CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: SHE’S ASLEEP; TALK TO ME IF YOU NEED ANYTHING

After leaving the club, Isaac Sutton went alone to a bar to drink.

In the dimly lit bar, the music and voices were noisy.

Isaac Sutton sat in a booth, ordering over a dozen bottles of alcohol all by himself.

His phone rang beside him, and Isaac instinctively thought it was Clara Sterling, picking up the phone and looking at it with anticipation.

However, the caller ID showed it was Quinn Hughes.

His eyes immediately dimmed, and he pressed decline.

Bottle after bottle of strong liquor poured into his stomach, and it wasn’t long before Isaac was drunk.

Thinking about how Clara had said she was already married, his heart spasmed in pain.

"Clara..." Isaac drunkenly murmured her name softly.

He had just seen her, yet now he longed for her again.

As he drank, Isaac suddenly fell to the floor, clutching his stomach with a twisted, painful expression.

A bartender noticed the situation and immediately came over to check on him.

"Sir, are you okay?"

Isaac’s face was ashen with pain, and he weakly said, "Call 911 for me..."

The bartender immediately dialed 911.

The ambulance arrived quickly.

At the hospital.

Isaac Sutton was diagnosed with a stomach hemorrhage caused by excessive drinking.

The doctor prescribed medication to stop the bleeding and couldn’t help but comment, "You need to drink in moderation; drinking like there’s no tomorrow is showing no regard for your body. Don’t drink like this again."

Isaac’s eyes were blank, his mind full of Clara Sterling, and he didn’t hear what the doctor said.

The doctor saw his absent-minded state, shook his head helplessly, and walked out of the room without saying more.

Isaac was hooked up to an IV, the burning pain in his stomach not yet subsided.

He lay weakly and pale on the hospital bed.

He was alone in the room.

When the incident happened, he hadn’t informed his fiancée Quinn Hughes, nor had he told his parents.

Isaac took out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and dialed Clara Sterling’s number with his new number.

Unexpectedly, this time the call wasn’t disconnected.

Isaac was overjoyed, thinking Clara had changed her mind.

He spoke with a slurred, excited tone, "Clara, you finally answered my call, please don’t abandon me, let’s get back together, okay?"

There was silence on the other end.

Isaac pleaded humbly, "Clara, I drank until I bled from my stomach, I’m in the hospital now, can you come see me?"

Silas Sheffield’s cool voice responded, "She’s asleep. If you have anything to say, say it to me."

Isaac’s eyes widened in shock, his voice rising, "Who are you? Why are you answering Clara’s phone?"

Silas replied coldly, "Her husband."

Isaac’s breath caught, his hands trembling, "She’s really married?"

Silas heard him say this and knew Clara Sterling had told Isaac she got married tonight.

The man’s lips curled slightly, "Yes."

Isaac’s whole body went cold, his lips trembling slightly, "How did you and Clara meet?"

"It’s none of your business," Silas said and hung up the call.

After hanging up, Isaac was in a daze for a long time.

He couldn’t believe Clara Sterling was really already married.

Could it be that she was just trying to make him angry, purposely finding some guy to put on an act?

This late at night, she was still with that man?

Isaac’s heart ached, and he immediately dialed again.

This time, the call wasn’t answered.

Isaac sat there in a daze.

An inexplicable panic filled his chest.

He originally thought Clara Sterling loved him so much that she couldn’t bear to be without him.

Even after she disappeared for two months, Isaac thought it was only because she found out he had pretended to be poor to deceive her and was sulking. Once she calmed down, she’d obediently come back to him.

But now, Isaac wasn’t so sure.

A sliver of fear suddenly surfaced in his heart.

He was afraid that Clara Sterling really didn’t want him anymore.

...

In fact, when Isaac called, Clara wasn’t asleep.

She was caught in a passionate kiss with Silas Sheffield.

Isaac’s call interrupted them.

Silas’s eyes turned cold and fierce, clearly displeased.

Since Silas was right there, Clara answered and let Silas talk directly to Isaac.

This should make Isaac give up completely.

After hanging up, Silas decisively blocked the number, expressionless, "Next time he calls, block him."

Clara was still pinned against the door by Silas, her body soft, her breath a bit erratic, "Actually, I’ve always blocked him before; today it was his new number."

Silas leaned in, his warm breath brushing faintly against Clara’s face, "Then how did you know it was him?"

Clara mumbled softly, "Who else would call this late? Even scammers should be off work by now."

Silas chuckled at her words, his expression softening a bit, "Did you tell him today that you’re married?"

Clara nodded obediently, "Mm."

Silas murmured, "Good girl."

Then he leaned in and kissed Clara again.

Clara felt the change in the man’s body, her face blushing like a cooked shrimp.

If it continued like this, it would get out of control.

She pushed against Silas’s chest, taking a breath, "It’s too late, I need to shower and sleep, I have to get up early for my thesis proposal tomorrow."

Silas smiled, reaching to turn on the light switch by the door.

The lights came on, and the room was instantly bright as day.

The blush on the girl’s face was clearly visible.

Silas knew she wasn’t ready yet; he reached out and affectionately rubbed her hair, "I won’t touch you until you’re ready."

Clara understood, and her face turned even redder.

She pushed Silas away and dashed out.

Silas watched her fleeing figure, a smile rippling in his eyes.

...

The next day, after Clara Sterling finished her online thesis proposal presentation, it was already 12:30 PM.

She closed her laptop, stood up, and walked toward the door, rubbing her shoulders.

In the dining room downstairs, the housekeeper Ms. Cheney had already set the table.

Sophie Sheffield was sitting on the sofa in the first-floor living room, her head down, sending someone a message.

Clara came down the stairs, smiling, and asked, "Who are you messaging to make you so happy?"

Sophie immediately looked up, unable to hide her smile, "It’s Preston Pierce, he says he’s currently single."

Clara walked over to Sophie’s side, "I told you, he hasn’t dated anyone in four years; he must be waiting for you."

"That’s not necessarily true," Sophie pursed her lips, "He rejected me four years ago, I can’t be that conceited."

"Find a chance to meet him," Clara said, picking up a piece of cantaloupe from the fruit plate and popping it into her mouth.

"I don’t dare..."

"What’s there to be afraid of? He doesn’t bite."

At this time, Ms. Cheney came over, "Sophie, Clara, it’s time to eat."

"Coming, Ms. Cheney," Clara patted Sophie on the shoulder, "Let’s eat, I’m starving."

...

In the hospital room.

Judy Bishop brought Quinn Hughes to visit Isaac Sutton.

Judy saw her son lying feebly on the bed and, feeling pained, couldn’t help but scold him, "Look at you, how did you drink until you have a stomach hemorrhage? Don’t you know how to take care of your body?"

"Quinn, you’re Isaac’s fiancée now, you better keep him in check," Judy said, glancing at Quinn Hughes.

Quinn was about to speak when Isaac suddenly interjected, "Mom, I want to call off the engagement."