Too Late to Love Her: When She Divorced, He Fell Apart-Chapter 104: Truly Precious Friends

Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Truly Precious Friends
Joy bit her lower lip, "Won’t that make me lose face?"
Claire didn’t say anything.
Joy wasn’t wrong. In many cases, relationship issues between men and women are driven by pride. Both parties feel they’re not wrong and neither wants to be the first to back down.
Joy: "President Hale, if it were you, would you go find Tristan Lockwood?"
Claire was taken aback, lowered her gaze, seriously thought for a moment, shook her head, and said, "I wouldn’t."
"Then why are you still advising me like this?" Joy’s voice had a faint tinge of excitement, "Is it because you’re certain Tristan will come to you? Do those who are loved never take others’ pride seriously and think as long as they are loved, they can recklessly hurt the other?"
As Joy spoke, the air suddenly fell silent.
Claire looked at her steadily, her eyes still calm.
Joy gritted her teeth and said, "President Hale, you have money, status, and a wealthy and powerful husband like Tristan Lockwood. People like you who don’t lack for anything simply can’t understand my feelings!"
"You’re right." Claire lowered her eyes and said blandly, "I might really not be able to fully understand your feelings. But you got two things wrong."
Joy was stunned, "What?"
"Firstly, I’m not someone who has everything." Claire’s eyes deepened, her expression indifferent, "I’m an illegitimate child. My parents passed away early; I never experienced maternal love, and the paternal love I received was very brief. So, from childhood to adulthood, I’ve had few friends. However..."
She lifted her eyes and met Joy’s gaze.
Joy felt a tightness in her chest, tears shimmered in her reddened eyes. She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Claire continued:
"But you and Tina have made me feel cared for by friends. So, to me, you’re not just subordinates; you’re very precious friends."
Joy’s eyes reddened more, "I’m sorry, I..."
Claire smiled indifferently, "And the other thing is, you mentioned before that you thought I cared a lot about Tristan Lockwood. Your intuition was correct; I indeed love him, and have loved him for many years. However, Tristan doesn’t love me. Like you, I’m also someone who loves without reciprocation. And Tristan and I are soon getting divorced."
She paused, then continued, "The reason I suggested you go find Jude Jacobs is simply because, compared to Jude, I know you better. I believe you’re braver than I am, more honest in facing your emotions. I think you really want to find him in your heart. I’m just unconditionally supporting your choice."
After listening, Joy cried harder, leaning into her arms and repeatedly apologizing: "I’m sorry, really sorry, I’ve been too much, you came to comfort me, yet I turned you into a punching bag."
She sobbed and kept wiping her tears and nose. Claire shook her head indifferently, "It’s okay. If I can’t even bear a little of your negative emotions, what kind of friend am I?"
As she said this, she couldn’t help but think of Tristan Lockwood.
Despite knowing each other for so many years and even being married, they couldn’t accommodate even the slightest bit of each other’s temper. Every time there was an argument, it was always a trigger for an immediate, uncompromising confrontation.
"But I still don’t understand." Joy wiped her tears and said, choking, "Do brave people deserve to be the first to back down, to always have their pride trampled on?"
Claire paused, then gently touched her head, "No, Joy, that’s not how it is. You’re right, I made a mistake that many people easily make. I only wanted to solve the problem and naturally assumed the person who always compromised should be the one to back down first."
Joy pressed her lips tightly together, her black, moist eyes glimmering with obvious hesitation.
Claire sighed inwardly.
After finishing the meal, the two returned to the car, remaining silent all the way until they reached the company building.
When getting out, they walked into the office building one after the other until, inside the elevator, Joy suddenly cautiously tugged at Claire’s skirt corner, whispering, "President Hale, thank you."
Before the elevator reached the office floor, Claire gave her a gentle pat and said, "Seeing you happy is more precious to me than any words of thanks."
After saying this, she stepped out of the elevator, but upon reaching the office, she saw a message from Sean Lockwood on her phone, in his typically concise style, consisting only of two words:
[Seven o’clock.]
Followed by a location message.
Claire: ...
She really didn’t like Sean’s overbearing style that left no room for negotiation.
But now, she dared not resist him too much, after all, she was about to divorce Tristan Lockwood and without the protection of the Lockwood Family, offending Sean might lead to unforeseen trouble.
In the evening, Claire drove to the café where Sean had arranged to meet her.
Getting out of the car, she saw Sean standing on the street smoking. His dark suit blended with the night, giving off a profound, silent allure.
His striking looks and physique made passing pedestrians involuntarily stop and glance.
Claire walked over, speaking in a calm tone, "President Lockwood."
Sean tilted his head to glance at her, then straightforwardly said, "The divorce between you and Tristan has been dragged on for too long."
Claire furrowed her brow, "Shouldn’t President Lockwood be saying that to Tristan? In the Lockwood Family, do I have any decision-making power?"
Sean stubbed out his cigarette, raised a corner of his lip but without a hint of a smile, "If I’m not mistaken, are you complaining that the Lockwood Family forced you to divorce Tristan?"
Claire just looked at him, not saying a word.
Sean: "You don’t have much decision-making power in the Lockwood Family, but can you honestly say you haven’t deliberately delayed the divorce?"
Clenching her fist, she replied with a not-so-good expression, "I don’t need to prove anything to you with that kind of protest."
"In the end, you yourself can’t bear to leave him completely." Sean stared at her, "Or are you reluctant to let go of the Lockwood Family’s riches, thinking of making a few more gains before you leave?"
His face remained expressionless, neither cold nor warm, like a towering mountain, standing before her exerting an almost suffocating sense of pressure.
Claire clenched her fists, looking at him with icy resolve.
Sean noticed the veins on her hand, "This time, you don’t want to fight?"
Claire: "I can’t beat you."
Sean gave a smile devoid of any emotion, pulled out his phone, found Tristan Lockwood’s number from his contacts, and said to her, "Since you still hold the status of being my niece-in-law, I’ll reluctantly help you this time to make you decisively leave Tristan."