“You’re so annoying.”

A flush of red crept up Rea's cheeks as she playfully collapsed into Ian's arms. Their faces drew closer until their lips met and their kiss deepened with every passing second.

Clara clenched her teeth and forced herself to stay silent. Her heart had already died, so why did it still hurt?

The three of them headed upstairs together.

As soon as Rea sat down on the sofa, her gaze landed on a peculiar clock. Curious, she reached out to touch it.

“This clock is so strange," she said. "Why does it only have six markers left?”

“Don’t touch it!” Clara yelled. She couldn’t hold back her panic. She lunged forward and snatched the clock into her arms.

Her reaction was so extreme that Ian instinctively frowned, his expression darkened with irritation as he scolded, "It’s just a clock. If Rea likes it, let her have it. You can always buy another one.”

However, this clock represented her remaining days in the world. Each mark was a day of her life ticking away and this was not something she could explain easily. So, all she could give was some random excuses, "It was a gift for winning a speech competition from my school. It has sentimental value for me."

“I’ve never seen you care about silly trinkets before,” Ian scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain as he frowned.

“Alright, if Clara doesn’t want me to touch it, I won’t.” She turned to Ian with a sweet smile. “Ian, do you have time to show me your room?”

Rea immediately changed the subject and changed Ian's attention.

"It's just like you spoil her rotten. It's just some stupid broken clock and isn’t worth this much fuss. I’ll take you shopping tomorrow and buy you whatever jewelry you want.”

Clara stood frozen in place, her heart sank into a pool of bitterness. In the past, she was the one Ian had spoiled, now he reserved that tenderness to someone else.

Taking a shaky breath, she pulled out the clock and turned the dial down by another mark.

It did not matter anyway. She was already dead. So, when she truly left this world, Ian wouldn’t grieve for long. Rea would be there to comfort him.

The next morning, Clara went to her university to finalize her withdrawal papers. Just as she was about to leave, she ran into her best friend, Sally Hansen.

She excitedly came over and bumped Clara's shoulder.

“So?” Sally grinned. “How’s it going with that guy? Did you two finally get together?”

“He has a girlfriend. Don’t bring him up again.” I said calmly.

Sally was dumbfounded. She asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

When she saw Clara was holding a withdrawal application form in her hand, her eyes widened. "Wait, what? Don't tell me you are dropping out of school because of this?"

Taking a deep breath, Clara forced herself to smile and said, “What are you thinking? My IELTS results came out. My family decided to send me abroad. I’m leaving in five days.”

"That's too sudden!"

Before Sally could say anything else, Clara suddenly reached forward and hugged her tightly. “Thank you for everything,” she whispered. “We’ll see each other again someday.”

When Sally heard the shaky word that Clara said, unexpectedly Sally felt tears start to gather in her eyes. Sniffing, she muttered, “Ugh, what are you saying? You make it sound like we’re never going to meet again.”

She added, “Just you wait. As soon as I finish my exams, I’m coming to find you! You’re stuck with me for life!”

For life, huh?

Clara froze for a moment before she abruptly turned away to hide her tears that were about to fall and waved dismissively. With a nonchalant manner, she said disdainfully, "Forget it! I don't want to be stuck with you."

Please, Sally… forget about me. Just enjoy your life.

After finishing the paperwork, Clara returned home. She didn’t expect to find Ian waiting in the living room with a package in his hand and a frosty expression on his face.

"Why did you buy a burial plot and an urn?" he asked.

Clara's pupils shrank in shock. She had no idea how those things had ended up in Ian's hands.

She blinked rapidly, her mind racing for an explanation before she stammered out a response, "I... I’ve been planning to relocate my grandmother’s grave. You know there’s no one else in the family but me."

It was a reasonable explanation.

Ian hesitated, his unease was still lingering, but eventually he nodded and said, "Then I’ll take the day off tomorrow and go with you."

"There's no need. You should focus on work and spend time with Rea. I’ve grown up now. I can’t keep clinging to you and being a burden. I’ll handle these things on my own in the future."

She meant every word she had just said.

However, there was a flicker of surprise in Ian's eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Clara had already turned and walked away.

Watching her retreating figure, he murmured under his breath, "You were never a burden to me."

The next day, Clara visited Mrs. Cumberland grave alone. She carefully wiped the dust from the tombstone, placed a bouquet of fresh flowers that she had bought at its base.

Gazing at the gentle face in the photo, her heart twisted painfully. She went closer and sat next to the tombstone.

"Mrs. Cumberland, this will probably be my last visit. I wonder if you’d blame me for being so reckless, trading my soul for these seven extra days."

"I finally understand now that my feelings were nothing but a burden to Ian. He’ll have his own family one day. It was foolish of me to think I could stay by his side forever."

"This life has been full of suffering for me. That’s why I don’t regret my decision, Mrs. Cumberland. This world is too painful for me so I won’t come back in the next life."

Clara sat there for a long time as if she wanted to pour out everything in her heart in front of Mrs. Cumberland.

After she left the cemetery, Clara cashed out all the properties under her name and transferred all the money into one card. She would give this money to Ian as compensation for her harassment of him over the past few years.

As for this jade bracelet ...

Clara raised her hand in a daze. Under the light, the bracelet looked translucent and delicate. It seemed very valuable.

"This is my heirloom jade bracelet for my future daughter-in-law. Clara, I’m leaving Ian in your care in the future."

Mrs. Cumberland's final words echoed in her mind.

Clara took a deep breath and let out a bitter laugh. It was better to leave the bracelet with Ian, along with the money.

By the time she returned to the villa, it was already late at night. The entire villa was eerily quiet. It seemed no one was home.

This was good. It was easier for her to move out of the house.

She walked into the study with the bank card and the jade bracelet in hand.

This was Ian’s private space. He was always meticulous, but tonight, the study was in disarray. It was a sign that the owner was restless and bored. It seemed her presence in this house truly frustrated him.

Clara blew resigned breath and went to his desk then pulled the lower drawer opened. She placed the card and bracelet deep inside. Just as she was withdrawing her hand, her fingers accidentally brushed against a small, ornate box.

The lid popped open and revealed a glint of cold metal.

Clara froze, her breath caught as she hesitantly reached inside. It was a pop tab ring, the handmade grass rings that she had given Ian over the years,

Hadn’t he said he threw them all away? Why are they still here?

Her gaze shifted to the final object in the box. It is a diamond ring. Did Ian buy it?

A thought too wild to believe flashed through Clara’s mind. She closed the box but was unable to recover from her shock.

Until Ian's sudden panicked voice sounded from the doorway. "Who gave you permission to touch my things?"

He hurriedly rushed in, snatched the box from her hand and, with a face dark with anger, scolded, "Did the Cumberland Family ever teach you to rummage through other people’s belongings?"

Clara jolted and finally came back to her senses. Her throat felt dry and she avoided his gaze and said in a low voice, "I was just looking for a pen to doodle with... I thought it might be in there."

Her explanation didn’t seem to convince him because Ian’s eyes narrowed with suspicion, his voice laced with urgency. "Did you open the box?" 

Seeing the tension thickened in the air as time passed, Clara quickly shook her head. "No."

Ian exhaled in relief and his expression softened just a little. However, when his gaze returned to her, it was as cold as ever. "Get out and from now on, stay out of my study unless I say otherwise."

"Alright. I’m sorry." With a lowered head, Clara blinked rapidly and went straight to the attic,

When she was back in her room, she threw herself onto the bed, her mind unable to escape the image of the small box’s contents. She was certain those were the trinkets she had given him over the years.

Then why were they still here? Why had he kept them? They even placed in his most valued space, no less? Was it just a coincidence? Or did Ian feel something for her after all?

Her thoughts swirled into chaos and eventually, exhaustion claimed her.

The next morning, she was awakened by a commotion downstairs. When she peered over the railing, she saw a crowd gathered below. It looked like some sort of celebration.

Then, in front of everyone, Ian knelt on one knee. He was holding up a small velvet box. It was the very same diamond ring she saw last night.

"Rea, will you marry me?" he asked. He gazed up at Rea with a tenderness that nearly overflowed from his eyes.

"So that’s why you didn’t answer my calls last night … you were planning this!" Rea gasped in surprise. She did not hide the happiness in her heart.

Ian smiled and his voice dripped with warmth. It was the same warmth he used to reserve for Clara. "You deserve this and more. Rea, I will take care of you for the rest of my life."

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd cheered.

Tears shimmered in her eyes, amid the crowd, Rea took the initiative to lean in and kiss him.

Upstairs, Clara stood frozen, her face drained of color. It seemed from start to finish she was nothing but a joke. Just last night, he had foolishly dared to wonder if Ian harbored feelings for her and today, she was watching him propose to another woman in front of the crowd.

A sharp "smack" echoed in the empty attic as she slapped herself.

"Stop being so delusional. He’s engaged now. How pathetic can you be?" With gritted teeth, she threw herself back onto the bed. Her cheek is red and swollen, 

Even though the door shut, she could clearly hear Ian’s joyful announcement drift up from below, "We’ll be holding the engagement banquet the day after tomorrow. I hope all of you can come and celebrate our happiness."

Clara was stunned. She covered her face as she silently cried. They had only known each other for a few months and yet he had already decided to marry Rea. He must really love her.

She directed her gaze on the ceiling in a daze and with a voice barely above a whisper, she murmured, "This is good. At least… at least you’ll be happy."

At the engagement banquet, Clara waited for the crowd, who wanted to give a congratulatory gift around Ian turned to leave, before stepping forward with a small gift in her hands.

She had rehearsed this moment in her mind countless times. However, now that she was standing before him, her throat felt dry and the words she had prepared to say felt logged in her throat.

She forced herself to meet his eyes, she managed to whisper, "Brother, I wish you both a lifetime of happiness."