Chapter 239: You are exaggerating

Clara smiled along with the girls, allowing herself to get lost in their laughter and forget about what Adrian had told her.

But deep down, she knew there were still too many things that didn’t make sense.

She had always believed that she knew everything about Dominic in their past life. After all, she had been the one who helped his enemies bring him down.

But now, she realized how wrong she had been.

The fact that Dominic had been kidnapped by the very trafficking group she had once been involved with came as a complete shock.

Maybe I was never truly interested in his life, Clara thought bitterly. I was so consumed by revenge that I never bothered to find out what Dominic had actually gone through.

A complicated feeling settled in her chest.

Part of her wanted to confront Dominic immediately and demand answers.

But another part of her held back.

She couldn’t simply walk up to him and start questioning him when her own past was tangled up in the same mess. One wrong question could expose things she wasn’t ready to reveal.

Still, she couldn’t ignore Adrian.

I’ll find a way to help him.

Clara’s gaze hardened as she thought about it.

Perhaps there was only one person who could give her the answers she needed.

Maybe it’s time I caught up with an old friend.

A faint glint appeared in her eyes.

But just as quickly, uncertainty crossed her face.

Wait... will he even still be waiting for me?

She couldn’t help but wonder.

It had been a long time since they had spoken, and she had disappeared without giving him any explanation. She had walked away from that part of her life as though it had never existed.

The chances of him still waiting for her were practically nonexistent.

Clara sighed softly.

After all this time, why would he still be waiting?

Yet despite the doubt, something inside her told her she had to try.

If he were still there, he might be the only person capable of helping her uncover the truth.

And if he wasn’t... then Clara would have to find another way.

"I’ve made my decision," Lily suddenly announced, standing up as if making a solemn vow.

Clara snapped out of her thoughts and stared at her.

"I’m never drinking again."

"Me neither," Silvia quickly agreed. "I really don’t know what I’ll do if I get drunk again."

Gen pursed her lips, trying not to laugh, while Clara simply shook her head after all he knew all too well about the embarrassment alcohol could bring.

***

Meanwhile, even after Clara left, Adrian continued to linger in the garden, lost in his thoughts.

He barely noticed Logan approaching until he stopped beside him.

"I was expecting you to be happier after seeing Miss Clara," Logan teased. "But I guess even after eating her dessert, you still don’t look satisfied."

Adrian glanced at him without saying anything.

Logan knew Adrian too well. When it came to people, he was either completely indifferent or became attached far too easily. There was rarely anything in between.

And with Clara, the attachment had come far too quickly.

Even before meeting her, Adrian had been intrigued by her. That was precisely why he hadn’t hesitated to choose her for the charity event despite knowing she had absolutely no experience with such events.

There had simply been something about her that had caught his attention.

Now, after finally meeting her, that curiosity had only grown stronger.

"She has gone through a lot, Logan, and yet she still manages to smile through everything."

Adrian turned toward him, a faint glint of sadness crossing his eyes.

At first, he had believed Clara simply had a naturally cheerful and friendly personality. But the more he got to know her, the more he realized that her smile was merely a mask for the pain she had endured.

Logan nodded, understanding what Adrian meant.

"Did you know she was one of the children who almost got trafficked?" Adrian suddenly asked.

Logan’s eyes widened.

"She was?"

"Yes. Somehow, she managed to escape."

Adrian paused, his expression becoming troubled.

"But there’s something that doesn’t make sense, Logan."

"What is it?"

"She told me there was no girl named Nana there."

Logan frowned in confusion.

"What?"

"I went through the records again," Adrian explained. "I couldn’t find any girl named Nana matching the details you gave me. But I did find Clara."

Silence fell between them.

Adrian was certain they could eventually find Diana’s daughter if they followed the right clues. That was why he had asked Logan to provide him with everything he knew.

Yet the information wasn’t adding up.

Logan’s brows furrowed.

"How is that possible? I checked those records twice before giving them to you. The girl’s name was clearly listed as Nana."

"I know."

"And you’re saying Clara was there, but there was no Nana?"

Adrian nodded slowly.

"Exactly."

Neither man spoke for a moment.

There was no reason for Logan to lie to Adrian. He trusted him completely, and Adrian knew that.

Which left only a few possibilities.

"Maybe she changed her name afterward," Logan finally said.

Adrian’s gaze hardened.

"That’s possible."

"Or..."

Logan hesitated. "Or what?"

"She could have disappeared after the incident."

Adrian’s expression darkened. "If that’s what happened, then finding her won’t be easy."

Logan nodded. After all, they had no idea what had happened to Diana and her family after they left the town.

People claimed that Diana had eventually gotten married, but if that was true, why was there no record of her husband anywhere? Even the name of the daughter she supposedly had felt strangely fabricated.

That was precisely why Adrian was so persistent about uncovering everything related to Diana and her daughter.

Now that Diana was gone, he wanted to know whether her daughter was alive and, more importantly, whether she had managed to live a good life.

Perhaps finding her would finally give him the answers he had been searching for.

***

That evening, Clara returned home and freshened up. After changing into something comfortable, she glanced at the clock and realized Dominic would still be some time before returning.

With nothing else to do, she decided to spend some time with Toto.

"My poor baby," she murmured, crouching beside him. "Are you missing Daddy too?"

Toto wagged his tail enthusiastically, almost as if he understood every word she had said.

Clara couldn’t help but pout.

"Looks like both of us are waiting for him."

Toto happily nudged his head against her hand, making her smile.

Before leaving the bakery, Clara had already received a message from Dominic informing her that an unexpected meeting had come up and he would be late getting home.

She wasn’t worried. Dominic had been busy lately, and she knew meetings could sometimes take longer than expected.

Still, she couldn’t deny that she was looking forward to seeing him.

After spending some time playing with Toto, Clara settled onto the couch while the little dog climbed beside her.

She glanced at the clock again. "He should be home soon, right?"

Toto tilted his head, and Clara laughed softly. "Don’t look at me like that. I don’t know either."

She leaned back against the couch and gently stroked his fur.

For now, all she could do was wait for Dominic to come home.

Just then, Butler James arrived carrying a tray of Clara’s favorite snacks.

"Madam, your snacks," he announced, placing the tray on the table before straightening up.

"Let me know if you need anything else."

Usually, Clara was more than satisfied with Butler James’s service. The old butler knew her surprisingly well and always made sure she had something she liked.

But this time was different.

"Actually, Butler James, would you mind if I asked you something?"

The old man immediately looked at her in confusion.

"Madam... did I miss something?"

His eyes briefly fell to the snacks before returning to her.

Clara quickly waved her hands.

"Haha, no, no! Butler James, if there’s anyone in this house who always makes sure I’m well fed, it’s you. Please don’t misunderstand."

The old butler relaxed slightly.

"Then what is it you wanted to ask, Madam?"

Clara bit her lip hesitantly.

She wasn’t someone who liked beating around the bush, but for some reason, she wasn’t sure how to approach this particular question.

Seeing her hesitation only made Butler James more nervous.

After all, his madam was unpredictable.

One moment, she could casually ask him to prepare something completely harmless. The next, she would ask him to arrange something so outrageous that he would end up being dragged into trouble.

"Madam..." he said cautiously. "Whatever it is, please tell me first before I agree to anything."

Clara blinked.

"Why do you sound so scared?"

Butler James smiled awkwardly.

"Experience, Madam. Purely based on experience."

Clara stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.

Butler James looked at Clara cautiously when she suddenly stopped laughing, her expression turning serious.

"You’re exaggerating, Butler James."

"..."