Chapter 6 · Clouds Drift, Mountains Fade

But before she could finish, Rachel hooked her arm around Charles's.

"Charles, I heard you got me a little welcome-back gift?" Rachel said, her voice sweet and playful.

"Where is it?"

Charles's eyes wavered for a second, hesitation flickering across his face. "You—"

Rachel pouted, her voice sweet and playful. "I can't wait to see it!"

In the end, Charles looked away.

Rachel tugged him toward the lounge.

Claire collapsed to the floor in utter despair, gasping for air like a fish out of water, until their figures finally vanished from sight.

Just like that, Claire was made to kneel in disgrace right at the entrance of the banquet hall.

She was forced to bow her head, admit her "mistake," and apologize to every guest and passerby who walked through.

Her forehead was soon a bloody mess, the skin torn and raw.

But without Eleanor's permission, no one dared to let her stop.

She could only repeat numbly, "I'm sorry, I was wrong. I'm sorry, I was wrong"

As blood streamed down her forehead, Claire's blurry gaze fixed on the banquet hall's giant screen, unable to look away.

"Rachel, I like you!"

Charles's so-called surprise gift turned out to be a one-minute video—him publicly declaring his love for Rachel.

He'd said it in the Alps, in the wilds of Tibet, at the summit of the Himalayas all over the world, he'd told her those words.

All those moments were stitched together into a video that tore at the heartstrings.

In that instant, whatever feelings Claire still had for Charles were wiped out completely.

The punishment finally stopped when Claire blacked out from the pain.

When she opened her eyes again, she was back at the villa.

The first thing Claire did when she woke up was book herself a flight abroad.

But just then, her phone buzzed—it was Charles calling.

"I just got your flight confirmation text," he said.

"Where are you planning to go?"

That's when Claire remembered—her booking app was still linked to Charles's phone number.

Back when they first got married, they'd planned a honeymoon. Claire had booked all the flights and made all the arrangements herself.

But Charles was swamped with work and couldn't get away, so everything got canceled.

He'd promised her, "Once things calm down, we'll go to Hokkaido to see the snow."

But year after year, she waited.

Charles was always too busy—he never made time for her.

Claire gripped her phone, panic rising as she blurted out a lame excuse.

"I was booking a flight for a friend," she said, her voice shaky.

Charles just said "oh" in a flat tone—he actually believed her.

He even suggested, "Why don't you get yourself a ticket too? Go out and relax with your friend."

Claire stayed silent, and Charles finally got to the point. "By the way, book me a ticket for the day after tomorrow."

Claire was caught off guard. "Where to?"

"Mavoria."

Claire's hand trembled, almost dropping her phone.

Just an hour ago, Claire had seen Rachel post on her social media.

She was inviting all her friends and family to Mavoria for her graduation party.

All those years she'd waited for Charles to finally have some free time, and it never came.

But for Rachel, it was something she could get without even trying.

Claire let out a mocking laugh. "Going with Rachel, huh?"

On the other end, Charles paused, falling into an unusual silence.

"I" he started.

"Got it," Claire interrupted, her voice steady.

Claire cut him off calmly, "Send me Rachel's flight details. I'll book the same flight."

Charles went quiet for a moment.

The silence stretched between them, their breaths mingling over the phone. Claire almost thought Charles had forgotten to hang up, until he finally broke the quiet, his voice muffled and heavy.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

Claire replied with calm indifference, "What do you expect me to say?"

Charles's breath caught, but just as he was about to speak, a sudden, ear-splitting screech burst from the other end of the line.

Rachel's scream pierced the chaos. "Charles! Help me—"

The call suddenly dropped.

As the harsh, drum-like beeps echoed in her ear, Claire felt her chest tighten, as if an invisible hand was crushing her heart.

She became exhausted, numb, and eventually, felt nothing at all.

It was strange—suddenly, the pain just vanished.

In the middle of the night, Claire was fast asleep when her phone suddenly rang—it was one of Charles's friends calling.

Everyone was shouting over each other, the noise so loud it felt like knives stabbing right into Claire's ears.

She only caught one thing: "Claire, it's bad—something happened to Charles!" Instinctively, she threw off the covers, forgot her shoes, and rushed straight out the door.

Chapter 6

But before she could finish, Rachel hooked her arm around Charles's.

"Charles, I heard you got me a little welcome-back gift?" Rachel said, her voice sweet and playful.

"Where is it?"

Charles's eyes wavered for a second, hesitation flickering across his face. "You—"

Rachel pouted, her voice sweet and playful. "I can't wait to see it!"

In the end, Charles looked away.

Rachel tugged him toward the lounge.

Claire collapsed to the floor in utter despair, gasping for air like a fish out of water, until their figures finally vanished from sight.

Just like that, Claire was made to kneel in disgrace right at the entrance of the banquet hall.

She was forced to bow her head, admit her "mistake," and apologize to every guest and passerby who walked through.

Her forehead was soon a bloody mess, the skin torn and raw.

But without Eleanor's permission, no one dared to let her stop.

She could only repeat numbly, "I'm sorry, I was wrong. I'm sorry, I was wrong"

As blood streamed down her forehead, Claire's blurry gaze fixed on the banquet hall's giant screen, unable to look away.

"Rachel, I like you!"

Charles's so-called surprise gift turned out to be a one-minute video—him publicly declaring his love for Rachel.

He'd said it in the Alps, in the wilds of Tibet, at the summit of the Himalayas all over the world, he'd told her those words.

All those moments were stitched together into a video that tore at the heartstrings.

In that instant, whatever feelings Claire still had for Charles were wiped out completely.

The punishment finally stopped when Claire blacked out from the pain.

When she opened her eyes again, she was back at the villa.

The first thing Claire did when she woke up was book herself a flight abroad.

But just then, her phone buzzed—it was Charles calling.

"I just got your flight confirmation text," he said.

"Where are you planning to go?"

That's when Claire remembered—her booking app was still linked to Charles's phone number.

Back when they first got married, they'd planned a honeymoon. Claire had booked all the flights and made all the arrangements herself.

But Charles was swamped with work and couldn't get away, so everything got canceled.

He'd promised her, "Once things calm down, we'll go to Hokkaido to see the snow."

But year after year, she waited.

Charles was always too busy—he never made time for her.

Claire gripped her phone, panic rising as she blurted out a lame excuse.

"I was booking a flight for a friend," she said, her voice shaky.

Charles just said "oh" in a flat tone—he actually believed her.

He even suggested, "Why don't you get yourself a ticket too? Go out and relax with your friend."

Claire stayed silent, and Charles finally got to the point. "By the way, book me a ticket for the day after tomorrow."

Claire was caught off guard. "Where to?"

"Mavoria."

Claire's hand trembled, almost dropping her phone.

Just an hour ago, Claire had seen Rachel post on her social media.

She was inviting all her friends and family to Mavoria for her graduation party.

All those years she'd waited for Charles to finally have some free time, and it never came.

But for Rachel, it was something she could get without even trying.

Claire let out a mocking laugh. "Going with Rachel, huh?"

On the other end, Charles paused, falling into an unusual silence.

"I" he started.

"Got it," Claire interrupted, her voice steady.

Claire cut him off calmly, "Send me Rachel's flight details. I'll book the same flight."

Charles went quiet for a moment.

The silence stretched between them, their breaths mingling over the phone. Claire almost thought Charles had forgotten to hang up, until he finally broke the quiet, his voice muffled and heavy.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

Claire replied with calm indifference, "What do you expect me to say?"

Charles's breath caught, but just as he was about to speak, a sudden, ear-splitting screech burst from the other end of the line.

Rachel's scream pierced the chaos. "Charles! Help me—"

The call suddenly dropped.

As the harsh, drum-like beeps echoed in her ear, Claire felt her chest tighten, as if an invisible hand was crushing her heart.

She became exhausted, numb, and eventually, felt nothing at all.

It was strange—suddenly, the pain just vanished.

In the middle of the night, Claire was fast asleep when her phone suddenly rang—it was one of Charles's friends calling.

Everyone was shouting over each other, the noise so loud it felt like knives stabbing right into Claire's ears.

She only caught one thing: "Claire, it's bad—something happened to Charles!" Instinctively, she threw off the covers, forgot her shoes, and rushed straight out the door.