Two Times the Charm (Clara and Emmett) novel Chapter 390

It took her a good while before she emerged from the house, only to find Elio waiting at the door.

"Sorry, my stomach's been acting up lately. It's better now."

Elio furrowed his brow. "Are you doing okay? You're living alone, no one's there to take care of you, and I couldn't give a rat's ass about what people think. You've already told Emmett what you think, and you've called it quits with him. So what's there to be scared of? Let me be by your side!"

Clara stepped back involuntarily to cut a wide berth between them. "No need, you've got your work to do. You can't always be around me; it's stressing me out."

"What stress? I'm doing this because I want to!"

"Elio! Don't you get it? I want you to get back to your normal life, not waste your time on me."

She looked up at him, her face pale and weary. "I don't even know where I'm headed. Right now, all I want is my child back. Everything else is still up in the air. It's different for you! You're still single and you don't have your own child. You can't understand how I feel. I can't hold you back!"

"I do understand! I don't mind being dragged down! I've already considered Alex as my own child!"

Seeing his desperation, Clara bit her lip, her head throbbing, "Leah is still holding your parents hostage. They're not out yet. You've got so much on your plate! As their only child, you can't always be around me!"

"But I don't think it's a waste!" He shouted out.

She rubbed her temples in pain, her face falling. "I just want to make it clear to you, my heart is dead. My kids are the only reason I'm still here. As for love, I'm already a walking dead, you shouldn't be wasting your heart on me. One day you'll understand, I'm doing this for your own good!"

"I don't regret anything!" Elio suddenly grabbed her arm and his voice trembled in excitement, "I don't need your concern. Only I would know how I’m doing here. There’s no good or bad without you. And there’s no future without you!"

Clara didn't expect him to be so emotional. As she was about to respond, Elio's voice rang out again.