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Chapter 95
Seraphina thought, He has never gone this long without replying to my WhatsApp messages. Is he busy? She didn’t dwell on it too much and took the elevator upstairs.
As the evening gradually darkened, the housemaid came to invite Seraphina for dinner.
Seraphina checked her phone again. There was still no word from Clarence. That was when a sense of unease began to creep in She thought, ‘It’s already after work hours. What could he be doing? Maybe his phone died, and he hasn’t seen my messages.
Seraphina decided to call Clarence. The call went through, but there was no answer. His phone must not be nearby, she thought
Seraphina had dinner alone, and Clarence still hadn’t called back by the time she finished. This was unusual. Even during their past arguments or silent treatments, he’d always respond whenever she texted or called. He’d never left her hanging for this long.
They had talked on the phone earlier in the day, and everything seemed fine. She wondered, ‘Have I done something to upset him?
Seraphina sent another WhatsApp message: [Are you home yet? But there was still no reply by the time she crawled into. bed. Now, true worry began to set in.
She thought, ‘If we were fighting or giving each other the cold shoulder, it would make sense for Clarence to ignore me. But our relationship has been going so well lately. Why is he suddenly acting distant?
Clutching her phone, Seraphina stared at Clarence’s number, debating. She couldn’t resist any longer and called him again It rang, but no one picked up. She thought, Is he deliberately avoiding my calls? Her heart clenched with pain. Just as she was about to give up, the call connected.
Clarence’s deep voice came through. “Hello.”
That single word, so cold and distant, only amplified Seraphina’s anxiety. “Where…where are you?” she asked softly, almost trembling.
Clarence spoke in a calm, distant tone. “My mom’s not feeling well. I’m with her.”
Seraphina thought, ‘So, he has been with his mother. She said, “Oh, and asked, “Is she feeling any better now?”
Clarence dodged the question. “Go to sleep,” he said, his voice weary, indifferent.
Seraphina paused. “Alright, goodnight,” she replied, not wanting to press further.
Clarence ended the call.
Seraphina stared at her phone. She thought, ‘He hung up first again. What did I do wrong this time? She curled under the covers, a wave of sadness washing over her. Tears quietly slipped from the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away and forced herself to close her eyes, trying to sleep.
The faint moonlight filtered through the window, casting its soft glow over Seraphina’s small figure on the bed.
At the door, Clarence stood still for a moment before slowly walking to the bedside.
Seraphina lay on her side, clutching a plush toy, her body curled into a protective posture, looking so small and fragile. Her long hair obscured her face.
Clarence stood at the edge of the bed, his figure blocking the moonlight. He watched Seraphina silently for a long time
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before sitting down, gently placing his hand over hers, which rested on the plush toy.
The warmth of his palm made her fingers twitch slightly. Startled by the touch, Seraphina’s eyes flew open. She saw him sitting beside her through the strands of her hair, the room filled with a faint scent of mint. ‘Clarence?” she wondered. She sat up in a daze, staring at him in disbelief.
Clarence’s intense gaze met hers, his handsome face half bathed in moonlight, half hidden in shadow, giving him an air of mysterious coldness.
“You Why did you come back?” Seraphina whispered.
Clarence remained silent, lifting his hand to gently brush away the strands of hair scattered across Seraphina’s face. His palm rested softly against her cheek. He stared at her as if scrutinizing her, piercing deep with a cold sharpness that seemed capable of uncovering any hidden truth. “Is there something you want to tell me?” he asked, his voice low and serious.
Seraphina froze, taken aback by Clarence’s abrupt question. “What do you mean?” she replied, confused. She felt his hand tremble slightly against her check.
“Clarry, what’s wrong?” Seraphina’s heart tightened, anxiety creeping in. She reached out and clasped Clarence’s hand. Moonlight reflected in her eyes, making them shimmer. “Did I do something to upset you? Please, just tell me. Don’t keep it inside and stay silent. If L
my fault, I’m sorry. If this is just a misunderstanding, can we talk it through?”
Seraphina’s voice was soft and sincere, laced with a cautious tenderness that tugged his heart. Those tear–filled eyes, glistening in the moonlight, made her look so vulnerable and delicate. Clarence swallowed hard, then sighed before pulling. Seraphina into his arms.
“Elarry Seraphina barely got the words out before his lips pressed against hers, firm and urgent.
Seraphina fell back onto the bed as Clarence’s weight followed, his movements desperate. He didn’t seem to care for her comfort tonight, almost like he needed to merge her into himself, to claim her entirely. He finally let her go only after two intense rounds.
Exhausted, Seraphina could barely muster the strength to speak
The next morning, Seraphina was awakened by the housemaid knocking on her door, letting her know that her tutor, Susan Butler, had arrived for her final lesson. Tomorrow evening, she would be accompanying Clarence to the charity ball.
It was already ten in the morning. Seraphina had slept far later than usual. The bed was empty beside her. Reaching out to touch Clarence’s side, she felt the cold sheets. He had been gone for a while.
A sense of emptiness filled Seraphina’s heart as she looked at the empty half of the bed. Last night, he returned. They had shared an intense night together, but now the cold sheets made it seem like he had never been here.
Clarence was clearly troubled by something. Seraphina had been too exhausted last night to talk to him, hoping they’d have a chance to speak this morning, but she had slept too late.
Grabbing her phone, Seraphina sent Clarence a message: [Darling, what’s going on? Can we talk about it? If we don’t communicate, it will only lead to more misunderstandings.]
After sending it, Seraphina got out of bed and freshened up. When she came back, dressed and ready for the day, there was a message from Clarence: (Nothing. We’re fine.]
Seraphina stared at the message, her earlier unease quickly fading
She thought, ‘If he’s willing to talk, there’s probably nothing to worry about. Just like how I feel off for a few days during my time of the month, Clarence likely has moments when he needs to shut himself off from the world, especially with all the stress of his daily business dealings.
She sent him a kiss emoji in reply.
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Standing by a floor–to–ceiling window, Clarence glanced at the kiss emoji Seraphina had sent. He smiled faintly. He reached out and clicked on her WhatsApp profile picture. She was smiling brightly against a backdrop of blue skies. That radiant and captivating smile seemed to brighten everything around it.
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14:51 Thu, Oct 31 G
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Chapter 96
