Chapter 223: So Selfish
"Are you just going to stay silent forever? Or do you think silence can solve everything? Have you ever thought about giving me an explanation?" Lucas's voice was firm, though he desperately tried to rein in his frustration. He didn't want to yell at her, but this woman was just too obstinate. Did she think he had traveled all this way just to watch her daydream?
"What are you even here for?" Claire finally whispered after a long silence. Her hesitant words instantly triggered Lucas's pent-up anger, accumulated over the past several weeks.
"What?" he hissed, leaning closer, his warm breath brushing against her cheek, causing her heart to race erratically. "I came all this way, and you're seriously asking why I'm here?"
"Well... you didn't say anything, so how was I supposed to know?" she mumbled, turning her head slightly away, her lips pursed.
"You couldn't possibly be more clueless if you tried!" His exasperation flared. "Do you honestly think I came here to sightsee?"
"You're really mad, aren't you?" Claire looked up hesitantly. His sharp, handsome features were distorted by his mounting frustration.
"Mad? You're only realizing that now?" His voice climbed, tinged with disbelief. "Claire Grace, could you stop being so selfish? You always make decisions based solely on what you want! Every single time, you just leave without considering how I might feel.
"The first time, you hid out at Sarah's place. Sure, I understood you were hurt, and I took responsibility for my mistakes. I apologized. The second time, after that misunderstanding, you left for over a year after attending that competition in France with Blaine. Again, I took the blame. But this time? What exactly did I do wrong? You tell me. What did I do to deserve you sneaking out in the middle of the night while I was asleep?"
"I..." Claire bit her lip, her voice silenced by Lucas's fiery accusations. Hot tears spilled from her eyes, cascading uncontrollably.
"You—!" Lucas cursed under his breath, pulling her into a fierce embrace.
This woman was his kryptonite. He had stormed in, ready to unleash his fury, determined to give her the scolding she deserved. But with just a single tear, she unraveled him completely. His anger dissolved, swallowed down into his gut, leaving him to bear the weight of it alone.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, her words muffled against his chest as she sobbed.
"Sorry?" Lucas scoffed. "You think a simple sorry is enough?" He pulled back slightly, his arms still wrapped tightly around her. "Do you know how far I traveled to find you? Don't you think you should at least invite me inside before the neighbors think I'm the one bullying you?"
Claire reluctantly stepped back and unlocked the door, leading him inside. No sooner had they entered than Lucas's arms were around her again, holding her so tightly it was as if he wanted to merge her into himself.
The familiar scent of him filled her senses, and for the first time, Claire realized just how much she had missed him.
"Lucas..." she whispered his name softly, her arms encircling his neck as fresh tears poured down.
"Stop calling my name like that, you little fool!" he snapped, though his voice wavered with emotion. "Do you even know what these past weeks have been like for me? Every day, I buried myself in work and searching for you, just to avoid being consumed by the thought of you leaving. I plastered flyers, placed ads, checked immigration records... I even used the national marketing campaigns for CN and Lefton Cosmetics to search for you. And yet, you disappeared as if you were nothing but air!"
Claire lowered her head, her voice barely audible. "You already knew I was just a small-town girl when we first met..."
"Don't you dare use that as an excuse," Lucas growled, his gaze locking onto hers. "So, what now? What's your plan?"
"What plan?" Her mind still reeled from his accusations.
Lucas sighed heavily, pulling her down to sit beside him on the wide armchair.
"Do you even love me?" he asked abruptly, his intense gaze boring into her.
"What kind of question is that?" Claire froze, startled by the unexpected turn.
"Claire Grace, answer me," Lucas demanded. "Do you love me or not? It's a simple question."
"Of course I love you!" she blurted, her voice trembling. "If I didn't love you, leaving wouldn't have hurt so much."
"Then come back with me." His tone was absolute, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Go back with you?" Claire hesitated, then shook her head. "No."
"No?" His eyes narrowed dangerously, the sharp glint in them sending a chill down her spine.
"Claire, what exactly is going on in your head?" he demanded, his frustration boiling over. "You say you love me, but when I ask you to come back, you refuse. What kind of game are you playing here?"
"I'm not playing any games!" she protested, her eyes wide with panic.
"You're not? Then why are you acting like this?" Lucas snapped. "Fine. I'll make it simple for you. You have two choices."
"Two choices?" she echoed, her voice uncertain.
"First, come back with me immediately."
"And the second?"
"I'll stay here with you for a couple more days. But you'll still have to come back with me in the end."
Claire stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. The two choices were exactly the same.
Here's the translated and expanded version of the passage with all guidelines applied. New character summaries will follow the translation: