Chapter 18%
Third Person’s POV
One sentence was all it took to knock the breath out of Norris.”
His voice trembled in disbelief. “Your… husband?“}
Clarissa nodded calmly, her expression unreadable. Without giving him a chance to speak further, she turned and walked away.“] Norris stood frozen, his heart clenching in a way that made it hard to breathe. His mind was spinning. He was still reeling from the shock and joy of discovering she was alive. He hadn’t even had time to process it. And now, it felt like he’d been thrown back into hell without warning.”
Before he could think, his legs moved on their own. He started after her. There was so much he wanted to say. But when he looked up, they were gone. All three of them had vanished into the crowd.
His assistant, who had been silently observing from a distance, finally stepped forward, trying to sound professional despite the tension.”
“Mr. Daniel, the car’s waiting outside. Shall we go?“}
Norris rubbed his temples, his thoughts racing. The look in his eyes changed. What was moments ago pain now turned sharp and resolute.
“I want every detail you can find on the three people who just left. You have one day. Send it all to my email.”}]
With that, he strode out of the airport without another word.
One day later, Norris finally received the information he’d requested.”
But to his surprise, only Clarissa’s file was complete. The other two had just names and ages. No background, no connections. Almost like they didn’t exist.”
He stared at Daryll’s photo for a long time, his expression darkening by the second. Then he stood up and headed straight to the address where Clarissa now lived.”
He waited outside her building all day, and finally, she appeared.}]
Without hesitation, he jumped out of the car and strode up to her, grabbing her arm before she could react. “Clarissa, we need to talk.“} Caught off guard, Clarissa stumbled a little, her face flashing with frustration as she met his eyes.
But Norris didn’t notice her irritation. The moment he saw her face again, all his reasoning evaporated. His longing for her overwhelmed everything else.}
After a few failed attempts to pull away, Clarissa sighed and got into his car.”
For a while, they sat in silence. Then Norris finally spoke. “Your legs…?“}
Clarissa kept her gaze on the window. Her voice was calm and flat as she replied, “They’re fine now.“}]
Her condition had always been temporary. When she arrived in the Netherlands, she got timely treatment. Her legs had now fully recovered, so she could live just like anyone else again.§
Norris sensed something was wrong. Her tone, her distance–it all made him uneasy.”
“I thought… I thought you were on that plane,” he said, his voice softer. “These last three years, I’ve missed you–every day, every second. I tore up the divorce papers. They don’t mean anything anymore.”
Clarissa stayed quiet, lost in her own thoughts.}
She was also thankful that she hadn’t boarded that flight. The humiliation she suffered that day had caused her to pass out in the car. A high fever hit soon after. If it hadn’t, she might really have died in that crash.
Instead, she ended up in the Netherlands. And in those three years, she built a life–family, career, and someone to love. She had no desire to look back.
“So what?” she finally said.”
Norris’s chest tightened. He knew he’d made unforgivable mistakes, but her coldness still cut deep.
“The child… wasn’t mine,” he admitted. “I just found out now. And I finally realized that what I feel for you isn’t guilt, Clarissa. It’s love. I love you. Will you give me another chance? Let me chase you this time.“}
His words were soft, pleading–words that, once upon a time, would’ve melted her heart. But Clarissa was no longer the woman she used to be. Her love for him had long withered away.
“I’m with someone else now,” she said quietly. “Please, have some respect.“W
Without waiting for a reply, she opened the door and stepped out of the car.
Norris’s hand reached out instinctively, but it stopped midair, grabbing nothing. He let out a bitter laugh and clenched his empty palm. Wiping his nose, he looked up at her fading figure, his eyes rimmed red.”
In the days that followed, Norris pushed aside all his work and camped out near Clarissa’s building.M
Every day, he left her a bouquet of flowers and letters, hoping the memories they shared would somehow rekindle what was lost.!!
Dary!! hadn’t been around lately, which gave him hope.
He thought Clarissa must still be mad at him, so she asked Daryll to be a stand–in, a shield.
But then came the night Clarissa didn’t come home.”
Worried, Norris called his assistant immediately.”
