Three years of loving him, three days to erase myself from his world novel Chapter 220

Clara stared at him in utter shock.

She never expected him to actually show up.

She truly believed he had abandoned her.

She thought she was completely doomed.

Watching him stand up for her, a lump formed in Clara's throat, and an overwhelming urge to cry consumed her.

Officer Lucas was stunned. While he had never met Julian personally, he recognized him from the news. Julian possessed a background just as politically terrifying as the Colters.

He was someone you absolutely did not cross.

Officer Lucas's arrogant demeanor vanished instantly. He tentatively approached Julian, explaining in a hushed tone.

"Mr. Lowell, the situation is incredibly complex. Ms. Vance's retaliation was vastly disproportionate to the offense. We're just—"

Julian silenced him with a single, deadly glare.

Intimidated and utterly guilty, Officer Lucas immediately shut his mouth.

Julian turned to Clara. Seeing her red, tear-filled eyes and the violent tremors wracking her body, a sharp pang of unexpected remorse seized his chest.

In his mind, Clara had always been fiercely stubborn. She rarely cried, meaning she must have been subjected to an unimaginable level of terror to break down like this.

Julian hadn't been there to protect her, and now, looking at her, a profound sense of protectiveness and deep regret set in. He cursed himself for not crushing Chase earlier.

"Clara..."

He called her name with tight restraint, swiftly closing the distance between them to pull her into a fierce embrace. His large hand repeatedly stroked her trembling back. "I'm sorry. I'm late. You're going to be okay. Don't be afraid."

Enveloped by his warmth, Clara buried her face into his coat, her tears finally spilling over uncontrollably.

Yet despite the comfort of his embrace,

After surviving such a horrific ordeal, it was incredibly hard for her to believe a single word he said.

Julian knew exactly what she was feeling.

He held her even tighter, murmuring gently against her ear.

"Clara, everything I told you on the phone was the truth. I never ignored you. Please trust me, I am fixing this right now. By tonight at the absolute latest, I will take you home."

Clara's breath caught, her heart giving a wild thud.

Julian gently stroked her cheek. "Wait for me."

Clara's eyelashes fluttered.

She looked up at him, lightly biting her lip.

She could sense the undeniable sincerity radiating from him.

Had she truly misunderstood him?

"Okay."

Julian gave her a reassuring smile and turned to leave. But the moment his back faced her, his expression reverted to absolute, calculating coldness.

The situation was actually an absolute nightmare, but he refused to let Clara carry that burden.

He chalked it up to sheer guilt.

If he had handled Chase earlier, she wouldn't have been subjected to this living hell.

And... seeing her cry so brokenly just didn't sit right with him.

Standing off to the side, Officer Lucas was absolutely sweating bullets. He never would have guessed that Clara was Julian's woman!

Just as the panic set in, Julian stopped at the door and glanced back. "Officer Lucas, a word outside."

Officer Lucas stiffened, hesitating briefly before nervously following him into the hallway.

...

"Head to the office and grab the project proposal," Julian commanded.

Arthur was utterly floored.

That specific project had taken months of grueling negotiations to secure. It was worth billions of dollars.

Was he seriously just going to hand it over to save Clara?

After a brief internal struggle, Arthur couldn't help but warn him. "Boss, Madam has her eyes on this project too. If you just give it away, she's going to be furious..."

Julian silenced him with a sharp glare.

Arthur immediately shut his mouth and obediently steered the car toward the office.

In the backseat, Julian irritably lit another cigarette.

He knew exactly how monumentally important that project was.

But the thought of Clara rotting away in a cell under Cassandra's cruel mercy...

It made his blood boil.

Ultimately, he rationalized it. He was a businessman, and businessmen weighed risks and rewards. Clara had spent the last few years flawlessly managing his projects and catering to his every need. That kind of devotion... was worth a multi-billion dollar project!

Yes, that was it.

Nothing more.

The luxurious Bentley sped off into the night.

Trailing just behind it, Toby spotted the retreating car from the driver's seat of the Maybach. Checking the rearview mirror, he murmured, "Mr. Jarrett, I think we're a step too late..."

Dominic had clearly noticed. He frowned deeply, but still pushed the car door open.

"Wait here."