Chapter 3

"Sorry, Aunt Katrina. It's all my fault for getting you into this mess." Clara lowered her head, gloom filling her chest. Katrina gingerly applied some burn cream onto Clara's arm. A sigh left her lips as she watched Clara drown in self-blame. She voiced, "I'm the one who's no good. It's my fault you suffered earlier." Katrina and Carlisle once lived a peaceful life. She used to think Carlise genuinely loved her. That was until Clara's parents, Katrina's biological sister and brother-in-law, passed away. That left Clara with nobody else to depend on except for her and Carlisle. Yet, the business she and Carlisle had founded had also encountered issues at the time. That was when Carlisle began treating her colder by the day. To maintain the business left behind by Clara's parents and raise Clara, Katrina had no choice but to endure the difficulties. She worked hard to keep the peace within the Zachman family. That serenity continued on until four years ago when Carlisle brought Shirley and Ivy home. That was when Katrina saw the striking resemblance between her and Shirley. She finally understood Carlisle had only married her as a replacement for Shirley. Likewise, her days in the Zachman family became more unbearable when Shirley moved in. Katrina suppressed the bitterness brewing within her as she bandaged Clara. "Are you sure you can continue making art now that your hand's injured?" Clara nodded, forcing a smile on her face. "Don't worry, Aunt Katrina. I've prepared almost everything I need. To become a famous artist and hold a national art exhibition was my mother's dying wish. I'm going to make it happen." "Alright, then." Katrina was hesitant but soon asked, "Have you told Wren that you're going abroad?" Clara stiffened before she lowered her head in silence. Katrina put away the first aid kit, stood, and lightly patted Clara's shoulder. "Wren raised you on his own all these years. It's best if you find the chance to tell him one of these days." "Okay," Clara murmured. Following that, Katrina left with the first aid kit. Clara changed into a fresh set of clothes and had just opened her bedroom door. That was when she saw Wren, who was about to enter his room, and Ivy, who walked beside him. Wren's gaze swept past the gauze bandage on Clara's arm. Then, he froze. "Are you hurt?" He instinctively rushed forward, wanting to grab her hand and inspect it closer. Clara speedily hid her arm behind her back and avoided Wren's touch. Her actions caused her and Wren to pause in surprise. She dared not face Wren as she softly answered, "I'm fine." Ivy had also bandaged her arm. She rolled her eyes at Clara and pretended to be shocked. "Are you copying me to trick your brother into caring about you, Clara?" Wren's expression soured with disappointment at Clara just then. Wren had let down Clara so many times that she gradually stopped feeling sad. She didn't explain herself, nor did she wish to do so. Wren wouldn't believe her, anyway. She ignored her aching heart as she looked up at Wren. "Wren, I'm thinking of moving abr—" Ivy stepped forward, hugged Wren's arm, and pouted. "I want to be closer to you, Wren! Could you move upstairs?" Since Clara moved into this villa, only she and Wren lived on the third floor. Wren had specially hired someone to design her bedroom. It had the best lighting in the entire villa and was the largest bedroom. On the other hand, Wren's room was opposite Clara's. He had picked that room back then for ease when caring for Clara. Now, it seemed like the right time for Clara to give up her bedroom to Ivy, the future head of this household. "The remaining room is too small. I don't want you feeling uncomfortable while staying there." Wren frowned. "Is he calling me out on purpose? Does he want me to be more considerate and surrender my room to his future bride at once?" Clara wondered. She couldn't help but tug her lips into a terse smile. She felt self-deprecating and lonely. Regardless, she said, "I'd like to move downstairs, Wren." Wren and Ivy never expected Clara to say that. While Ivy's eyes lit up in delight, Wren's frown deepened. Ivy feared Wren would refuse, so she beat him at speaking up. "Do you mean it, Clara? Can I have your room, then?" "Yeah." Clara nodded. She was only living under the Zachman family's roof as their foster child. What right did she have to interfere with allocating rooms to others? Wren felt uneasy after seeing Clara so silent. He stepped ahead, wanting to say something, but Ivy held him back. "Gosh, Wren! You're such an attached older brother. "Clara's older now. Plus, you and I are about to be engaged. She must find it awkward living in such close proximity with you. You should've helped Clara switch to another room long ago!" After lecturing Wren, Ivy flashed her pearly whites in a big smile at Clara. "Don't you agree, Clara?" Wren glanced at Clara with a grim expression. "Do whatever you want," he said before entering his room. Clara kept her emotions under control and wanted to leave. Yet, Ivy blocked her way. Ivy sneered, "I'm so glad you made the first move in offering to switch rooms, Clara. Wren was stressed about how to go about asking you for it. It's awkward having you next door when we want to be a little intimate at night." She pretended to be abashed while saying that. Yet, the provocative arrogance in her eyes was unconcealable. Clara suddenly felt exhausted. It was like her body was an empty shell, and nothing could stir up any emotions within her anymore. … Clara would graduate in half a year. After she agreed to Katrina's suggestion last night, Katrina informed the school about it this morning. So, once Clara arrived at school today, she got the transfer process done smoothly. Since it was still early, Clara wanted to ask her friend out to catch up. Alas, her friend was busy today, so they made plans for tomorrow instead. Upon arriving home, Clara noticed the Zachman residence's housekeepers were moving things downstairs. She immediately recognized that they were moving her belongings. Clara went to her bedroom door and saw it was wide open. Everything inside her room was a mess. Inside, Ivy stood arrogantly, like she called the shots. She instructed the housekeepers to move everything out at once. A housekeeper was about to leave the room with Clara's belongings. Just then, she saw Clara standing outside the door. Her face slightly paled with panic as she uttered, "M-Ms. Salford." Only then did Ivy notice Clara's presence. Still, she motioned the housekeepers to continue moving Clara's things. Then, she put on a friendly demeanor and approached to grab Clara's arm. She smilingly stated, "Oh, you're back, Clara. I hope you're not mad that I started moving things before getting your approval." Clara ignored the former. Instead, she watched the housekeeper continue to move her things after receiving Ivy's instruction. Her chest tightened at that sight. Wren used to spoil Clara so much that even Carlisle couldn't enter her room without her permission. Yet, here Ivy was, moving her things without bothering to inform her. It seemed to Clara that Wren's biased love for Clara ran deep into his bones. "It's fine. I'd have to move my things sooner or later," Clara answered, her gaze hanging low. Ivy stared at Clara while intentionally trying to provoke the latter by bragging, "It's all Wren's fault. I told him there was no rush, but he wouldn't listen. He says he wants to see me first thing every morning. "Isn't he the worst for not considering your feelings? He's still your brother, after all! How could he be so insensitive?" Clara thought, "Because he's saved all his thoughtfulness for you. So, that's why this is happening—he couldn't even wait for half a day to pass." At the thought, she pursed her lips self-deprecatingly. She removed Ivy's grasp on her arm before heading downstairs without saying anything. Her belongings sat in a messy pile at the end of the hallway downstairs, where a small room with bad lighting was. She no longer wanted to think about who had decided to give her this room since she would be leaving soon. Clara put her things away. Then, she placed everything Wren gave her these past few years in the storage room beside her new bedroom. She figured Katrina would return those things to Wren after she left. She refused to take them with her abroad, just like she had accepted that there would be no future for her and Wren.