He Sent Me Overseas to Marry Her, I’m Staying Overseas to Never See Him Again Chapter 02
After work, I went home to get my passport.
When the door opened, I froze.
Tessa Vale was wearing Bennett’s button-down, standing barefoot on the wool area rug.
When she saw me, she gave me a smug little smile.
“Claire, what are you doing here at this hour? Bennett’s still in the shower.”
She shifted slightly to the side, intentionally flaunting the faint red marks on her neck.
I kicked off my heels and headed for the study.
“I came to get my passport.”
Tessa followed behind me.
“Bennett said you were flying out next week. It’s cold over there, so make sure you pack warm
clothes.”
“Otherwise, he’ll worry about you again.”
I opened the desk drawer in the study, found my passport, and slipped it into my bag.
The shower shut off right then.
Bennett walked out, drying his hair with a towel, another towel wrapped low around his waist.
The moment he saw me, his whole body stiffened.
“Claire? What are you doing here?”
Almost instinctively, he took a step forward.
He put himself between Tessa and me.
I looked at him in silence.
For seven years, I had shielded him from every corporate backstab. I had stayed up all night beside him, again and again.
And now, he was guarding against me.
Tessa peeked out from behind him.
“Bennett, does Claire hate me? Why won’t she even talk to me?”
Bennett patted her lightly and lowered his voice to soothe her.
“Don’t overthink it. She’s just been exhausted lately.”
I held my passport and turned to leave.
When I passed the coffee table, my steps slowed.
The lower drawer was half open.
Inside, a set of beach wedding photo proofs was tucked loosely under some paperwork.
In the photo, Bennett wore a white suit.
He was leaning down to kiss Tessa, smiling so brightly it stung my eyes.
Beside it lay a bespoke order form for their wedding bands.
I took a slow, deep breath and looked away.
Bennett followed my gaze, and his expression changed at once.
“Claire, it’s not what you think.”
He looked at me, his throat bobbing.
“What, exactly, do I think?”
Bennett opened his mouth.
Then he stopped.
After a few seconds, all he said was, “I owe her.”
He looked at me with a certainty so natural it bordered on shameless.
“But it doesn’t change anything between us. Once you’re in London, I’ll buy you that estate you’ve wanted for so long when you come back.”
A tight, bitter knot formed in my chest.
So seven years of devotion could be reduced to a line item in his budget.
“No, thanks.”
I turned and reached for the front door.
Bennett strode after me and reached out without thinking.
“Claire, don’t be like this.”
His fingers brushed the back of my hand.
Then he stopped.
“Why are your hands so cold?”
A flash of concern crossed his eyes.
I pulled my hand back and adjusted the strap of my bag.
“The temperature dropped.”
I stepped out, walked into the elevator, and pressed the button for the lobby.
The elevator doors slowly slid shut.
Through the narrowing gap, I saw Bennett standing in the doorway.
His brows were drawn tight, as if he wanted to come after me.
But Tessa wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.
“I’m scared being here alone, Bennett. Don’t go.”