Chapter 403

Clara hurried forward, urgency in her voice. "Conner! Why are you back so late?" Conner adjusted his tie casually. "It's nothing. Just had a few things to handle." "What sort of things kept you out this late?" Clara couldn't bring herself to trust a man's words. Men were always deceitful—either enjoying themselves at home or seeking pleasures elsewhere. Suspicion darkened her eyes, and Clara spotted a lipstick mark on Conner's pristine white collar. Noticing the mark, Clara felt as if she had caught onto something. She reached out and grabbed Conner's collar, demanding, "What is this?" Conner glanced at the lipstick mark, recalling the moment Maeve had seemingly fallen into his arms in the car, their eyes meeting as she straightened up. In an instant, Conner understood. Maeve was manipulating him to fuel Clara's suspicions. As Clara faced Conner's silence, her suspicions solidified into anger. She barked, "Fine! You say you love me, but you won't even touch me. It's all ju