Chapter 12: I’ll help you escape
"Are... are you doubting me, Clara?" Julian asked, forcing a smile as she struggled to come up with another explanation.
The story about Dominic kidnapping Alex had been nothing more than a lie—a lie carefully crafted to turn Clara against her husband.
But now, seeing Clara calmly question every detail instead of believing her blindly, Julian couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Clara let out a soft chuckle.
"Doubt you?"
She smiled gently.
"I could never doubt you, Julian."
"You’ve always been the sister who claimed she wanted to protect me despite the way our father treated us."
Her tone was warm.
Almost affectionate.
Yet somehow, every word made Julian feel uncomfortable.
Clara’s thoughts drifted back to a memory she wished she could forget.
She had been only eighteen.
Her mother, Diana, had raised her alone for years, working tirelessly to provide the best life she could despite their modest circumstances.
Everything had been fine...
Until the day Diana suddenly collapsed at work.
After a series of medical examinations, the doctors diagnosed her with stomach cancer.
She underwent chemotherapy, hoping the treatment would slow the disease.
But it wasn’t enough.
Despite the unbearable pain, Diana continued pretending everything was fine.
She smiled every day.
She cooked for Clara.
She encouraged her to focus on her studies.
Not once did she complain.
Then one evening, after finishing her part-time job, Clara returned home to find her mother unconscious on the living room floor.
She still remembered the panic.
The trembling in her hands as she called for an ambulance.
The fear that refused to leave her chest.
At the hospital, the doctor delivered the news that shattered her world.
"Miss Hayes, your mother’s condition has worsened."
"She needs surgery immediately."
The doctor frowned as he looked through Diana’s medical records.
"We informed her weeks ago."
Clara had stood there in disbelief.
Her mother had known all along.
She had simply hidden it.
She didn’t want Clara to worry.
Desperate to save her mother, Clara rushed to Vincent Hayes.
She barged into Hayes Group without caring who saw her.
All she wanted was money for the operation.
She didn’t care about dignity.
She didn’t care about pride.
She only wanted her mother to live.
Yet Vincent didn’t even let her finish speaking.
He looked at her as though she were nothing more than an inconvenience.
"I don’t know you."
His cold voice still echoed in her ears.
"Throw her out."
Before she realized what was happening, the security guards dragged her out of the building while countless employees watched in silence.
That single incident exposed a secret Vincent had buried for years.
Rumors of his affair began spreading through the business world.
The media caught wind of it.
His rivals seized the opportunity to attack his reputation.
Only then...
Only when his image and company were at stake...
Did Vincent suddenly come looking for her.
Not because he regretted abandoning them.
Not because he wanted to save Diana.
He wanted to publicly acknowledge Clara as his daughter to salvage his reputation.
Unfortunately...
He was too late.
By the time he finally appeared...
Diana was already gone.
Clara slowly returned to the present.
She looked at Julian, the smile on her face never fading.
"I still remember how you accepted me even after knowing I was our father’s illegimate child"
She lowered her gaze briefly before looking back at Julian.
"So no... I’ve never doubted your concern for me."
Julian forced a smile in return, though her palms had already begun to sweat.
For some reason, the way Clara was speaking today made her feel as though every word carried a meaning she couldn’t quite grasp.
And yet seeing her smile only washed away the only doubt she had.
"Then let me help you one last time, Clara," Julian said earnestly, reaching out to hold her hand.
"I know you still love Alex. I know Dominic forced you into this marriage." She squeezed Clara’s hand as though she genuinely cared. "You don’t have to spend the rest of your life trapped here. I’ll help you escape."
Her voice was filled with determination.
On the surface, she looked like the perfect sister.
Someone willing to risk everything for Clara’s happiness.
Yet beneath that caring smile...
Once you’re gone... Dominic will finally be mine.
Clara looked at Julian quietly before a faint smile spread across her lips.
She had expected those exact words.
In her previous life, Julian had used the same gentle tone.
The same concerned expression.
The same promise.
Back then, Clara had been deeply moved, believing she had a sister who would stand by her no matter what happened.
Now...
She knew every word was carefully rehearsed.
Julian had never wanted to help her.
She simply wanted Clara out of the way.
***
Meanwhile, Hannah had just finished inspecting one of Sterling Group’s newly acquired hotels when her phone vibrated.
Seeing Silvia’s name on the screen, she answered immediately.
"What is it?"
On the other end of the line, Silvia respectfully greeted her before recounting everything that had happened in the living room.
She told Hannah how Julian had repeatedly tried to persuade Clara to run away.
How she claimed Dominic had forced Clara into the marriage.
And finally...
How Clara had rejected the offer.
Hannah frowned.
"She rejected it?"
"Yes, Miss Hannah," Silvia replied honestly. "Young Madam said she has accepted the marriage and wants to live properly as Young Master’s wife."
Hannah fell silent.
Silvia continued cautiously,
"She also defended Young Master several times. She even questioned Miss Julian about how she knew Mr. Alex had supposedly been kidnapped."
Hannah tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
"And?"
"Miss Julian couldn’t answer properly. She kept changing the topic and insisted on helping Young Madam escape, but Young Madam refused."
The frown on Hannah’s face deepened.
None of it made sense.
Not a single word.
Yesterday, Clara had tried to run away from the wedding.
Today...
She was defending Dominic.
Refusing to leave.
And even questioning the very sister she used to trust without hesitation.
Something wasn’t right.
Either Clara had truly changed...
Or...
She was planning something much bigger.
"Did she say anything else?" Hannah asked.
Silvia hesitated.
"She said she had accepted her marriage and intended to be Young Master’s wife."
Another silence followed.
"Keep watching her."
Hannah’s voice turned cold.
"But don’t let her notice."
"Yes, Miss Hannah."
The call ended.
Hannah lowered the phone onto the passenger seat before leaning back in frustration.
"What on earth are you trying to do, Clara?" she muttered.
She had spent the last two years watching her brother suffer because of that woman.
She had watched Dominic quietly endure every insult, every rejection, and every attempt Clara made to leave him.
Now, all of a sudden...
Clara had become a completely different person.
Anyone else might have believed she had finally come to her senses.
Hannah couldn’t.
"No."
She shook her head firmly.
"People don’t change overnight."
Especially not someone like Clara.
The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became.
With an annoyed sigh, she grabbed her handbag and stepped out of the car.
"If this is another one of your schemes..."
Her eyes hardened with determination.
"...I won’t let you hurt my brother again."
Just when she had thoughts she had made up her mind, Hannah’s phone rang once again, and this time it was none other than her fiancé, Eric.