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Ethan’s Perspective.
Claire disappeared, and I couldn’t find her anywhere.
Her house was put up for sale, and I bought it, but the agent handling the sale said
it was all done by proxy, and no one knew where Claire had gone.
I went to her hospital, but they said she no longer worked there.
She left so suddenly, without warning, disappearing without a trace.
But I knew better. She didn’t leave alone–her mentor went missing too. I had always disliked her mentor because he constantly encouraged Claire to focus on her career and embrace her true self.
But Claire was a gentle, elegant woman, perfect for being a wife and mother. How could she be out there in the world, exposing herself to danger?
And what if she developed feelings for her mentor after spending so much time
with him?
I couldn’t bear the thought of her being with another man, so I made sure she stayed at home, close to me.
Vanessa found out about my fears and assured me she could keep Claire by my side as long as I followed her lead.
From then on, I allowed Vanessa to mock Claire, letting her get away with it.
But now, I regret it–every night without Claire feels like a knife twisting in my
heart.
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How could I have allowed Vanessa and myself to bully her like that? And despite everything, she still chose to love me.
Now that Claire is gone, I’ve learned so many things–like how to make the soups. and dishes she loved. Truth be told, she was an amazing cook. But whenever she tried to please me, I just wanted her to grovel more, to see how much she would
endure for me.
She was like a clinging vine, so of course, she had to tolerate my bad temper.
There was nothing wrong with that–I wanted to take care of her, so she had to please me.
I always looked down on her job and didn’t like her having friends. I even forced her to transfer jobs.
During the landslide, I was the first to see her pale face. But when the rescue helicopter arrived, she didn’t ask me for help. When they said they could only take one person, I saw the brief hope in her eyes.
But I still cruelly turned her down. After all, Vanessa had a heart condition–I kept telling myself that.
The next time I saw Claire, she had become so cold towards me. I was scared, but Vanessa assured me she was just playing hard to get. After all, no one understood women better than she did.
So I suppressed my unease and believed her.
But the distance between Claire and me was only worse.
Then she disappeared, and I went crazy trying to find any trace of her, but there was nothing.
Vanessa offered to take care of me, saying she could replace Claire, but I pushed
her away.
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Claire once said I had no boundaries. Secing Vanessa now reminded me of that house. I had given it to Vanessa just to splte Claire, knowing how much she wanted a home with me. I had crushed her dream.
She must have been so disappointed in me back then.
But now that she’s gone, no amount of regret can ease the pain.
I tried throwing myself into work, even doing charity work, trying to connect with the hospital.
On a wall of honor, I saw her picture–turns out, she had been shining brightly all along, just where I couldn’t see.
10 years later, I finally saw her again.
She had short, sharp hair, and her mentor was by her side. He was her husband now, and she playfully teased him, looking so happy.
At the awards ceremony, I learned what she had been doing all these years.
She had become a doctor for a charity organization, saving countless lives. She even had a wedding in Brazil, surrounded by blessings.
As I watched her glowing with happiness, I realized she was never just a clinging vine–her eyes were filled with starlight.
We ran into each other once after that. She asked me, “How are things with you
and Vanessa?”
My heart ached, but some love just can’t be spoken aloud.
I nodded and said we were doing fine, leaving it at that.
There was no ending for Vanessa and me–her heart condition was a lie, and I couldn’t be with a fraud.
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But I didn’t tell Claire that because she didi
