Too Late to Love Her: When She Divorced, He Fell Apart-Chapter 27: Could It Be That You’ve Really Fallen for Me?

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Could It Be That You’ve Really Fallen for Me?
As she slowed down, Tina Hayes called, excitedly announcing that she was finally out of lockup and free again.
"Tina, have you ever been in love?"
Claire Hale suddenly asked, causing Tina’s CPU to fry instantly.
What’s up with the boss today, chatting about romance out of the blue.
Tina Hayes: "I dated someone in college."
Claire was watching the rearview mirror, her mind filled with the image of Tristan Lockwood and the Pea Princess sitting together under the sunset.
She asked, "What do you usually do when you’re dating someone?"
"What else is there to do while dating? It’s all about going to the movies, holding hands, sometimes taking walks in the park, and having pointless conversations every day. Basically, just doing insignificant things together."
Suddenly, Tina Hayes shifted the conversation, saying, "President Hale, my poor student’s love stories are pretty dull. You and President Lockwood, being from the upper class, surely have more exciting tales."
"They are quite exciting indeed."
Claire’s lips curled upward, but Tina couldn’t see the bleakness in her eyes over the phone.
She and Tristan never engaged in those insignificant activities. Aside from the physical, she and he didn’t even share common topics anymore.
Claire remembered how last Valentine’s, she wanted him to come home for dinner; he refused without hesitation, claiming he was too busy and had social engagements.
Yet now, he could find the time to spend an entire evening with the Pea Princess at the park.
Claire had her phone on speaker in the car while driving.
She opened the photo album, staring at the face of the Pea Princess hidden behind a mask. After a moment, her eyes flickered slightly, and she said to Tina, "Tina, do you know any techniques for restoring an image of a person?"
"What kind of restoration?"
Claire: "In a photo where someone’s face is covered, I want to see their full face."
Tina Hayes: "I’ll give it a try."
After hanging up, Claire immediately sent the Pea Princess’s photo to Tina, instructing her to keep it confidential.
Tina replied: Rest assured, I was practically born of cement; my lips are as tight as a city wall. I’ll take the secret to the grave with me.
Claire couldn’t help but chuckle.
However, Tina sent another message shortly after, saying: President Hale, next time you go to catch him, take me with you. I’ve been locked up once; I’m used to it. At worst, I’ll go back inside and chat with the guards!
After replying to Tina, Claire focused on driving and didn’t let her mind wander again.
When she got home, the lights inside were surprisingly on.
Claire pushed the door open to find Tristan Lockwood coming out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his lower body.
She glanced at him indifferently and said, "Weren’t you at a social engagement?"
Tristan asked her flatly, "Where did you go?"
"I don’t owe you an explanation of my whereabouts."
As soon as she said this, Tristan’s face turned cold.
Claire felt a slight thrill, not expecting his own words to work so well on him, like a boomerang.
"Clarence said you weren’t at the hospital. Weren’t you complaining of a headache? Why run around?"
He approached her, looking down, his freshly showered body emitting a faint and subtle fragrance.
Claire thought for a moment, took out her phone, and showed him the photo she took: "How’s my candid shot? Better than before, isn’t it?"
Tristan lowered his eyes to look.
In the photo, a woman in a white wool coat gazed at him like a little bird, her visible eyes filled with a faint smile under her mask.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves, making the scene of them together look idyllic.
Withdrawing his gaze, Tristan’s eyes darkened, his expression unchanging as he stood before her, staring continuously.
Claire exited the photo album, maintaining her composure: "Personally, I think the leading lady here is stunning. I managed to capture such an artistic photo, thanks to her elegance. Should I submit this to People and Nature or Fashion Beauty Weekly?"
"Name your terms."
She hesitated, not expecting him to concede so quickly.
Tristan closed in, lowering himself to her eye level: "Do you want money, or resources, or is your appetite growing bigger, and you want it all?"
She stood firm, looking down as if contemplating something.
When his hand gripped her waist, she raised her eyes to him and said, "I want you to never see her again."
The air froze for a second as an imperceptible sardonic smile appeared on Tristan’s stern face.
Claire almost immediately regretted it.
He chuckled, then lifted her onto the dining table, caging her within his arms.
"If I heard correctly, are you asserting your claim over me? Hmm?" He tilted her chin, searching for an answer on her aloof face, "Claire Hale, could it be that you’ve actually fallen for me?"
Her expression stiffened, her eyes momentarily filled with panic, then she quickly closed them. When she reopened them, she was back to her usual calm demeanor.
His hand wandered where it shouldn’t, and she grabbed it, taking a deep breath, saying, "Don’t touch me again."
Tristan paused, "What’s wrong with you again?"
Claire tried to escape from his hold, but he trapped her even tighter. Lowering her eyes, she said coolly, "I find you filthy, okay."
As she looked down, her gaze swept over his long, well-articulated fingers, reminding her of his handholding with the Pea Princess.
She pushed him forcefully again, unexpectedly managing to shove him away easily this time. Tristan stepped back with a face filled with coldness.
"I’ll send you a contract tomorrow. It will specify that all resources you give me are irrevocable."
As Claire walked toward the staircase, she didn’t look at him, saying to herself, "Tristan Lockwood, when it comes to sheer power, I can’t compete with you. Even if I go to great lengths to get something from you, I’m always afraid you’ll take it back. Once you sign this contract, I’ll delete all these Pea Princess photos and ensure no copies remain."
He stared at her back: "That’s it?"
"That’s it."
She snapped back, looking at him with a detached coldness, a trace of a mocking smile at her lips: "After all, that was my original intention in marrying you, wasn’t it?"
Tristan was genuinely enamored with the Pea Princess.
As soon as Claire sent the contract in the morning, she received news in the afternoon that the client was willing to resume cooperation.
Tristan, presumably not wanting to see her, directly had the signed contract sent to her company.
After signing off, Claire glanced at Tristan’s return address: a prestigious law firm in Riverbend.
So, she mailed the remaining copy back to the same address.
The office door received a few knocks. Claire said, "Come in," and Tina Hayes entered, closing the door behind her.
"President Hale, the photo you sent me yesterday has been restored as you requested."