A Night of Desire

Despite her seatbelt, Clara Grant’s entire upper body lurched forward with the car’s momentum before snapping back.

She couldn’t help but let out a small cry. Seth Quinn, who had just steadied himself, was startled and quickly grabbed her shoulders, asking worriedly, "Clara, are you okay?"

But Clara Grant instinctively flinched away. She had only asked that question hoping to hear him deny it, but his reaction just now seemed to have already confirmed her fears.

’Clara didn’t dare to think about it, didn’t want to think about it, yet she couldn’t stop herself from wondering.’

’If the message from that mysterious person was fake, then why was he so panicked just now?’

Seth Quinn clearly felt Clara Grant’s subtle movement to avoid him, and his heart pounded with even more panic.

Clara Grant steadied herself and looked at him again, her gaze fixed. When she spoke, her voice was tinged with an icy chill, each word enunciated with deliberate slowness.

"Does Cherie... really have congenital heart disease?"

She could overlook whether he had deceived her about their relationship, or his relationship with Cherie, but she could not overlook him lying to her about Cherie being sick!

Seth Quinn looked into her eyes and suddenly felt deflated. ’I should have told her long ago. Maybe I would have gotten some leniency for confessing. But now...’

He knew that if he continued to lie, she would probably believe him. But if he did that, he would never have another chance to explain himself.

So, he had only one choice now: tell her the truth, even if she would be furious after learning it.

’If she gets angry, I can try to soothe her. I can sincerely beg for her forgiveness. But I can’t keep making this mistake.’

Seth Quinn lowered his gaze slightly, unable to meet hers. He moved his lips and said, "No."

His voice was soft, but it landed on Clara Grant’s heart with immense weight.

Although she had anticipated this answer, she still subconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes with both hands. She squeezed so tightly that the backs of her hands turned a pale, bluish-white.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice incredibly raw. "So, all of it was a lie? It was a scam from the very beginning?"

As she spoke, she suddenly laughed, but the sound was hollow and laced with self-mockery. "Heh, to think that an ordinary girl like me was worth the great President Quinn going to such great lengths to set up a scam, all just to marry me? I’m just so incredibly flattered."

"Clara, please let me explain..." Seth Quinn began, his voice unsteady as he looked at her pale face.

"Explain? How are you going to explain? What is there to explain? That you were so deeply in love with me that you had no choice but to resort to this lowly tactic to trick me? Or that this was all someone else’s idea, and you were just forced to go along with it?"

"Do you have any idea how terrified and helpless I felt when I heard Cherie had congenital heart disease?

Do you have any idea how heartbroken and guilty I felt when I couldn’t raise the money for Cherie’s medical bills?

Did you ever think about how I would be terrified, worrying whether Cherie’s illness could even be cured?

Did you ever think about the struggle and despair I went through back then, when I didn’t love you, and you used this scam to make me decide whether or not to marry you?

And my mom! She’s old, and her health isn’t good. Did you ever think that something like this would frighten her?

And Cherie! He’s just a child, yet he had to play along with your charade. Don’t you feel any shame? Do you even deserve to be his uncle?"