Chapter 40: Chapter 40

"CLAIRE, are you sure you’re going back to work now?"

Adam asked me when he saw me in my work clothes that morning. It had been a week since I lost our baby. I had spent the past five days here in my apartment with Adam.

But now, I finally decided to get back to work. I needed to do something or else I'd lose my mind. I felt like I was just getting suffocated here.

I needed to continue my old life. My old life before I found out I was pregnant. My old life before Adam came into my life.

I looked at him. "I need to go to work, Adam. I need to go back to my responsibilities." I managed to give him a small smile.

The past days, Adam had been extra caring to me. He was sweet and very attentive. Even if I hadn't given him the same gestures, he never said anything. He wasn't questioning me why I barely talked to him the past days. Maybe he thought this was my way of grieving, or maybe he just didn't really care.

I felt like my heart was shattering into pieces whenever it came to me that Adam was still here taking care of me because he had a responsibility on me.

"But you're still not fine, Claire," he said, concern written on his face.

Was he really concerned, though? Or was he just acting?

I slightly raised my brows at him. "I'm already fit to go back to work, Adam." I said in a deadpan voice. "You can't stop me, anyway. You're not the boss of me."

"But I'm your husband."

I stopped myself from giving a sarcastic laugh. "Contract husband, Adam. Don't you forget that." I corrected him.

I didn't know if I was imagining things or I really saw pain cross his eyes. "Contract husband or not, we're still legally married," he took a deep breath. "If you're really insisting on going to work, then let me drive you there."

"No need, Adam. I already asked Marcus to fetch me. He's already waiting for me outside." I looked at him. "Just stay here or you can go anywhere you want for today. Let's just talk tonight. I have something important to tell you."

I heard him sigh. "Yeah. Let's talk later. I also have something to tell you." He gave me a small smile. "Just take care, okay? Call me if you need something."

Before I could answer him, he had already closed the distance between us and gave me a peck on the forehead.

My heart constricted inside my chest. I swallowed hard. "Bye, Adam," I whispered before I headed to the door. I didn't want him to see the tears threatening to fall from my eyes.

"Are you sure about this, Claire?" Marcus asked when he'd learned that I'd be leaving the country next week. I had already filed a leave of absence when I got to work this morning.

I closed my laptop and looked at him. He was sitting on the vacant seat in front of my desk.

"Yeah," I sighed. "I need this time for myself, Marcus."

"I understand, Claire." Marcus smiled and nodded at me. "Don't worry about the company. Take all the time that you need. Is Adam coming with you?"

I shook my head. "No. I'll go alone. I don't need anyone to go with me. I wanted to heal alone."

Marcus examined me. "Did something happen, Claire?"

I looked at my cousin, who had a visible crease on his forehead. I wanted to get mad at him for giving me false hope about Adam's feelings for me, but I stopped myself.

None of this was Marcus' fault. It was mine. I was the one who fell in love with Adam, despite knowing the fact that he doesn't do relationships.

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just really wanted to be alone."

"You don't blame yourself for what happened, right?" Marcus asked.

I gave him a small smile. "Don't worry, Marcus. I blamed no one for it. I already accepted that it wasn't really just for me. I just really wanted to be alone for now."

Later that day, I asked Marcus to take me home.

"Why didn't you ask Adam to fetch you?" my cousin asked me. "Do you two have a problem?"

I slightly rolled my eyes at him. "Stop being nosy, Marcus."

He shook his head and resigned. "Alright. Just don't make stupid decisions, my dear cousin."

I looked at him. It was not a stupid decision if it's going to protect me from getting hurt, I wanted to say. But instead, I smiled at him and stayed silent until we reached my apartment building.

"This is it, Claire," I told myself as I rode the elevator.

Tonight, I'd finally talk to Adam. I was going to end my contract with him. Now that my baby's already gone, there's no reason for us to be together anymore.

I needed to let him go now. I knew he was just staying with me out of responsibility and obligation. And I didn't want that. I didn't need his fake concern for me. I would gladly prefer to be alone than to get hurt by him.

"Adam… what's this?"

My lips parted when I entered my apartment and saw a candlelight dinner on the dining table.

Adam smiled at me. He was drop dead handsome in his white long sleeve shirt and dark pants. His long hair was neatly swiped back.

"I prepared dinner for us," he said, smiling. He picked up a long stemmed rose on the table and handed it to me.

I frowned as I accepted it. "Why are you doing this?" I looked at the table in front of us. Adam cooked all of my favorite foods.

"Because it's been a long time since we've gone out on a date?" he pursed his lips. "And I wanted this night to be special? You said we had something you wanted to discuss with me, right?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "You shouldn't have done this, Adam."

"Why? Didn't you like it?"

I liked it, of course. But instead of saying that, I just gave him a small smile. "I think this is not appropriate for what I was going to tell you."

His forehead frowned. "Why, Claire? What are you going to tell me, anyway?"