Moana shrugged slightly as she took another sip of her whiskey.

"I don’t know." The woman gave a faint smile. "But your mother seems to really like Clara. Even more than she’s liked you lately."

Sean immediately glared at her. "Don’t mess with me."

"I’m serious." Moana leaned back slowly against the sofa. "Mrs. Weasley looks at Clara like someone who regrets losing a perfect daughter-in-law."

Sean’s jaw tightened even more. Because he knew it was true. His mother did love Clara very much.

Even back then, when Sean started openly bringing Moana everywhere, Mrs. Weasley would always argue with him because she was defending Clara.

And now...

Everyone seemed to be slowly siding with Clara. While he was left alone amidst the ruins of his own life.

Moana watched Sean’s expression for a few seconds before letting out a hollow little laugh.

"How funny."

Sean didn’t answer.

"I used to win," Moana continued softly. "I managed to take you away from Clara."

Her gaze dropped to the glass in her hand.

"But it turns out the prize I got was just a broken man who keeps thinking about his ex-wife."

Those words made the atmosphere fall silent again.

Sean stared at the rain through the large window of his apartment.

And unfortunately...

He didn’t even have the energy to deny it anymore.

Because it was true.

Every day.

Every night.

His mind was filled only with Clara.

Moana spoke again, more softly now.

"You know what’s the saddest part?"

Sean let out a harsh sigh. "I’m not interested in hearing your philosophy tonight."

"Too late." Moana gave a faint smile. "We both only realized Clara’s worth after she stopped chasing us."

Sean closed his eyes for a moment.

Because it felt like a knife straight to his chest.

Back then, Clara always hung on.

Always forgave.

Always cried while begging Sean to come back to her.

And Sean?

He felt Clara would never truly leave.

Until now.

When that woman finally looked at peace without him.

Moana noticed Sean had been silent for too long and then laughed softly.

"You really love her now, don’t you?"

Sean opened his eyes slowly.

He didn’t answer for a long time.

Then finally...

"I don’t know."

Moana was a little surprised.

Sean looked down, giving a small, hollow laugh to himself.

"Maybe this is love." His jaw tightened. "Or maybe it’s just the biggest regret of my life."

Silence.

And for the first time since all this chaos began...

Moana didn’t feel jealous hearing Clara’s name.

What she felt instead was overwhelming exhaustion.

Because she finally realized something.

Sean would never truly come back to her again.

Even if Clara rejected Sean...

His heart had already been left behind with his ex-wife.

Moana stared blankly at the rain outside the window.

"I envy Clara," she whispered softly.

Sean immediately looked up.

Moana smiled a small, bitter smile.

"She was loved too late." She laughed softly. "Whereas I... was loved the wrong way from the start."

Those words made Sean fall silent.

Because for the first time...

He felt that Moana wasn’t manipulating him.

She was simply being honest. And that kind of honesty was the most painful of all.

*

Moana slowly swirled the whiskey glass in her hand. Her gaze remained vacant, fixed on the penthouse’s large window.

But a few seconds later...

A small smile slowly reappeared on her lips.

A smile that immediately made Sean feel uneasy.

"There’s one more thing," Moana said softly.

Sean immediately frowned. "What?"

Moana turned her head slowly.

"You’re too focused on blaming me and my family." The woman rested her chin on the sofa while staring intently at Sean. "When maybe you should start being careful around Clara too."

Sean’s expression immediately turned cold.

"What do you mean?"

Moana chuckled softly.

"Come on, Sean." Her tone sounded casual, but it cut deep. "Clara’s been your wife for years. Do you think she knows nothing about your shady business dealings?"

Sean’s jaw tightened.

"Don’t start."

But Moana continued calmly.

"While she was your wife, Clara was the one who most often handled the household documents, your personal schedule, and even some of your travel records." Her gaze narrowed slightly. "You underestimate decent women too much."

Sean slowly stood up from the sofa.

A cold aura instantly filled the room.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Moana stood up now as well. Their gazes locked sharply.

"My father didn’t get all those files on his own."

Sean froze for a moment.

And Moana could see a slight change in the man’s face.

His smile grew thinner.

"Mr. Freddy got some of those confidential files from Clara as well."

The atmosphere in the penthouse instantly turned icy.

Sean’s gaze darkened intensely.

"That’s a lie."

Moana shrugged slightly. "Really?"

Sean stepped closer quickly.

"Don’t drag Clara into your dirty game."

But Moana remained calm.

"Why?" she whispered softly. "Because you can’t stand the thought that Clara might actually be able to destroy you too?"

"Shut your mouth."

Moana chuckled again.

"You’re idealizing Clara too much right now." The woman looked Sean straight in the eye. "You’ve forgotten that she used to live for years alongside a monster like you."

Sean clenched his fists tightly.

And unfortunately...

A small part of his mind began to waver.

Because Clara really did know a lot.

A great deal.

As Sean’s former wife, Clara often accidentally came across financial reports, travel emails, and even personal transactions that Sean thought were secure.

But Sean quickly dismissed that thought.

"Clara isn’t like you guys."

Moana smiled sardonically.

"See?" she said softly. "You’re starting to defend her reflexively."

Sean glared at her menacingly.

"Because I know Clara."

"No," Moana cut in sharply. "You only started feeling like you knew Clara after you lost her."

That sentence immediately silenced Sean again.

Moana took a small step closer. Her voice was now much softer... and far more venomous.

"I’m just saying, be careful." Her gaze pierced straight into Sean’s eyes. "A woman who’s been hurt for too long sometimes keeps a lot bottled up inside."

Sean shook his head slowly.

"Clara wouldn’t do that."

Moana laughed softly.

"You sound like a desperate man trying to convince himself."

Silence.

Then Moana took another small sip of her whiskey before saying casually,

"Besides... if Clara really wanted to destroy you, wouldn’t that be deserved?"

That sentence made Sean’s jaw tense up again.

But this time...

It wasn’t because he was angry at Moana.

But because, for the first time, a small sense of fear arose within him.

Not fear of the media.

Not fear of losing the company.

But fear that Clara might actually hate him that deeply.

Sean slammed his whiskey glass down on the table.

CRASH.

The alcohol spilled, soaking the glossy black wood.

"Enough." Sean’s voice was low. Very low. And it was far more dangerous than a shout.

Moana fell silent for a few seconds, but then smiled faintly again.

"Well," she whispered softly. "Now you’re starting to get scared."

Sean glared at her.

"I’m not afraid of Clara."

"But you’re afraid of losing control over Clara," Moana retorted quickly.

The words hit their mark.

Sean let out a harsh breath, then walked a few steps away while rubbing his face hard.

His head was spinning.

Clara.

That name again.

Damn it, ever since Moana mentioned the possibility that Clara might be keeping old files, his mind had been filled with dark thoughts.

He remembered how Clara used to slip into his office unnoticed.

She’d even helped him organize travel documents.

Manage his schedule.

Sometimes she’d even prepare files before meetings.

And Sean had underestimated all of that, assuming Clara was just a "stay-at-home wife" who didn’t understand business.

Now?

For the first time...

He began to realize Clara might have seen far more than he’d thought.

Moana watched Sean’s changing expression as she chuckled softly.

"You’re starting to run through the possibilities in your head now, aren’t you?"

Sean snapped his head around sharply.

"If I find out you’re lying—"

"What?" Moana lifted her chin defiantly. "You want to destroy me again?"

A moment of silence.

Then Sean picked up his phone from the table.

Moana watched his movements with a slight raise of her eyebrows.

"What are you doing?"

Sean didn’t answer.

He immediately dialed a number.

It didn’t take long for the call to be answered.

"Yes, sir."

Sean stared blankly out the window at the rain.

"I want Clara watched again."

Moana immediately smiled faintly.

"Sean..."

"I don’t care how you do it," Sean continued coldly. "Find out who she’s been in contact with over the past few weeks."

"Sir..." the man’s voice on the phone sounded hesitant. "Didn’t Miss Clara already start feeling bothered before?"

"I didn’t ask for your opinion."

The atmosphere in the penthouse grew even colder.

Sean continued, his jaw tightening,

"I want to know if she’s ever met Freddy’s family. I want to know if any files have changed hands. And I want all her activities reported."

Moana stared at Sean without blinking now.

Her gaze slowly took on a strange quality.

A touch of satisfaction.

A touch of pity.

Because she had just realized something.

Sean did regret losing Clara.

But that man was still Sean Weasley.

Still the obsessive man who wanted to control everything the moment he began to fear losing it.

And that was exactly what had slowly destroyed Clara.

The phone call finally ended.

Sean exhaled deeply then glared at Moana coldly.

"If it turns out you’re lying..."

Moana smiled faintly.

"Then you’ve just destroyed Clara’s trust all over again."

Those words made Sean freeze for a moment.

And Moana walked over to pick up her coat slowly.

"Goodbye, Sean."

The woman walked toward the door without hurrying.

But just before stepping out, Moana paused briefly without turning around.

"You know what’s the funniest thing?"

Sean remained silent.

Moana gave a small, bitter smile.

"Back then, Clara begged you to pay attention to her."

Silence.

"Now..." Moana’s voice was barely a whisper, "you’re using all your power to keep an eye on the woman who’s already trying to leave you."

Click.

The penthouse door closed softly.

And Sean remained standing motionless in his spot.

Alone.

With thoughts growing darker.