Too Late to Love Her: When She Divorced, He Fell Apart-Chapter 20: Last Time in Your Office, We Didn’t Finish

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Last Time in Your Office, We Didn’t Finish
Claire Hale clenched the photo tightly, not denying it.
In her childhood, she was bullied in the Hale Family, and children often enjoyed playing the game of isolation. Naturally, she became the isolated one.
But Jade Sutton was the only one who stood by her side.
She stood up for her, wiped her tears, and shared secrets while sleeping together.
She was one of Claire’s few precious childhood memories.
Later, Claire was sent to the Lockwood Family, and for unknown reasons, she lost contact with Jade.
Until today, when she saw this photo.
"How did you end up with Jade?"
She couldn’t help but ask, noticing her voice was hoarse as she spoke.
"I don’t have to answer that," Sean Lockwood glanced at his watch and stood up. "I’m short on time. I’ll pay you half the fee upfront, and the remaining half after you find Jade."
As he was about to leave, Claire asked, "Are you so sure I’ll take this case?"
Sean Lockwood turned to look at her with a calm expression, and said lightly, "I’m offering a good fee for this case, and as far as time is concerned, as long as she’s found, the result is not divorce. No matter what happens. A guaranteed deal, why wouldn’t you take it."
He spoke with a carefree confidence, a skill in planning and maneuvering rather than just self-assurance.
She indeed had no reason to refuse further.
Moreover, there was another reason Sean didn’t have to mention — Jade was her friend, and she also wanted to find her.
Half an hour after Sean Lockwood left, an eight-figure sum was received in the public account of the office. Claire glanced at the amount, Sean was even more generous than Tristan Lockwood.
With a large sum of money, efficiency in getting things done naturally followed.
In the following days, she spent quite some money networking and finally got a clue: Jade Sutton returned to Riverbend three months ago.
But that was all she could find, no more details emerged despite her efforts.
Trying to find someone in the vast Riverbend, especially someone intentionally hiding, was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.
Claire exhausted many connections with no results; thinking carefully, there was only one possibility, the power hiding Jade was stronger than any of her current connections.
With no way forward, the only person she could turn to for help was Tristan Lockwood.
"Seeking my help?" Tristan raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Who has the privilege to make you lower your head and ask me?"
Claire said, "An old friend of mine, named Jade Sutton."
Since she was asking him for a favor, she maintained a humble posture, eyes slightly lowered, not noticing the subtle change in his expression. When she looked up, he was back to his usual indifferent demeanor.
She pressed on, "Can you help?"
He lifted her chin with a finger and said, "If you put in some effort, I’ll do the same."
Catching the double meaning in his words, she blushed slightly and wrapped her arms around his neck, "How do you want to play it?"
He genuinely thought about it and said, "Last time in your office, we left things unfinished."
Claire bit her lip in dilemma.
At home, with no outsiders, she could accommodate whatever he wanted.
But once that happened at the company, each time she went to the office, she’d feel uneasy.
"Can we change the location?" She softened her tone, trying to negotiate.
Normally, her voice was clear and cold, only getting sweet and alluring when he pushed her past her limits.
Now, with her taking the initiative to soften, it was incredibly enticing.
Ultimately, Tristan didn’t clearly say whether they’d go to her office to do it or not.
Knowing he wasn’t one to change his mind easily, she didn’t bring it up actively but instead asked, "When can you give me a result?"
"I’ll know once I’ve looked into it," Tristan turned around, his hand on her waist, "Are you very anxious?"
A bit.
Back then, she lost contact with Jade all of a sudden, and for so long. It even made her think Jade perhaps didn’t want to be friends anymore.
This time, the chance to find Jade presented many unresolved questions for Claire, all of which she wanted answers to.
"I’ve had hardly any friends growing up," She laid flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling with little emotion, "Jade was the first and the only one I want to see again."
In truth, realizing Jade was Sean’s wife made Claire suspect their friendship might have ended years ago.
Otherwise, she couldn’t figure out why, for so many years, Jade knowingly didn’t contact her despite knowing she was with the Lockwood Family.
As Tristan looked down, he saw her eyes red from countless tears.
He tightened his grip around her slender waist, his gaze filled with complex emotions.
Claire didn’t see Tristan’s expression, only felt him hold her tightly, reflexively sliding her hand to wrap around his waist, snuggling closer to him.
"Tristan," she suddenly called his name softly.
He bowed his head, resting his chin against her forehead, "Hmm?"
Claire buried her face into his chest, saying nothing.
A few days later, rather than hearing from Tristan about Jade, Claire received a phone call from Nathan Quinn.
"Sis, tomorrow is my birthday party at The Midnight Breeze, you must attend!"
Claire was somewhat surprised, "Isn’t it enough to invite Tristan? Why ask me?"
Nathan said, "You’re my sister-in-law; who else would I invite but you."
She still didn’t feel like going and said indifferently, "I have no interest in watching you guys live it up."
"Don’t be like that, sis!" Nathan tried hard to persuade her, "That’s completely wrong. Jenson always stays pure, moving among a sea of flowers without touching a leaf. Not to mention Tristan, who is focused completely on one person, no way he’d seek others."
"Really?"
Claire’s voice was chilly, and Nathan realized he misspoke, quickly lowering his stance to plead, "Consider it my plea, please come."
She arched an eyebrow, "Tell me, what’s the matter?"
"Sis, you’ve asked the right person, Tristan has no eyesight! Ignoring such a beautiful and charming woman like you for all those outsiders. If you get divorced, I’ll definitely come after you."
Each word from Nathan struck precisely at Claire’s sensitive points, she said nothing, directly hung up the call, then blacklisted Nathan.
Soon after, her phone vibrated, the screen showing an incoming call from Jenson Jennings.
She hesitated briefly, then answered, hearing Nathan’s voice immediately, "Sis, I was wrong, I’m begging for forgiveness."
Claire pinched her brow in annoyance, "Nathan Quinn, are you even a man? Dragging things when asking for favors? Have your women never complained?"
"How could that be? In bed, I’m like a rabbit springing into action; people even call me the electric pony..."