Clara’s smile faded slightly. She withdrew her finger and reminded him flatly, "Bigamy is a crime. Do you want to see Auntie Clara go to prison?"

The hope on Arthur’s face instantly froze. For a fleeting moment, he even looked aggrieved.

Ethan’s gaze shifted between the two of them. He had already gathered the essence of Clara’s thoughts. He stood up gracefully and took Lulu’s hand. "I’ll leave you two to talk."

A moment later, he returned with a blanket, draping it over Clara’s shoulders. He whispered his concern: "Don't chat too late; it’s cold out here." As he spoke, he gave her shoulder a gentle pat.

Clara reached up and patted the back of his hand, signaling that she understood.

Their natural, familiar interaction looked like that of a couple who had been together for many years.

It was exactly the kind of peaceful life Arthur had dreamed of.

But the person standing behind Clara now was no longer him.

The night grew even quieter.

Arthur couldn't bear this silence; it felt like the brief lull before a death sentence is pronounced.

"Clara, can you... still not forgive me?"

Clara looked at him. Forgiveness?

She had forgiven him long ago.

But along with that forgiveness, she had also stopped caring.

"Arthur, you've got it wrong. I don't hate you."

"But, I won't love you either."

"And I certainly won't revolve my life around you like I did before."

Arthur interrupted immediately, desperate to prove himself: "I can revolve my life around you! Don't worry, I’ll make sure you're comfortable and that no one ever bullies you again."

Clara looked at him, her eyes tinged with a bit of disappointment, as if looking at a student who just couldn't grasp the lesson. "Arthur, do you still not understand what I mean?"

"In my eyes right now, you are no different from an ant on the road or a bird flying by."

"There is no longer a place for you in my life. Even if you bring Leo here every single day, my answer will remain the same."

"Arthur, don't you think it’s time to go live your own life?"

"What can you gain by constantly circling back here? Nothing but disappointment after disappointment."

She couldn't understand Arthur’s persistence, just as she couldn't understand his previous cruelty.

Arthur’s Adam’s apple bobbed, but he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

Leo didn't quite understand the conversation, but he sensed from the atmosphere that things had gone south. His lip trembled piteously. "Mama, I..."

"Don't call me Mama. Call me Auntie Clara."

"Or, you can call me 'Wicked Witch' like you used to. That’s fine too."

She had heard it so much she was used to it; a title was just a label, it wasn't that important.

Hearing this, Leo felt even more aggrieved, but he didn't dare cry out loud, so he could only bite his lip hard.

Clara glanced back. Ethan was standing on the upstairs balcony with Lulu; after making eye contact, he waved at her.

She retracted her gaze and told Arthur bluntly, "As you can see, I am very happy now."

In this confrontation, Arthur had no defense.

Every word and every look from Clara was a fatal blow to him.

If even Leo couldn't win back Clara’s heart, what hope did he have?

Arthur finally gave up, looking defeated. "...I will respect your wishes."

After seeing Arthur off, the heavy stone in Clara’s heart finally dropped. Wrapping the blanket tighter, she went upstairs. The moment she entered, Lulu rushed out to hug her, squeezing tight as if afraid she might vanish.

Reading Lulu’s insecurity, Clara reached out to stroke her hair and gave her a promise: "Mama will always be by your side."

"Mhm," Lulu replied in a muffled voice.

After that, Arthur never came back. However, news spread that a new supermarket had opened nearby with prices lower than anywhere else, almost as if they were doing charity.

Clara didn't look into it. She couldn't be bothered.

Two months later, Ethan returned from a business trip. Watching Clara busy herself around the house, he suddenly spoke: "Let’s have a wedding."

Clara looked surprised. "Why have a wedding all of a sudden? Besides, if we do, everyone will know. If there’s photos or videos, it might affect you later on."

Although their life together had been harmonious—and there were even moments where her heart fluttered—Clara constantly reminded herself not to overthink; this was all a temporary arrangement for Lulu's sake.

So, Ethan's suggestion caught her completely off guard.

Ethan stood up, took the tray from her hands, and grasped her hand, speaking earnestly: "Then let everyone know."

"We've been getting along quite well lately. I want to give myself a chance. Are you willing to give me that chance?"

Only then did Clara realize he was sincere.

She stared at him blankly, unsure if she had the courage to step into marriage again.

Lulu was peeking from behind the door, looking very nervous.

The hands holding hers were trembling slightly; he was nervous too.

Clara looked at Ethan’s seemingly calm face, then at his hands which were shaking even harder, and curled her lips into a smile. "Okay."

Ethan couldn't believe it. He stared at her dazed, his grip tightening unconsciously.

Though her hand hurt from the squeeze, Clara felt more like laughing. She couldn't help but say, "You're just like Lulu, you have the strength of a bull."

The usually composed man realized he had hurt her and hurried to let go, cradling her hand and blowing on it with an apologetic face.

But the joy in the corners of his eyes and brows was irrepressible.

The wedding was quickly set for two months later.

Even for two people who were "doers," this timeline was incredibly tight.

Ethan simply pushed all his work aside to focus on making arrangements with Clara.

It was only through preparing with Ethan that Clara realized planning a wedding could be such a fun experience.

When she married Arthur, everything had been like a pre-set program. The wedding planners decided everything; none of it reflected their own ideas.

Of course, Arthur hadn't had the time to discuss such details with her back then.

The wedding decorations were all based on Clara’s interests, while the wine and pastries were chosen from Ethan’s favorite brands.

The two divided the tasks and prepared fervently, finishing most of the work in just one month.

When it came time to send out invitations, Ethan didn't hesitate to invite all his friends and family. By the time he finished writing a thick stack, he noticed Clara’s pile was still empty.

"Clara, what about your family?"

He realized he had never really talked to Clara about her family. Was there some unspeakable, painful past?

Ethan suddenly felt guilty, his face filling with heartache. "It’s okay. You have me now. My family is your family."

Clara felt a warmth in her heart and smiled. "It’s no big deal. My biological parents abandoned me; there isn't much of a bond there."

In her old city, she had spent all her time revolving around Arthur, so she didn't really have any friends to speak of.

After thinking it over, she wrote down Arthur’s name.

When Ethan saw her writing the name, he felt even more for her. He held her left hand and planted a kiss on her cheek, though he joked, "Inviting the ex-husband? I’m going to be jealous."

Clara, being the type who always thinks of others, thought he really minded and was about to throw it away, but he stopped her.

He nudged her neck with his head and whispered, "Invite him. I want him to see what an incredible person he missed out on."

Once the invitations were sent, Clara stretched her aching neck and leaned naturally back into Ethan’s embrace. She asked casually, "When did you decide to actually marry me?"

Ethan put one arm around her while organizing the pens and paper with the other. He thought for a moment. "I don't know."

"But when I was away on business and kept seeing your silhouette everywhere, I knew... I couldn't live without you."

It was a simple sentence, yet more moving than any grand confession.

Clara’s wandering heart finally found its anchor.

On the other side, Arthur was very happy to receive Clara’s invitation. But when he saw the content inside, that happiness turned into mockery and helplessness.

He had truly lost her.

Leo also had a long face, clutching Arthur’s arm. "Dad, have we really lost Mama?"

Arthur closed the invitation. "Yes."

Both father and son were submerged in loneliness.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

Arthur glanced at it; it was an unknown number. But he seemed to know who it was. He skillfully hung up, deleted the record, and blocked the number.

On the wedding day, Clara was dressed in her finest, and Lulu was dressed as a cute little flower girl.

Just as they were leaving, Lulu accidentally bumped her head on the door.

Ethan hurried to comfort her, but Clara felt a sense of unease, as if something was about to happen.

"Mama, today is the happiest day. Why the long face?"

Lulu reached out clumsily and drew a big smiley face on Clara’s cheeks with her fingers.

Looking at Lulu’s adorable face, Clara temporarily pushed her anxiety to the back of her mind.

The wedding officially began. Being a small place, the ceremony was simple yet elegant. Finally, it was time for the bride and groom to exchange rings.

After the officiant finished speaking, Lulu walked toward them step by step, carrying the rings.

The guests' eyes were full of admiration and blessings for the cute scene.

When she was only ten steps away, two people suddenly burst from the audience. One rushed toward Lulu, and the other toward the stage.