Jackson let out a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. “Forget it. If even you can’t do anything, what am I supposed to do? When Dylan digs his heels in, no one can change his mind. All we can do now is wait—and maybe start thinking about his funeral if we just sit here doing nothing.”
He hung up without another word.
Richard stared at his phone, a storm of emotions flickering in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Clara drove for a while before pulling over, watching the busy street outside her window. People rushed past, lost in their own lives, making everything feel strangely unreal.
She got out and wandered into a flower shop. After a slow lap around the store, she left empty-handed. Her heart felt hollow. The emptiness was suffocating.
She needed to do something—anything. Sitting around only made her think about everything that had happened lately.
So she drove to Bradford Group.
Ever since Ryan took over, the company had been thriving.
When he spotted Clara in the lobby, his whole face lit up. “Clara!”
He looked like a kid bursting to show off his best grades, immediately handing her two months’ worth of project reports. “Look! The company’s projects have been doing amazing. By the way, there’s a charity gala tonight. You said you were bored, right? Why don’t you come? Bring Uno too! I don’t think he’s ever been to something like this.”
Clara thought for a moment and then nodded.
Ryan gave her a quick tour of the cafeteria, and as evening fell, he dragged her off to get a makeover.
Uno wasn’t spared either. He ended up in a crisp suit, clearly uncomfortable as he frowned at Clara. “What’s this about?”
“There’s a huge buffet inside—tables and tables of food. You can eat whatever you want, but you have to wear this.”
Uno’s eyes lit up at the mention of food. “Okay.”
With Ryan’s invitation in hand, Clara took Uno to the gala.
The event was huge—filled with celebrities and familiar faces from all over the city. She hadn’t realized just how packed it would be until she walked in.
Clara led Uno straight to the food. “Take your time, eat as much as you want, but stay around here. I’ll come find you later.”
She spotted Scarlette across the room and started over to say hi.
Uno nodded, grabbed a fork, and tore into the buffet like he hadn’t eaten in days. One plate disappeared in seconds, then another.

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