If I were still at the Hayes house, I’d be alone,
waiting for a husband who never came home.
improving myself, filming,
But I was busy
editing, traveling the world with Lucy.
I barely thought of Harrison anymore.
Claire was unusually defiant, returning the heirloom bracelet and staying away for a
month.
The day after the family dinner, the butler frantically called him, saying Claire hadn’t
returned.
When he got home, he saw her documents and clothes untouched.
He was sure she’d be back soon.
She had no family; he was her only support. He knew she was trying to make him get rid of the Sarah look–alike.
<
She’d always been affected by Sarah’s
presence.
So what?
Once she’d suffered enough, she’d remember
the good life at the Hayes house and return. When she did, she’d be taught a lesson about manners; running away like that was a
disgrace.
But a month passed before he admitted she’d grown bolder than he expected.
He hadn’t married her, and she’d endured it.
He’d displayed Sarah’s favorite things, and she’d endured it.
He thought she’d endure it forever.
But when he brought home the Sarah look-
alike, Claire didn’t just turn pale
she ran.
For the first time ever, Harrison called the
number ha novor dialad
Join the bookshelf
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number he never dialed.
It was disconnected.
He realized he didn’t know how else to reach
her.
She had no family, few friends; he assumed
she wouldn’t truly leave him, not even in
death.
She’d been angry for so long; surely she’d
return.
After the tenth disconnected call, he lost
patience and looked at his assistant.
“Find Mrs. Hayes. If anything happens to her,
I’m afraid her ghost will haunt me.”
I saw Harrison again two days after Lucy and
I returned from Sichuan.
We were editing our final video when
someone knocked.
く
Several bodyguards stormed in.
Lucy asked, “Who are you looking for?”
Their eyes fell on me, holding a tablet.
“Mrs. Hayes, Mr. Hayes wants you to come
back.”
I hadn’t heard that title in over a month. It felt
strange.
Lucy turned to me. “You’re a rich lady?”
“Are they your blind husband’s people?”
“Did you file for divorce? How much did you
get?”
Lucy’s rapid–fire questions made me laugh.
Harrison was known for his sharp business
sense.
His projects always succeeded.
This was the first time I’d heard someone say
he was “blind.”
L
“We never got a marriage license; it was just
a ceremony,” I explained.
Lucy clicked her tongue. “He’s a real jerk.‘
I looked at the bodyguards. “Tell Harrison I
won’t return. Don’t bother looking for me.”
They looked at each other.
The leader called Harrison.
“Mr. Hayes, Mrs. Hayes refuses to come
back.”
Harrison arrived faster than I expected.
In ten minutes, he stood before my door,
looking grim.
The bodyguards moved aside. Harrison faced
- me.
“Claire, you’ve got some nerve. Running away,
staying gone for so long! Don’t forget, you’re
still Mrs. Hayes. Come home!”
<
I chuckled. “Harrison, we didn’t get a
marriage license. There’s no Mrs. Hayes.”
A sarcastic smile touched his lips.
“Claire, you just want to marry me, don’t you?
But I told you, only Sarah will be on my
marriage certificate. You married me
willingly.”
“Now you regret it?”
For the first time, I found him incredibly dense.
“Where did you get the idea I want to marry you?”
“I just want you to leave me alone. I’m happy now. I’m not going back.”
He looked stunned, disbelieving.
After a pause, he seemed to concede. “Claire,
you win. Come back, and we’ll get a license.
Join the best
<
I’ll forget about you running away.”
He reached out.
Before, I would’ve grasped his hand.
But I just stared.
“Harrison, isn’t it better this way? You don’t
like me anyway.”
“If I leave, you can bring whoever you want
home, no more worries.”
He laughed, angered.
“Claire, don’t play games. That doesn’t work
on me.”
“Last chance. Are you coming home? If not,
I’ll find another Mrs. Hayes!”
I shrugged. “Fine! Whoever wants it can have
