Clarissa had seriously never imagined her sleeping posture could be this... tragic.

The sky was just starting to brighten when she stirred, and right as she shifted a little, she realized-her arms and legs were wrapped tightly around Elian.

Honestly, the whole scene screamed desperate clinginess.

She recalled how before bed last night, Elian had said, "I won't do anything, can I at least give you a hug?"

Awkwardly scooting a bit closer to him, she mumbled, "Why is your mind always in the gutter lately?"

He chuckled lowly, pulling her into his arms. "Well, twenty-something years without a girl, finally got a wife-I mean, can't I cut loose a little?"

It did sound reasonable... if not for the awkward situation between them.

But somehow, when she fell asleep, it was him hugging her. And now? The roles had totally reversed.

She carefully tried to extract herself, cautiously sliding her leg off him. Curious, she ducked under the blanket for a quick peek-only to discover that this man was...

Wearing nothing but pants.

Her face instantly turned tomato red as she ducked her head back out, holding her breath like even the slightest noise might wake him.

Unfortunately, her efforts were pointless.

Even before she made a sound, he was already stifling laughter, eyes still closed, lips curled up as if he couldn't hold it in anymore. His whole body was trembling from choking it back.

Clarissa instantly felt like she was lying to herself-classic ostrich approach.

"Don't hold it in too hard... you might explode or something."

Sure, she realized how ridiculous the whole thing looked. But honestly? If he was gonna laugh, might as well do it to her face.

Elian finally opened his eyes, propped himself up on one arm, and just watched her silently.

There was this oddly serene vibe in the air.

But to her, that gaze was nothing but teasing.

Blushing harder, Clarissa edged back to get up, only to lose her balance the moment her foot missed the edge of the bed.

Panicking, she instinctively grabbed onto something random-turned out to be Elian's arm.

He reached out with one hand, holding her by the waist just in time to stop her from falling.

The blanket that had been covering his chest slipped off when he moved, revealing his bare torso.

Clarissa's eyes had no idea where to look. With the heat of his breath brushing her skin and their faces this close, she was about to short-circuit.

She thought-wait-was he planning to do something?!

Then suddenly, his arm around her back tugged, pulling her toward the center of the bed.

And then he just let go.

Just. Let. Go.

Her brain instantly went into overdrive, trying and failing to decode his motive.

He let out a silent chuckle and said casually, "Don't worry, I won't touch you without your permission. No need to be so..."

His eyes flicked downward meaningfully, and Clarissa realized there was a breeze-on her shoulder.

Her spaghetti strap dress...

"AHHHHHH! Elian, you freaking creep!!"

She spun around and scrambled to fix her dress.

But Elian braced himself with both arms beside her, leaned his chin on her shoulder, and said in an even voice, "Morning, babe."

Clarissa went stiff on the spot. Her ears flushed bright red and the color crept all the way up to her cheeks, giving her a surprisingly radiant glow.

She had no idea when he'd left, only that her heart was beating way too fast.

And it's not like she was some shallow girl who'd fall for a guy just for his looks or voice.

She was convinced he just scared the hell out of her.

Yeah. Just biology freaking out. That's it.

Otherwise, why did it kinda feel like Elian actually liked her?

*****

Clarissa had just finished her morning routine when she stepped out and saw the table filled with breakfast.

There it was-a crisp breakfast wrap with carrot.

It'd been forever since she last had one of those. She picked up her fork and took a bite.

Yup, still tasted just as good.

She looked at Elian and asked, "How do you know how to make this?"

This used to be her go-to breakfast back in high school. After getting to college, she couldn't find it anywhere and gradually gave up eating breakfast altogether.

Elian paused briefly, his voice low and calm. "I just do."

He'd always known how.

Clarissa chuckled, not thinking much of it. "So you learned from that lady near school or what? Tastes exactly the same."

Elian didn't respond-just kept eating.

After breakfast, he was about to head to the office. Right as he turned to ask about her plans for the day, her phone buzzed.

The screen clearly showed: Margaret Hamilton.

Sebastian's mom?

Elian's gaze lingered on the screen, his thoughts momentarily drifting.

Clarissa blinked when she saw the caller ID too, then walked off to take the call in private.

Elian was heading out, but his fingers trembled a little on the doorknob. He glanced back-she was looking down, messing with her slippers.

It was his place, yet somehow it still felt a bit unreal to him.

About half an hour later, he came back in.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Clarissa already dressed up, standing at the door putting on her shoes.

She glanced at the clock, eyes widening. "You haven't left yet? Aren't you gonna be late?"

"Forgot something," he answered.

She nodded slightly. "Then go on."

She was just about to step out when he grabbed her wrist. Brow slightly furrowed, he asked directly, "Where are you headed?"

Clarissa wasn't sure what was up with him-he seemed kind of off.

"Uh... Mrs. Hamilton asked me to come over for a bit," she replied.

Only after saying it out loud did she remember-the whole thing with Sebastian.

"But it's nothing to do with Sebastian, he's still in Hawaii with Aria. I'm just going to see his mom, nothing else."

Worried he might overthink it, she added that last part.

Elian knew she and the Hamiltons were close. The families had ties too, and cutting things off completely wouldn't be easy.

Plus, Sebastian was one thing; Margaret was another. She'd always treated Clarissa kindly.

He nodded. "I'll drive you."

"Huh?" She clearly didn't expect that. "Don't you need to get to work?"

"I don't draw a paycheck. I'm the boss," Elian replied smoothly.

So basically, go when he wants, stay when he wants.

Alright dude, you win.

She hadn't even told him where the Hamilton place was, but Elian didn't pull up GPS or anything-just drove as if he already knew.

She almost asked but let it go.

If she did, he'd probably just say, "Good memory."

When they reached the Hamilton residence, Clarissa unbuckled her seatbelt, gearing up to say goodbye, but Elian beat her to it.

"You coming home tonight?" he asked.

Huh?

"Yeah... I mean, it's my home too, y'know?"

Her voice trailed off toward the end, carefully watching his reaction.

When he heard "my home," he couldn't help a faint smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

It was gone in a flash, but Clarissa caught it.

She smiled to herself too.

"I'll swing by to pick you up later," he added.

Clarissa nodded-she actually liked the idea.

The area wasn't exactly central; having him come get her felt safer.

Before closing the door, she even waved at him with a grin.

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?