Chapter 3

The project progressed quickly.

But Clara thought it was too slow. More than once, this woman emphasized to my partner:

"This is Adrian's first project since returning to the country. I don't want it to fail."

I watched this performance with cold detachment.

That day after the negotiation ended, back home, Clara hesitated on the sofa for a long time.

Finally, she explained to me:

"We're still secretly married after all. We haven't found the right time to explain."

"Later, we'll go public."

"Right now, our priority should be handling this project well."

I nodded noncommittally.

I didn't bother reminding her that the priority should probably be our upcoming wedding.

Even less would I remind her that when that day came, the divorce cooling-off period would be over.

After all, in her eyes, Adrian was still the most important.

During the project, Clara's deliberate efforts to avoid having Adrian and me meet still caught my partner's attention.

He asked me somewhat nosily:

"Did you and Ms. Parker used to have a thing?"

I smiled. "How could that be possible?"

My partner pursed his lips.

"She's looked at you with this incredibly guilty expression several times."

"Clearly the way a woman harboring guilt looks at her ex-boyfriend."

I paused, trying to recall carefully.

It wasn't that I hadn't noticed—it's just that everything from the past made it impossible for me to be sure about her expression.

Countdown: 10 days.

This day was supposed to be a regular project meeting.

Adrian intentionally or unintentionally chatted with me for quite a while. I knew he'd probably guessed my relationship with Clara.

But I still replied to him politely.

After the meeting ended, Clara actually offered to drive me home.

This was a first.

"Your work capabilities really exceed my expectations."

Five years of marriage, and this was the first time this woman praised me.

My hand paused while organizing documents, looking at her with some confusion.

Clara hesitated for a long time before finally speaking:

"Is it too late for the wedding ceremony?"

I lowered my head, knowing she probably wanted to cancel the wedding.

Most likely because of Adrian.

"Then let's just cancel it. There aren't many days left anyway."

I looked up at her, not calling her out, not wanting to make things awkward for both of us.

Clara looked stunned, as if she'd received an answer she couldn't believe.

She suddenly asked:

"You don't care?"

Right—in the past, I probably would've lost control on the spot, demanding an answer.

How many times had awkwardness occurred in our marriage because of my loss of control?

Though all those losses of control stemmed from her.

I shook my head.

"What's there to care about? It's just a ceremony."

After a long silence, Clara spoke up again:

"How about in a few days, I'll go with you to relax at the old town nearby?"

I looked down at the countdown on my phone—only ten days left in the divorce cooling-off period—and declined.

The woman's hands on the steering wheel stiffened, nearly running a red light.

"How about the beach? Or that restaurant you've always wanted to try?"

Clara suggested several more ways to relax, but I declined them one by one.

By the time we got out of the car, the woman's expression had changed from embarrassment and guilt to confusion and dissatisfaction.

Seeing her expression, I took the initiative:

"How about we go see the old house?"

The old house was where Clara and I lived when we first got married.

I really did miss it a bit.

Clara froze for a long while, seemingly trying to figure out what I was thinking.

Even after I got out of the car, she was still sitting there.

Sitting in a daze for a long time.