After Luke leaves, Kate becomes more depressed. Although she tries to cover it up, Claire, her good
friend, sees it.
Claire wants to comfort her, but she’s upset now. She has to let Kate go home first. Claire is going to
talk about her and Luke one day.
Kate leaves, but Luke still doesn’t get any news, which makes Claire more uneasy.
Claire decides she has to take the initiative. She wants Bryce’s help. Luke is also investigating at the
same time so it might be a little smoother.
Claire says to Conan, “can you stay at home by yourself, Conan? Mommy is going to see an important
person.”
Conan immediately guesses Claire’s idea. Although he knows Bryce isn’t a bad guy, he doesn’t want
Mommy to have too much contact with that man.
“Can’t you not go?” Conan asks tentatively.
“I have to go, Conan.” Claire touches his little face and whispers, “because that man can help us find
Daddy.”
Conan seems to have to agree. He thinks it is not a bad thing. If everyone leaves, he will be able to
compete with the hacker again.
Conan nods and kisses Claire on the cheek. He pretends to be helpless and says, “Mommy, be careful.
Don’t get caught by Godfather.”
“Don’t worry.”
Claire agrees. She kisses Conan and goes out.
Claire calls Bryce. Bryce is surprised. The two meet at a coffee shop.
Claire is the first to arrive. She has half the coffee, but Bryce hasn’t arrived.
What happened?
Claire is at the coffee table and a little tired. Bryce is always on time. Why doesn’t he come today?
Doesn’t he want to see her?
“I’m sorry, Claire. Something happened, so I am late.”
A faint smell of perfume appears with the owner of the voice. Then Claire sees that Bryce has been
seated with a smile.
He seems a little different today. His dark black suit sets the collar white. His face is white and
handsome. His clean jaw and clavicle make him particularly handsome.
Although Bryce used to be very handsome, today he seems to be dressing up deliberately.
“Bryce, did you make up?” Claire covers her mouth and chuckles.
Bryce is fascinated by Claire’s smile. After a long time he says awkwardly, “you’re still smart.”
Then he explains, “because I’ve been very busy lately. Many things have to be decided by myself. I
haven’t had a good rest for days and nights. I looked in the mirror when I went out and found that I was
like an old man. I can’t come to see you like that.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Bryce. You’re so busy, but I told you to come out."
Bryce shakes his head and interrupts her, “you’ve become too polite since you came back from France.
I’ve always wanted to see you.”
“But I’m afraid I’ll make trouble for you, so I held back.”
Claire says, “no, Bryce, you’ve been taking care of me.”
Maybe both of them recall the past. They are embarrassed and a little nostalgic.
Bryce says, “I wanted to disappear in Leo’s eyes that year, because I realized that I would only make
your situation more difficult. I’m sorry...”
Claire smiles and says, “no, I’m happy when I know you’re still alive. Why didn’t you tell me that year?”
“I had been looking for you but I hadn’t heard from you. I learned a long time later that you had gone
abroad. I’ve been missing you for six years...”
Bryce’s eyes are gentle, but Claire’s heart is full of guilt.
She doesn’t want to talk to him but asks him for help. Bryce’s affectionate eyes overwhelm her and
prevent her from making a request.
It’s really unfair to Bryce.
Bryce thinks Claire is embarrassed by his enthusiasm, so he changes the subject, “how are you doing
these six years? How is your child?”
Claire speaks briefly about her experience. Both of them can not help sighing when they hear about
each other’s experience.
“So how are you doing? Are you involved with Leo again? You don’t come to me simply to reminisce
about the past. You seem to have a lot to worry about.”
Claire breathes a sigh of relief. They finally get to the subject.
In spite of her guilt, she tells the truth.
“Actually, I want to ask you for help.”
Bryce just nods. So far, he hasn’t refused Claire’s request.
“I want you to help me find Leo.” Claire looks at Bryce seriously. With that, she relaxes a lot.
It’s almost an unreasonable request. Everyone knows that Bryce is deeply in love with Claire. He
doesn’t want to be her brother.
Bryce’s expression changes slightly, but he soon recovers.
“Isn’t he seriously ill in hospital?”
“How do you know?”
“After all, he’s my competitor. I mean, business. So I know about it. Why are you looking for him?”
“Tracy’s around Leo and I think it’s too dangerous. And Conan wants to see Daddy.”
Claire says what she thinks in Bryce’s surprise. It’s the same thing she said to Kate.
Bryce lights the cigarette and asks, “Claire, even if he’s missing, it’s none of your business. Why are
you in charge of it?”
Bryce looks miserable. He is restraining and his hand with the cigarette is shaking.
“Didn’t I stress that? Bryce, I just forgive him and don’t want to keep fighting.” Claire says, “It’s
impossible for me to have anything to do with him.”
Bryce frowns and asks Claire, “are you still in love with that man?”
Then he smiles bitterly and Claire is heartbroken.
Claire doesn’t know how to answer. She thinks of Leo’s coma, and her heart is burning with anxiety.
Is Bryce telling the truth?
Claire bites her lips and is silent.
Bryce shakes her head and looks at Claire with complicated eyes.
When Claire thinks Bryce is going to refuse her request, Bryce takes a deep breath.
“I can’t refuse any of your requests.”
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda