Chapter 16
Had he already lost all trace of Claire?
Allen forced a stiff smile and responded, “I’ll let you know as soon as there’s any news.”
In just these two short days, Allen felt as though an entire century had passed.
His heart was in constant torment, relentlessly churning. He began to recall when Claire might have started planning to leave him. Yet, even after wracking his brains, he couldn’t even find an answer to that simple question.
Only now did Allen realize how long he had been neglecting Claire’s feelings- no longer caring for her, no longer cherishing her. One by one, the memories of all the times he had
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cruelly treated Claire came rushing back.
Tears gradually blurred his vision.
From the very beginning, he knew he had been too partial to Evelyn, yet he arrogantly believed he could control everything.
He forgot that Claire and Evelyn were inherently different.
Claire, who had lost her parents at a Adler age, was soft on the outside but strong
within. Even though she appeared fragile, her heart was resilient.
She would never trap herself in a cage, nor would she endure endlessly.
When something crossed her breaking point, Claire would tear apart the chains binding her, no matter the cost.
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Now, having understood all of this, Allen couldn’t suppress the bitterness in his heart. He began to mutter under his breath“Claire, I’ll find you. I swear I’ll find you.”
He took out the engagement ring Claire had left behind, and a trace of longing flashed across in his eyes.
Gently, over and over, he ran his fingers. along the ring’s edges–edges that once bore traces of Claire’s blood.
“Claire, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have believed Evelyn’s words and treated you so harshly…”
“Hit me if you want, yell at me if you must, anything is fine–just don’t leave me.”
“Claire, come back, please? I really can’t live
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without you.”
He held the ring as if it were a transmitter, believing his every word could somehow reach Claire through it.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
“Dr. Brown, we’ve got news about. Claire.”
When Allen rushed back to the hospital, he was a mess. His clothes were tattered, and his face was streaked with blood.
Dr. White was startled, “Dr. Brown, what happened to you?”
Brushing away the blood at the corner of his eye, Allen paid no mind to his injuries. He grabbed Dr. White’s arm urgently.
“I’m fine. Just tell me, where is Claire? Where
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is she now?”
He had rushed back from a remote mountain village, only to get into a car accident on the way. By some miracle, he survived, though his car was totaled.
His arms and face were riddled with cuts and
bruises.
It wasn’t until Dr. White forcibly dragged Allen to get checked over and confirmed that his injuries were superficial, that she finally relayed the news about Claire.
“Claire went abroad to join Médecins Sans Frontières.”
Hearing this, Allen froze.
“A–abroad?”
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“Yes, the hospital issued an announcement. Her name is on the list of participants for Médecins Sans Frontières.
In the next instant, Allen’s eyes ignited with fury.
He stormed off toward the director” s office.
He knew that joining Médecins Sans Frontières required the director s signature.
But why had Director Smith approved it?
Allen needed answers.
The director clearly knew he and Claire were getting married next month!
Clenching his fists tightly, his sharp nails. dug into his palms, drawing blood.