Chapter Seven - Clara's Pov

I didn't wait for Thorne to answer and walked straight out of the bar with Linda and Freya.

By this time, Linda had sobered up considerably, though her eyes still showed traces of fear.

"Now you know to be scared. You were so irrational just now. If Freya and I hadn't run fast enough, he really would have shot."

I held Linda's hand. "I know you were worried about me, but you can't be so reckless next time. It's getting late, hurry back and rest with Freya."

"But you..."

"No buts. No matter what, I'm still Thorne's wife. They won't do anything to me."

Hearing me say this, Linda finally nodded and left with Freya.

After returning home, I sat on the living room sofa, waiting until dawn.

Thorne didn't come back all night.

I looked at the sun outside the window and gave a bitter smile.

Once again, I had held expectations for Thorne.

I took a shower and then prepared to make myself a sandwich. Just then, my phone pushed out a notification. I froze for a moment. No wonder Thorne hadn't come back all night.

I had thought that yesterday when he publicly embarrassed that woman, it was because of Elena.

Now it seemed, perhaps not.

I still remember the day before he went to New York, when I went to Knight's underground casino to find him.

That day he was at the gambling table. After losing two rounds, he didn't want to play anymore. Everyone joked that after Thorne got married, even his losses weren't as carefree.

Thorne lowered his eyes, playing with the chips on the table, saying nothing.

Then someone suddenly asked, "Thorne, why did you suddenly marry Clara?"

I, who had just reached the doorway, stopped in my tracks. I knew that Thorne and I had a contract marriage and shouldn't expect too much, but I still wanted to hear Thorne's answer.

Unexpectedly, Thorne just sneered, "Marrying anyone is the same. I married casually. Why so many whys?"

As he spoke, Thorne slowly turned his head to look at me.

So he had discovered me long ago.

Following Thorne's gaze, everyone also looked toward the doorway. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became awkward.

Those gazes were like poisoned needles, stabbing into my body, pain seeping into my bones.

It was just past noon when my father sent another message, reminding me about coming home for dinner that evening. I replied "got it," then leaned back in my chair and let out a long breath.

Whether Thorne came with me or not, I had to make this trip.

That evening, when I arrived at my father's house, he was waiting at the door. But seeing no one else beside me, the smile on his face instantly froze.

"Why did you come back alone?"

"Where's Thorne?"

Father was still looking behind me, as if by looking a few more times, he could make Thorne appear.

"Stop looking. It's just me today. Thorne didn't have time."

Lisa had made a whole table of dishes, her face wearing a fawning smile that was nauseating.

But upon hearing that only I had come back, that saccharine smile disappeared from her face like magic.

Lisa was originally our housekeeper, but after my mother's accident, she climbed into my father's bed and even bore him a child.

However, my father probably felt ashamed too. After the child was born, he rushed to send it to Mexico.

But from then on, Lisa not only ate at the same table as us in our house but also acted as the lady of the house.

"What could he be so busy with that he doesn't even have time for a meal?"

Father's face showed displeasure.

Lisa sneered, "Whether he's busy or not is a small matter. I'm afraid Clara doesn't have the ability to keep her own husband."

My knife and fork paused. I turned to look at Lisa. "Of course I'm not as capable as you - climbing into the master's bed."

"You..." Lisa's face immediately flushed with shame and anger. "I'm just stating facts. Yesterday evening, Thorne and Shanli entering and leaving the hotel together has already trended."

"So what?" My expression was indifferent. "I'm Thorne's wife, just like my mother - she was my father's only wife, while you'll forever just be a bed-climbing whore."

These words clearly provoked Lisa. She threw her knife and fork onto the table.

"Clara, how can you say such ill-mannered things?" Then Lisa contemptuously curled her lips. "Oh right, I forgot. Your mother was a slut slept by thousands, ridden by tens of thousands. What kind of manners could her daughter have..."

Slap—

I struck Lisa hard, the huge momentum making my palm numb.

The room suddenly fell silent for three seconds.

Immediately after, Lisa let out a piercing scream. "Ah! Clara, how dare you hit me!"

Even Father slammed the table and shouted at me, "Clara, you're so out of line! Who taught you to be so arrogant? I order you to apologize to Lisa right now!"

"Why should I apologize? Didn't you hear what she just said about my mother?"

"Don't you know exactly why those things happened?"

"How can you let others insult her like this now!"

"Clara, are you questioning your father?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm just reminding you that no one has the right to speak of my mother that way, especially you... you all..."

"You..." Father's eyes reddened as he raised his hand, wanting to strike my face.

I gave a cold laugh. "If Father wants to hit me, you'd better not hit too hard. If Thorne notices, you can explain it to him yourself."

Hearing me mention Thorne, Father hesitated.

But Lisa was somewhat unwilling. "Stop using Thorne as an excuse. If Thorne cared about you, how could he not accompany you back for dinner? Sir, Clara is just bluffing you."

"Whether it's bluffing or not, try it and you'll know."

In the end, Father still lowered his hand. After all, compared to swallowing his anger and offending Thorne, Father still knew which was more important.

"Clara, no matter what, I'm your father. I now order you to apologize to Lisa, or I'll stop paying for your mother's nursing home fees."

I looked at Father in disbelief. "How can you use this to threaten me? I can bear Mother's nursing fees myself."

Father sneered at this moment.

"Clara, you should be clear that if I sign the termination of treatment form, you have no way to keep your mother in the nursing home."

Hearing Father's words, I trembled with anger.

"How can you treat her like this!"

"No, the decision is in your hands now. How to treat her is your business."

I looked at Lisa's smug expression, my lips trembling. "I'm sorry, Lisa. I shouldn't have said those things to you."

For Mother's sake, this was what I had to do.

Father seemed very satisfied with my submission to him.

"Don't be so reckless in the future. Remember to bring Thorne back next time for dinner."

I looked at Father's slightly warning eyes, nodded, then got up and left Father's house.

Not long after leaving, I received a call from Caroline.

"Have you talked to Thorne about the divorce?"

I watched the neon lights turn on one by one, thinking of Mother who had once thrown everything away for love, and felt somewhat tired.

"If you watched the news more, you'd know that Thorne is playing around quite a bit outside. I can't find time to talk to him about divorce at all."

"Clara, are you stalling for time?"

I could imagine Caroline's mean appearance even with my eyes closed.

"I'm warning you, don't play tricks with this matter. Dragging it out will have the same result. Let yourself go, and let Thorne go too."

"I'm not."

I said somewhat weakly.

How could I not want to let myself go...

"Clara, our family hasn't treated you poorly all these years, and people should know gratitude. Think carefully about back then..."

"Mother, if you're going to bring up the past every time, then when I married Thorne, didn't that also solve a big problem for you? All things considered, the little kindness you gave, I've already repaid it completely."

Caroline fell silent.

After a moment, "Clara, I hope you can understand a mother's feelings. Thorne stayed in New York for three years, and because of you, he wouldn't even return to Manhattan. Do you know how I felt?"

Actually, I never knew why Thorne suddenly went to New York.

Everyone said he went to find Elena. Caroline blamed me for not being able to keep Thorne's heart.

Friends said it was because Thorne didn't want to see me.

Anyway, everything was my fault.

I thought that after all these years, I had become numb, but hearing Caroline's words, my heart felt like it was being gouged again and again.

I lowered my eyes. "I understand. I'll find an opportunity to talk to him as soon as possible."

After hanging up, I exhaled lightly, recalling two years ago when I accidentally learned why Caroline was so anxious to have Thorne marry.