"Hahaha... Ryan , is this drug really as powerful as you say? Can it make someone lose their mind and be completely at the mercy of others?"
"Of course, Miss Lila , this is the latest stuff I got from overseas through several connections. It's guaranteed to be colorless and odorless, and no one will notice it if mixed into alcohol. Just let Clara take this tonight, and have a man deliver it to her room, and I guarantee she'll be in heaven. She won't remember a thing tomorrow morning!"
Hearing her name mentioned in such a vile way struck Clara like a thunderbolt, her blood seemingly freezing instantly. She instinctively held her breath, as if drawn by an invisible thread, and moved a few steps closer to the half-open door.
Through the crack in the door, she could clearly see the scene inside the private room— Liam was lounging lazily on the velvet sofa in the center, his long legs crossed, his posture relaxed. He was holding a small bottle of clear liquid in his hand , turning it around casually, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were thinking about something, but his eyes were a bottomless pool, revealing no emotion.
"Wow, Ryan , I didn't expect you to have such connections and influence. You did a great job!" Lila, swaying gracefully in her high heels, walked over to Liam and sat down next to him. She snatched the bag from his hand, examined it closely, and wore a mischievous, excited smile on her face.
Clara takes this drug today , my brother can ‘coincidentally’ catch her in bed with him at the hotel tomorrow morning. With solid evidence, the divorce will be inevitable! Then it will be Clara who cheated on my brother , and for the sake of the Bennett family’s reputation, we will definitely get those shares!” Lila ’s voice was full of calculation and smugness.
She paused, as if remembering something, and her tone became indignant: "Honestly, if it weren't for that old bastard Clara 's father forcing my brother to marry Clara with the investment and shares , Vanessa wouldn't have left for abroad heartbroken, and my brother wouldn't have broken up with Vanessa! It's all Clara's and her father's fault!"
As she spoke, Lila turned to look at Liam , who was still leaning back on the sofa, a cigarette between his fingers , silent. She frowned, her tone tinged with a hint of probing and dissatisfaction: "Brother, what's wrong? You haven't said much since earlier. You didn't soften your heart at this crucial moment, did you? You didn't... really fall in love with that stupid woman Clara in these past three years, did you? Don't forget, Vanessa is coming back tomorrow!"
"Fall in love?" Liam finally spoke, his voice low and cold, carrying a hint of mockery. He glanced casually at the potion in Lila's hand , as if it were nothing more than an insignificant item, his tone chillingly indifferent. "It's just a tool to help our family return to the top, a fairly handy stepping stone. How could I possibly fall in love with it?"
He flicked his cigarette ash and continued in his usual, weather-speaking tone, "I'm just thinking about what excuse I can use to get her to take this medicine willingly and without any suspicion. After all, she seems to have become a little 'smarter' lately." He spoke the last few words very softly, yet with a cruel, playful edge.
His tone remained nonchalant, yet every word he uttered was like a red-hot blade, relentlessly piercing Clara 's heart, shattering all her love, devotion, and faith of the past three years.
She never imagined that the man who had just been whispering sweet nothings to her in the lounge, making her believe she was deeply loved, could turn around and calmly plot with someone else how to use the most despicable means to get her into someone else's bed, just to seize her family's property and make room for his beloved.
She met Liam on campus. He was a high achiever, and she was a recognized talent. Their grades were always neck and neck, making them the focus of attention throughout the school. In addition, their families had a close working relationship with their respective companies. Gradually, Clara fell hopelessly in love with this dazzling man.
But by then , Liam already had the gentle and lovely Vanessa by his side . She buried this budding love deep in her heart, never revealing it, only silently watching and sincerely wishing them well.
Three years ago, Vanessa suddenly left the country without warning. Shortly afterward, the Foster family faced bankruptcy due to a major investment mistake. They sought help from the then-powerful Bennett family .
Clara 's father had long seen through his daughter's feelings, and his only request was that Liam marry Clara .
She wasn't oblivious to whether this marriage, which began as a transaction, should have started, nor was she unaware of the complexity and restraint in Liam 's eyes when he proposed. It's just that she loved him, loved him too much, loved him to the point of believing that sincerity could move mountains, loved him so much that she couldn't bear to let go, naively believing that three years of tender companionship could melt the ice in his heart.
Besides, in the three years of their marriage, he had been incredibly good to her, attending to every little detail with tenderness and consideration. To outsiders, they were the epitome of a perfect couple. She repeatedly told herself that he loved her, but his personality made him unable to express his passionate feelings.
She thought he had gradually fallen in love with her during the three years they spent together, but only today did this bloody truth completely wake her up—all his kindness and tenderness towards her was only because he needed the Bennett family 's help, and needed her as a "tool" to help his Foster family make a comeback!
Now, the Foster family has not only emerged from its predicament but is even more powerful than before. She, having lost her usefulness, is now ready to be eliminated to make way for his beloved Vanessa . They even intend to exploit her "stain" to seize the Bennett family 's shares!
The clenched hands, gripped so tightly, had nails that dug deep into the soft palms, oozing tiny beads of bright red blood that stood out starkly against the pale skin.
But how could the sharp pain of the nails digging into the palm compare to even a fraction of the feeling in my heart that was being torn apart and crushed?
She didn't want to hear any more. She was afraid that if she listened for even a second longer, she would lose control and rush in, doing something irreversible. Clara forced back the tears that threatened to spill, biting her lower lip hard until a faint metallic taste filled her mouth. She straightened her back, like a defeated soldier unwilling to abandon her last shred of dignity, turned, and staggered into the nearest restroom.
She locked the door, shutting out everything outside. Leaning against the cold door, her body trembled uncontrollably. Finally, the tears she had suppressed for so long burst forth like a flood, blurring her delicate makeup and washing away the last trace of fantasy and longing she had for Liam .
Since he had never loved her, she didn't need to love him anymore.
She cried for an unknown amount of time, until her tears dried up, leaving only an empty numbness. She went to the sink and rinsed her face with cold water over and over, trying to clear her mind. When she looked up, the woman in the mirror had red and swollen eyes and a pale face, but those eyes, which had once been filled with love and starlight, now burned with a flame that was almost apocalyptic and reborn.
Her fingers trembled as she took out her phone, her fingertips unsteady from the cold and heartbreak, yet her movements were unusually resolute. She quickly opened the ticketing app and deftly booked a one-way ticket to a faraway country a week later. There lay the major she had wanted to pursue in university but had given up for Liam , and a completely new life.
Then, she took a deep breath and dialed the number that belonged to Gregory , a number she hadn't contacted in a long time .
From that moment on, she and Liam went their separate ways, each finding their own happiness. No, she only wanted to be happy; as for him… he was no longer a part of her life.
