Chapter 3

Julian slowly raised his hand.

Along with everyone in the room, I drew in a sharp breath.

He lazily lifted his gaze, making direct eye contact with the starlet.

"Care to follow?"

Julian was one of the most powerful billionaires in the city.

Who in this room didn't recognize him?

In the end, he secured the necklace without breaking a sweat.

In front of everyone, he clasped the necklace around Evelyn's neck.

"This piece suits Miss Hall perfectly, so I'm gifting it to her."

"Likewise, the payment for the bid will be donated entirely in Miss Hall's name."

He was truly so different from who he used to be.

Back when he was first building his startup, we couldn't even afford a decent apartment.

We could only huddle together in a damp, freezing basement to keep each other warm.

Back then, he pulled the tab off a soda can, slipped it onto my ring finger, and promised me:

"Don't worry, Clara. I swear I'll claw my way to the top and give you the best life this world has to offer."

And today, he had truly made it.

Dropping tens of millions of dollars without batting an eye.

All just to back Evelyn up.

Predictably, Evelyn became the center of the universe, swarmed by guests clamoring to toast her.

She didn't want to drink, but she didn't dare offend the VIPs either.

Just as she was trapped in an awkward bind, Julian pulled her out of the crowd and tucked her into his arms.

"She's allergic to alcohol. She can't drink."

"I'll take this glass for her."

My chest tightened sharply.

Once upon a time, whenever someone tried to push drinks on me at banquets, Julian would shield me the exact same way.

It wasn't that I couldn't drink, but that Julian's company had suffered a devastating blow years ago.

Aching for the stress he was under, I secretly went out to negotiate deals, attending dinner after dinner.

I ended up in the emergency room three times with severe gastric bleeding.

The last time, my stomach perforated. I nearly died on the operating table.

When I opened my eyes, I was lying in a hospital bed.

Beside me sat Julian, who was supposed to be across the country on a business trip.

I croaked in surprise, "Why are you back..."

"Clara Vance, who gave you permission to go out drinking like that?!"

"Drinking until your stomach literally ruptured! Do you have any idea how close you came to dying?! What the hell am I supposed to do if something happens to you?!"

In all the years we had been together, that was the first time Julian had ever raised his voice at me.

Tears instantly welled in my eyes.

"I just... I didn't want to see you struggle so hard..."

"Did I mess everything up? I'm sorry... I just wanted to help. I'm so useless, I ended up making things worse for you..."

Julian raised his hand and slapped himself across the face with a brutal crack.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I was just terrified. I was terrified of losing you."

"I'm the useless one. I failed to protect you. I swear I will never let a single drop of alcohol touch your lips again..."

What Julian never knew was that during the countless sleepless nights after he left the country, I couldn't count how many times I had drunk myself into oblivion.

Draining the glass in one gulp, Julian patted Evelyn's shoulder.

"I'm leaving. If anything comes up in the future, don't call me. Contact Leo, my assistant. He'll handle it."

"I don't want Clara getting jealous."

With that, Julian turned and walked away.

But just as he reached the lobby stairs, Evelyn's voice echoed behind him.

"Julian!"

Julian turned back to see Evelyn running toward him with tear-filled eyes.

In the next second, her heel slipped.

She tumbled down the marble staircase with a violent thud.

"Evelyn!"