"Head out where? Look at yourself right now!"

Zhao Feng dragged him to the washroom.

Julian looked up and met his reflection in the mirror.

The mirror reflected a decadent figure with a weary expression, a wrinkled shirt, and a chin covered in stubble.

"Do you realize you’ve been missing for three days? Have you just been locked in this office drinking for the last three days?"

Julian gave an awkward smile. "I just... I didn't realize it, I didn't think three days had already passed."

"If Eva hadn't come to me, I wouldn't even know you’d been gone for three days. What exactly is going on with you?"

What was going on?

He couldn't figure it out himself.

Why had things turned out this way?

Julian changed the subject and asked, "What’s wrong with Eva? Why was she looking for you?"

"You still have the nerve to ask? You set the wedding date yourself; the wedding is in two months, yet nothing has been prepared. Your bride is anxious, which is why she came to me."

The wedding!

Julian paused.

Seeing Julian remained silent, Zhao Feng felt a bad premonition rising: "Hey, hey, Young Master Lin, don't tell me that at this critical juncture, you’re thinking of calling off the wedding again?"

"Julian, I heard from your assistant that you were here!"

Eva’s voice rang out from outside the door.

"Alright, the star of the show is here." Zhao Feng winked at Julian.

He turned on the faucet, and cold water splashed onto his face. Ten minutes later, he pushed open the office door. Hearing the sound, Eva excitedly rushed toward him.

"Julian, why have you been working overtime at the company for three days without telling me? You have no idea how worried I was when I couldn't get through to your phone."

"I’m sorry."

Eva leaned her head against his shoulder, sobbing. Julian’s body stiffened slightly.

For some reason, Eva’s touch made him instinctively want to pull away.

But seeing her crying so sadly, he could only offer soft words of comfort.

He couldn't explain; his mind was constantly filled with Clara’s diary.

"Eva, I want to..." ask you a question.

Eva looked up, sobbing. "Hm?"

"It’s nothing."

Julian shook his head.

Eva tugged at Julian’s sleeve, looking pitiful. "Julian, I’m so scared."

"What’s wrong?"

"Wasn't our wedding date set long ago? So, I invited my best friend to be my bridesmaid. She’s been asking me recently when we’re going to customize the gowns, and she even asked if... if you had regrets."

Having said that, Eva looked at Julian nervously.

Julian looked away, his expression unchanged, revealing nothing of his emotions.

Eva clenched her hands into fists. Just then, she heard Julian say, "Tomorrow, let Xiao Zhang accompany you to take a look first. Once I finish settling company matters these next few days, I’ll go with you to choose the wedding dress."

Eva’s eyes lit up. She jumped up and kissed Julian on the cheek, smiling happily and sweetly.

Seeing Eva like this, the expression on Julian’s face was not particularly good.

Back in college, he had met Clara through an extracurricular assignment, but he was quickly attracted to Eva, who stood out beside Clara.

Just now, Eva said she had invited her "best friend" to be her bridesmaid.

He wondered if Eva remembered that back in college, she used to say that Clara was her best friend.

He had almost been unable to stop himself from asking Eva if she knew that her best friend had been loving him like that all this time.

But the words stopped at his lips; he didn't ask.

Eva was innocent. Because of him, she had already lost her right to be a mother and had suffered so much.

If she were to be questioned by him now, how heartbroken would she be?

He knew he should do this, but why was his heart in such turmoil?

Chapter 19: About Her

Preparations for the wedding finally began. Julian did not accompany Eva to choose items.

He claimed he had company matters to handle, but that was just an excuse. He said this because he felt his current mindset was strange. He constantly found himself thinking of Clara—thinking of her alone and desolate in the orphanage, that solitary, frail figure, which made him feel an involuntary ache in his heart.

【I have always been walking on a dark road with no end in sight. He was like sunlight shining into my life, but beauty is always fleeting, isn't it?】

His summer vacation ended, and he hurried abroad to start a new life.

He had cast those fleeting memories to the back of his mind, never realizing that this had been the only consolation in her desperate life.

"No, I shouldn't be influenced anymore. I need to pull myself together."

Julian slapped his face hard.

He needed to adjust himself; he shouldn't be affected by these things.

Clara’s childhood suffering did not mean she could do those things because of it.

Eva was innocent.

Because of him, Eva had already been hurt by Clara twice. Now, he couldn't let Eva be hurt because of him anymore.

He must not be influenced by Clara any longer.

Julian adjusted his mood for a few days. The feelings in his heart faded, and he was finally able to face Eva calmly.

Seeing Julian appear again, Eva was as happy as a joyous little bird, arranging their schedules to the brim.

First, they went to choose a wedding gown, then to the mall to select gifts for the wedding guests.

The salesperson said, "Miss Eva, we happen to have three cases of ’82 Lafite. If used as gratitude gifts, I believe it will give the guests a great experience and leave a deep impression."

Eva’s cheeks were flushed as she asked, "Julian, what do you think of these?"

Julian’s brows furrowed slightly. "Eva, I am allergic to alcohol." Eva immediately showed an apologetic expression. "Julian, I’m sorry. You’ve mentioned it to me before; I actually forgot. I’m truly terrible."

Julian comforted her again. "It’s okay, I only mentioned it to you once; it’s normal that you don't remember. These are fine for the gifts; there’s no rule that the groom must drink. Don't be sad. I’ve reserved these wines; if there are more, set aside another case."

Eva was comforted, but Julian began to feel distracted again.

This was just a small matter; he had mentioned it casually many years ago. Wasn't it normal that she didn't remember?

"Julian, I’m talking to you. Are you still angry about what just happened?" Eva said a mouthful of things to Julian, only to find he wasn't reacting. Upon looking closer, she realized he had spaced out.

"No, I’m just a little tired from shopping all day."

His gaze dimmed.

The alcohol allergy—he clearly hadn't mentioned it to Clara, yet Clara had always remembered.

She wouldn't even use cooking wine for seasoning when cooking at home.

Julian drove back to the suburban villa. After coaxing Eva to bed, he claimed he still had company matters to handle and returned to the study.

Eva, lying in bed, failed in her attempt to seduce him and slammed her pillow in anger.

...

In the study.

The phone on the desk rang. Julian glanced at it; it was a call from Zhao Feng.

"Julian, come to the hospital. There is... there is something about Clara that I think you should know."

Chapter 20: Deciding to Investigate

Julian drove to the hospital.

Since it was deep into the night, there were few people in the hospital. He crossed the quiet corridor and arrived at the director’s office.

Zhao Feng was waiting by the door with a file bag. As soon as he saw Julian, he hurried up to meet him.

"What is it? Why must you call me out so late?"

"Take a look at this first."

Julian skeptically took the file bag handed over by Zhao Feng. Inside was a medical record book. Julian flipped through it quickly. A few minutes later, he closed the book, stared at the name on the front page, and sighed at length: "Are you saying Clara had an incurable disease? And she knew about it a long time ago?"

"Yes, that should be the case. Clara refused the doctor’s treatment plan and chose conservative care. The doctor required her to come to the hospital every month. Clara hasn't come in the last few months, so the hospital tried to reach out. I only found out about this today."

Julian gasped.

Clara’s problem was in her uterus. Back then, she had just discovered she was pregnant. The so-called treatment plan the doctor gave was to first abort the child, then remove a portion of the uterine tissue for biopsy before a treatment plan could be formulated.

Clara had refused; she wanted to give birth to this child.

Zhao Feng patted Julian on the shoulder. "Old friend, I think you really misunderstood Clara."