Chapter 40

In front of her, the memory from five years ago played like a broken reel— Clara all excited, picking out her wedding dress, while Eugene just sneered at her from the side, calling her shameless and accusing her of pushing Ellie away just to chase her sick love. Back then, Clara thought that since Ellie gave him up, she'd cherish him twice as hard and wait for him to turn around. Now she finally got it—everything she hoped for was just make—believe. She pressed her lips tight, didn't say a word, squared her shoulders, and walked away from the Bennett house one step at a time. Sitting dazed in the car, Clara slumped into the seat, phone clutched in her hand as she dialed Eugene's number. A few rings in, she ended the call just as fast. Forget it. Digging into the past is pointless now. She dropped the phone and started the engine. A while later, her phone vibrated wildly. Eugene's name lit up on screen, and she instinctively reached for it. "Hey, calling me outta nowhere?" Eugene's voic