Chapter 3
Vivienne was waiting there.
Her eyes were red.
H
Caelum gripped my wrist tightly, his voice cold as ice.
“Clarissa, I need a clear answer today. Will you put the baby under your name or not?”
I struggled, but he didn’t let go.
“Caelum, let go. You care so much about this baby–it must be yours.‘
The moment I said it, I saw a flash of panic on Vivienne’s face.
His grip tightened. My wrist throbbed in pain.
“Still slandering me? I’ve been way too lenient with you.”
He grabbed my chin with his other hand.
“Grandpa scolded Vivienne today. Seeing her embarrassed made you happy, didn’t it?
“If I’d known how vicious you were, I never would’ve said yes when you chased me.”
་་
He used to say that during every argument. And every time, I gave in and comforted him.
No matter whose fault it was–it was always mine.
I apologized. I promised to do better. Until he grudgingly forgave me.
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But this time, I swallowed my anger and said softly but firmly, “It’s not er and said softly but firmly, “It’s not too late. Let’s break up.”
Caelum froze.
He let go of my wrist and stepped back.
His eyes scanned my face in disbelief.
“Clarissa, are you serious?”
Before I could answer, he cut in, “You know me. If I agree to break up, you won’t even get the chance to regret it.
“Don’t ever throw that word around again in front of
Then he turned and walked out.
I turned the other way.
me.”
This place, the Powell family–none of it had anything to do with me anymore.
I’d just taken a step when Vivienne shoved me hard.
I instinctively grabbed her arm.
We both tumbled down the terrace stairs.
She landed on top of me.
It hurt. I pushed her off.
She rolled to the ground.
I twisted up, sat, and slapped her across the face.
So hard my hand stung.
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Caelum heard the noise and turned back.
He shouted “Vivienne!” loud enough to shake the whole hall.
He rushed over, kicked me aside, and scooped her up.
“Vivienne, are you okay? Where does it hurt?”
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She looked fragile as ever.
“It hurts. She hit me.”
She pointed at me. Tears streamed instantly.
Caelum looked at me like he could kill.
“Clarissa, this time I won’t let it slide. Just wait.”
“You’re not even gonna ask why?” I shouted, my eyes wet too.
Part from pain.
But more than that–he always believed Vivienne over me.
Three years, and nothing changed.
He didn’t answer. Just carried her out.
After a few steps, he turned back.
“Clarissa, come to the hospital too. If anything happens to her, I’m calling
the cops.”
His voice was cold–as death.
Everything hurt.
Especially my leg–Vivienne had fallen right on it.
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My elbow hit the ground, blood all over.
Anyone could see I was more injured.
But to Caelum, I might as well have been invisible. All he saw was his precious Vivienne.
I stood up, barely, grabbed my coat, and followed them to the car.
He drove even faster than before. Almost hit the guardrail.
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As he drove, he kept saying, “Vivienne, stay awake. We’re almost there.”
Like she was dying.
Vivienne, hearing that, acted like she was barely hanging on–even though she was just on her phone minutes ago.
At the hospital, after they drew her blood, Vivienne made me hold the cotton on her arm.
Once I was done, I quietly kept the cotton ball.
They ran the tests. It turned out she just had mild anemia.
The baby was fine, growing perfectly.
The moment he heard “anemia,” Caelum broke into a cold sweat.
“Anemia? What now?
“Oh right, Vivienne has a rare blood type. Clarissa does too. She can donate to her.”
He dragged me straight to the doctor.
