Three years of loving him, three days to erase myself from his world novel Chapter 367

"Clara isn't dead. She's not dead," Julian rasped, his face twisting into an eerie, almost euphoric smile, as if trapped in a hallucination. "She must be at home waiting for me right now. I have to go back to her."

He took a staggering step toward the exit.

Watching him, Arthur felt a profound sense of pity and sorrow.

He couldn't help but think—if only Julian had treated Clara better, would any of this have happened?

If only he had seen through Seraphina Shaw's lies sooner, if only he had realized his own feelings, would they be in this nightmare?

But it was too late for 'if onlys'.

Arthur stepped into his path, mercilessly throwing metaphorical cold water in his face to shatter the delusion.

"Mr. Lowell, Clara is dead! Her body is in that morgue, and you saw it with your own eyes just now. Stop lying to yourself!"

The words hit like a physical blow.

Julian stopped dead in his tracks. His broad shoulders swayed weakly, radiating an unspeakable desolation.

Arthur's gaze darkened. A wave of suffocating sympathy washed over him, and he stepped forward to offer a word of comfort.

But in the next second, the man before him completely crumbled. Julian collapsed onto the floor, burying his face in his trembling hands. His shoulders shook violently as agonizing sobs ripped through him.

Arthur's eyes widened, his own vision blurring with unshed tears. He frowned deeply, looking away as he rubbed a hand over his face, trying to fight down the stinging ache in his nose.

He knew the truth.

From this day forward, there would be one more soul in this world condemned to spend the rest of his life in endless repentance, trying to pay off an impossible debt.

...

The day of the funeral was oppressive and heavy, accompanied by a relentless, gloomy drizzle.

Rosalie hadn't wanted Julian anywhere near the cemetery. But given his immense wealth and power, blocking him was impossible.

To ensure the service went smoothly, she swallowed her anger.

Standing before the headstone, Julian stared at the photo of the young woman with the pure, radiant smile. His mind drifted back to the very first time they had crossed paths.

Back then, he genuinely had been captivated by her pure aura, which eventually spiraled into a toxic desire to trap her by his side.

Looking back on it now, he realized the truth.

He had fallen for her from the very beginning. He just hadn't recognized his own heart, choosing to run away from his feelings instead.

Julian's brow furrowed. He squeezed his eyes shut in agony, letting out a shaky breath as his Adam's apple bobbed silently.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify