Chapter 21
Seth had been stuck in meetings all morning, and his mood was already foul.
When he entered his office and saw Clarissa waiting for him, his frustration only deepened, clearly written across his face.
“Why are you here?” he asked coldly.
Hearing this, Clarissa’s eyes filled with tears, and soon they were streaming down her face.
She sobbed, and her voice trembled with emotion as she said, “Seth, I didn’t mean to hurt Layla. I just couldn’t stand how cold and indifferent she is toward Ben. You have no idea what happened yesterday. Layla was so kind to other kids, but when it came to Ben, she treated him like he didn’t matter.”
She continued, “Ben’s just a child. He can’t handle that kind of rejection. He cried so much in the car. My heart broke for him. I thought if I could just get rid of Layla, Ben wouldn’t have to feel so hurt anymore.
“Please don’t stop me from seeing Ben. He’ll miss me. His mother already abandoned him. If I leave him too, he won’t be able to handle it. I don’t care what happens to me. I’m just worried about him.”
She broke down completely, her tears falling like a torrential rainstorm, her sobs echoing through the room.
Seth’s expression only grew colder, his voice devoid of any warmth. “Clarissa, don’t try to play tricks here. I’m not that naive. If you insist on pushing this any further, I won’t hesitate to cancel our engagement.”
Clarissa, who had been crying her heart out, froze at his words. She stopped sobbing abruptly.
Her tear–filled eyes staring at Seth in disbelief, her voice dripping with grievance. “Seth, have you forgotten how I risked my life for you twice? I nearly died for you! My legs still haven’t fully recovered.”
She added, “I can’t even continue the ballet career I loved the most. I gave everything for you, and this is how you repay me? With disdain?”
Her words were tragic and pitiful, but Seth’s expression remained unmoved. Instead, his face grew darker, his patience wearing thin.
He glanced at Clarissa with icy detachment. “Yes, you saved me, and I’m grateful for that. But that doesn’t mean I’ll let you run wild. I’ve already given you the status you wanted. Don’t do anything you shouldn’t, or don’t blame me for cutting ties completely. After all, I’ve never claimed to be a good person.”
Clarissa was so frightened by his words that she didn’t dare speak again.
Seth truly wasn’t a kind man.
When he fought for control of the Parker family, he had ruthlessly cut ties with anyone who stood in his way.
Everyone who had wronged him paid the price. Even his closest uncle was now serving time in prison.
If she pushed him too far, he might actually go through with canceling their engagement.
Clarissa quickly shifted tactics. She softened her demeanor and slowly approached Seth, tugging gently at his sleeve. Her voice became sweet and tender.
She said, “Seth, I was wrong. I won’t go against Layla anymore. I promise I’ll behave and listen to you.”
Seth didn’t react to her touch. Instead, he recoiled slightly, his tone sharp with disgust. “You’d better mean what you say.”
“Yes, yes, I will,” Clarissa replied.
Then she said, “Oh, Seth, I went with Jenna the other day to look at wedding dresses. We picked out a few. Why don’t you take a look and tell me which one suits me best?”
She handed him a catalog, her face lighting up with anticipation.
Seth barely glanced at the pages. He didn’t even pretend to look closely. After all, he had no intention of marrying her.
With little effort, he dismissed her, saying, “None of them suit you.”
Clarissa didn’t take his words as rejection. On the contrary, she was thrilled that he hadn’t outright opposed the idea of her trying on wedding dresses.
Smiling brightly, she said, “Then I’ll keep looking until I find one you like. It’s our wedding after all. I have to find something that will take your breath away.”
Seth’s mind wandered as she spoke. Instead of wedding dresses, he thought of Layla.
Seth and Layla were together for four years, during which Layla had always dreamed of the wedding he had never given her..
