---- Chapter 31: He Actually Held Back?! Brody kept analyzing like a seasoned pro. "I wanted to tell you the results earlier, but I didn't have solid evidence to back it up." "This morning, I tracked down a relative of the attending physician. Turns out, the doc's already moved overseas. So yeah... I'm gonna need more time to dig up anything else." He looked her in the eye, all business. "If you're satisfied with what we've found so far, you don't need to pay anything more-your deposit covers it. But if you want to keep pushing for actual proof, just know it's going to take time, energy, and money. So... what's your call?" Clara tucked the documents into her bag and replied calmly, "Let me think about it. I'll get back to you soon." She checked into a hotel and sat down to go through every detail of the file. ---- From Owen's diagnosis to his quick hospital discharge... from the divorce to his remarriage... from the demolition compensation to buying a new house... from retirement to his cushy life now-every move felt calculated. Like a man playing chess and winning every round. When Clara saw Owen's photo, then the family portrait of him with his new wife and son, she felt like she was trapped in a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. Her heart felt like it was being torn to shreds. She called Sierra, and the second her friend picked up, she broke down into gut-wrenching sobs. If she didn't let it out now, she was scared she might actually snap. Sierra, calm but firm, got the picture quickly. "I'm booking a flight right now. I'll be there by morning. You need to eat something, take a hot bath, and get some sleep, okay?" Clara, now emotionally wrung out but a bit steadier, tried to reassure her. "Don't. I'm just overwhelmed right now, but talking to you ---- helped a lot. You've got the kids to look after-not to mention Leo. I'll be back in a couple of days." Sierra sighed but didn't argue. "Alright, just promise me you'll stop overthinking. Eat something. Rest. We'll talk again tomorrow." Clara wasn't hungry at all. She crawled into bed and buried herself under the covers like a kid hiding from monsters. Somehow, the blanket made her feel a little safer. Just as she was slipping into a daze, the doorbell rang-fast and urgent. She groped for her phone. It was past 3 a.m. Who would it be? She peeked through the peephole-and her heart skipped. Aaron?! She flung open the door, stunned. "What are you doing here? Where's Leo?" Aaron didn't say a word. He stared at her, the ---- usual calm in his eyes replaced by an anxious intensity that was rare for him. When he saw her puffy eyes and pale face, his shoulders finally relaxed. He walked inside. "Sierra was worried about you," he said, voice low. "She asked me to come. Leo's with her." Clara shut the door behind him. Her heart felt a little warm at his presence, but her mouth still had something to say. "I'm an adult, okay? What could possibly happen to me? You couldn't have called first? It's the middle of the night..." She handed him a bottle of water from the coffee table. Aaron took a few sips, then gave her a pointed look. "Adults curl up under blankets and cry like that?" Clara flushed and slapped a hand over her face, mortified. "That's called healthy emotional processing. Ever heard of it?" Aaron stepped closer, gently tugging her hand away and brushing his fingers over her swollen ---- eyelids. "Don't hide. You still look beautiful-even like this." Clara turned her head, avoiding his gaze. That kind of closeness made her seriously uncomfortable. As if things weren't awkward enough, her stomach decided to betray her-loudly. "...Adult forgot to eat dinner," she muttered. Aaron chuckled softly and shook his head. He picked up the hotel room phone and ordered some soup. "It's too late for anything big. Just eat something light for now-we'll get a real breakfast tomorrow." Then, like it was the most normal thing in the world, he grabbed his pajamas from his bag and headed into the bathroom. Clara blinked. "Wait... you're staying here?" Without turning, he answered, "I already checked-no rooms available. I'll crash on the couch. It's almost morning anyway." Clara checked the time and didn't argue.