I

Chapter

74

When froze in place, a surge of anger and fear crashing through him like a tidal wave, squeezing his chest until he could barely breathe. Heded to suppress the emotions that threatened to overtake him, but his face hardened, and he demanded, "What do you mean?" Clara looked at him calmly, her gare steady and devoid of emotion.

"When," she began quietly, her voice firm and measured. "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me. Aunt Katrina was always busy with work, but you raised, protected, and spoiled me.

"I'll never be able to repay that landness. I don't have much to offer,

H

to offer, but the things I sent with Aunt Katrina were my way of expressing gratitude" She paused briefly, then continued, her voice unwavering "I wasn't muture enogh before, I put myself in the wrong place and caused you a lot of trouble. For that, I owe van apology. 1 hope you and live can find happiness together. From now on, I'll treat you as nothing more than family-abrother. I won't entertain any foolish thoughts or dingt voor life anymore Herwinds were

were precise and clear, without a hint of bittemess. Even her blessing was

Įwas sincere, free of resentment of sarraum.

For a fleeting moment, Wren had clung to a faint hope. But heating let say this aloud felt like a death sentence. It was like she had taken a knife to his chest, carving nut his bram, plece by piece.

This wasn't what he wanted. From the start, all he'd wanted was to distance her from the complications of his family. He'd thought she would never truly le How did everything change in just one month?noveldrama

leave.

His eyes reddened as a metallic taste filled his throat. He gripped her hand tightly, his voice breaking and filled with desperation as he pleaded, "Clara, this isn't how you really teel, is it? You're still mad at me, right?"

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to keep going. "I know I shouldn't have ignored your feelings because of Ivy. I shouldn't have left you alone at the banquet, shouldn't love let you get hurt

"But i never thought you'd leave. Mease come back with m

1. me. Let's go home. You know the Zachman family has always been your home-don't That promise Wren had said it himself fifteen years ago had once been the most certain truth in Clara's life. She had never doubted it. But the Zadiman family wasn't her home anymore. It never really had been.

"No, When," she said softly, shading her head. "That's not my home, and I'm not angry with you."

Her tone was steady, even calm. "You were right that day at the hospital. You're not my legal guardian, and we're not related by blood.

71 had no right to expect you to save me. I said things I shouldn't have, and I blamed you unfairly. I'm sorry,"

su remember? you

Her apology telt like a dagger to Waen's chest, piercing straight through his heart. Each word was a cruel teminder of his mistakes, and the pain in his chest grew unbearable.

His face was etched with anguish, his complexion pale as if all the blood had drained from him.

Temotion

"Do you hate me?" le choked out, the words almost too painful to say. His voice was hoarse, raw with e Clara blinked, startled by the question. "Why would you think that?" she asked, her tone laced with surprise. "I don't hate you. I just don't love you Het woods, slutgile and

lat Wien like a sledgehammer.

anvinore

Despert youst wishes," al continued, her voice steady. "I'll step back and see you only as anally. From now on, you're just Aunt Katrina's stepson and my brother,

Yuodon't live to worry about the bothering you anymore. I wort. Not now, not ever."

Every wood she spoke felt like a ruling blowto Wren's bran

He had repeatedly told her to emember this roles to remind her that he was her brother and nothing more. Yet now, as those words came back to him, he hated the witamery liber of listing. They stood like an impenetrable wall between them, a barrier that he had once built but now couldn't bear to face,