When It Finally Snows in Manhattan Chapter 08

When It Finally Snows in Manhattan Chapter 08

The moment the car exploded, Sebastian threw himself at me and shielded me with his body.

I was saved, but watching that car blow up shattered my heart right along with it.

Sebastian kept murmuring comfort, pinning down my out-of-control thrashing.

After that day, I slept in a daze for three whole days and nights.

It was like running from reality.

But I still had to face what needed facing. I gathered myself and prepared my mother’s funeral.

It was only after we laid her to rest that I finally broke down and wailed.

“I’m so useless…”

Sebastian kept patting my shoulder gently. “Claire, it’s not your fault.” “It’s Julian. It’s Yvonne. It’s absolutely not your fault.”

When I learned Yvonne had kidnapped my mother, I wished so desperately that Julian would stand by me.

At the very least, he should have believed me instead of enabling evil again and again.

So the instant that car exploded, every last expectation I’d had for Julian turned to ash.

After leaving the cemetery, I gave instructions to the groundskeeper. “If anyone asks, you never saw me.”

I also blocked Julian and deleted every contact I had for him.

Just as I was planning to gather evidence and appeal Yvonne’s case, Sebastian brought back news.

“Yvonne’s already being sued. The plaintiff is… Julian.”

I was shocked for a second, but I guessed the general picture.

Julian must’ve learned the truth about my mother’s death to finally be willing to move against Yvonne.

But a change of heart bought with my mother’s life only made me despise him more.

In the end, I decided to file my own appeal, in case Julian tampered with things.

The legal knowledge from my university days had grown rusty five years later. Sebastian stayed by my side, helping me sort through it bit by bit.

He talked about the past with me.

“If you hadn’t switched careers, you’d have made one hell of a lawyer.”

Yeah, ever since I was a kid, all I’d wanted was to be a lawyer.

But to marry Julian, I’d abandoned my dream, abandoned my freedom—and all I got in return was this.

The hatred inside me layered itself deeper and deeper.

So I asked Sebastian to help me gather evidence of Julian covering up for Yvonne’s crimes.

But I never expected that when I went to the police station the next day, I’d run into Julian.

“Claire…”

The Don of the East Coast looked visibly rattled when he saw me.

He approached carefully, fists clenched.

“Claire, I knew you weren’t dead. I knew you’d come back to me.”

My eyes reddened, and I let out a mocking laugh. “You think there’s any chance of us starting over? You’re my enemy now.”

At my words, he winced as if stabbed.

“How can you say that? I’m your husband. I can solve all your problems. Don’t talk out of anger, okay?”

I pulled out the divorce agreement, already signed by both of us, and shoved it in front of him. “You signed this name yourself. What kind of husband does that make you?”

Julian’s breath caught. It was like he’d completely forgotten about it.

But I hadn’t. This was the result of deep, deliberate thought.

So I stared straight into his eyes and said with absolute gravity, “From now on, don’t call yourself my husband. It disgusts me.”