Chapter 9; Have we met before?

The morning light streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the spacious bedroom. Claire stirred, stretching out a hand only to feel the cool, empty sheets beside her. Again.

A sigh escaped her lips as she sat up, running a hand through her tousled hair. It had been days now—every morning, the same scenario. She'd wake up, and Leon would already be gone. No messages. No notes. Not even a sign that he had been there at all.

At first, she hadn't thought much of it. Leon had always been reserved, holding his emotions behind a wall so thick it was impossible to break through. But lately, it was starting to worry her. The silence between them had become heavier, an unspoken distance growing wider each day.

Claire had tried to push it aside, convincing herself that it didn't matter. This was never supposed to be real in the first place. Yet, despite herself, she felt an ache settle in her chest—a frustration she couldn't quite explain.

Why did he say we'd need to pretend in front of his family if he acts this way? she grumbled in her mind as she made her way to the bathroom.

Coming downstairs, she greeted the family jovially and tried to put on a smile. She could see the pity in their eyes as they stared at her. After breakfast, Mae, who was a news anchor, left for work, while, as usual, Claire stayed home with Mr. Yu and Grandma Rinna.

"Tyrone, talk to your son. This girl is nice—he shouldn't let his past affect the way he treats others," Grandma Rinna told her son as they watched Claire watering the plants, a daily routine for her.

"I know, Mom. I'll talk to him," Tyrone replied with a sigh. He was the reason why his family had fallen apart, the reason his son couldn't trust anyone.

After watering the plants, Claire went to the kitchen to help the maids prepare lunch and dinner. Though they were apprehensive at first, they gradually got used to Claire in the kitchen and even tried the recipes she made.

Meanwhile, Leon had just returned from a business meeting and was listening to Levy's latest reports about Claire.

"Sir, we're still trying to find out more about her childhood. It's like all her files were deleted—it only states that Kim Claire is an orphan," Levy reported, even he found it suspicious.

"And as for what she said, it's true. The doctors confirmed that Claire couldn't pay for her mom's treatment, but they didn't provide any other details about the patient due to confidentiality," he added.

Leon nodded, his mind swirling with thoughts. Something about Claire gave him a feeling of déjà vu. He had been avoiding her for the past few days until they could find out more about her.

After work, he headed home. Dinner was already served, and everyone had reclined at the table. He took his seat at the vacant spot next to Claire.

"How was work, son?" Grandma Rinna asked.

"It was okay, Grandma," Leon replied as he took another bite of his steak.

"You know, you really shouldn't stress yourself so much. I mean, you just got married. I think you should spend more time getting to know your wife," she advised him.

Leon nodded, his face devoid of any reaction.

Mae sighed. "Claire was the one who made dinner. How is it, bro?" she asked with a smile, her question causing Leon to still before quickly regaining his composure.

"Good," he replied simply.

"Yeah, you're right. Claire, it's really delicious—exactly the way I remember my mom making it," Mae said, staring dreamily at the steak, obviously lost in thought.

Claire noticed how the atmosphere tensed up, just like that night she had asked about Aaron. Leon stood up from his chair and was about to walk away when his father called out.

"I need to talk to you," Old Man Yu said, his voice calm as he met Leon's gaze head-on. A silent exchange passed between them before Leon nodded and followed his father to the study.

Claire, who was also about to go into her room, was pulled aside by Mae.

"I'm bored, sis. Let's drink and watch a movie, okay?" Mae said.

Claire noticed the sad expression on her face and realized that Mae wanted comfort and company, so she agreed.

By the end of the movie, the slightly tipsy girls were in tears. It was a sad romantic film where the ML and FL had no choice but to fight each other despite their love, and in the end, the ML sacrificed himself for her.

"You know, love hurts, don't you think? I'm gonna be an old maid," Mae said, wiping her tears.

Claire laughed at Mae's overdramatic antics. "You'd be surprised at when you'll fall in love," she said, taking a sip of her vodka.

"I don't think I can ever love someone again anyway. Even if I do, I'm never confessing or pursuing it," Mae said with a pained smile.

"Why?"

"Let's just say, because of my foolish feelings, I lost someone very important to me. My feelings destroyed our friendship. That's what love does," Mae said, downing her entire can in one go.

Seeing that it was a sensitive topic, Claire decided not to press further. For a few minutes, the girls just sat in silence.

"Anyway, enough about me. What about you? Have you fallen in love with Big Bro?" Mae asked, leaning in closer to Claire with a mischievous and teasing smile.

Claire avoided her gaze, slightly embarrassed.

"He's never even around, so I hardly see him. I don't know why I don't get along with him like the rest of you. I think he hates me," Claire said, throwing her head back with a sigh. The alcohol was making her more open about her frustrations.

"It's not your fault, and he doesn't hate you. You're really nice. Big Bro just has a hard time trusting people. Our mom was killed by someone we all trusted the most. Since then, he's never been the same," Mae said, her voice laced with nostalgic pain.

"Is that person also responsible for the rift between Aaron and you guys?" Claire asked, noticing Mae's eyes well up as she nodded.

"Why are you asking about my Aaron? Do you like him or something?" Mae teased, forcing a smile despite the tears.

"It's not like that. I was just curious about why he isn't here. I'm sorry—I shouldn't have asked," Claire said regretfully.

"No, it's okay. I don't mind. I'll answer your question," Mae sniffled, trying to hold back her tears.

She took a deep breath. "My mom couldn't conceive for years, so she urged my dad to find someone else. My dad didn't want to, but because my mom couldn't bear the shame her infertility brought upon the Yu family, she made a plan with her best friend, Sophia. Not long after Sophia became pregnant, my mom conceived too. When my dad found out, he decided to keep the child because it was his blood. But he refused to marry Sophia—he only loved my mom. Aaron and Leon were born around the same time. My mom raised Aaron as her own, and we all loved him. Everything was fine until…" Mae's voice broke, and she burst into tears.

Claire hugged her tightly, also shedding tears. She knew how hard it must have been for Mae to recall such a painful past.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked," Claire whispered, patting Mae's back as she sobbed in her arms.

———

In the study, Leon's father sat watching his son, his gaze sharp. Leon stood near the window, staring blankly outside, a glass of whiskey in his hand.

"You've been avoiding her," his father stated, his voice calm but firm.

Leon took a slow sip, letting the burn distract him.

His father sighed. "Leon, don't let your past ruin someone else's life and happiness. Show her the respect she deserves. If you didn't want her in your life, you shouldn't have married her, you need to fulfill your responsibilities. Every woman wishes to get married to a man that is loving and caring, imagine how she must be feeling these couple of days, I know it's hard son but you need to let the past go, don't let them control you." he said patting his son's shoulders.

Leon's grip on his glass tightened. He set it down abruptly. The past was not something he wished to confront, but hearing those words—words that echoed truths he didn't want to face—sent a wave of emotions crashing over him.

"I don't need a lecture," he muttered.

"You do," his father countered. "Because if you keep pushing her away, you'll regret it."

Leon clenched his jaw as he watched his father leave the study. He received a text message from Levy, his dark grey eyes flashing with something unexplainable as he read the text. A sad smile danced on his lips.

Before he could stop himself, he grabbed the whiskey bottle and drank straight from it. He needed a break.

———

Having one last glance at Mae, Claire made sure she was fast asleep before quietly closing the door. She felt sad not just for Mae but for Leon, for this family.

'Everyone does have their own skeleton' she concluded, who would've thought that members of the great Yu family were this broken. Getting to her room, she saw no trace of Leon and deduced he was still talking to his father.

Heading to the bathroom, she took a quick cool bath to clear her head from the alcohol, coming out, she still didn't see Leon.

She thought it was weird because she had heard his father's voice indicating their conversation was over, so where was he?

Just as she reached for the door, intending to ask of him, it suddenly burst open from the other side. The abrupt force startled her, making her stumble backward.

A strong hand shot out to steady her, but Leon, clearly unsteady himself, also lost his balance. The next moment, they both tumbled, and Claire found herself pinned beneath his weight.

Time seemed to slow as they lay tangled on the floor. His intense, stormy gaze locked onto hers, unreadable yet mesmerizing. The air between them shifted, Claire's breath hitched, her face flushing a deep crimson.

She knew she should move, push him off, but something about the intensity of his stare rooted her in place. His warm breath fanned her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

She parted her lips to speak, but no sound came. Then, in a hushed, almost dazed and drunken voice, he murmured—

"Have we met before?"