Chapter 3

Clarence didn't return home that night, and Laura stayed awake until morning. The next day, she went to her part-time job at Orvenia's most posh shopping mall with heavy bags under her eyes. She'd never expected to run into Clarence there. Inside a luxury jewelry boutique, he stood tall in a tailored suit, looking every bit refined and charming. His gaze was gentle and affectionate as he stared at the woman beside him in white. The woman, Michelle Gibson, looked elegant and poised as she studied the display of necklaces with practiced grace. "I'll take this one," she said. The sales associate beamed. "Excellent choice, ma'am. This ruby necklace is called 'Eternity', and it's the centerpiece of our collection, worth 50 million dollars." The woman smiled sweetly as she tugged at Clarence's sleeve. "Clay." Clarence pulled out his card and said nonchalantly, "Wrap it up for me." The sight stung Laura's eyes. She couldn't help but find herself extremely foolish as she thought of how she'd been breaking her back every day, working 10 jobs just to scrape 200 thousand dollars for his surgery. Just as she was about to confront him, he spotted her. For a split second, a mix of guilt and panic flashed across his eyes. Clarence walked toward her. When he noticed her gaze on his expensive clothes, he rushed to explain, "Laura, this is my part-time job. I have to accompany big shots to large functions, so I dressed up a little." A deep sense of despair welled up within Laura when she saw how he was desperately trying to cover up his lies at a moment like this. Just then, Michelle walked over, folding her arms and looking down at Laura with cool disdain. "Clay, is she your girlfriend?" Without thinking, Clarence blurted out, "She's just a friend. We're not close at all." Upon hearing this, Michelle arched a brow, a smirk tugging at her lips as she met Laura's gaze, clearly taunting her. "The banquet's about to start. Let's go, Clay." Tears pooled in Laura's eyes as she watched them leave together. So it seemed that their four-year relationship meant nothing to Clarence, and she was just a friend. She had to admit that Clarence and Michelle were a perfect match. After pulling herself together, Laura went to her workplace. She threw herself into work and, within two hours, sold enough gold to finish her shift early. Just as she was about to head to her next job, Michelle appeared again, striding in with a sense of entitlement. She extended a hand with a sweet smile. "Hello, I'm Clarence's first love. Clay and I are getting married next month, and I'd love for you to attend our wedding." Laura pressed her lips into a thin line and didn't respond. As she turned to leave, Michelle grabbed her wrist. "What's with the attitude?" she snapped. "A girl from the slums like you isn't even fit to carry my shoes. You were nothing more than a tool Clay used to lure me back to Ufrea." Laura yanked her hand free. "So what? What are you trying to say?" Michelle chuckled coldly and warned, "I'm saying you'd better walk away from Clay on your own. Otherwise, I'll make sure you regret it." Her face twisted with hatred. The thought of Laura being with Clarence for four whole years made her want to tear the woman apart. Before Laura could respond, Michelle abruptly shouted, "Someone, stop her! This thief stole a gold necklace! Where's the manager? Come out here!" Her shrill cry drew all the customers' attention. The store manager hurried over, pushing through the crowd and anxiously lowering his head as he greeted Michelle. "What's the problem, Ms. Gibson?" "This woman stole from your store, and I want you to search her now." The manager hesitated, glanced at Laura apologetically, and then reached straight for her coat pocket. A second later, a shiny gold necklace appeared in his grasp. Whispers rippled through the crowd. A few jealous saleswomen, who'd always resented Laura, jumped in eagerly. "I heard she's keeping some boy toy and working ten jobs a day for him. Guess she's really desperate and decided to steal!" Laura stared at Michelle's smug face and calmly pulled out her phone. "You searched me without proof, and that's an invasion of privacy. I've already called the police. Whether I stole it or not, they'll find out soon enough." Michelle's expression wavered. She pushed her way past the bystanders, pulled out her phone, and made a quick call. As she hung up, her lips curved up into a grin. Even as evening came, the police didn't show up. The whole thing was swept under the rug, and Laura ended up losing her job.