20 Clint was dressed all in black-black hat, black mask-swallowed by the press corps. had actually watched the entire acquisition meeting in secret. After five years apart, he'd lost weight; his face looked drawn. There was a trace of unwillingness ind helplessness in his eyes as he studied me, as if replaying fragments of the past. avoided his gaze. I didn't want to be dragged back into that whirlpool. The meeting had ended; I needed to get back to the company and my work. turned to leave, and Clint's voice came from behind me. Soleil..." stopped but didn't look back. "Do you need something?" I asked coldly. le hesitated, then said, "I want to talk to you." frowned, annoyed. "There's nothing left for us to talk about." e pressed on. "Just for a moment, please? I have something to say." is pleading eyes stirred a strange emotion in me. In the end, I nodded and agreed. le found a quiet corner and sat down. You... You've changed," he murmured. Changed how?" I replied. e didn't answer in words; the complexity in his gaze said enough. was someone he no longer recognized. I'd become more independent, stronger, no longer < Ian's appendage, not someone anyone could treat as a mere baby-making machine. had gone from being his wife to being the CEO of Bellemare Company. 'hen he fell silent, I continued, "So I finally became someone you don't like anymore, right?" 'hat he had loved wasn't a sharp-clawed, self-made woman; it was a delicate canary that clung › him. f that's the case, then I hope you'll do us both the favor of letting go sooner," I said. "You see i ready: life without you is better for me. I'm doing well. I'm better." s I spoke those words, there was only relief in my heart. e, however, remained trapped in the past and stagnated because of it. No, that's not it!" he blurted, desperate to argue. "Soleil, I love you. No matter what you are, I love ou!" learing that, even he should have found it laughable. Don't fool yourself," I cut him off, shutting down his rising emotion. "You liking me is your usiness. Clint, I've long stopped liking you." His face, already listless, drained another shade paler. He stared at me, as if trying to find some licker of deceit in my eyes. But I was calm; my expression betrayed nothing. "No, this can't be true." His voice trembled. "Soleil, there's a place I want to take you to. I promised that those who hurt you would pay. I've started to make good on that promise." I didn't understand what he meant and stood there, stunned, for a moment. Then, he pulled out his phone and pushed the security footage in front of me. At that moment, a fear I had never known in my life crept along my spine. 3:20 pm