COO
Those lips, so familiar to me, spoke words of love and those captivating eyes, equally familiar, looked at me with longing.
“Claire Dawson, thank you for always being by my side.”
“Now, at this moment, I want to ask you. Claire Dawson, will you marry moo
The crowd erupted in cheers, the orchestra members were poised to start playing and the people in front of us
looked sincere and enthusiastic,
But I knew the truth. All of this was just his hollow performance.
A despicable method to trap me, to dull my senses.
“…”
The orchestra, seemingly cued, began playing Wagner’s Wedding March.
I looked down at Lennon. He had already pulled out the velvet box and the diamonds inside sparkled blindingly bright.
The crystal chandelier overhead was too bright, making my eyes ache, yet they were too dry to shed a single tear.
My tears had already been exhausted that day in the midst of endless deception.
“I won’t.”
Lennon’s smile faltered. Several nearby musicians froze, their instruments halting mid–note, almost toppling
over in their shock.
I raised my head, taking in the entire room. It gleamed in a rich golden hue. I raised my voice even louder.
“I don’t want to!”
Lennon lunged toward me, but I pulled my hand away before he could touch me.
I took two steps back, creating distance between us.
Lennon nearly stumbled from my actions. Once he regained his balance, the confusion on his face quickly. turned into rage.
“Lennon Sullivan, having an affair with my apprentice Mia behind my back must have been so thrilling for you,
huh?”
An uproar spread through the room, the murmurs growing louder.
“Claire, stop talking nonsense.”
Lennon gritted through clenched teeth, his eyes hardening as he struggled to respond.
His face darkened, his head lowered, casting shadows over his features as the fury built inside him.
I had never seen him so out of control. He had always been composed and calculating, but now… now, I was witnessing the real him.
The noise around us grew louder, almost suffocating the stage and Lennon’s pale defense was lost in the ps.
Suddenly, a dark figure burst through the crowd, rushing straight toward me.
The lights on stage were blinding and for a moment, I felt dazed. The danger was approaching, yet my body
remained frozen.
I only felt Lennon in front of me, pulling me close, before we both hit the ground and slid to the side.
My ears rang and my mind was in a haze. The only thing that felt real was the warm blood flowing on his arms.
Once my thoughts cleared, I tried to look up, but Lennon gently covered my eyes.
“Don’t move.”
His hands, warm and steady, shielded my vision. His scent filled my nose.
Love Does Not Wait Forever
I shut my eyes tightly.
Later, I would learn that Mia had brought a knife to the stage, unable to bear the blow to her pride.
Lennon protected me, taking a deep gash to his waist, while I only suffered a minor injury to my arm. Meanwhile, he lay in a hospital gown, smiling softly at me from his bed.
“Claire, Mia was taken by the police. You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
“Claire, I didn’t expect you to give me such a big surprise on stage.”
He lowered his head, his smile tinged with bitterness, but he shook his head slightly and smiled again.
“But it’s not your fault. It’s because I’ve neglected you for too long… Let’s just pretend none of this happened.” He reached for me, but I gently turned away, letting his hand fall, the motion heavy with embarrassment. “Can’t you… for my sake, give me another chance?”
He pointed to his side, where a bandage peeked out from under his hospital gown, making my heart stop for a beat.
