Chapter 3

Clara felt her throat go dry. The situation seemed somewhat funny to her. She was used to throwing money at people to get rid of them, but she'd never imagined she would one day be the one sent away with it. Calmly, she asked, "Does Sebastian know you're doing this behind his back?" Erica flashed a smile. "You probably don't know how in love Sebastian and I were. We nearly got married back then." With a sigh, she continued, "Because I love the ocean, he took me to different islands for vacations every year. Because I missed the flavors of my childhood, he bought a restaurant so the chef could make whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. "I was the one who inked the rose ring tattoo on his chest. It's the wedding ring he promised me." She glanced at Clara. "Do I need to tell you about his family? You've been with him for three years, but you don't even know who he really is. Do you really think he loves you?" Clara felt a chill run through her entire body at the realization that every one of his preferences could be traced back to Erica. "Ms. Zimmerman, you thought he was your kept man, but he's actually been treating you as my substitute." Erica's lips curved into a smirk. "He'll come running once I give him a call. Want to bet?" Clara felt a whirlwind of emotions before she eventually calmed down. She remembered the first birthday she'd spent with Sebastian. Back then, he'd bought a cheap, garish cake that had tasted horrible, but she'd still thought it was the most delicious cake she'd ever had. As he'd held her in his arms, she'd made a wish. "I wish Sebastian would celebrate my birthday with me next year too." Grinning, Sebastian had promised her, saying, "From now on, I'll celebrate your birthday with you every year." Once, she'd gotten so drunk that someone nearly took advantage of her. By the time Sebastian had arrived in a rush, she was barely clinging to life. Looking distressed, he'd held her tightly and vowed, "From now on, I'll always come to you the moment you need me. I won't let you suffer like this again." Those promises he'd made had meant nothing to him, but she hadn't known it back then. To her, they had been everything. Clara's fists balled up as she forced a smile. "I'll leave him as you wish, but not because of what you said tonight." After getting the answer she wanted, Erica didn't waste time. She stood up and left, feeling triumphant. … In the next few days, Clara was busy with the preparations for the arranged marriage, and Sebastian didn't contact her. It wasn't until she arrived at the bar that she spotted Sebastian by the counter. He'd been distracted the entire night. His gaze kept drifting in another direction, and he was completely oblivious to Clara's presence. Following his gaze, Clara realized that he was staring at Erica, who was surrounded by men eyeing her greedily. "Hey, what are you doing? Keep your hands off me!" The moment Erica shrieked, Sebastian's expression darkened. He stormed over and grabbed a beer bottle, smashing it on one of the men's heads. He pulled Erica into his arms, his stance so fiercely territorial that the entire room seemed to hold its breath. Even Clara's heart nearly stilled. She'd never seen Sebastian lose control of his emotions before, yet today he was consumed by a fit of rage—and it was all because of Erica. Without hesitation, Sebastian broke the hand that had touched Erica. No one dared to speak out of turn. After Sebastian left with Erica in tow, those men were immediately kicked out of the bar. As Clara walked past one of the private rooms, she heard a woman protesting coyly. "Sebastian, you shouldn't spoil me like this. Did you forget that you have a girlfriend? She won't be happy if she finds out about this." "I don't have a girlfriend. She's just a stand-in for you."