Chapter 2

1.

So, being single is truly miserable. Even when you are stuck in the hospital, the only one who comes to check on you is your best friend.

Liam was propped up on his bed, his leg encased in a bulky cast, looking bored out of his mind.

Despite his situation, his eyes suddenly lit up with gossip as he peered at me.

Noah, you and Clara have been together for seven or eight years now. When are you finally going to treat us to a wedding?

I paused at his question.

Truth be told, I had wanted to propose years ago, but Clara always insisted we wait until her career was stable.

We had both been grinding away, busy with our respective companies, so the matter had been pushed to the back burner.

But since our university days, we had been together for nearly a decade, and our relationship had always felt steady.

We have both been too focused on managing our companies to really sit down and plan it.

I handed Liam a freshly peeled apple and stood up, intending to go grab him some dinner.

Passing the room next door, I heard a few unmistakable, intimate sounds.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy, thinking how nice it was to see a young couple so deeply in love.

Once upon a time, Clara and I were just like that―inseparable and burning with passion.

But after all these years, the spark had faded into a comfortable routine, and we had become more like family than lovers.

Through the half-open door, I caught a glimpse of the scene inside.

That accidental glance made me freeze in my tracks.

A man and a woman were entangled, looking as if they couldn't get close enough, completely lost in each other.

The woman's side profile in the moonlight looked strangely familiar, the more I stared.

How did she look exactly like my girlfriend who was supposed to be working late at the office?

My phone screen still displayed the message she sent earlier, telling me not to wait up for her.

Just then, the nurses at the nearby station noticed the scene too.

They giggled in unison, and their whispers drifted clearly to my ears: That lady and her boyfriend are so sweet. She comes to keep him company every night, and they are both so gorgeous―I am totally obsessed with this couple!

I tried to console myself, telling myself that it was likely just a coincidence, a case of people having similar features.

Besides, Clara was in the middle of a massive project, working late every night. How could she possibly be here every evening?

Yet, my heart remained heavy, as if it would never settle until I knew the truth.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Clara's number for a video call.

A ringtone erupted from inside the room, but it was abruptly cut off after only two seconds.

The pair finally pulled apart.

In that brief gap, I saw her face clearly under the moonlight.

Her long lashes were lowered, her delicate brows were knitted, and her red lips glistened with moisture―stunningly beautiful, yet tainted with a trace of impatience.

It was undeniably Clara.

At that same moment, a message popped up on my phone, containing only two short words: Working late.

I stood there, paralyzed, my feet feeling as heavy as lead.

The couple inside didn't seem to care about the interruption; Clara looped her arms around the man's neck, and they resumed their kiss with even more intensity.

I thought she was busy with her career, but it turned out she was busy with someone else's fire.

My mind was a complete mess.

Clara had always been my shining beacon of hope.

When I first had the idea to start my own business, she was the only one who supported me.

Even now, I remained deeply grateful for her unwavering belief in me back then.

For that reason, I didn't want to cause a scene or make everything messy.

I quickly checked on Liam and then headed home, feeling utterly soul-crushed.

It was the middle of the night when everything was dead silent, and Clara finally returned home, looking completely satisfied.

She looked surprised to see the hallway light still on and me sitting quietly on the sofa.

I stood up. Clara, I need to talk to you.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking a bit exhausted. Can it wait until tomorrow? I am really tired and want to get some rest.

My heart sank even lower. I guess she had been working really hard at that other place until late.

Clara walked over to me, reaching out to give me a hug.

But all I could think of was the image of her kissing that man earlier, and a wave of disgust washed over me.

I stepped back, and Clara froze.

I looked at her. Why do you smell like cigarettes?

A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly smoothed it over. I was just negotiating a contract with a client; I must have picked up the scent there.

She was truly a master of the corporate world, with nerves of steel; she could lie without even batting an eye.

How many times had this happened before?

I didn't push the topic, just kept my eyes locked on hers.

Clara, you once told me we were the most intimate people in each other's lives and that we shouldn't have secrets, right?

Is there something you are not telling me?

Just tell me the truth. If she confessed, I knew I could forgive her this once.

After all, we had supported each other through so many years to get to where we were today. I didn't want to throw this relationship away just like that.