved! In these eight years, I never stopped looking for you—"

"Julian Vance," Clara interrupted him expressionlessly, "your best form of repentance is to stay far away from me. I don't want to be dragged into any more whirlpools."

She paused, her gaze landing on the wedding ring on his finger, her lips curling into a faint, thin smile.

"Melody Sterling called the station today. You should deal with your family matters first."

She looked up and softly uttered those four words:

"After all, you are soulmates."

As the words fell, the last bit of color drained from Julian’s face.

He stood frozen, his lips moving fruitlessly, unable to make a sound.

That ring suddenly felt scalding and heavy, like a shackle branded into his flesh.

"Don't disturb me again."

Clara left him with those words and turned her wheelchair to leave.

Julian wanted to chase her, but his feet felt nailed to the floor.

The ring her gaze had brushed over now felt as heavy as a mountain.

At that moment, the phone in his pocket, set to vibrate, buzzed again.

He pulled it out irritably; the name "Melody Sterling" was jumping on the screen.

He stared at the name for a few seconds before suddenly smashing the phone onto the ground with a violent force!

Smash!

The device hit the marble tiles, fragments flying everywhere.

Julian leaned weakly against the wall and closed his eyes.

The cold sensation seeped through his shirt, suddenly reminding him of many years ago, when Clara had leaned against a hospital corridor wall just like this, waiting for him to come out of chemotherapy.

Back then, she had held his hand, her eyes sparkling:

"Julian, I'm not afraid of hardship, as long as you're alive."

Now he was alive, but she would rather he be dead.

An unknown amount of time passed before Julian slowly opened his eyes and walked out with heavy steps.

The villa on the hillside was brightly lit, yet it carried a chill of death.

In the hall, the servants were gathered to one side, looking toward the second floor with terrified expressions, everyone as silent as cicadas in winter.

Julian’s steps faltered. He knew Melody was having another breakdown.

Chapter 10

As he approached the room, the piercing sound of cursing and shattering objects reached his ears.

Porcelain exploded, glass splattered, all mingled with a woman's hysterical screams.

Julian Vance rubbed his temples, suppressing his surging fury as he pushed the door open.

The room was in total shambles.

Broken porcelain covered the floor, oil paintings had been torn from the walls, and expensive silk sheets were reduced to rags.

Melody Sterling was lifting a crystal ornament to throw it, but her movements froze abruptly when she saw him enter.

She wore no makeup today; her face was deathly pale and her long hair was a tangled mess.

The woman who was once as elegant as a swan now resembled a completely withered flower.

"So you actually remembered to come back?" Melody let out a cold laugh. "I thought you'd long since forgotten this home existed!"

Julian’s breath hitched, but he forced his voice to remain steady. "I was working overtime all day yesterday. My assistant can vouch for me. Stop letting your imagination run wild."

"Overtime?"

Melody shrieked with laughter. She suddenly pulled a stack of photos from under her pillow and hurled them violently at his face. "You mean a private tryst with your old flame! Why didn't you stay a little longer to savor the moment!"

The photos scattered in the air.

Julian looked down.

The gaze they shared at the subway entrance, the moment he pushed her wheelchair over a speed bump, and even yellowed old photos from years ago.

His pupils shrank, and sudden rage flared up. "You hired someone to stalk me?!"

Melody’s eyes were bloodshot. "You forced my hand! You were the one who cheated first!"

"There was nothing between me and Secretary Wang! She was fired long ago, what more do you want—"

"If I hadn't arrived in time that day, the two of you would have been in bed together by now!"

Melody interrupted with a raspy scream. "Of all the people in the company, why did you pick her? Because she looks like Clara Vance!"

She gasped for air, but her tears refused to fall. "In these eight years, you never once let go of Clara Vance..."

"Now that the real one is back, you want to kick me aside, don't you!"

Every word was like a poisoned needle, stabbing into Julian’s most unsightly old scars.

Six months ago, his heart had indeed wavered for that new secretary.

The girl had just graduated; her eyes crinkled when she smiled, looking remarkably like the young Clara for a fleeting second.

Driven by some inexplicable impulse, he transferred her to his side. He would steal extra glances at her during overtime and "accidentally" brush against her hand when she handed him documents.

But later, he snapped out of it.

No matter how similar, she wasn't her.

Coincidentally, Melody found out and caused a massive scene, so he took the opportunity to fire the girl.

Julian tiredly twisted the wedding ring on his ring finger, finally meeting Melody’s gaze with honesty:

"Yes. From the day Clara left, I understood... she is the one I’ve always loved."

"Let's get a divorce. You can take seventy percent of the assets."