Chapter 4

"Ms. Carter." I looked at Edith, my expression calm and unreadable. "Did you get something mixed up? First off, this is my studio, not a thrift store.

"Second, if Lucas gave you this, maybe you should ask him what it means, instead of bringing it here to flaunt.

"Third, and most importantly." I paused, making sure to say each word clearly. "Lucas and I already broke up."

Edith's face gradually went pale.

She probably thought I'd put up with it like before, or maybe go hysterical.

She never expected me to rip off her mask so directly.

"Broke up?" Edith scoffed, as if I'd told her the biggest joke ever. "Come on, Claire. You can't be serious. You love Lucas so much. How could you possibly let him go?"

"Love?" I laughed. "Ms. Carter, maybe you don't really get what love is. Treating a man like your whole world? That's not love. That's being dependent. Right now, I'm only focused on my career."

I picked up the design draft from my desk and handed it to her. "Ms. Carter, if you're here to discuss a collaboration, I'm happy to talk.

"This is my latest piece, 'Rebirth', inspired by a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon. But if that's not why you're here, the door's right over there. See yourself out."

Edith's face twisted between pale and flushed, a storm of emotions flickering across her features.

She stared me down, her eyes brimming with venom and stubborn resentment.

"Claire, don't get cocky," she spat, gritting her teeth. "Who do you think you are? Lucas only accepted you because I didn't want him. Now that I'm back, do you really think you still have a chance with him?"

"A chance?" I laughed, like I'd heard the funniest joke. "Ms. Carter, did you forget? I was the one who dumped Lucas. The man you didn't want practically begged me to take him back, but I still turned him down.

"Instead of wasting your time here, why don't you go back and keep your man in check, so he can stop pestering me?"

With that, I turned away from her, picked up the phone, and dialed the front desk. "Hey, security? There's a lady up here in my studio peddling used jewelry. Could you come up and take care of it?"

Edith was "escorted" out by security.

As she left, her pretty face was twisted with rage, and the glare she shot at me was like she wanted to eat me alive.

I had no doubt that once she got back, she'd add fuel to the fire and go crying to Lucas with her twisted version of events.

But so what?

I'd already dumped Lucas. Why would I care about his opinions?

With that pest out of the way, I buried myself in my work.

By evening, Michael showed up, bringing me some steaming hot food.

"I heard that Edith came to see you today," he said, trying to play it cool as he set out the dishes.

"Seriously, Michael, how do you always know everything?" I joked.

"Please, I picked out the security for your studio myself." Michael rolled his eyes at me. "She didn't mess with you, did she?"

"What could she do?" I mumbled around a mouthful of food. "I put her right back in her place."

Michael looked at me and hesitated, as if he had something he wanted to say but stopped himself.

"Come on, Michael, just say it." I urged.

"Claire," he said, putting down his fork with a serious look. "Lucas has been losing his mind lately, trying to track you down. He even came to the company today and cornered me, demanding to know where I was hiding you."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him you got abducted by aliens and were off saving the universe," Michael replied with a smug grin, clearly proud of his own cleverness.

I couldn't help but laugh, and the gloom in my heart lifted a little.

"Ignore him. He's just having trouble adjusting. Give it a little time, and he'll get used to it."

It was like when someone had a toy for ages and suddenly lost it; they'd look for it for a bit, but once they got a new one, the old one would be forgotten.

"Hope so." Michael sighed. "Oh, and I almost forgot the real deal. There's a business cocktail party next week, and Nathan Pierce, the head of the Pierce family from Belika, will be there.

"The Pierce family is looking to break into the jewelry business, and I managed to get you a chance to meet him. You should get ready. If you can connect with the Pierce family, your studio will be rock solid."

The Pierce family? Nathan Pierce?

That name was like a lightning bolt shooting through my mind.

In my previous life, after I died, my soul drifted around the world for some time.

I saw that after I died, Lucas didn't really seem all that sad. He stayed quiet for a few days, and then dove headfirst into a business war with the Pierce family.

In that business war, the Bennett family got totally crushed.

The one who brought down the Bennett family was none other than Nathan Pierce, the head of the Pierce family.

The only time I ever saw him was at my funeral, and even then, it was from afar.

He stood in the corner, dressed in black, wrapped in an aura of aloofness and indifference.

He didn't know me, but he placed a bouquet of white irises on my tombstone.

Those were my favorite flowers.

Back then, I was just a wandering soul, and I couldn't figure out why he'd show up.

Now that I thought about it, maybe he was actually Michael's friend.