Chapter185 – Does that count?
William looked at Clarissa, a wry glint in his eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong. So please, don’t be like this, alright? I’m the one who got rejected—I should be the one feeling miserable.”
Clarissa blinked, then laughed. She hadn’t expected this side of William, the dry humor laced beneath the melancholy. It made the moment lighter, easier to breathe.
Just then, a server returned, carefully placing a plate of desserts in front of them.
“Here you go—special treat from the house.”
Both William and Clarissa exchanged puzzled glances.
“Sorry,” Clarissa said politely, “We didn’t order this. Are you sure you got the right table?”
The server smiled. “No mistake. We’re running a promotion today—any couple dining in gets a complimentary dessert.”
Clarissa blinked. “Ah—no, we’re not a couple.”
The waiter looked momentarily embarrassed and bowed quickly. “My apologies! Must’ve been a misunderstanding. But, it’s already made, so please enjoy it as our gift.”
When he left, the two sat awkwardly for a beat, staring at the delicate pastry between them.
William shrugged lightly. “Well… it’s already here. Might as well try it.”
He took the fork, neatly divided the dessert into two portions, and slid one half in front of Clarissa.
Clarissa smiled, then picked up her fork. The dessert was unexpectedly good—sweet but not overwhelming. Still, she only had two bites before putting her fork down.
William glanced over. “Not your thing?”
“I had dessert at my dad’s earlier,” she replied simply.
“Got it.”
He didn’t press further, just quietly ate his half.
Meanwhile, across the city, Lyra and June were walking out of a mall, shopping bags draped from June’s arms.
“Feeling better now?” June asked as they stepped into the afternoon sun.
Lyra nodded, her smile soft but grateful. “Yeah. Thank you, June.”
“You don’t have to thank me. If it weren’t for you, I’d have been ruined years ago. Lyra, anyone who dares hurt you—I’ll make sure they pay for it.”
Lyra looked away for a second, then offered softly, “Let me carry some of those.”
June chuckled and handed off a few bags. “Fine. Let’s sit down for a bit. There’s a café over there.”
As they turned toward the small coffee shop, June’s steps suddenly froze.
Through the large glass windows, she saw two familiar silhouettes—Clarissa and William, sitting together by the window, laughing softly over coffee.
Her chest clenched like a vice. The bags in her hand slipped and hit the ground with a dull thud.
June didn’t even notice. Her hands had curled into fists so tight her nails dug into her palms.
Lyra followed her line of sight, and her expression shifted. “Isn’t that my sis? Why is she with William?”
June’s breathing faltered. Her voice trembled when she asked, “Lyra, tell me the truth. Has Clarissa… has she been with William all this time?”
Lyra looked startled. “Clarissa and William? No way. I’ve never heard of that.”
Then something seemed to click in her memory. “Wait… when I got married, Clarissa fell into the water, and it was William who jumped in to save her. He even took her home afterward. Does that count?”
June took a shaky step back, her face pale.
Lyra reached out to steady her. “June, are you alright?”
June’s voice was hoarse. “You said she was with some boy. So why is she sitting with William now?”
Lyra hesitated, then turned her head. “I don’t know… I only know that Clarissa and that guy—they’re close. But it’s not public.”
June’s gaze hardened. That bitch.
Lyra added quietly, like the thought had just occurred to her. “Maybe you should talk to William. This might be a huge misunderstanding.”
June stood there in silence, her face unreadable, but her heart roiling with emotion.
She had spent so many years believing she wasn’t worthy of William. She had accepted her shame, her past, and convinced herself just being near him was enough. That loving him from a distance was all she could have.
But Clarissa?
Clarissa didn’t deserve him. June’s fists tightened at her sides. She drew a breath, shaky but resolute.
“Alright,” she said. “Let’s go.”
The two women walked quickly toward the entrance of the café, eyes catching on the “Couples’ Special” dessert display board.
Just as they arrived, they saw a server clearing a small plate from the table where Clarissa and William had been sitting.
June's hands clenched even tighter.
Lyra stepped forward with a practiced smile. “William, Clarissa—what a coincidence. You two are here too?”
Clarissa glanced up. The beautiful woman standing next to Lyra was staring at her without blinking, her gaze sharp and unreadable.
Not wanting to cause a scene—or give her parents anything to worry about—Clarissa nodded politely.
William looked at Clarissa, noticing the subtle stiffness in her posture. To ease the tension, he stepped in, “Ran into Clarissa on my way out. Thought I’d say hi. You two here for a bite?”
“Yeah,” Lyra replied sweetly, “the food here looks great.” Then she tilted her head slightly and added, “If you don’t mind, can we join you?”
Clarissa frowned faintly, about to refuse, but William quickly cut in, “We were just finishing up, actually. I’ve got some things to take care of this afternoon, so we’ll head out. Clarissa, let’s go.”
Clarissa shot him a grateful glance, then stood and gathered her bag, leaving with him.
From Lyra’s point of view, they looked like something out of a painting—walking side by side, calm and composed. William’s tall frame carried that cool, unapproachable aura like always, while Clarissa’s delicate silhouette—long curls cascading down her back, slender waist swaying slightly with each step—complemented him effortlessly.
They looked right together, like they belonged in each other’s world.
Lyra stared at their backs, her voice dropping to a whisper, “William’s never looked at anyone like that…”
June, who hadn’t heard her clearly, turned to ask, “What did you say?”
Lyra snapped out of her daze. “I just… I’ve never seen William smile at someone like that. Maybe he really does like my sis.”
Her voice was low, conflicted. For years, she’d thought she was special to William. She had a place in his heart. But Maybe that place had never belonged to her at all.
......
Clarissa parked at the Lancaster Group building. She and William reached the intersection where they had to part ways.
“Thanks for the coffee,” she said with a soft smile. “I’ll head in now.”
“Yeah,” William nodded, his gaze lingering on her face.
Clarissa waved, turned, and began walking away.
But William couldn’t stop himself.
“Clarissa!” he called.
She paused and turned around instinctively.
William hesitated for half a second, then spoke—voice low but sincere. “If anything ever happens, if you need help… you can come to me. We’re still friends, right?”
Clarissa’s smile deepened. “Yeah. Of course.”
She turned again and walked off, her figure slowly disappearing down the sidewalk.
William stood at the curb until she was completely out of sight, then finally looked away.
He reached his car in the nearby lot, sat in the driver’s seat, and let out a slow breath. His chest still felt tight.
He started the engine. The car shot forward a little too fast, tires screeching as he pulled onto the road. Outside the windows, the scenery blurred past, but William’s mind was nowhere near the street.
His usually calm eyes now flickered with something hot, unsettled.
And then—
Out of nowhere, a figure darted into the street.
William’s eyes widened. His foot slammed on the brake.
Too late.
The girl clipped the edge of the car, let out a sharp cry, and crumpled to the side of the road.
William’s blood ran cold. He jumped out of the car and ran over.
The girl lay on the ground, in pain. Her face had gone pale, blood trickling down from her forehead. Her knees were scraped and bleeding, and angry red scratches bloomed along her shoulder and arm where the car had grazed her.
William’s brows furrowed sharply. Without hesitation, he leaned down and scooped her into his arms.