Chapter 23
After taking two days off. Clara dove back into work. Tagging along with Selina to negotiate the collaboration details taught her a lot, and the project moved forward so smoothly that it felt almost effortless.
Damon didn’t show up when it came time for their meeting with Croft Group. He had the COD take his place instead. Clara breathed a sigh of relict as she passed the contract she’d carefully prepared.
After reviewing the terms, Crott Group was eager to move forward but had one condition. They wanted Clara to serve as the main point of contact between both sides during the contract period.
Selina immediately figured this was Damon’s doing. He was clearly using the partnership as a way to keep Clara around. After giving it some thought, she decided to ask Clara directly how she felt.
They left Croft Group and found a quiet café.
“Clara, I know this is personal, but if you don’t mind, could you tell me about your marriage to Damon? How did it start and end?” Selina asked.
Clara fell silent for a moment before telling the whole story. They had spent four years as classmates, then three more as husband and wife. It was a span that made up nearly a third of her life.
But saying it out loud now felt strangely weightless like she was describing someone else’s experiences. The deep love that had once carried her through so many nights had finally faded with time.
When Clara finished, Selina sat quietly for a long time. She was unable to shake it off. She didn’t know what to say. Every word felt painfully inadequate, and silence settled over the small booth.
Sering the pain and regret on Selina’s face, Clara gave her a faint smile. Her voice carried the steady calm of someone who had been through it all. “Salina, I know what you’re worried about. You want this project to succeed, but you don’t want me to get hurt. The reason I opened up about these memories–memories I could’ve just kept buried–is to let you know that I’ve truly moved on.
“No matter what Croft Group asked for, I only see it as work, and I’m ready to handle it. I may you and the team. I won’t let anyone down.”
not have a ton of experience, but I’ll give it my all–for
Selina’s eyes welled up at Clara’s unwavering promise. This project was her big break, and Clara was the key to making it happen.
As much as Selina hated the idea of leveraging Damon’s feelings for Clara, she knew she had to in order to lock in the deal. Thankfully, Clara understood and was willing to help
In the end, all the things Selina wanted to say boiled down to a single crisp clink of their glasses in a toast.
Selina was ready to fly back to Falverton with four signed contracts by late April. Clara saw her off at the airport, and they shared a long hug. Noticing a familiar figure in the distance, Selina couldn’t hold back her question any longer. “You loved him for seven years, Clara. Are you really not giving him another chance now that he’s finally realized how he feels?”
Clara knew Selina only wanted what was best for her. But only Clara understood how unbearably slow those
able to move on.
those seven years had felt before she was finally
She might have only felt regret if it was just about longing for someone she couldn’t have. But she had thought she was holding the bright, untouchable moon, only to find out it was just a reflection in the water.
After going through that, Clara had no desire to chase after the impossible again. Some things, she understood, were meant to be admired from a distance.
So, she said, “Selina, life doesn’t hand out second chances. We just have to keep moving forward.”
