Chapter 11
Lucius paused for a few seconds, then quickly regained his composure and turned the question back on her.
‘I can answer that, but first, I’d like to ask you something too. Why did you choose me for this arranged marriage?”
Now it was Isabella’s turn to feel troubled.
Fortunately, her quick mind came up with several plausible reasons.
‘I’m the only daughter of the Claymore family, and you’re the head of the Moretti family. Arranged marriages are all about building alliances between powerful families. Plus, we’re not that far apart in age, so I figured we’d have plenty in common and wouldn’t have any trouble getting along after marriage. And with all you’ve accomplished, I thought I’d aim high and see if you’d say yes. If you
did, I’d be getting a hell of a deal.”
Lucius could tell immediately that she was just making things up.
se weren’t her real thoughts.
at there were some things he genuinely needed to understand.
So after she finished her rambling explanation, he pressed further:
‘So in your mind, I was your first choice for marriage, and Ronan would have been… your backup?”
The car fell into instant silence.
Hearing that name made Isabella think of those painful memories, something flickering in her eyes.
Sensing her reluctance to discuss this person, Lucius was about to change the subject when he heard
her much quieter voice:
“No.”
After those two decisive words, Isabella looked up at him directly, her eyes showing a determination
he’d never seen before,
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“If you had refused, I definitely wouldn’t have married into the Moretti family. I would have found a way to cancel the entire arrangement.”
Hearing this answer, Lucius felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
He rubbed his fingertips thoughtfully and asked two more questions that were crucial to him:
“Isn’t Ronan good enough? Didn’t you really like him?”
His barely audible voice carried a trace of complex emotions that were difficult to decipher.
Isabella caught it.
She understood why he was asking this question, and she knew her answer would determine how they related to each other going forward.
Lucius was a proud, self–controlled man who would never allow himself to become someone’s second choice or consolation prize.
In her past life, his feelings had been buried so completely for over thirty years that they were only discovered after his unexpected death–proof of his almost pathological self–control.
If he knew she had been reborn and had chosen him only to avoid repeating past mistakes, he would definitely continue hiding those feelings.
That wasn’t what Isabella wanted to see.
So she told a lie.
“I only ever liked his looks. I figured since I had to get married anyway, marrying a handsome guy wouldn’t be so bad, which is why I chased after him.”
“Someone as capable as you must realize that the one he truly cares about isn’t me, right? I’m not as
clever as you–I only figured it out recently. I’m the daughter of the Claymore family, and there’s no way I can stand by while my husband has another woman in his heart. So, I made up my mind right away to walk away from him. You’re a hundred, no, a thousand times better than he is, so I figured, why not give it a shot? After all, everyone in Chicago knows that Isabella Claymore will stop at nothing and throw all her dignity away to get the guy she wants.”
Though her tone was light, Lucius could see the hidden tears in her eyes.
he could easily see through others‘ hearts after spending years navigating the business world and
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Chapter 11
encountering all sorts of people,
But faced with Isabella’s lies, he couldn’t bring himself to say a harsh word–he only wanted to hold
her close.
And that’s exactly what he did.
After all, they were husband and wife now. What he’d once had to be cautious about, he no longer needed to worry about.
The woman in his arms sobbed quietly, her tear–soaked clothing clinging to him and somehow making his own chest ache.
He gently patted her back, his voice warmer and more tender than spring sunshine.
“That’s not about stopping at nothing–that’s called being brave.”
It was such a simple sentence, yet it felt like a gentle balm easing the wounds that had been festering in Isabella’s heart for years.
She stopped suppressing all those emotions that had caused her so much pain, letting them pour out through her tears.
After a good, emotional cry, her makeup was ruined and the car had stopped.
Only the newlywed couple remained in the vehicle, still holding each other.
Once her emotions settled, thinking back on what had just happened, Isabella felt only
embarrassment.
How had she ended up crying in front of Lucius?
How could she explain this?
While she was still thinking, Lucius spoke first.
“Weren’t you curious about why I agreed to this marriage? My reasons are the same as yours: first, for a strategic alliance; second, because you’re wonderful; and third, because I’m getting older and it’s time to get married”
Isabella immediately knew he was just placating her.
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Chapter 11
In his past life, he’d been pressured by his family until age thirty–five and still hadn’t married–all because of her!
So she mumbled under her breath:
“Liar.”
A flash of surprise crossed Lucius’s eyes, and he nodded noncommittally.
“You lied to me too. We’re even.”
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