At this moment, Sebastian was in no mood for work.

He replied offhandedly:

Leave it there. Focus all efforts on organizing the birthday banquet first.

The secretary didn't dare send another message.

She looked down at the divorce settlement in her hand, breaking into a cold sweat.

Who didn't know that Mr. Sebastian adored his wife, treating her as his very lifeblood? She had envied their "fairytale" love every day and never imagined she would see this!

Yet, Sebastian seemed completely oblivious, looking forward to his wife's upcoming birthday with anticipation.

She didn't dare utter a single word!

She could only wait for the CEO to discover it himself...

...

On the day of Clara’s birthday, Luna attended the banquet in full formal attire.

Sebastian, dressed in a sharp suit, swirled the wine in his glass, feeling increasingly restless.

It had been several days, and his men still hadn't found Clara.

Logically, as long as she was still in D.C., she shouldn't be able to escape his grasp.

Unless...

Impossible! Even if she had run away from the city in a fit of pique, there would be a paper trail, yet he had found nothing!

Catching a glimpse of the glamorous Luna out of the corner of his eye, Sebastian frowned. "Luna... perhaps you should head home. Clara definitely won't want to see you."

Luna froze.

She couldn't believe her ears! Sebastian had never spoken to her like this!

She said aggrievedly, "Clara still has many misunderstandings about me. I just wanted to explain in person..."

"I know you mean well, but your father... she’s already in a bad mood, and I don't want her to be any more upset."

Sebastian’s stance was uncharacteristically firm.

Luna couldn't maintain the smile on her face; the resentment in her eyes was nearly overflowing.

She thought she could eventually replace Clara, but she hadn't realized Clara was still so important to Sebastian!

"Arnie, please escort Miss Luna out."

Seeing her hesitate, Sebastian signaled his bodyguard.

The bodyguard stood before Luna and made a "please" gesture with a strained expression.

Luna’s entire body went rigid.

The guests around them couldn't help but notice and began to whisper.

"I thought Mr. Sebastian and Miss Luna were very close. I expected them to become a couple..."

"What nonsense. Mr. Sebastian only likes smart, courageous career women like his wife. He wouldn't care for a pampered socialite."

"Tsk tsk, the heiress of the Luna family practically throwing herself at him. How embarrassing!"

Luna felt as if she had been slapped several times; her face burned with shame.

Unable to stay any longer, she lifted her skirt and turned to leave. Halfway out, she turned back to look at Sebastian. "Sebastian, are you sure she’s even coming back?"

Sebastian replied displeasedly, "Of course!"

"We made a promise long ago that I would spend every birthday with her. She never breaks her word."

Luna let out a mocking laugh and left the scene.

Sebastian, meanwhile, picked up the specially prepared bouquet of tulips, his expression softening.

During these days without Clara by his side, he had felt an unprecedented sense of confusion and panic.

He admitted that he had initially approached Clara hoping to help Arthur cover his tracks.

But thinking about it now, if he, Sebastian, wanted someone to stay silent, there were countless ways to do it.

The reason he chose to date and marry her was entirely because Clara had captivated him.

Just as the guests had said, Clara’s soul was so radiant that he had long ago become hopelessly obsessed.

Sebastian made up his mind: when Clara returned this time, he would properly soothe her and apologize.

If she insisted on getting revenge on Arthur...

It wasn't impossible.

Luna just didn't want to be the daughter of a criminal. He could find other ways to make Arthur pay without involving the legal system.

Surely that would satisfy Clara?

The more Sebastian thought about it, the more he liked the plan, and a smile gradually spread across his face.

However, as the minutes and hours ticked by, the guest of honor never arrived.

Sebastian’s mood shifted from initial joy to a slow, gnawing anxiety.

His lips thinned into a hard line as he stared grimly at the entrance.

The secretary beside him was nearly in tears. "Sir, perhaps we should head back. The Madam might have been delayed by something..."

"No. We agreed to spend her birthday together."

At this moment, Sebastian displayed a startling stubbornness. "She knows I’m here. I’m going to wait."

Because Sebastian refused to leave, the hall full of guests looked at each other and could only grit their teeth and wait with him.

The sky grew dark, and the moon climbed the trees.

The second hand danced on, and soon, the distant sound of New Year's bells rang out.

It was already the first day of the New Year.

It was past midnight.

The person who had promised they would be together for every birthday never appeared.

The secretary looked at Sebastian’s face in terror and found it covered in a layer of frost.

"You said the company received a document? What was it?"

In the suffocating silence, he suddenly asked.

It was here. It had finally come.

The secretary swallowed hard and tremblingly pulled the document from her bag, handing it to him.

Sebastian flipped it open and instantly saw the words "Divorce Agreement."

The words were blinding!

He froze on the spot, not even having time to wonder how his own signature got on the document.

Only one thought echoed in his mind—

Clara didn't want him anymore.

In a hospital in the United States.

Clara woke up from a long coma, and the first thing she saw was a refined face.

Julian was leaning by the bedside with his eyes closed. His long eyelashes cast shadows beneath his eyes, and his usually distant features were softened by a faint trace of fatigue.

To be fair, Julian was the most handsome man she had ever met.

Even as handsome as Sebastian was, he fell slightly short of Julian in terms of temperament.

...But why was he here?

Clara couldn't help but shift slightly, and Julian woke up instantly.

He rubbed his brow and put on his glasses. "You're awake? Are you thirsty?"

Even as he asked, he was already up, pouring a glass of warm water and handing it to her.

Clara took it and sipped slowly, feeling very embarrassed. "I'm sorry to have troubled you so much..."

"It’s no trouble," Julian looked at her calmly, his tone carrying a hint of accusation. "But Miss Clara, collapsing the moment you stepped off the plane certainly gave me a scare."

Clara felt guilty and didn't dare meet his eyes.

"A shattered fracture in your finger, multiple torn wounds, and toxins remaining in your body..."

Julian counted them off with a cold sneer. "Miss Clara, are there any other 'surprises' I don't know about?"

Clara lowered her head further and further, feeling like a schoolgirl being scolded.

By the end of it, Julian himself let out a sigh. "It's my fault. I didn't realize Sebastian was such a beast!"

Clara felt even more awkward. "No, you’ve already helped me a lot."

She and Julian had met through a case.

The Julian family was powerful but had many enemies.

Julian’s younger sister had been kidnapped by a criminal organization, throwing the entire family into a panic.

Clara had accurately sketched the criminal's appearance based on witness descriptions, successfully saving the little girl.

Originally, Julian was just one of the many grateful family members she had helped.

But one day, he suddenly said to Clara, "I have to return to the U.S. There’s something I want to tell you before I go."

"Miss Clara, I like you."

Clara had been flabbergasted; she was utterly shocked.

She stammered, "I have a boyfriend..."

Julian lifted his gaze to look at her, his eyes behind the glasses deep and dark. "You’re not married yet. I still have a chance, don't I?"

"T-thank you, but I have a very good relationship with my boyfriend," Clara said tactfully. "I hope you can wish me well."

Julian watched her silently for a moment, his gaze making her feel flustered.

"Fine."

He didn't pursue her further then, but he gave Clara his international number.

"If anything happens, you can find me."

When her sister was being controlled, Clara hadn't thought of asking Julian for help only because, according to news about his family, Julian had just survived a terrorist attack in the U.S. and was in a coma from a gunshot wound.

By the time he woke up and rushed back to the country despite his injuries, her sister had already closed her eyes forever.

Thinking of this, Clara closed her eyes in agony. "It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. I killed her..."

A tide of immense regret and guilt overwhelmed her, causing her to curl into a ball, trembling violently.

"Miss Clara?" Julian keenly sensed something was wrong. "Clara!"

Clara felt as if she couldn't breathe; her soul seemed to leave her body, and every joint was too rigid to move.

She knew this was the physical manifestation of a severe depressive episode.

"Snap out of it!"

Julian’s expression changed slightly as he gripped her wrist. "Sebastian is the one who did wrong. You shouldn't blame yourself for someone else’s mistakes!"

"Besides, Sebastian is still living in comfort, and the criminal is still at large. Are you really going to collapse now?"

Right.

The people who committed the crimes hadn't received any punishment yet.

The souls who perished in the fire hadn't been comforted yet.

She couldn't stop here.

Clara took a deep breath and slowly regained her composure.

Julian let out a sigh of relief, but as he felt the delicate skin beneath his fingers, he found himself unwilling to let go.

He said with a straight face, "I’ve hired world-class surgeons. After an evaluation, they believe your hand can still recover."

"And Arthur’s situation isn't that simple. Years ago, your parents were investigating a cross-border criminal organization. Just as they obtained evidence, Arthur burned them to death..."

"That's right—it’s the same organization that kidnapped my sister."

Julian met Clara’s eyes. "So many people have been hurt by them. Shall we uproot them together?"

Clara stared at him blankly, the light that had been extinguished in her eyes slowly beginning to shine again.