The Spark He Showed Her, the Flame I Lost Chapter 07
For the next three days, Adrian tore through every corner of Riverton like a madman.
He used every connection he had, checking hotel records, train and flight manifests, and even going to the cemetery where Claire’s parents were buried.
He found nothing.
Claire had vanished, wiping away every trace of herself.
“Mr. Grant, we found something.” His assistant pushed open the door to the executive office with trembling hands. Looking at Adrian, whose eyes were bloodshot and whose jaw was covered in rough stubble, the assistant’s voice shook.
“Where is she?” Adrian shot up from his chair, knocking over the coffee cup on his desk. Brown liquid spilled across the floor.
“Mrs. Lawson—no, Ms. Lawson accepted the transfer assignment from headquarters. She flew to Paris three days ago. It’s a three-year long-term placement.” The assistant handed him an airline boarding record.
Adrian stared at that thin sheet of paper, his fingers nearly crushing it.
It was Paris.
That was where they had agreed to spend their honeymoon back in college. Later, when he became busy building his company, he had pushed the promise aside with one careless sentence, saying there would be plenty of time in the future.
She had gone there alone.
“There’s one more thing.” The assistant swallowed and forced himself to continue.
“Before Ms. Lawson left, she sold every bag and piece of jewelry you ever gave her on a resale app. Even the five-carat wedding ring. She sold everything at low prices, and one of the buyers posted photos today.”
Adrian’s breath caught hard. A sharp pain tore through his chest, so intense that he bent over.
Not only did she want nothing to do with him, but she even found the things that carried any trace of him disgusting.
Just then, the office door opened softly.
Sophie walked in carrying a neatly packed lunchbox, the same sweet smile on her face as always. “Adrian, you haven’t eaten properly in three days. I made your favorite barbecue ribs myself. Will you try some?”
She walked up to the desk and reached out naturally, as if to straighten Adrian’s messy tie.
“Get the hell away from me.”
Adrian swung his arm hard and knocked the lunchbox from her hands.
Greasy sauce splattered all over Sophie. She cried out, and tears instantly spilled from her eyes. “Adrian, what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”
Out of habit, she put on that pitiful victim act, trying to trigger his protective instincts.
But at that moment, Adrian looked at her face and felt only a wave of nausea.
“You didn’t know she was allergic to peanuts, did you?” Adrian walked toward her step by step, his voice icy. “Then why did you turn the security camera away before adding crushed peanuts to her water?”
Sophie’s face went deathly pale. Her lips trembled violently. “I didn’t. Adrian, listen to me.”
“And what about that bracelet?” Adrian yanked the cheap evil-eye bracelet off his wrist and hurled it hard into her face. “You deliberately showed it off in front of her. You deliberately took her mug. You deliberately spilled hot water on yourself. Sophie, did you think I was stupid enough not to see through your pathetic little tricks?”
The truth was, he had known all along.
He had simply enjoyed the vanity of being completely relied on by a younger woman and watching her get jealous over him. He had been certain Claire was generous and sensible, so he had squandered her tolerance without restraint.
He was the one who had placed the knife in Sophie’s hand and allowed her to hurt Claire.
“Adrian, I only did it because I love you so much.” Sophie panicked completely and threw herself forward, clinging to his leg. “Claire is the one who’s too possessive. She doesn’t deserve you. I’m the only one who’s completely devoted to you.”
“Call security.” Adrian kicked her away, his eyes filled with a chilling violence. “Throw her out. Tell HR to fire her immediately, and make sure every major firm in the industry hears about the fraud on her résumé.”
“No, Adrian. You can’t do this to me.” Sophie screamed as security dragged her away.
The office fell back into a dead silence.
Adrian collapsed into his chair and looked at the photo of the abortion consent form on his computer screen. At last, tears broke free.
“Claire, I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
He covered his face and let out a broken, desperate sob.
Only then did he finally understand that he had lost Claire, the only person in the world who had loved him without reservation, for richer or poorer.