Chapter 100

Claire managed a smile that honestly looked worse than crying. No way she actually wanted to be in that kind of competition. “Why can't I just do something decent for once...” Her voice broke as she looked up. “Of course you can.” Julian nodded without hesitation. His smile was warm, eyes sparkling like stars, his voice low and smooth like aged wine. “Whatever you want to do, you can do it.” Claire had been trying to hold herself together. She hated losing control in front of people, didn’t want to be seen as some melodramatic mess. But in that moment, she felt maybe it was okay to break down a little, to let herself be vulnerable—maybe even spoiled. That warmth in her chest melted the wall she’d been propping up. Her eyes blurred with tears. Everything turned misty. She went limp all over, but for once, she didn’t feel scared like she'd fall and shatter into a million pieces, or plunge off an emotional cliff. She just slumped against him, letting the tears fall silently. Julian, knowi