Chapter 2: It’s our wedding night
Dominic was still reeling from the unexpected kiss, though he quickly regained his usual composure. Clearing his throat, he took a small step back.
"Ahem."
Clara’s cheeks flushed crimson.
She had no idea what had possessed her to kiss him again.
But she had clearly heard his thoughts.
Wait... does that mean I can actually hear what’s going on inside his head? Is that even possible?
Under any other circumstances, she would have dismissed the idea as absurd.
But after dying and waking up on the day of her wedding...
Nothing seemed impossible anymore.
If hearing Dominic’s thoughts allowed her to understand the man she had misunderstood for an entire lifetime, then she would gladly accept it.
She knew better than anyone how much pain she had caused him.
She had treated his love like a burden.
She had even tried to run away before the ceremony, only for Dominic to find her and bring her back.
Maybe this marriage was never my punishment...
Maybe it was my second chance.
A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Clara, I’m so glad you’re okay."
Julian approached with a bright smile before gently squeezing Clara’s shoulder.
"And... I’m sorry Dominic found you before you could leave."
Her eyes were filled with carefully crafted sympathy.
In her previous life, Clara had believed Julian genuinely cared about her.
She had trusted her without question.
Now she knew better.
To Julian...
To the Hayes family...
She had never been anything more than a pawn.
Even her father, Vincent Hayes, had treated her as a bargaining chip rather than his daughter.
By the time she realized she had been manipulated from the very beginning...
It had already been too late.
Not a single member of that family had ever truly stood by her.
"I also heard Dominic captured Alex before he could reach you at the airport," Julian continued, subtly trying to turn Clara against him.
But this time...
Her words stirred nothing inside Clara.
"You’ve always been such a caring sister, Julian," Clara replied with a polite smile. "But I’ve finally accepted reality. Fighting this marriage is pointless."
Julian blinked in surprise.
"I’ve realized Dominic isn’t someone I can run away from," Clara continued calmly. "Perhaps it’s time I accepted my fate... and gave this marriage a genuine chance."
Julian was left speechless.
She had expected Clara to cry.
To throw another tantrum.
Or at the very least, continue resisting the marriage.
Instead, Clara simply smiled, excused herself, and walked toward Dominic.
Julian remained rooted to the spot, staring after her in disbelief.
***
A short distance away, Dominic was speaking with his right-hand man, Mark.
"Any news on Alex?" Dominic asked.
Mark nodded.
"He’s been at home the entire time. He hasn’t gone anywhere."
Dominic pinched the bridge of his nose.
After Julian informed him that Clara had disappeared earlier that day, he had mobilized his men to search for her.
Finding Clara waiting alone at the airport had only deepened his suspicions.
Now, knowing Alex had never intended to show up...
Dominic let out an almost inaudible sigh.
(She’s far too trusting.)
"Ahem."
Both men turned simultaneously.
To Dominic’s surprise, Clara walked straight toward him before naturally slipping her arm through his.
"Darling," she said with a sweet smile, "shall we head home?"
Both Dominic and Mark froze.
(D-Darling...? Wife... are you trying to stop my heart?)
Despite the storm raging inside him, Dominic’s face remained perfectly expressionless.
Then Clara smiled even more sweetly.
"After all..."
"...it’s our wedding night."
Mark’s ears instantly turned bright red.
"I-I’ll go prepare the car."
Without waiting for a response, he fled.
The moment he disappeared, Dominic’s thoughts became even louder.
(Wedding night...)
(We’ll finally be living under the same roof.)
(Calm down, Dominic. Don’t scare her. Just act normal.)
(...Although if she willingly holds my hand again... I might forget every speech I prepared.)
(No. Stay calm. Breathe.)
(Why is my heartbeat so loud? Can she hear it?)
Clara bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing.
Outwardly...
Dominic Sterling looked like the coldest man in the world.
Inside his head...
He was hopelessly flustered.
And unexpectedly adorable.
***
After the wedding ceremony ended and the guests gradually dispersed, the Hayes family returned home.
The moment they stepped into the living room, Julian let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Dad, are you sure Clara is going to behave?" she asked worriedly. "Did you see what happened today? She actually tried to run away before the wedding. If I hadn’t found her in time, she probably would’ve eloped with her boyfriend."
Vincent Hayes’ expression darkened.
Ever since arranging Clara’s marriage to Dominic Sterling, she had done nothing but give him headaches.
The Sterling family wasn’t simply rich.
They stood at the very peak of wealth and influence.
Offending them was the last thing anyone in the business world wanted.
When the proposal had first arrived, Vincent naturally assumed Dominic wanted Julian.
To everyone’s surprise...
Dominic had specifically asked for Clara.
"I still don’t understand why Dominic chose her," Vincent muttered with a sigh. "If only it had been you instead, Julian."
After Clara’s attempted escape embarrassed him in front of Dominic, Vincent knew he had already damaged his relationship with the Sterling family.
Looking at Julian, his expression softened.
"Thank you for stopping her today. You’ve always been the daughter I can rely on."
Julian lowered her head modestly, hiding the satisfaction in her eyes.
"I only did what was best for our family, Dad."
Vincent nodded before heading upstairs, leaving Julian alone with Dorothy.
The polite smile instantly disappeared from Julian’s face.
She clicked her tongue in irritation.
"What a waste," she muttered. "After everything we did, Clara still ended up marrying the richest man in the city."
Dorothy looked at her daughter knowingly.
"Don’t be so impatient," she said softly. "A marriage certificate doesn’t guarantee happiness. If Clara continues resisting Dominic like she always has, that fortune won’t stay in her hands for long."
Julian’s lips slowly curled into a calculating smile.
"You’re right, Mom."
"The cards are still in our hands."
Yet deep down, she couldn’t stop thinking about the way Clara had shamelessly kissed Dominic in front of everyone.
Something...
Was no longer going according to plan.
The car glided smoothly through the city before turning into the long driveway leading to the Sterling Estate.
Throughout the journey, Dominic remained silent.
He neither spoke...
Nor did a single thought reach Clara.
She stole several glances at him, only to find his expression as calm and unreadable as ever.
Strange...
Most people have countless thoughts running through their minds.
He’s quiet on the outside... and somehow even quieter on the inside.
Ever since discovering her strange ability, this was the first time she couldn’t hear anything from him.
The silence lingered until the car came to a smooth stop.
Clara looked out the window.
The magnificent Sterling Estate stood proudly beneath the evening sky.
Every corner of the mansion was painfully familiar.
A flood of emotions washed over her.
In her previous life...
She had done everything she could to escape this place.
Now...
It felt like the home fate had given her a second chance to return to.
A faint smile curved her lips.
I’m home, Dominic.
And this time...
I’ll make sure I never leave for the wrong reasons again.