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Lies, Love and Allure
Chapter 18 Too Late for Regret.
Clarissa was confused.
Her husband?
Chandler?!
It all made sense now. No way that man would agree so easily to have the door installed for her.
Sure, the door was installed, but he made sure she couldn’t open it!
Now she’d have to go to him for help!
Fury surged through Clarissa
She spun around and took the elevator back downstairs.
Chandler was still outside, standing in the open space in front of the building.
She stormed toward him.
A cool night breeze blew past, carrying the faint scent of smoke that made Clarissa cough.
She paused. Chandler smoked?
She’d never smelled smoke on him before. She always thought he didn’t smoke.
For reasons she couldn’t quite explain, her anger momentarily softened as she slowed her pace.
Under the dim streetlight, Chandler stood tall, casually leaning against the car door.
Two cigarette butts lay at his feet, clearly smoked during the short time she’d been upstairs.
In just half an hour, he’d smoked two cigarettes,
did hi
When did his smoking habit get this bad?
Clarissa frowned as she approached.
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“What are you doing back down here?” Chandler asked, unsurprised, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Miss me already?”
His teasing tone lit a fire in Clarissa instantly. “Chandler, what the hell is your problem?”
“Hmm?” Chandler played dumb, acting like he had no idea what she was talking about.
The fingerprint on my door–did you have it deleted?”
“Maybe,” he shrugged. “Neil said there was an unknown fingerprint in the system. Didn’t seem safe.”
Clarissa was speechless.
Neil, the PhD graduate from Brighton Hills University Business School? The guy was smart enough to
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Chapter 14 Too Late for fregret
That excuse was the definition of lazy
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She gritted her teeth, trying to keep her cool. And the technician? The one from the store? Why did you send him away?”
“Maybe because he didn’t look trustworthy?”
Another lame excuse.
Clarissa was beyond frustrated.
She rubbed her forehead, exhausted.
He already agreed to the divorce, so toby was he still pulling these pointless stunts?
A sudden thought crossed her mind, and she blurted out, “Chandler, do you not want the divorce?”
Chandler stubbed out his cigarette abruptly, his gaze dark and intense as he looked at her,
Clarissa understood then. She let out a self–deprecating laugh and shrugged. “Sorry, your behavior just made it hard not to misunderstand.
“But if that’s not the case, I think we should stop dragging this out.”
Chandler stayed silent, his deep eyes locked on Clarissa.
The face was the same, but the emotions behind those familiar features were long gone.
Now, all she saw was exhaustion, indifference, and frustration.
“Can you call Neil over?” Clarissa asked, her tone softening.
She was done with the earlier back–and–forth and didn’t want to argue anymore.
He had deleted her fingerprint, so surely he could add it back.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“He’s on vacation.”
Clarissa stood there, speechless.
Her patience was hanging by a thread.
Neil, the guy who never took a day off, just happened to be on vacation now?
Not even a kid would buy that excuse!
“Chandler!” Clarissa’s temper flared. “I’m begging you just tell me what you want!”
Seeing her on the verge of losing it only made Chandler’s own frustration grow.
nea ha’r sareed to the dinners ka badan’s fali alipod like
like he spñanted. Teerand a minuta në
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Chapter 18 Too Late for Regret
hit him hard.
The fact that he regretted agreeing to divorce her at all was driving him insane.
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It left him feeling more restless than ever, to the point where he’d chain–smoked two cigarettes, something he almost never did.
But it hadn’t helped.
The irritation inside him felt like a volcano ready to erupt, and seeing Clarissa now only fanned the flames.
Still, he forced himself to stay calm.
Three months.”
Clarissa blinked. “What?”
“I need three months to settle my finances.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Chandler felt a moment of clarity through the storm of emotions swirling in his head.
Clarissa stared at him, completely confused. What game was he playing now?
“I don’t want any of your money. I don’t need a financial settlement,” she said.
Chandler scoffed, “Sorry, but I’ve got morals. I need a proper settlement.”
Clarissa was left utterly speechless.
Fine, you’re so virtuous
But she still pressed on, Then go ahead, settle your finances. But there’s a cooling–off period for divorces anyway. A month should be plenty of time.”
Chandler’s expression stayed calm, his face hidden in the shadows, making it hard to read his emotions.
Clarissa couldn’t make sense of it.
“Well? Say something,” she muttered, feeling unnerved by his silence.
“Sorry,
firm.
but I’ve got too much money to sort through in just one month, Chandler said, his voice low and
Something didn’t sit right with Clarissa. She narrowed her eyes, suspicion creeping into her tone.
“Don’t tell me you’re realizing you don’t want to let me go and are having second thoughts?” Chandler’s face turned dark instantly. “Please, who do you think you are? You’re not that special. There are plenty of women out there, and I’m not desperate.”
“Well, there are plenty
of men out there too!” Clarissa shot back, her voice trembling with frustration. “So, if you’ve got the guts, hurry up and sign the papers. Stop wasting my time so I can go find one!”
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