Chapter 3
1214 Words
Claire smiled bitterly to herself.
She and Ethan had kept their marriage a secret from the very beginning. No one outside their families even knew she was Mrs. Sterling.
She should have realized Ethan's true feelings back then instead of foolishly clinging to him for years, only to finally wake up when he denied her in front of a room full of people.
At least she'd woken up in time.
It wasn't too late.
Claire took a deep breath and forced herself to stay composed.
Everyone who could afford to dine here was either wealthy or influential. If she made a scene and drew the other guests' attention, it could damage Sophie's restaurant's reputation.
Sophie had gone out of her way to help her.
Claire couldn't repay her kindness by causing trouble.
In the end, she walked over to the piano.
Only when she got closer did she realize they'd requested Canon.
The song was often associated with romance and a man's admiration for the woman he loved.
Claire had no idea who had requested it.
She stared at the music for a long moment before finally beginning to play.
She knew the piece by heart, so she didn't need to look at the sheet music once she started.
Her gaze drifted toward the people at the table.
Ethan was sitting angled toward Eliana, one arm resting casually along the back of her chair.
Eliana was discussing a business deal with the client beside her, occasionally turning back to lean close to Ethan as they spoke.
They looked far too intimate.
And the two of them were perfectly in sync.
Sometimes, all it took was a single glance for them to know exactly what the other was thinking.
Together, they handled the business negotiations with effortless ease.
What a ridiculous sight.
His wife was right there, playing a romantic piece for them, while he sat beside his mistress as though no one else in the room existed.
Five minutes felt like an entire lifetime.
"Mr. Sterling and Ms. Hayes really are a perfect match. You two were made for each other!"
The client showered them with praise.
He had clearly mistaken their relationship.
From across the room, Claire watched Ethan, expecting him to correct the misunderstanding.
But before he could say anything, Eliana smiled.
"You flatter us, Mr. Mack."
Ethan said nothing.
He let the assumption stand.
Claire's lips curled into a bitter smile before she looked away.
Perhaps Ethan was embarrassed by her.
After that first glance when she'd entered the room, he hadn't looked at her once.
As if even looking at her for too long might make people realize she was his wife—and somehow reflect badly on him.
When the song ended, so did their business meeting.
Claire stood beside the piano, waiting for the guests to leave the private room.
But for some reason, Ethan remained sprawled on the sofa, smoking, making no move to get up.
Then Eliana stood.
She picked up her wallet and walked toward Claire.
She pulled out a thick stack of bills—easily more than a thousand dollars—and held it out to her.
"That was lovely. Consider it a tip from me and my boyfriend."
Boyfriend.
Tip.
Pain stabbed straight through Claire's chest.
She looked at Eliana.
The woman's expression was calm, but there was unmistakable triumph hidden in her eyes.
Claire had a feeling Eliana knew exactly who she was.
And the anonymous number that had sent her the security footage might very well have been connected to her.
Claire could tolerate Ethan's coldness.
But she wouldn't tolerate Eliana deliberately provoking her.
Claire snatched the money from her hand without saying a word, then shoved it straight back into Eliana's arms.
The force sent Eliana stumbling backward, nearly knocking her to the floor.
Claire didn't even bother looking at her reaction.
She turned around and slammed the door behind her.
Back in the dining room, she continued playing until ten, when her shift finally ended.
Sophie went to the parking lot to get the car while Claire waited outside.
The night air was cool.
She pulled her coat tighter around herself and stared silently at the street ahead.
Then Ethan approached from behind and stopped beside her.
He glanced sideways at her.
"Don't come to places like this looking for me again. If you have something to say, say it at home."
Claire turned her head.
His features were sharply defined beneath the streetlights, his jawline even more pronounced with a cigarette between his lips.
His presence was as commanding and polished as ever.
For one brief moment, her numb heart seemed to come alive again.
But the more it came alive, the more it hurt.
Maybe she'd always seemed so insignificant to him that he naturally assumed she'd come here just to find him.
How arrogant.
"You've got it wrong. I'm here to help Sophie."
Claire shifted away from him, deliberately putting some distance between them.
"Whatever your reason, don't come here again. Stop embarrassing me."
Claire was even more direct.
"We've kept our marriage private. No one knows I'm Mrs. Sterling. If you're really that embarrassed by me, we can get the divorce certificate tomorrow."
His cold words had already wounded her.
Now the two people who had once been closest to each other stood beneath the desolate night sky, surrounded by an unbearable tension.
Ethan let out a cold laugh.
"Trying to play hard to get? That won't work on me."
See?
This man really hadn't changed.
It wasn't Eliana's appearance that had ruined their marriage.
This was simply who Ethan had always been.
And in his eyes, Claire had never been anything more than an accessory.
Claire turned her face away, afraid he'd see her eyes slowly reddening.
Behind Ethan, Mr. Mack walked out.
"Mr. Sterling, I look forward to working with you."
"Likewise. Why don't you stay in town for a few more days? Eliana can show you around."
Mr. Mack laughed heartily.
"I wouldn't dare steal your favorite person from you, Mr. Sterling. I'll leave her to you."
Eliana coyly slipped her arm around Ethan's.
The two of them looked every bit like a couple in the throes of a new romance.
"Mr. Mack, I'll take you back to your hotel."
Flattered, Mr. Mack smiled.
"It would be my honor. Thank you, Ms. Hayes."
Ethan leaned slightly toward Eliana and placed a large hand on her waist.
"Be careful."
Ryan drove over and stopped beside Claire.
He opened the door.
"Mrs. Sterling, it's getting late. Let me take you home."
Claire looked at the two figures walking away together without a care in the world.
Then she heard Ryan call her "Mrs. Sterling."
She couldn't help but find it absurd.
"No need. I don't deserve to ride in Mr. Sterling's car."
She glanced at the eight-figure Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked nearby.
She had never ridden in Ethan's car.
Not once.
And she never would again.
"You're joking, ma'am. You're Mrs. Sterling. Whatever belongs to Mr. Sterling belongs to you."
Ryan was sweating nervously.
He couldn't understand how the normally gentle Mrs. Sterling had suddenly become so cutting.
Claire looked at him and quietly reminded him,
"I won't be Mrs. Sterling for much longer."
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