Clarissa headed straight to the small garden behind the villa as soon as she arrived-it was where Margaret usually spent her afternoons.

By the time Clarissa got there, everything was already set-delicate snacks and freshly brewed tea.

Margaret was always refined, and she lived each day with a kind of quiet elegance. Malcolm Hamilton had treated her the same way for decades.

Clarissa could never quite figure out how two such impressive people ended up with someone like Sebastian.

As soon as Margaret saw her, she greeted her warmly. Clarissa, as naturally as ever, walked over and sat down on the low chair to the side.

Margaret carried herself with grace, and her every movement had that unmistakable aura of old-money sophistication.

Steam curled from the teacups on the table, the scent of black tea fragrant in the air.

Clarissa took a sip, smiled lightly, and asked, "Madam, is this tea new?"

Margaret saw she noticed and didn't bother hiding it. "Sebastian sent it over. No idea what he's busy with these days... and why he didn't bring you along."

Clarissa froze slightly, fingers tightening just a bit around the teacup.

Clearly, Sebastian hadn't told his mother about the trip to Hawaii with Aria.

And honestly, even just hearing his name-let alone drinking tea he picked-made her skin crawl lately.

Clarissa didn't want to talk about Sebastian. And it definitely wasn't the right time to bring up her engagement.

So, she smoothly switched topics. "Actually, Margaret, I've been learning a new tea-art set lately. Mind giving me a few tips?"

Margaret would never say no to that. Clarissa had always had a knack for tea-making since she was little, something Margaret adored about her.

So she smiled gently and said, "Of course, I'd love that. If you end up liking this tea, why not take some home later?"

Clarissa shook her head. "No, that's okay."

The refusal came so fast it felt instinctive.

Margaret caught it. After all, she'd lived long enough to notice these things-more years and more insight than the younger ones could match.

She asked carefully, "Did you and Sebastian have a fight?"

She knew Clarissa had been in love with Sebastian for a long, long time. So she didn't jump straight to asking if they'd broken up.

When Clarissa and Sebastian first got together, no one had been more thrilled than Margaret.

She had always treated Clarissa with genuine warmth. To Clarissa, she was almost like a second mother.

Margaret always reminded Clarissa of her own soft-spoken and kind-hearted mom.

When Clarissa didn't reply, Margaret sighed.

Her voice carried a hint of sadness. "You're just like your mother-too gentle for your own good. Always swallowing your feelings. You don't have to talk if you don't want to. I'll have a word with Sebastian when he's back."

She gave Clarissa's hand a soft pat, full of affection.

Whenever Clarissa came to visit, Margaret could instantly tell if she was feeling down. She used to blame Sebastian for that, which over time made him think Clarissa was always going home to complain.

Now that they'd broken up, Clarissa actually felt more at ease. At least there'd be no more misunderstandings on his part.

She gave a small, calm smile. "We broke up."

Her tone was flat-not the tearful, heartbroken kind.

"You... you broke up?" Margaret was clearly taken aback.

It took her a moment to come to terms with it.

Then she asked quietly, "Did Sebastian do something that really upset you?"

Even though he was her own son, Margaret knew better than anyone what kind of person Sebastian was. If someone like Clarissa really wanted out for good, then he must've seriously screwed up.

Clarissa hadn't planned on saying anything-it wasn't her place. Margaret would know the truth soon enough when Sebastian came back. And he'd definitely bring Aria with him.

But dragging things out would just make things messier. And then there was Elian-keeping things hidden from him forever wasn't fair.

"Margaret, do you know Sebastian's in Hawaii?" Clarissa asked casually, unlocking her phone.

She pulled up a photo and handed it over with a small smile.

"You recognize this girl, right? Sebastian never really liked me. He just went along with everything because of pressure from both our families. But there was nothing real there-feelings like that don't last. He's always had a soft spot for Aria."

"She's been getting treatment overseas for years, and his medical charity work? That's never stopped. They've been tangled up for so long, I've lost count. It's messy and I'm tired of it. So, Margaret, just let it be. There's no chance for us."

She got it all out in one breath. If she didn't lay it all out, Margaret might keep trying to play matchmaker.

Being stuck between Margaret and Sebastian had worn her down.

Margaret zoomed in and out on the picture several times, her face darkening each time. There was no denying it-that really was Sebastian and Aria.

Her jaw clenched. She looked like she wanted to march over and beat Sebastian with her own hands.

"Margaret, don't get mad. Try to think of it another way. He should be with the person he actually likes, right? Honestly, he seemed miserable when we were together. And look, I know my parents asked you to look after me, and I appreciate that. But I don't need to marry Sebastian for that to matter. Even without him in my life, I'll still see you and Malcolm as family."

She smiled as she said it. Talking about Sebastian didn't hurt the way she thought it might. If anything, she just felt a bit relieved.

Margaret's face softened a little. She shook her head with a heavy sigh before finally saying, "He owes you. From now on, keep your distance. I won't try to push anything again."

She gently brushed a strand of hair away from Clarissa's cheek, her heart sinking. She had a bad feeling-that without Clarissa, Sebastian would regret it for the rest of his life.

The air had turned awkward, and with dusk setting in, Margaret didn't ask Clarissa to stay for dinner.

As Clarissa was heading out, she bumped into Malcolm coming home.

She greeted him politely, "Hi, Malcolm."

Always the warm one, he nodded and smiled. "Here to see Sebastian? He hasn't been around-probably caught up with work."

Margaret shot him a glare from the side. Clarissa only smiled, not taking it to heart.

"I actually came to check on Margaret. Bye."

*****

After Clarissa left, Margaret turned to her husband. "Next time Clarissa visits, don't you dare bring up our sorry excuse for a son."

Seeing how furious she was, Malcolm's tone softened. "What happened?"

Margaret was fuming, her voice shaky from anger. "They broke up! She told me herself-and asked me not to try and set them up anymore. Do you even realize your idiot son went off to vacation with that ex of his? Does he have no shame? I am so done. Having a son like him is the biggest regret of my life."

And with that, she stormed off to her room, slamming the door behind her. The sound echoed through the house.

When Clarissa walked out of the Hamiltons', the sky was already dark, shadows stretching long under the dim streetlights. The night breeze carried a chill, and she stood by the door for a bit before fishing out her phone to call Elian.

But before she even dialed, she spotted him hopping out of his car not far away.

"Wow, talk about timing. I just came out," she said, like he somehow sensed exactly when she would appear.

Elian didn't respond, just slid off his suit jacket with one hand and draped it over her shoulders.

His tone wasn't exactly cheerful when he muttered, "You left the house without even checking the weather? Just focused on looking pretty, huh? Who were you trying to impress?"

Clarissa looked down at her outfit - a plain dress, barely any makeup, didn't even do her hair. Not exactly red carpet ready. Then she remembered touching up her lipstick after tea earlier.

Maybe that was it? Classic straight-guy logic: 'Is she wearing lipstick? Must've dolled up.'

Still, the jealous note in Elian's voice didn't go unnoticed.

Whatever. She couldn't be bothered to argue.

Once they were in the car, she turned to him and asked, "Got any food cravings? Let's grab something."

Elian's hand paused on the seatbelt buckle for half a second, his voice low: "You haven't eaten yet?"

It was almost 7PM.

He figured she must've eaten dinner at the Hamiltons' if she had lunch there.

Clarissa tilted her neck, clearly sore from sitting too long. "Nope. If I had, I'd have told you. You're still my husband, right? I'd keep you in the loop."

Without a word, Elian handed her his phone. "Pick a place. I'll drive. Oh, and while you're at it-follow yourself back on Insta."

He sounded casual enough, but Clarissa started panicking a little as she took the phone.

Yep, he definitely noticed she'd blocked him.

And as if to confirm it, he asked, "Why'd you block me in the first place?"

Her grip on the phone tightened, almost dropping it. She looked totally guilty.

What was she supposed to say? "Oh, I did it because of Sebastian"? Yeah, right.

"I figured you were going abroad. Thought we wouldn't really stay in touch after that..."

Even she didn't buy that excuse, her voice going all soft and tiny by the end.

She stole a glance at Elian. He was stone-faced as always, but his hands on the wheel were clenched tight, veins popping under his rolled-up sleeve.

Feeling awkward, she hurried to add her own contact back into his phone.

Elian stayed quiet.

She looked out the window at the passing streetlights and asked, "When did you find out I blocked you?"

He let out a bitter laugh. Her throat went dry. She braced herself, hoping he'd at least say it was recent.

"It was when I wanted to ask about Plumie. I thought-man, what kind of heartless person just disappears like that? If I ever saw her again, I'd make damn sure she paid for it."

Clarissa's head dropped lower and lower. The kitten...

So, it must've been right after she wiped him from her contacts.

The way he'd spat out those last words, so full of frustration - just like one of those stubborn CEO types from old-school romance dramas, raging about the one who dumped him with nothing but heartbreak.

"Sorry..." It took her a while to finally get that out.

Just as she was about to put his phone away, she noticed dozens of unread posts. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Mind if I check your feed?"

Elian kept his eyes on the road and replied indifferently, "Go ahead."

She tapped into his feed, and right at the top was a post he'd made.

[From promises to paper to forever.]

A photo of their marriage certificate and them holding hands. But honestly, it was hard to tell it was her hand in the shot.

She let out a very faint breath of relief.

As she scrolled, most of the comments were people expressing shock that he got married. A few of them were names she didn't even recognize.

Their social circles had drifted apart the moment they graduated, hadn't they?

But then there was one particular message:

Perry Quinn: [Congrats.]

Clarissa blinked, then tapped on it to make sure-yep, it really was her teacher Perry. Wait, Elian knew him?

She locked his phone screen and turned to ask, curious, "You know Professor Quinn?"

He had just parked the car when she asked, replying, "Yeah, met him at a gala."

Clarissa nodded. Professor Quinn did attend a lot of events. It made sense someone like Elian, who was always networking in the business world, would know him.

"What about Liam? How do you know him?"

Considering Liam and Sebastian were close friends, they shouldn't be crossing paths with Elian...

Especially since Elian and Sebastian never got along.

He answered unbothered, "His family's done some deals with us."

That checked out-Liam's family name carried serious weight, especially in global markets these past few years. Collaborating with Elian's company made perfect sense.

Although... that picture didn't really reveal it was her, so Liam probably didn't put two and two together.

"You're scared Sebastian might find out? Wouldn't that actually be a good thing? Like, show him you moved on and even upgraded."

He raised a brow as he unbuckled her seatbelt, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth that made him suddenly look so much more desirable than Sebastian ever had.

"We're here. Let's get dinner." He released the belt and was about to step out when Clarissa stopped him.

"Elian."

His hand stilled on the door handle. He turned back to look at her, eyes softened just a bit, maybe because the night air was unusually gentle tonight.

She took a breath and said clearly, "That day at the Marriage Registration Center, I think I was just running on impulse. Just lost my head a little and blurted out we should get married."

She paused, not caring anymore about whatever Sebastian and Aria would end up doing. It didn't matter.

She glanced at Elian.

Out of her sight, his hand clenched into a fist, that question - "Do you regret it?" - stuck in his throat.

Clarissa continued, "It was my idea, yeah. But I never meant to use you to get back at him, or drag you into some comparison game. That's not fair to you. We're married now, and I really want to be a proper wife to you. But if one day you meet someone you truly love, just let me know. I'll step aside."

Each word came out steady and sincere.

And even though she insisted she hadn't used him to throw shade, for a second, he selfishly felt pleased about that.

But then she said she'd step aside if he found someone he liked?

What did that even mean? Divorce?

He didn't dare to go down that road. Instead, he asked, "What about you? What if you meet someone you really like?"

Clarissa was caught off guard, her eyes lifting to his.

Maybe the car was just a bit too cramped, but in that moment, she thought-did he sound... hurt?

Clarissa stammered, "I..."

She paused for a second, then finally said slowly, "I don't think so. This is actually pretty okay. I mean, sure, you're kinda sarcastic sometimes, but you're capable, and... well, you'd probably make a great husband."

Elian lowered his gaze and chuckled softly.

Then he suddenly asked, "Great as a husband... or something else?" He leaned in close, voice sultry and warm against her ear, the heat from his breath making her earlobe feel like it was burning.

He murmured, "Or as the father of your kid?"

Clarissa's breath hitched, heart skipping a beat. His voice was way too gentle-it sent ripples through her like someone had dropped a pebble into her chest, stirring everything up inside.

Truthfully, that thought had crossed her mind, but it felt too early to say it out loud. There were just too many unknowns about the future... What if he ended up falling for someone else? Then wouldn't he be someone else's-

Elian still had his head tilted, staying right beside her ear. He added, "I'm not the type to cheat. So unless something major happens, this'll probably be my one and only marriage."

Even his laugh sounded like it was teasing her ears, but Clarissa just stood there, kind of dazed.

It wasn't until Elian walked over and opened the car door for her, saying, "Come on, let's eat, Mrs. Langley," that she snapped out of it.

Her fingers were still tightly gripping the hem of her jacket, heart stuck on what he'd just said-

This'll probably be my one and only marriage...

She looked out the car window at him, then picked up her purse to follow. But the second she stepped out, her legs wobbled a bit and everything kind of spun.

She thought she was going to fall, but Elian caught her just in time, one arm steady around her waist.

She held onto his arm for a moment, taking a breath to steady herself.

"What?" he teased, his voice smooth with a lazy kind of amusement, "Was I really that moving just now? You're about to throw yourself at me to prove your undying love?"

For some reason, those words brought up the image of Sebastian in her mind.

Clarissa looked up at him and asked, "Do you say that kind of crap to other people too?"

Letting go of his hand, she walked toward the restaurant.

She wasn't even sure why, but something about that "throw yourself at" line rubbed her the wrong way.

"Clarissa, are you that desperate to throw yourself at me?"

"If you had an ounce of dignity, you'd stop clinging to me."

"Stop spreading lies to my family. I feel nothing for you. If you're that eager, go throw yourself at someone else-maybe they'll pay better than my parents."

"Clarissa, your constant throwing yourself at me is just disgusting."

...

All those chaotic thoughts flooded her mind at once.

Elian caught up just as they reached the restaurant entrance and gently grabbed her hand. His eyes softened when he noticed the flush at her lash line, the shimmer caught in the tips of her curled lashes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, don't cry," he said, voice low and full of concern.

Clarissa pulled her hand back, her voice catching as she said, "I've never thrown myself at anyone."

That's when Elian finally realized what his words had triggered. He reached out like he wanted to hold her again, then hesitated, worried she'd pull away once more. So he bent slightly to meet her gaze, speaking softly.

"I get it. Hey... are you hungry? Let's go eat, alright?"

His voice was deep but calm, carefully chosen word by word. There was no frustration, no annoyance in it.

Clarissa stood there a few beats longer, then pulled a small pack of tissues from her purse and dabbed away her tears gently.

Once she felt a little more composed, she glanced up at Elian.

Maybe... she had overreacted a little.

This really had nothing to do with Elian. He wasn't obligated to sit through her emotional swings, let alone take on the weight of them.

Clarissa reached out and lightly tugged at his sleeve.

"Sorry... I kind of took it out on you just now."

Elian simply lifted a hand, his slender fingers gently tapping between her brows. The touch was cool, feather-light, and his voice came out soft and breezy.

"It's fine. Let's go eat."

Without missing a beat, he caught her wrist and led her inside.

He picked a small private room. The air throughout the restaurant was filled with the spicy, numbing aroma of pepper.

"This place is pretty famous for its Creole dishes. Since you like spicy food, you'll probably enjoy it."

Clarissa poured him a glass of water. "And you? You like spicy too?"

Elian nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Clarissa pulled out her phone and checked her reflection in the screen, quietly wondering if she'd messed up her makeup earlier.

"I'll just run to the restroom real quick," she said, standing up.

She left her phone facedown on the table, grabbed her clutch, and walked out.

A while later, there was a knock on the door as the waitstaff came in with the food. Someone at the entrance shot a fleeting glance inside.

Once the waiter left, another knock came, followed by someone entering. Elian glanced up, assuming it was Clarissa again-but instead, it was someone else.

"Liam?" He blinked.

Liam gave a warm smile. "Small world, Mr. Langley. I'd heard you were back, hadn't had a chance to say hi yet. Didn't expect to bump into you here."

Elian casually flipped his phone over on the table, still smiling. "Yeah, what are the odds. But hey, we went to uni together, no need for all the 'Mr. Langley' formality. Just call me Elian."

Liam hadn't really expected that. They weren't exactly close in school-same school, not the same classes-so it wasn't like they were old buddies or anything.

"So, what brings you here today?"

"Dinner with my wife."

Wife? That clicked something in Liam's mind-he'd just seen Elian's wedding post on his feed yesterday.

He gave a faint chuckle, those charming eyes narrowing slightly. "Then I won't interrupt. Let's catch up properly another time."

As he stood, his gaze briefly landed on the phone with a familiar-looking case.

Seeing Liam eye Clarissa's phone, Elian casually replied, "Next time for sure."

After Liam stepped out, Elian flipped the phone over again and quietly tapped the pause button.

It had become a habit over the years-recording his conversations with people he wasn't too familiar with.

Maybe it was just a reflex.

Moments later, Clarissa stepped back into the room. She'd thought she'd seen someone leave a second earlier, but it was too far to see clearly.

The silhouette felt familiar somehow, but she couldn't quite place it.

"Was someone here just now?" she asked, glancing curiously at Elian.

"Yeah," he answered casually. "It was Liam. You know him, right?"

Clarissa froze for half a second at the name, but quickly pulled herself together.

"Liam was here? That's unexpected."

Elian gave a small laugh. "Just ran into him, I guess."

Then, he picked up a small piece of fish soaked in broth and dropped it into her bowl.

She looked at him again. "Did you two talk about anything?"

He shook his head. "Just a bit of small talk. I only mentioned I was having dinner with my wife. He did seem to notice your phone case on the table before he left."

"You think he recognized it?"

Elian set his fork down and let out a quiet sigh. His lips lifted in a faint smile, but somehow, he still looked a little downhearted.

"Clarissa, is being my wife something worth hiding?"

Is it that hard for you to be okay with people knowing?

Or... is it about keeping it from people around Sebastian?

Clarissa shook her head quickly and rushed to explain. "No, it's not like that. It just felt so sudden-I didn't want people talking about us. It's not that I don't want anyone to know."

Still, that question from Elian... it carried a hint of doubt.