Clara hesitated several times before finally picking up the phone. On the other end came Sean Lennox’s steady voice.
"My bride, I’ve been waiting at your company entrance. It’s time for your grand entrance now."
Clara bit her lip, a sharp pang twisting in her chest. She looked toward the street corner, her heart sinking as if it might be torn apart at any moment.
"Clara? Are you listening?"
"Mm," Clara replied softly.
"You don’t sound very enthusiastic. Don’t tell me you regret your decision after thinking it over all night?
It’s too late to back out now.
Last night, I even laid out the blueprint for our future life together.
Today, renovations on the new villa have already started. I even prepared two children’s rooms. If you regret it now..."
"I’m at the Civil Affairs Bureau entrance," Clara cut him off.
At that moment, she wasn’t sure how she felt uttering those words.
Disappointment? Guilt?
She knew how shamelessly she was using Sean Lennox right now.
But at this point, he was probably the only salvation left in her life.
The chaotic days with Oliver’s uncle—let them end here today.
"You’ve already gone there yourself? Wait for me, I’m on my way."
Clara hung up the phone, closed her eyes, and leaned against the back seat in a daze.
Her mind was blank, unsure of how to react to anything.
She only knew that from this day on, her life was about to undergo drastic changes.
Whether it was with Oliver’s uncle or with Sean Lennox, it was the same.
But... she didn’t know why, amidst all this, Faye Townsend’s words from years ago suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
Faye had told her to find a man who loved her more than she loved him—and marry him.
She tugged at the corners of her mouth, thinking perhaps this might not be a bad choice after all.
At her age, to still meet someone who truly loved her—it was something she should be thankful for.
She hadn’t slept all night, and now, as she closed her eyes, drowsiness crept in.
In her hazy half-sleep, she seemed to dream of Oliver’s uncle. He smiled, reached out for her, and said, "Come on, let’s get married."
Her lips curved slightly, but then, she heard knocking on the car window from beside her.
She abruptly opened her eyes and saw Sean Lennox leaning down by the car window.
He was smiling at her—with such sunny warmth.
She smiled back, grabbed her bag in one hand, and opened the car door with the other.
Sean helped her out and gave her a once-over: "You look beautiful today."
Clara raised her lips faintly: "That’s because I put on makeup."
"No, it’s because you naturally shine in my eyes."
Hearing this, Clara truly tilted her head and laughed.
She’d only seen him twice, but each time he’d somehow managed to cheer her up with lines that didn’t really sound like love talk, yet felt like it.
If her future was spent with a man , perhaps it wouldn’t be such a bad choice.
Even though she didn’t love him now, at least she could make him happy, couldn’t she?
"Let’s go inside," she said.
He stepped aside slightly and naturally held her hand.
It was their first physical contact.
Strangely, this hand-holding moment stirred her heart far more than last night’s kiss with Oliver’s uncle.
What was happening to her?
She looked down at their intertwined fingers as he led her forward, feeling something she’d never experienced before.
Reaching the stairs, Sean quickly stopped and turned with a smile, lifting her into his arms in one swift motion.
"Your legs aren’t convenient. I’ll carry you up the stairs."
Clara blushed unexpectedly. It was too late to object to this already-done action, and refusing him now would seem petty.
"Thank you," she said.
"If you thank me for small things , there’ll be too many things to thank me for in the future.
We’re about to be husband and wife. Between us, there’s no need for such formality."
While speaking, Sean had already carried her up the steps to the Civil Affairs Bureau’s entrance. He put her down and, once again, took her hand to lead her inside.
"The roads you can walk on your own, you’ll walk them yourself. The roads you can’t, I’ll carry you through them."
Clara looked at him, pressed her lips together in gratitude, and swallowed the "thank you" she wanted to say.
Inside the hall, Sean didn’t lead her to the queue but directly took her hand into the director’s office.
Just as she was about to ask if they’d gone the wrong way, he’d already pushed open the office door.
Inside was a middle-aged woman, dressed in a black business suit and skirt, who turned her gaze toward Sean Lennox.