Two Times the Charm (Clara and Emmett) novel Chapter 468

Elio tugged at the corner of his mouth, a bittersweet shadow flickering across his eyes. "But even when she was with me, her heart wasn't mine!"

"Do you really care about that? She's with you now; she's bound to fall for you sooner or later, you love struck fool. If I were you, I'd stop what you're doing now before you get burned playing with fire. Leah's like a madwoman right now, hell-bent on revenge against anyone who crosses her. And here you are, picking a fight with her at the worst possible time. Honestly, I'm really worried about you!"

Elio cracked a smile suddenly. "It's alright; she won't do anything to me. It's just that today, I saw Newell, and it got me thinking. Grandpa always said he had a heart of gold, the perfect heir to the Milburn legacy. And now, look at him—drowning in gambling debts and as greedy as they come. If Grandpa knew, I wonder what he would think..."

"People change, and that's just life. No one can see their end from the beginning," Nestor said, standing up to pour a cup of steaming coffee, which he handed to Elio. "Feel that. It's hot, isn't it?"

Elio nodded. "Yeah, it is."

"If you hold onto it, it'll stay warm for a long time. But if you put it down, it'll go cold. No matter how much you wish, it won't stay warm just for you."

Elio frowned slightly. "But what if this cup isn't mine? What if I'm not the one who can keep it warm?"

"Whether it's you or Emmett, whoever can warm Ms. Calloway's heart is the winner. You've already conceded Clara to Emmett, but have you ever thought about it? No one is born belonging to someone else; fate and destiny are things we fight for!"

With that, Nestor turned and left.

Elio looked down at the coffee in his hands, his lips moving slightly.

Maybe Nestor had a point, but Clara wasn't like this coffee; she was more like the cup itself, already filled to the brim with someone else.

Even if he warmed her heart, he'd only be using his warmth to stoke the flames for Emmett.

By the time he returned, his wife had hung up, wearing a face full of appeasement. "So... my mom just called, saying she wants to buy a house for my brother. He’s getting married. What do you think? Do you have any extra cash on hand?"

"Extra cash? Where would I get that from!"

"Last time, didn't Leah give you a pretty penny..."

Newell's expression darkened as he cut her off. "Do you think you can get your hands on that money? That's the payout for the formula; I'm not about to hand it over to you! Besides, your brother is a grown man; can't he earn his own living and buy a house? If he can't afford a house, then don't get married!"

With that, a headache brewing, Newell turned to leave.

His wife called out with displeasure from behind, "I don't care! If you don't buy my brother a house this time, I'll spill the beans about you and Leah. I'll tell the rest of the Milburn family that the formula... is actually in your hands!"