Chapter 8
Clifford’s usually immaculate suit was caked in dast. Blood streaked across his temple, and his breath came in short, ragged bursts.
As soon as his eyes landed on Lilibeth and Tiffany, they narrowed.
It was the first time Lilibeth had seen Clifford, who was always so cold and distant, look so pathetic.
Clearly, he had sent out search teams the moment he had realized they were missing after the
accident. Then, he had raced here as fast as he could.
But with only a minute left on the countdown, there was only enough time to defuse one
bomb.
Without hesitation, Clifford chose Tiffany. He worked quickly and never once looked
“Lilibeth, I’ll get her out first and come back for you.”
- up.
Yet, his words made Lilibeth chuckle. Maybe she didn’t love him anymore because she no longer felt hurt.
By the time Tiffany’s bomb was disarmed, there were only 20 seconds left. She clung to Clifford’s arm, her voice trembling as she urged, “Cliff, we have to go! It’s going to
For the first time, he pushed her away and told her to leave. Then, he turned to defuse
Lilibeth’s bomb.
blow up!”
However, she grabbed his hand and shoved him back, saying, “Take her and Just remember, from now on, I don’t need you. My life and death are none of your business, Clifford. I’m not someone nobody wants. Even if you don’t love me, there are plenty of people who do.”
Clifford froze.
Nearby, Tiffany sobbed uncontrollably. “Cliff, I’m scared! If you don’t leave, I won’t either!”
Time was slipping away. If they didn’t go now, all three of them would die there.
At the very last second, Clifford scooped Tiffany up and ran.
Lilibeth, on the other hand, closed her eyes. A beat later, her fingers flew over the bomb as she worked quickly. She had taken an explosives course back in university, after all.
Then, she heard a click. With one second to spare, she successfully disarmed the trigger.
But the explosion still came.
The blast hurled her across the room. As she flew through the air, she vaguely saw Clifford
Chame
turning back for her.
At the hospital, Lilibeth opened her eyes to a sharp pain in her arm.
Clifford was sitting at her bedside. The moment she woke up, he reached out to stop her from moving. “Don’t. You just underwent a skin graft surgery. It was for Tiff.”
For a split second, she thought she had misheard him.
“What… did you just say?”
Clifford hesitated. A while later, he spoke, his voice laced with guilt, which was rare. “Tiff injured her arm during the blast. She didn’t want a scar, and your skin tone matched best. So, we used a section of your skin.”
Lilibeth stared at him in disbelief. “Clifford Sinclair, did you even ask me?”
“I’ll make it up to you,” he reassured her. “Didn’t you always want to go on a date with me? Once you’re discharged
“Like hell I did!”
Lilibeth ripped the IV from her arm, and blood began trailing down her hand. “Who makes decisions like that for someone else?”
Clifford was frozen.
Lilibeth’s eyes brimmed with tears as she continued in a shaky voice, “Tiffany’s your golden girl. But what am I? Dirt under your shoe? You’re just taking advantage of the fact that I loved you, that I…”
She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.
Right then, Clifford’s chest tightened. He suddenly remembered what she had said in the warehouse-“Even if you don’t love me, there are plenty of people who do.”
Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang. It was his assistant, Joel Ford.
“Mr. Sinclair, the limited–edition necklace Ms. Sinclair has been eyeing is going up
for auction
in Farranth tonight. Would you like to make the trip?” Joel asked frantically.
Clifford hummed softly and hung up. He pocketed his phone before turning to Lilibeth, “I’ll be overseas for a few days. I’ll bring something back for you.”
After a pause, he added, “As for the date, I’ll keep my word. I won’t go back on it.”
With that, he walked out, his steps brisk.
As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Lilibeth crumbled. She curled into herself, clutching her knees as tears streamed down her face.
