Chapter 7
As Enola stepped out of Jeremiah and Eliana’s residence, Robert’s car was still parked outside. Chloe sat in the passenger seat, and she was full of smiles. He must have spent quite some time coaxing her.
He lowered the window when he saw Enola. His voice was cold and commanding as he said, “Get in.”
“I can go back on my own.”
She had no desire to be caught between them and instinctively refused, but his tone grew even more forceful. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
A tense silence hung in the air before Enola finally gave in and got into the car. She caught a glimpse of Chloe’s slightly reddened eyes through the rearview mirror.
The household staff’s words echoed in her mind for some reason. “If you look closely… Ms. Garcia’s eyes look quite similar to yours, Ms. Enola.”
She had never paid much attention before, but now that the thought had been planted, she couldn’t help but study Chloe more carefully. And the more she looked, the more she realized it was true.
Her lingering gaze made Chloe frown. She picked up a small mirror and examined herself, then asked with confusion, “Did I mess up my makeup today? Why do you keep staring at my eyes?”
Robert’s heart clenched when he heard her question. A strange sense of unease surged within him, and he quickly changed the subject without thinking. “She probably thinks you look beautiful.
“By the way, didn’t you say you were interested in rubies a while ago? I bought a 15–carat ruby from an auction recently. It’s in my pocket. See if you like it.”
“Really?” Chloe’s mood lifted instantly, and she forgot the previous conversation just like that.
As they chatted, the car pulled into the Shaw residence. Robert intentionally slowed his pace once they arrived, letting the others walk ahead.
When Enola passed by him, his deep, icy voice reached her ears. “Why did you go to my parents today and say all that?”
She stopped and turned to look at him. “I just thought something as important as marriage should be shared with them.”
Her persistence sent a fresh wave of anger through Robert. He grabbed her wrist without warning and dragged her toward the memorial room. With a forceful shove, he made her kneel before the family’s memorial display.
“If you’re so insistent on this lie, then stay here and reflect. You can come out when you’re ready to admit the truth!”
With that, he turned and left, not giving her a chance to explain. Enola let out a soft sigh but didn’t get up. She would take this as a way to repay him for raising her all these years.
She remained kneeling for an entire day and night.
By the time the memorial room doors finally opened, the morning light had already seeped in. Robert stood at the entrance, and his expression was just as cold as before as he said, “Have you learned your lesson? Don’t ever bring up this so–called marriage again.”
She remained silent for a moment, then met his gaze head–on. “I will. Because I really am getting married.”
Her voice was steady, but pain shot through her knees when she tried to stand, making her steps unsteady. After barely managing to return to her room, the first thing she did upon entering was start packing her belongings.
Robert caught up just in time to see her carrying a cardboard box toward the door. A closer look revealed that the box was filled with everything he had ever given her.
His heart skipped a beat. A strange panic crept into his voice—one that he himself hadn’t noticed. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Throwing things away,” she said calmly. Her tone was in stark contrast to his unease. “I’m just clearing out our memories. Isn’t that what you wanted most, Robbie? “I’m just doing as you wished.”
