chapter 3

No sooner had I spoken than tires screeched. Ethan slammed the car to a stop.

He stared at me for a long beat, then sighed, frustrated. "Is this your new trick? What are you planning to do in front of grandma this time? Threaten me with your life again?

"Claire, I told you when we got married—love isn't the center of my life. The kind of married life you want? I can't give it to you! Compared to the Foster Group and our new investment plan, love barely counts for ten percent!"

But I just smiled, even managed to comfort him gently, "I know. I won't make a scene.

"Don't worry, we're already divorced."

Those two sentences blocked everything Ethan wanted to say. He looked at me with unfamiliar eyes, as if seeing me all over again.

Then, pride burning, he turned away, refusing to meet my eyes.

The foster mansion was just as it always was. Grandma's getting old, her mind a bit fuzzy. She'd heard about Ethan's wedding, but somehow mixed it up—remembering it as the time when he and I were about to get married.

She touched my hair and gave me her usual advice, "Claire, after you marry Ethan, you two need to live well together."

Ethan glanced at me nervously, afraid I'd cause trouble. If grandma knew the truth, she'd be heartbroken and push us back together.

But I didn't. I played along, gentle as ever. "Of course, grandma. You need to live super long, too. Otherwise, if Ethan starts picking on me, who'll back me up?"

After grandma went to rest, Ethan hesitated; words stuck.

After a while, he finally spoke, "Thanks for keeping it from grandma. She's old and doesn't get all the twists and turns of the business world. If she found out we divorced, I'm afraid it'd hit her too hard."

I shook my head, signaling it wasn't a big deal.

I lifted my hand, pulled off the bracelet from my wrist, and handed it back to him. "Grandma gave this to me when we got married, said it's for your wife. Keep it safe, and give it to Olivia later."

Ethan glanced at the bracelet but didn't take it. "Grandma gave it to you, so just keep it.

"We divorced for a reason. The Elliot Family is strong in the internet field. I need their help to grow the Foster Group fast, that's why..."

I firmly shoved the bracelet back, cutting off his explanation, "No, it's a family heirloom. It's not right for me to keep it.

"You don't need to explain. I get it. I was just narrow-minded before. You were running the Foster Group and still had to deal with me, a total pain. You worked hard."

Ethan looked at me, his heart sinking.

After the divorce, I finally grew into the person he wanted—gentle, considerate, and mature.

But when he looked at me, there was no joy, only lifelessness. He started missing the lively, jealous Claire who once made the old house chaotic.

Pain, numbed by meds, started rising again. Afraid I'd lose my composure, I spoke first, "It's late. Can you drive me home?"

Ethan nodded.

As we were leaving, grandma suddenly woke up.

Like she realized something, she grabbed my wrist, repeatedly reminding me, "Claire, you're so thin! You barely touched your food this time.

"Next time we meet, you'd better eat more!"

My nose stung a bit. I held back tears and replied, "Okay."

In the rearview mirror, the kind grandma waved goodbye. I burned her image into my memory and silently said farewell.

I knew this was the last time I'd see her.

"Ethan, since I've been so good today, can you promise me one thing?" I asked.