In the hospital, Vanessa was still pretending to rest and recuperate, when Liam suddenly remembered me.
He frowned, pulled out his phone, and his fingers flew across the screen, sending one text message after another:
[Clara, is the whip mark on your back healed? Does it hurt?]
[Are you still angry with me? I had my reasons for what happened that day. Let me explain.]
[Why aren't you replying to my messages? Is your phone dead? Reply as soon as you see this.] The messages were like pebbles thrown into the deep sea, not even causing a ripple. Liam's finger hovered over the screen, a strange unease creeping into his heart for the first time—even when things got really bad, a few coaxing words from him would always soften him, but this time…
“Stop sending it,” Vanessa said, grabbing his wrist. Her voice was as soft as cotton, but her eyes held a calculating glint. “She’s just throwing a tantrum. Think about it, she’s all alone, she’s had five years of good life with you, how can she possibly adapt to the hardships outside? She’s probably already regretting it somewhere, but she just can’t bring herself to come back.”
She paused, deliberately emphasizing her words: “You’ve spoiled her too much these past five years, that’s why she dares to be so willful. I think it’s better to leave her alone for a few days, until she’s hungry and scared, she’ll naturally come back begging you.”
These words were like a thorn, piercing Liam’s hidden sense of superiority—he had always felt that Clara couldn’t live without him. He gripped his phone tightly, suppressing his unease, and said coldly, "You're right, I was too hasty. She's just taking advantage of my feelings for her."
A few days later, Vanessa's "health improved" and she was discharged from the hospital. When Liam took her back to the villa, he was still planning how to "teach" me a lesson before making amends. But when he pushed open the door, the living room was empty, and my room was spotless—clothes, my usual water glass, everything was gone, and on the table was a glass bottle filled with the ashes of love letters.
A note was on the coffee table, the handwriting cold and devoid of warmth:
"Liam, between us, this is the end."
Liam stared at the note, stunned at first, then his anger surged. He crumpled the note and threw it on the ground, growling that he was calling the bodyguards to search for her! “Don’t go!” Vanessa quickly grabbed him, her face full of “concern for him.” “If you go now, isn’t that like admitting defeat? If she knows how worried you are about her, she’ll only take advantage of you more! Besides, she doesn’t have much money. Life out there isn’t easy. She’ll only last a week at most; she’ll definitely be back.”
Liam took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Looking at Vanessa’s “concerned” eyes, and remembering my past compliance, he finally nodded: “Okay, I’ll wait for her to come back on her own.”
But in the following days, while he outwardly stayed with Vanessa, he grew increasingly agitated—the people he sent to secretly inquire hadn’t even found a trace of me. On Friday afternoon, several of his business partners suddenly showed up at his door, excitedly patting him on the shoulder:
"Liam! Don't stay home! Something big is happening tonight!"
"Have you heard? The Bennett Group's mysterious heir, who's been shrouded in secrecy for five years, is officially making his debut today, completing his probationary period! The inheritance ceremony is on the top floor of the Bennett Building, with a husband-selection banquet as well!"
"It's said that all the top talents in the continent have received invitations. This kind of spectacle is something you'll only see once in a lifetime! Come on, let's go and join the fun; maybe we can even get in touch with the Bennett family!"
Liam frowned, showing no interest whatsoever—his mind was preoccupied with the whereabouts of the heir, and he instinctively repelled such business occasions. Vanessa's eyes lit up, and she took his arm, softly urging, "Liam, please go! I've heard so much about the Bennett Group's power. Getting to know the heir would benefit your company. Just come with me to broaden my horizons." Unable to resist Vanessa's persistent pleading, Liam finally agreed.
That evening, the Bennett Building was brightly lit, the crystal chandeliers in the rooftop banquet hall sparkling like a galaxy, filled with elegantly dressed celebrities. Vanessa was mesmerized, pulling Liam around to look for an opportunity to strike up a conversation with the dignitaries. Liam, meanwhile, sat in a corner with a glass of whiskey, his thoughts already wandering—Clara had been missing for almost ten days; where was she?
Just then, all the lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only a spotlight shining on the top of the spiral staircase. The emcee's voice, trembling with excitement, carried throughout the hall through the microphone:
"Distinguished guests, let us welcome with the warmest applause Ms. Clara Bennett, the sole heiress of the Bennett family!"
