On the third day after Clara left, Julian booked out an entire VIP floor at a bar.
Champagne towers rose nearly to the ceiling, and the women's laughter on the dance floor was sharp and grating.
"Another drink, Mr. Laurent?" someone offered him a glass of whiskey.
He tilted his head back and downed it in one go.
Clara used to stop him after two drinks, saying his stomach couldn't handle more.
Now that no one was stopping him, he drank as much as he pleased.
"Mr. Laurent, I heard Clara left the country. Does that mean you and Vivian can finally go public?"
Julian narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Yeah. No one's in the way anymore."
He pulled out his phone and sent Vivian a message.
It didn't take long before Vivian arrived at the bar.
At a glance, she saw Julian with two girls in his arms, his shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his gaze unfocused.
"Julian." She walked over, frowning. "You've had too much to drink. If Clara sees this, she'll be hurt."
"I'm not drunk." He pushed the girls aside and pulled Vivian down to sit. "Clara's gone, you know that? She wants a divorce. She's already moved out."
Vivian froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "When did that happen?"
"Three days ago." He grinned, careless and bold. "Now it's perfect. No more sneaking around. I'll take you to meet my parents tomorrow. We'll tell them we've been together all along."
Vivian shot to her feet. "Have you lost your mind?"
Julian blinked, confused. "What? She's the one who asked for a divorce. I didn't force her. Isn't this what you've been waiting for?"
"Waiting for what?" Her voice rose sharply. "Waiting for you to push Clara out? For her to be alone in another country with no one to rely on?"
The room fell silent.
Julian frowned. "She has money. The Sterling family gave her plenty. What could happen to her?"
"Money?" Vivian's voice trembled with anger. "Did you forget she's not their real daughter? Yes, they offered her money when she left, but she didn't take it. Not a single dollar! She left Rivermont without the Sterling family or the Laurent family behind her. How do you expect her to survive?"
Julian's smile froze.
He suddenly remembered how quickly she had packed that day… how light her suitcase had been.
But he dismissed the thought just as quickly. She was only acting out. In a few days, she would call him, asking him to take her back. He could just bring her home then.
After all, the last two times they divorced, she hadn't lasted three days before returning.
"She'll come back," he said with certainty. "She always does."
"This time is different!" Vivian shouted. "You don't know her! She looks calm and gentle, but she's more stubborn than anyone. If she says she's leaving, she means it!"
She grabbed her bag and rushed toward the door. "I have to find her. What if something happens to her… what if—"
Julian grabbed her. "Why are you panicking? She's not a child."
"She's my friend!" Vivian shook him off, her anger rising as she looked at his stubborn expression. "She's my best friend! And you…"
She took a deep breath and stared at him, speaking each word slowly. "Julian, what we have is wrong. And if anything happens to Clara, I will never forgive you."
Julian stood there, stunned.
He had never seen Vivian like this.
In his mind, she had always been gentle and considerate, smoothing things over for him, even telling Clara to be more understanding when they argued.
"Vivian!" Panic crept into his voice. "Just listen to me—"
"No need." She picked up her bag and stood. "Don't come looking for me again."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean this," she said, meeting his eyes. "Between you and Clara, I will always choose Clara."
The door slammed shut.
Vivian returned to her apartment and sank to the floor, having no idea where to find Clara. Anxiety twisted inside her, leaving her unable to sit still.
She remembered college, when Clara had a 39-degree fever and still stayed up with her until dawn, helping revise her thesis.
She remembered her surgery, when Clara had stayed by her bedside for three days and nights, collapsing from exhaustion.
"I'm sorry… Clara…" she whispered, burying her face in her knees. "I should've cut things off with Julian a long time ago…"
She pulled out her phone and called Clara again. But all she heard was the same cold message. "The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable."
