Too Late to Love Her: When She Divorced, He Fell Apart-Chapter 142: Didn’t Come Home All Night?

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Didn’t Come Home All Night?
Sean Lockwood held the red wine, casually walked to the bar, his shirt rolled up to his elbows, and skillfully and elegantly poured the crimson liquid into the decanter.
She stood beside him, quietly watching him, until he handed the wine glass to her.
"Thank you, President Lockwood."
Claire Hale took the wine glass from his hand.
Her fingertips accidentally touched his palm, the same sensation as during the day, dry and warm.
Sean Lockwood held another glass of red wine, walked up to her, and said, "When I’m feeling down, I love being here, where I can see the entire Riverbend cityscape. The troubles of the heart become insignificant."
Claire Hale followed his gaze, falling on the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling window.
The night rises, the city lights glitter.
Vehicles flow like water, the distant stars spread across the sky like the Milky Way.
Appreciating the scenery is a simple and direct way to forget troubles and sorrows.
The anxious heart of Claire Hale also suddenly calmed down at this moment.
She clinked glasses with Sean Lockwood.
Sean Lockwood really loved red wine, and a bottle that costs six figures quickly emptied after several rounds of clinking glasses. Claire Hale’s cheeks also blushed from drinking.
Drinking together is an easy way to open up to each other, no matter how close or distant the relationship. Alcohol is always the best topic starter.
Otherwise, why do so many deals get made over drinks?
Claire Hale was momentarily numbed by the alcohol and boldly said, "President Lockwood took me here, enjoying the scenery and drinking red wine, is it to comfort me when I’m feeling down?"
Sean Lockwood’s tolerance was much better than hers, and he still appeared as steady as before.
He didn’t deny it, merely responded with a faint "Mm."
Claire Hale smiled at him, "Thank you, President Lockwood."
She had said thank you to him several times that day.
But this time, perhaps due to the impact of the alcohol, her thank you lacked the usual indifference, her flushed cheeks making her smile excessively sincere and adorably charming.
Sean Lockwood’s Adam’s apple subtly moved as he asked, "How will you thank me?"
Claire Hale furrowed her brow as though seriously pondering the question.
"How does President Lockwood want me to thank you?" she straightforwardly asked.
Sean Lockwood’s gaze deepened, "Whatever I want, you’ll give it?"
By this time, Claire Hale was already feeling dizzily muddled, her head nodding like a chick pecking at grain.
"President Lockwood is wealthy and powerful, having everything. What I can give probably isn’t worth much."
Her head swayed again, directly knocking against his shoulder.
Sean Lockwood paused slightly but didn’t push her away.
Letting the weight on his shoulder increase, he said, "Someone once told me, everyone has something uniquely their own, that which is truly valuable. You naturally have it too."
The head resting on his shoulder slightly stiffened, moments later, Claire Hale emitted a muffled sound: "I lost it long ago."
Her body slowly fell to the side, Sean Lockwood caught her with the motion, seeing she was already drunk into a deep slumber, he scooped her up horizontally into the room, laying her on the bed.
He stood by the bedside, looking down at her sleeping face.
She slept heavily but restlessly, frowning occasionally, the blanket he had just covered her with kicked off again.
Sean Lockwood paused slightly, a certain memory abruptly flashing in his mind, his heart, numbed by alcohol, inevitably throbbed in faint pain.
The next day.
When Claire Hale woke, although her head ached, she didn’t black out this time, and she remembered most of what happened the night before.
With memory restored, despite the embarrassment, she also breathed a sigh of relief, luckily she hadn’t drunk herself into a disgraceful state; if she had thrown up on Sean Lockwood, it would’ve been dreadful.
She quickly got up to tidy herself.
The clothes she wore were still from yesterday, carrying the scent of last night’s alcohol, quite unpleasant.
Claire Hale made do by putting them on, freshening up in the bathroom first, and when she walked out of the bedroom, Sean Lockwood was already impeccably dressed, standing in the living room.
Glancing at her as she emerged, he greeted her blandly: "Are you feeling unwell?"
Claire Hale hurriedly replied, "No."
She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him.
Although nothing happened yesterday, she ultimately drank too much and fell onto his shoulder, which was truly a tad embarrassing.
Sean Lockwood acted as if nothing had happened, pointing to the sofa: "Clean clothes."
Claire Hale paused briefly, didn’t take them, and only said: "No need, I’ll go home to change."
Sean Lockwood nodded: "I’ll see you home."
"You’re busy."
This time, she refused quite resolutely, as soon as she finished speaking, she hurriedly grabbed her bag, rushing out of the room as if escaping, all the way to the hotel entrance.
While waiting for the car, a Volkswagen Phaeton pulled up in front of her.
From the driver’s seat, a young man got out, bowing respectfully to her: "Miss Hale, President Lockwood has to hurry to the office, and asked me to drive you home."
The manner left her no room to refuse.
Claire Hale got into the car, seeing the bag from the room placed in the back seat.
Driver: "President Lockwood said that’s also a gift for you."
Claire Hale: "Please thank President Lockwood for me."
When the car arrived at the entrance of the housing complex, Claire Hale got out.
With one hand holding the bag, the other carrying her purse, she quickly walked towards her building, only to see Tristan Lockwood standing not far away.
He stood tall next to the car, expression indifferent and cold, when she approached, his eyes reflected an ambiguous emotion.
Claire Hale ignored his gaze, walking straight ahead into the building.
Tristan Lockwood lengthened stride to catch up, blocking her before she entered the elevator.
She frowned, trying to push him away, but he spoke first, saying: "Not back for a night?"
She still didn’t look at him, merely saying blandly: "It’s none of your business."
His gaze landed on the bag she was carrying.
The bag was closed, Tristan Lockwood couldn’t see what was inside.
Though unaware of what Sean Lockwood gifted her, Claire Hale’s hand holding the bag unconsciously tightened.
He appeared somewhat distracted, saying casually: "I thought our last breakup would significantly affect you."
Claire Hale’s heart trembled, she looked up at his eyes.
Could it be he already perceived that she was intentionally pretending to be unable to part with him then?
She hesitated slightly, lowering her eyes to say: "After the last breakup, I indeed struggled for several days. But you know, this time you were resolute about leaving, I couldn’t stop it, naturally I have to continue my life."
She didn’t wait for Tristan Lockwood to reply and pushed him aside, entering the elevator.
As the elevator doors closed on the last second, she raised her eyes, briefly meeting Tristan Lockwood’s deep gaze.
Outside the elevator.
Tristan Lockwood stood in place for a while, seeing the elevator stop, he then strode away.
She didn’t want to see him, talk to him, and now, naturally, he wouldn’t force her.
But she carried the bag, something he could immediately tell was a discreet, high-end luxury brand of clothing.
She had never worn clothes from this brand before.
Last night at the hospital, she evidently learned of her grandmother’s leukemia diagnosis, which left her visibly dazed and lost.
After he checked out of the hospital and finished his shift, he was already very tired, but thinking of her dazed figure, he couldn’t rest easy and still went to her home.
He hadn’t expected what awaited was her absence overnight.
Returning carrying gifts from another man.