Chapter 50 lan had never seen Clara like this before. He held her close, whispering words of comfort. âClara, take a breath. Iâve got the best people on this, I wonât let him leave you.â
Claraâs sobs were relentless. âlan, my dad wouldnât just off himself for no reason. Someone mustâve spilled the beans about us. I swear, if I find out who, theyâre gonna regret it.â
Her tears flowed, but her eyes blazed with a rare ferocity.
lanâs gaze fell as his cool fingertips gently brushed away her tears, his voice rough, âDonât worry, Iâll get to the bottom of this, I promise. No more tears, okay?â
He had never felt like this beforeâthe fear of losing something precious and the desperate struggle to hold on. He knew all too well that if anything happened to Casey, heâd lose his reason to keep Clara close. Right now, one thought consumed him: to hold Clara tight and never let her slip away.
As they embraced, the doctor emerged from the ICU. âThe patientâs will to live is weak. You might want to go in, and talk to him.
Keep it light. The sooner he comes around, the better for his recovery.â
Clara swiftly wiped her tears. âGot it, Iâm on it.â
As lan moved to follow, she blocked him. âMy dad canât handle stress, youâre not coming in.â
âIâll be quiet, just there for you.â Heâd never pleaded with anyone like this. He didnât even know why, but he just wanted to be there for her, for Casey to wake up.
Dressed in sterile gowns, they approached Caseyâs bedside.
Clara grasped her fatherâs hand, her hot tears falling onto his skin. âDad, you promised youâd never leave me. Why are you breaking your word? Donât you know, without you, I have no home? Nobody in this world would love me. Are you really that cruel? I have been dumped once by mom, now by you. Am I that loathsome?â
Recalling the past, Clara wept softly over her father.
lan stood by, his hand tenderly stroking her hair. Heâd lived with Clara for three years but never knew she harbored such fragilityâ
her yearning for family, and her fear of abandonment.
lan had never been more eager to uncover Claraâs past.
His phone rang at that moment. Stepping into the adjacent sterile room, he answered. âMr. Hayes, Iâve dug it up. That woman is indeed Ms. Claraâs birth mother. Sheâs kicked out by Mr. Casey seven years ago for her scandalous life. It hit Ms. Clara hard.
She was 11:14 cornered in a classroom by the parents of her classmates, her clothes were torn off, and photographs were taken. They accused her of being loose like her mother, and seducing boys. The scandal exploded at school, and Clara was branded a pariah.
Afterwards, she fell seriously ill and transferred away. I couldnât trace her illness or schooling until college resurfaced her records.
That time mustâve been hellish, so, Mr. Casey wiped all traces.