Claire’s POV
I was shattered to see Evander in such a vulnerable state. That day, he hugged and cried for so long that I couldn’t leave him alone. It was as if all his walls had crumbled, leaving behind soone I barely recognized.
In that mont, I forgot all my hatred and all the complaints I had against him. Seeing him like this, I couldn’t help but realize how lonely he had been all this ti. It was heartbreaking. The strong, untouchable Evander I thought I knew was now a broken man, and it hurt to see him like that.
As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, I felt a sudden tap on my shoulder.
"Hi," a familiar voice called out, pulling back to reality. I turned to see Sissy who was standing behind , her brow furrowed.
"What the hell are you thinking?" she asked, her tone sharp but filled with concern.
"No... nothing!" I stamred, quickly wiping the tears I didn’t even realize had ford.
"Nothing? Really?" Sissy crossed her arms and glared at . "First, you didn’t co ho last night, and now that you are finally here, you have been sitting around like a ghost. What’s going on, Claire?"
I opened my mouth to reply but stopped. How could I explain everything without breaking down again?
"You are worrying ," she said softly, her voice losing its edge. "Talk to ."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts. "It’s... complicated, Sissy. I will tell you, but not now. I just need so ti to sort it out."
She didn’t look convinced but nodded anyway. "Fine. But don’t shut out, okay? You know I am here for you."
Her words felt like a lifeline, and I nodded as I was grateful for her presence. Even though I wasn’t ready to share, knowing she cared made feel a little less alone.
However, I couldn’t forget the state Evander was in. His face was pale, his eyes red and swollen from crying, and his shoulders slumped like he was carrying the weight of the world.
He had always been the strong one—the one who never showed weakness, who kept his emotions locked away. But that day, all his defenses crumbled. He had received such a big shock that it was getting hard for him to get over it.
"I didn’t even see it, Claire," he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his guilt. "He was hurting so much, and I... I didn’t see it. I didn’t do anything to help him."
His words shattered the silence between us, and I could see the tornt in his eyes. He looked like a man who had lost not just soone he loved, but also a part of himself when his brother died.
I felt so guilty that I had left him when only he lost his brother but his only support. Seeing him like this, I could see several similarities between us.
I reached out, placing a hand on his trembling shoulder. "Evander, you couldn’t have known," I said softly, though my words felt hollow even to .
"I should have," he said, his voice barely audible. "I should have been there for him. He was my brother, Claire. And now... it’s too late."
Tears stread down his face as he buried his head in his hands, his body shaking with silent sobs. I had never seen him like this before. It was as if the pain had completely consud him, leaving nothing but regret and sorrow in its place.
And in that mont, all my resentnt, all the anger I had carried toward him, lted away. I couldn’t hold onto it, not when he was hurting like this.
I sat beside him, letting him cry, letting him lean on . Words felt unnecessary. All I could do was be there for him, hoping my presence could offer so comfort even if it was just a little.
But even as I tried to comfort him, my own heart ached. I couldn’t stop thinking about the pain he must have been carrying all this ti, the guilt that now threatened to swallow him whole.
"You lass!" Sissy’s sharp voice once again snapped out of my daze as she placed a plate of food in front of . Her glare was enough to tell she was not in the mood for excuses.
"Eat your breakfast," she ordered and took a seat in front of . "And listen up—I have got so news. The Tiless Love team has invited us for a eting. You have been selected!"
Her words hung in the air, but I barely registered them. I picked at my food, taking slow bites as my thoughts wandered back to Evander and the storm of emotions I had witnessed the day before.
Sissy tapped her fingers impatiently on the table, watching with narrowed eyes. "Did you hear what I said?" she asked, her tone a mix of excitent and frustration.
"Huh?" I finally looked up, realizing she was waiting for a reaction. "Oh... that’s great." My voice was flat, lacking the enthusiasm the mont probably deserved.
"’That’s great’?" Sissy repeated, her eyebrows shooting up. "Claire, are you even listening? This is huge! You have been selected for Tiless Love! Do you know how big this opportunity is?"
"I know," I murmured, forcing a small smile. But my heart wasn’t in it. My mind kept replaying the image of Evander’s tear-streaked face, his trembling hands as he spoke about his brother.
Sissy let out an exasperated sigh and pulled her chair beside . "Alright, spill it. What’s going on? You have been acting weird since you arrived." She repeated her question once again.
I hesitated, pushing a piece of toast around my plate. "It’s nothing," I said, though my voice betrayed .
"Claire," she said firmly, leaning closer. "This is you are talking to. I know when sothing is wrong with you. Is it about Evander?"
Her question hit a nerve, and I flinched slightly. "It’s just... he is going through a lot right now," I admitted.
Sissy’s expression softened, her sternness giving way to concern. "What happened?"
I took a deep breath, unsure where to start. "It’s about Gloria and then his brother who died on the sa day I lost our baby," I said quietly. "And now he is blaming himself for not realizing how much his brother was suffering. He is completely shattered, Sissy. I have never seen him like this before."
For a mont, she didn’t say anything. Then she placed a hand on mine, her grip warm and reassuring. "That sounds really serious. I can’t imagine Evander cry," she said gently. "But you can’t let it consu you, Claire. And if you want you can be there for him. But you also need to focus on yourself. This opportunity with Tiless Love—it’s huge. Don’t let it slip by because you are too distracted."
I nodded slowly, though my heart still felt heavy. She was right, of course. But even as I finished my al and tried to shift my focus to the day ahead.
However, what I was not aware of was the upcoming disaster I was going to face.
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