Adrian Quincy glanced up at her, then said into the phone with complete composure, "I’m sorry, I’ll call you back. Goodbye."

He was speaking English...

Claire Sinclair felt a pang of regret; it seemed she had disrupted his work. But then she remembered he had kept her locked up for so many days, and her anger flared up again.

"I want a divorce! Right now, this instant!"

"Have you thought it through?" Adrian Quincy asked slowly.

Claire Sinclair nodded emphatically. "Yes, I’ve thought it all through!"

"I haven’t," Adrian Quincy said gravely.

Infuriated, Claire Sinclair strode over to him and grabbed his arm, trying to pull him to his feet. "I don’t care whether you’ve thought it through or not! I can’t live with you anymore! Get up and come get a divorce with me! I want a divorce!"

If she had known how little strength she had, perhaps she wouldn’t have wasted her energy trying to move him.

A pained expression crossed Adrian Quincy’s face as he took her arm. He pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight enough that she couldn’t move.

"Claire, I love you."

"..."

’Is he trying to make me go soft with a sudden confession?’

’Sorry, but I’m not falling for that.’

Claire Sinclair tried to struggle, but it was futile. After a few attempts, her body was so tired she gave up. She snarled through gritted teeth, "I’ve had enough! Let me go! I don’t want to see your face for another second!"

"If I let you go, does that mean I’ll lose you forever?"

"..."

"If that’s the case, then I’d rather you hate me, so long as I can keep you here."

Claire Sinclair was furious. "What’s the point of this? I don’t love you at all!"

"I don’t care."

"But I care! Can’t you stop being so selfish? I’m just an ordinary person. I’m not good enough for a blue blood like you. Just let me go, please?"

By the end, her voice had turned into a plea.

His only response was to hug her tighter, so tight it hurt.

He simply held her, saying nothing.

Even so, she could understand the meaning behind his silence.

He was trying to make her stay but didn’t know how to put it into words.

Claire Sinclair felt a mix of anger and heartache. She was keenly aware of the depth of his feelings, but she didn’t dare accept them...

"Do you know what it feels like? You try so hard to catch up to someone. You finally, finally reach them, but you still can’t take their hand. Instead, countless people behind you drag you, forcefully, right back to the starting line..."

"Are you talking about failing at the last hurdle?"

"!!!"

’Who the hell is talking about idioms with him?!’

"It’s not about ’failing at the last hurdle,’" Claire Sinclair snapped. "It’s about it being a complete waste of effort!"

"’A waste of effort’ means you put in work for no reward. ’Failing at the last hurdle’ implies you were on the verge of success. If you just keep trying, the final outcome could be different."

’This guy must be trying to change the subject to make me forget about the divorce. I’m not going to fall for it!’

"I’m not here to split hairs with you! All I know is I want a divorce!"

"Convince me. Only then will I willingly agree to a divorce."

"I’ll get a divorce whether I convince you or not."

"A divorce requires the consent of both parties. As long as I don’t agree, even if you take it to court, a judge won’t grant the divorce. Your only option is to convince me."

"You’re just being a bully!"

Adrian Quincy didn’t answer, which was as good as admitting it.

Claire’s teeth itched with rage. "Adrian Quincy, did I owe you some great debt in a past life for you to torment me like this? I can pay you back now. Tell me, what is it I owe you?"

"Maybe it’s the other way around. Maybe I owed you in a past life, and this life is my repayment to you. You don’t owe me a thing."