Chapter 21 The Best I Have
Chapter 21 The Best I Have
Claudia walked briskly toward the car, her steps light and sure.
Simon held the door open for her.
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Just as she was about to climb in, she paused and turned back. “Yvonne,” she said clearly, “you’ve met my husband. You know exactly who he is and what kind of person he is. So why did you let them say all that?”
Without waiting for an answer, she slipped into the back seat. The door shut behind her.
As the car pulled away, the girls watching were left in stunned confusion.
Yvonne’s face was frozen in shock and jealousy.
If she wasn’t mistaken, the man sitting in the backseat just now–was Mr. Nero.
- fr. Nero actually came to pick her up?
Mr.
What did Claudia do to deserve that?!
“What did she mean just now? You lied to us?” one of the girls demanded, her expression suddenly hostile.
They had already doubted Yvonne about the dress. Now their trust in her was crumbling-
“I didn’t…” Yvonne quickly denied.
“You didn’t? What do you take us for? Didn’t you say Claudia’s husband was poor? Does that look poor to you?”
They didn’t know everything, but they knew one thing that car wasn’t something you could buy just by being rich.
“I never said he was poor,” Yvonne said with a wronged and helpless expression. “I just said it wasn’t convenient to talk about
him.”
Her gaze flickered slightly. “I can’t tell you the full story. All I can say is, he doesn’t appear in public often, and his reputation. isn’t great. Most people wouldn’t want to marry him. Claudia only did it because of an engagement that was already arranged”
Once again, she steered their thoughts just where she wanted.
Was Claudia’s husband someone rich but hideous! Crippled, maybe?
That had to be it. Why else would he stay hidden!
Inside the car.
“You didn’t have to come pick me up,” Claudia said, embarrassed but happy. “I could’ve taken a taxi. It’s not that far.” “It was on the way,” Nero replied calmly.
“When did you get here?” she asked carefully.
There was a pause Then he answered gently, “When you were defending me.”
Boom–
Claudia felt her brain short–circuit. Her cheeks burned with heat, and she looked up in a panic.
“Y–You heard all that?!”
“Mm
Nero looked at her, his dark gaze deep and unreadable. But as he recalled the way she had stood up for him, proud and radiant, something stirred in him–something warm, something soft.
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Chapter 21 The Best I Have
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Claudia couldn’t quite meet his eyes. Flustered, she mumbled, “Well I didn’t lie. My husband really is very handsome…
Not wanting to dwell on that any longer, she quickly opened the box she’d been carrying and showed him the thick stack of documents inside, eager to change the subject.
“Look–this is what I got today!”
Catching on to her attempt, Nero played along. “What is it?”
“My mom’s shares in Royal Entertainment. I got them back from my stepmother!” she said proudly, eyes shining as she looked at him.
Nero, understood instantly. He gave a slight nod. “Mm. Impressive.”
That simple praise–instinctive, honest–made her ears flush red again. She quickly looked away. “It’s not that impressive. I was so stupid before. I let them take everything.”
Nero studied her lovely profile. “But now you’re not stupid. You’re smart.”
The air inside the car shifted–thickened with something unspoken.
Simon, up in the front seat: “.” I shouldn’t be in this car. I should be under it
Claudia, still blushing, suddenly placed the box in Nero’s lap with great care.
“Here”
“Mm?” He looked down.
“It’s yours. Call it part of my dowry.” Her cheeks were bright pink. “I wanted to give you something else, but this is the most valuable thing I have right now.”
Her voice trailed off at the end, faint with self–doubt,
Royal Entertainment was a well–known company–but compared to Nero’s wealth, it was nothing. A gift others would envy was probably meaningless to him.
“For me…” Nero blinked.
In his twenty–seven years, he had received countless gifts. But none had moved him like this bundle of paper.
because this was everything she had.
And she gave it to him without hesitation.
Seeing him quiet, Claudia quickly patted her chest and promised, “One day, when I have more money, I’ll give you something even better!”
If someone else said that to Nero, it would’ve been laughable.
Money was the one thing Mr. Nero never lacked
But looking into Claudia’s clear, sincere eyes, Nero didn’t find it funny at all. He felt stunned.
Her gaze was open and honest–there was no lie, no attempt to flatter. She truly belieyed it. As if, whatever she had, she would offer him the best of it without a second thought.
She watched him nervously, as if even the smallest reaction from him could sway her emotions completely.
As if to her, he was everything.
