Chapter 267: Nothing changed at all —except ...
Just as Adelyn found herself dwelling on that thought ...
The phone in her hand suddenly rang.
She glanced down at the screen, and Freya’s name flashed across it.
Looking back at the little girl, she smiled gently. "Baby, give Mama a moment, alright?? Mama needs to take this call"
Little Eira obediently nodded and stood quietly beside her without making a sound.
Adelyn accepted the call and lifted the phone to her ear.
"Sister Freya ..." she greeted softly.
Soon, Freya’s warm voice came from the other end. "Yes, Adelyn." There was a brief pause before she asked gently,
"It’s already late. Am I ... disturbing you?"
Adelyn glanced at the little girl before smiling softly and shaking her head. "No, it’s perfectly fine. I was just relaxing at home."
"Good."
Freya paused briefly before finally bringing up the reason for her call. "Tomorrow, after training ... can you come to my office?"
Adelyn paused.
Something about Freya’s voice felt ... different. Almost as though she had something important on her mind. However, Adelyn didn’t question her over the phone.
Instead ... she nodded, agreeing.
"Okay, Sister Freya. I’ll see you tomorrow."
The two of them exchanged only a few more words before ending the call.
Adelyn lowered the phone and set it aside before looking back at Eira.
"Now that you’ve finished dinner and had your share of fun for today ..." she said with a smile, extending her hand. "Come on. Let me put you to bed."
She stood up and gently held the little girl’s hand.
But just as Adelyn was about to lead her toward the door and take her back to her own bedroom—
Eira didn’t move.
Adelyn turned around. The little girl was standing exactly where she was, pouting slightly.
"What’s wrong?" Adelyn asked.
Eira hesitated for a moment before softly asking, "Can Eira sleep with Mama tonight??"
Adelyn paused. For a brief second, she didn’t answer.
Seeing the silence, the excitement in Eira’s eyes slowly dimmed. She lowered her head and was just about to obediently walk toward her own room when—
Adelyn smiled.
"If you want to ..." she said softly, "... you can."
Little Eira immediately looked up at her again. Her bright eyes searched Adelyn’s face, looking for confirmation. "Really?"
Adelyn understood exactly what she was looking for. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I don’t mind at all having such an adorable little baby sleeping beside me."
The little girl’s face lit up. She looked at her mama, and then said eagerly, "Eira will then sleep with Mama tonight!!!"
Saying that, she couldn’t contain her happiness. Bouncing on her feet she rushed over to hug Adelyn once more.
Adelyn laughed softly and gently rubbed her head.
"Alright."
Taking her tiny hand in hers again, she led the girl toward the bed.
————————————————————
Meanwhile—
On the other side of the city—
After spending the entire day together, Xavier finally brought Clara back to the Scott Villa.
His sleek BMW rolled through the front gates before coming to a smooth stop at the entrance.
He got out first and walked around to open the passenger door for her.
Clara offered him a soft, weak smile before stepping out of the car.
Once Xavier closed the door behind her, she looked at him quietly.
"Xavi ..."
She breathed his name so softly, as though she wanted to cherish this very moment until the end of her life. "Thank you ... for giving me today."
Xavier frowned slightly, unable to understand what she meant.
"Having today ..." she continued, her expression gradually becoming more vulnerable, "... having this one day with you ... is enough."
She smiled faintly.
"Now ... even if you leave me ... I won’t have any regrets."
"Clara, what are you saying?" Xavier frowned more deeply. "I chose you today."
He looked straight into her eyes, and she met his gaze the same.
"You don’t have to ..."
Clara gently shook her head. "I already told you ... even if you don’t choose me, I won’t blame you."
She lowered her eyes.
"I’ll understand."
"Clara, you—"
"Xavier ..." She interrupted him. Her breathing gradually became uneven. Tears shimmered in her eyes, as though they had been held back for far too long.
"Why do you have to make fun of my love like this ...?"
Her voice trembled as she continued, "What have I ever done to deserve being treated this way by you?"
She looked at him helplessly.
"What ...?" Xavier couldn’t understand. Yet seeing her standing before him like this, his chest felt unbearably heavy.
His heart tightened painfully.
When her shoulders began trembling, he instinctively reached out to hold her. But before he could even touch her ...
She stepped back —avoiding his hand.
"I already told you ..." she whispered through her tears. "Even if you chose Adelyn ... I wouldn’t blame you."
"I would’ve understood."
"Even if you decided to leave me ... even if you abandoned me ... even if you broke your promise ..." Her voice cracked.
"Then why..."
"... why did you still come and give me today?"
She laughed bitterly. "Was it fun?"
Xavier immediately shook his head.
"No ..."
He breathed out urgently, wanting to explain himself. But Clara never gave him the chance.
Sobbing, she continued, "Years ago ..."
"Adelyn took my place. But I never blamed her for it. I never resented her. I accepted that she became part of the family that should have been mine."
"I accepted your relationship with her ... even though that should’ve belonged to me." Her shoulders trembled as she forced out another laugh.
"I even blamed myself for everything that happened back then."
Xavier looked at her in stunned silence.
Clara nodded. "Yes ... I really did."
"I resented myself every single time I saw you ... Mother ... Liam ... and Bryer missing her." She slowly lowered her head. "I kept thinking, if only I hadn’t been the one rescued that day —maybe all of you would’ve had Adelyn by your side instead."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"But ..."
She laughed weakly.
"It all became a joke the day she came back."
She suddenly grabbed Xavier’s arm tightly. Looking into his eyes, she asked desperately, "I’ve become the biggest joke in the world, haven’t I, Xavier?"
"Clara ..."
"No." She cut him off once again. "Tell me, haven’t I?"
"I spent years cursing myself ... Blaming myself for returning to my own family in her place ..."
"... while she was comfortably alive somewhere else all along."
She let out another hollow laugh.
"Isn’t that funny?"
"No, Clara." Xavier shook his head immediately. "It isn’t. You—"
"No ..." She jerked his hand away. "It is, Xavi."
"It is." She laughed again. This time, the laughter sounded almost broken. Almost as though she had already lost everything.
"But do you know what’s even funnier than that?"
Xavier stared at her. His fingers slowly curled into fists.
Watching her like this ...
It felt as though every ounce of her pain, every bit of her resentment —was tearing into him as well.
Clara chuckled again. The sound was painfully empty. "The funniest part ..." She looked straight into his eyes. "... is that even after everything she’s done ... everything she’s doing —"
"... you still care about her."
"You all still do."
"Liam ... Bryer..." Her voice trembled. "... you."
She smiled bitterly.
"Every single one of you still cares about Adelyn just the same. Nothing changed. Nothing at all —except ..."
"Except all of your love towards me."
