Chapter 6092

Ten minutes later, Mindy Cortez exited the Inner Courtyard Palace, beaming with two amulets in her hands. Outside the hall, Claire was still in a daze, not noticing Mindy until she stood right in front of her. Mindy approached Claire, feigning curiosity, and asked, "Ms. Wilson? What’s on your mind?" Snapping back to reality, Claire replied nervously, "Oh, nothing... just wondering, are you finished?" "It’s all done!" Mindy Cortez affirmed cheerfully, waving the amulets in her hand. "I’ve secured them—let’s head back quickly! Can we take your car?" "Sure." Claire readily agreed, though her mind was still elsewhere. Overwhelmed by feelings of shock, confusion, and pain, she longed to return to the office and shut herself away. During the drive back to the company, Claire was constantly distracted. Thankfully, Mindy reminded her several times, or else she might have caused numerous mishaps along the way. Upon their safe return to the company, Claire headed straight to her office. The administrator approached her and asked, "Ms. Wilson, what time is the meeting today?" Waving her hand dismissively, Claire responded with a forlorn expression, "You can go ahead and organize the meeting without me today. Also, I'm not feeling well. If you need something, reach out, but otherwise, please don’t disturb me for now." Noticing her gloomy demeanor, the administrator quickly said, "Alright, Ms. Wilson. Please take your time. I’ll let everyone know to keep their voices down. If you have questions, feel free to message me on WeChat anytime." Claire nodded, appreciating the administrator's concern, and murmured, "Thank you for your understanding." Then, she hurried back to her office, locking the door behind her. As soon as the door clicked shut, the dam holding back Claire's tears broke, and she couldn’t hold back the flood of emotion any longer. Her once bright and expressive eyes transformed into a cascade of tears, flowing like large droplets strung together, reminiscent of a crystal necklace. Claire's heart ached painfully, as if squeezed by an invisible hand, creating a sense of physiological suffering that radiated through her entire chest. Feeling utterly drained, her legs gave way, and she slid down the door, her cries escaping her in uncontrollable waves. She thought back to the playful banter Charlie had shared with her before. He had once asked what she would do if she discovered that he had been hiding his true identity as a wealthy man. At the time, she confidently replied that she would leave him without hesitation. What she thought was a lighthearted joke then now seemed profoundly serious, resonating deeply within her. In truth, the idea of leaving him felt utterly unbearable. His presence over the years had shown her what genuine care felt like, and she even contemplated whether she should have listened to her mother and started a family with Charlie sooner, becoming a family of three or four. But now, the reality she faced was not just Charlie's betrayal; it also involved the enemies who had harmed his family and the path of revenge he was compelled to follow at such a high cost. What else could she do but distance herself? Despite her love for him, she knew she couldn’t chain him down. Moreover, this was about life and death. She had to step aside for Charlie’s sake, ensuring he could move forward without worry. But what lay ahead for her? If she walked away from Charlie, would they ever cross paths again in this lifetime? With tears filling her eyes, she uttered brokenly, "Charlie, even if we might not meet again, you have to survive! Promise me you'll fulfill your revenge and reclaim your place as the heir of the Wade family. In that moment, whether or not you think of me, the unremarkable daughter of the Wilson family, won’t matter. You've endured too much hardship, fatigue, and discrimination within the Wilson family. If you choose never to see me again, I can accept that, but I implore you to survive..."

... Claire remained locked in her office for the entire day, not stepping outside. During this time, she neglected to eat or drink, lost in memories of her journey with Charlie from their beginnings to their marriage and where they stood now. She cried countless times, her eyes now red and swollen. By evening, when the workday had ended, Mindy Cortez knocked softly on Claire's office door and inquired, "Ms. Wilson, are you still working?" Claire replied, "I’ll be out soon. You should clock out first. Are there any colleagues left?" Mindy responded, "No, just me." Claire exhaled in relief. "Alright, you head out. I’ll follow shortly." "Okay, Ms. Wilson. I’ll take off then." Mindy said her goodbyes and exited the building. After waiting another ten minutes, Claire assumed everyone had finished for the day and reluctantly dragged her weary body out of her office. As she looked around the spacious and tidy office area, a wave of reluctance washed over her. Leaving Charlie and concealing her name felt like vanishing from the world. Her design company would close as well. Many projects remained incomplete, and she needed to work diligently in the next month to keep up. Though unlikely to finish all projects, she hoped to at least wrap up some. For any unfinished projects, she would have to arrange refunds and pay penalties before leaving. The costs of liquidated damages could erase all the earnings she had made during this trying time, but to Claire, the money didn’t matter. She drove back to Thompson First alone and returned to the nearly $200 million mansion, her emotions in turmoil. In the driveway sat the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a remnant of the era when her father, Jacob, was in his prime. She had always thought of the luxury home and car as Charlie’s accomplishments, attributed to his flair for Feng Shui. Now, standing before them illuminated hidden truths she had never comprehended. With a sigh, she parked, opened the door, and entered the house with a dazed expression. Jacob and Elaine were on the sofa, their gaze fixed on their phones rather than the television, discussing snorkeling in the Maldives with enthusiasm. Upon seeing Claire, Elaine exclaimed, "Claire! They say snorkeling is fantastic in the Maldives! I'm planning to ask your dad to take me gear shopping tomorrow. Want to join?" Claire shook her head, saying, "You two go ahead. I'm not interested in the superficial. I haven’t had much time to relax, so I'd rather take this opportunity to rest." Elaine, grinning, replied, "You and your wonderful husband are so busy! This is your chance to enjoy a tropical vacation; you should really unwind. I, on the other hand, have no plans and nowhere to go. My itinerary for the Maldives is packed! Besides snorkeling, I want to swim with dolphins and go sea fishing. I’ve heard experienced captains can locate the whales of Brezwers; I'd love to see them!" Claire nodded but didn’t engage further. She simply stated, feeling somewhat defeated, "Mom and Dad, you two should take your time planning. I'm quite tired, so I'm going to rest upstairs." Elaine, not taking Claire’s mood seriously, lamented to Jacob, "This island I picked is undoubtedly the best in the Maldives, but the one disappointment is that we don’t have a private jet this time..." As Claire climbed the stairs, her mother’s words struck a nerve, filling her with frustration. Her mother had a shocking propensity for vanity, often acting recklessly. Elaine had the audacity to transfer money from Charlie’s bank card worth billions without a second thought. Claire couldn’t help but wonder how she could be so brazen. Moreover, her mother never considered how her actions might embarrass her own daughter.