Ch. 2871..2880

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2871-How could Claire's fans even think Sherman would marry Claire? Who did she think she was?

[I bet Sherman's wife must be a heiress of some business tycoon. Why else would his family allow the marriage to go through? You shouldn't underestimate Sherman's grandparents and parents.] [Exactly. If I had such an outstanding son, I'd make sure he got a wife worthy of him.] [Oh please, we're living in the twenty-first century, yet you're still stuck in oldfashioned thinking. Maybe Sherman's family doesn't think that way, but you're already acting like an evil mother-in-law. Plus, how can you even say Claire isn't good enough for him? Do you even know what kind of influence she holds in the dance community? She's returned from abroad with prestigious experience, yet

you make it sound like she's a nobody! She's more than good enough for Sherman, given how successful she is with her career! Why don't you just admit you're speaking out of jealousy?] [Well, we're just thinking realistically. Who among us is as wealthy as them?

We're all earning a few thousand dollars a month, yet we're worrying for them. Is that necessary?] [How can there not be a single Parr Group employee here in this vast online space? Their employees should know who their boss' wife is, right?] The employee at Parr Group truly did not know who Sherman's wife was.

Everything had happened so quickly. The public relations Department was informed one day after the marriage registration to post an article on the company website congratulating their company president on his marriage.

All employees received generous bonuses as Sherman's way of showing how happy he was with the marriage. They were, of course, happy with the extra money, so they knew not to foolishly spread rumors outside.

Moreover, Parr Group was known to compensate their employees above market rate. Thus, only by staying with Parr Group could they secure future benefits.

Not to mention, they could be easily replaced if they were found to be breaking the company's conduct. There were always others who would jump at the chance of snagging their jobs.

né Claire had not expected that she would receive news of Sherman's marriage after giving him some time and space. When she stumbled upon the news, she angrily swept everything off her desk, even startling her agent when she walked in?

However, Claire seemed indifferent. She collapsed heavily onto the sofa.

"What's so precious about my feet? Some bitch has just stolen my man. What's the point in anything now?"

"Quickly tidy up everything here. What if Miss Claire trips later? Her feet are precious," ordered Serena.

Serena hurriedly sat beside her, and comforted her, "Maybe it's just a rumor.

He's a Parr after all, so how could there be no news of his wedding? Don't you have his number? You'll only need to call him to find out if it's true."

Serena could not shake off the feeling that something was not right. After all, Sherman had shown no interest in any other women in all the years she knew him, so where could he possibly find someone to marry him? She vaguely sensed that things were not as simple as they seemed.

However, Claire was too furious to listen to any sound advice. Before anyone could clean up her room, she jumped up, grabbed her car keys, and headed for the door.

Serena hurriedly stopped her. "Where are you going? Do you have any idea how many paparazzi are outside !!

waiting to snap a photo of you looking humiliated? They're waiting for you to lose your composure and make headlines!"

Claire pushed her away. "I am losing my composure! Let them take the photos. I've been with Sherman for SO many years . We even went to the movies together a few days ago, and I suddenly find he's married to someone else? And I'm the last one to know? Everyone's going to take me for a fool!"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2872-"If you don't see yourself as a joke, then no one can tell you otherwise. How can you even think of going to see Sherman when you're acting all crazy like this?

Do you think he'll meet you? And even if he does, what will you say? You need to have a game plan before running off to find him!

"Why do you think you managed to keep him by your side all these years? Isn't it because you're considerate and gentle? Moreover, you two have a shared history. If you lose even those now, let me tell you, you'll truly have no chance to get back together with him."

Claire stopped in her tracks, her hand trembling as she held the keys. Tears finally streamed down her face. "Serena, have all my efforts been futile? I came back from abroad, where I already established myself, for him. But now, he

turns and marries another girl. I don't even know who she is. Why am I so useless… Did he ever really care about me, or was everything just my imagination?"

Serena quickly pulled her to the sofa. "How could you think like that? We've all seen how Sherman treated you. He truly cherishes you. Why else would he attend all of your performances? Even the ones abroad! Even your biggest fans couldn't achieve that! Think about it, has anything happened since you returned? Has there been another woman in his life?"

Claire bit her lip. "I swear nothing major has happened, but… I think he has probably figured out that I used him to make headlines. He didn't consult me and just had his team of lawyers handle it. I know his temperament, he must've been furious. As for other women, there really hasn't…"

Claire suddenly stopped talking, and Serena immediately pressed, "Is there someone? Did you remember something?"

Claire's expression changed abruptly. "It's that woman, that rat. I've never heard Sherman praising another woman except for her!"

"Don't worry. Now that we've identified the problem, we can find a solution,"

Serena reassured. "Who is this woman, and what's her background?"

"It's none other than the woman who fought with Sherman for the seat I reserved for him. She's the daughter of Vince Russell. Huh! I used to think she was just some naive girl, but when think about it, I realize everything from her first meeting with Sherman to her later inviting him to her dinner party was all part of her scheme.

"She's truly cunning and not to be underestimated. Sherman probably thought she was so innocent and different, but how different could she be? Men always get manipulated by women like her."

Serena pondered for a moment. "Have you thought of what you'd do if it was her?"

After a long pause, Claire sighed

heavily and covered her face as tears streamed down. "I don't know how many times I've fantasized about standing beside Sherman in a wedding gown, only to find someone else has taken my place. All my years of planning and scheming have gone down the drain."

However, Serena felt the situation might not be as dire as Claire imagined. Don't be too quick to despair. Don't you think Sherman' grand wedding should've been, announced to the world? Maybe I've exaggerated things a bit in my mind since I don't really know how families like theirs handle weddings."

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2873-"But it's not like they'd hastily throw together a wedding announcement. It feels more like they're just trying to fulfill a task. And who knows if they even had a wedding? Maybe you'll still be the one standing beside Sherman in a wedding gown someday, so you need to pull yourself together."

Claire immediately stopped crying when she heard that. She wiped away the tears on her cheeks and nodded. "You're right. I can't afford to be so despondent. At the very least, I need to find out his current situation."

Seeing that Claire had calmed down, Serena stopped holding her back. "Alright, make it fast. Remember to leave through the underground parking lot to avoid the paparazzi. They're waiting to see you make a fool of yourself, so it's best to avoid exposure for now."

However, Claire smiled brightly. "That's exactly what I want. I want everyone to know how heartbroken I am, to let Sherman see how much I care for him.

Serena, this exposure was handed to me on a silver platter, so I might as well not let it go to waste."

Serena still felt concerned. After all, Claire was a dancer, and exposing too much of her emotions in public was not a good idea. Ultimately, she could not control her.

As expected, Claire was surrounded by dozens of paparazzi as soon as she appeared. She wore oversized sunglasses that covered most of her face, but her red nose could not be hidden. Within half an hour, news of her heartbreak had already topped the online trending list, and everyone was talking about it.

[Told you guys. The Parr family would never consider such a small-time dancer.

It was her scheming that got Sherman last time, but alas, her scheming this time failed to get Sherman to marry her.] [Yeah well, it's not like Sherman is marrying you either! Honestly, you keyboard warriors are too righteous for your own good. Maybe she was just crying from a sad movie. You guys speculate so much. Aren't you afraid of being sued for defamation?] [I didn't say she cried because of Sherman. I just said that he didn't marry her!

After all, she wouldn't go to all this length to get exposure if she was. She could just stay at home or be an elegant dancer who ignores worldly matters. Why would she go through all this trouble?] [You think everyone has the same aspirations as you? Some people love art.

She has studied dance since she was a kid. Should she give up her career just for marriage? Artists are different from ordinary people like you.] These two social media users started a heated argument.

[Fine, Claire is an artist, but does that make you, her fan, an artist too? If not, what right do you have to criticize me? We're all just ordinary people living paycheck to paycheck!] Meanwhile, Sherman had not noticed the online commotion. He was in his office, handling his usual business, just like every other day.

However, there was one thing different. He looked at the prominently display announcement on Parr Group's official website-he was married. least in the eyes of the public he was a married man.

It felt strange. Despite the unresolved issues between him and Rita, simple document had now tied them together. After their marriage, Vince seemed to have somewhat settled down.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2874-Of course, Sherman provided quite a bit of financial support which kept Vince quiet for a while. Sherman was happy for the peace.

Any intelligent person would not choose to disturb Sherman again. After all, he would not let the Russell family off easily if Vince dared to bother him again.

'Buying out the companies under the Russell family would not be difficult, and he could just have them change their names to be under Parr Group. Let's see how arrogant they'd be then,' thought Sherman. "Mister Sherman, Miss Claire is in the lobby downstairs. She said she wants to see you," said Lucy.

Sherman's hand paused in flipping a page. There had been too much going on lately, and he had almost forgotten about Claire. It had been a long time since

he had seen her, especially after what happened with her tipping off the paparazzi.

"Okay, have her come up," he instructed.

It had been a while since the last incident. It was time to meet her and resolve any lingering issues.

Claire was surprised at how smoothly she managed to sit across from Sherman this time. She had thought he would not want to see her after what had happened before. However, Sherman did not say anything. He just silently sipped his coffee, which made her feel uneasy.

"Sherman, I heard…you got married.

Is it true? Or is it just some false news? After all, we can't trust everything the media says 1ว nowadays. They publish whatever they want without thinking of the consequences. How could something like this, which even I, your longtime friend didn't know about, be true?" Claire said awkwardly with a forced smile.

"The news online is indeed true. I did get married. I didn't tell you because I didn't see the need to," Sherman responded calmly.

Claire suddenly sat up straight. "Are you serious? How can you treat marriage so lightly? You've never liked anyone before, so how could you get married? You can't be so irresponsible!" Sherman casually raised an eyebrow. "How do you know I don't like her? You should've already guessed who she is."

Claire clenched her fists tightly. "So I was right. It's her, after all. But I clearly told you what kind of person she was last time. Don't you believe me? Being with her will only bring you suffering. I don't want to see my good friend go down a path of no return!"

"You're thinking too much. I've been with her for a long time, and I've never felt that she's as vain of m ℮ cunning as you described. Being with her makes me happy every day, so you don't need to worry about our future life together."

"You still won't forgive me, huh? Just because of what I did last time. But you should understand me too. I finally returned to the country, but there was no excitement at all. I only did it for the sake of my career. I know I was wrong!"

With tears streaming down her face, Claire ran up to Sherman and knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on his knees and shook them gently. "I know I was wrong. Can you stop treating me like this? Have you

forgotten how happy we were together?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2875-"I should be the one marrying you. How could you treat me like this? You're bullying me, you know?" Claire pleaded.

Sherman looked down dazedly at Claire, who had her hands on his knees. "This was how we'd ask the other for forgiveness when we were younger. After all these years, you still have that habit."

Claire nodded eagerly at his mention of the past. "Yes, do you remember? How wonderful our past was. Does Rita know it's just a small habit of yours? She doesn't, does she? Only I know. I'm the one who's most suitable for you!"

"Enough. My mind is made up, and besides, I'm already married to Rita. We're husband and wife now. And you shouldn't do anything to upset her in the future.

Though she's generous, seeing you like this will make her jealous, and she'll take it out on me when we get home," Sherman said with a smile on his face, a smile that only a truly happy person could have.

As soon as Claire saw that smile, she could not keep up the pretense any longer. She stood up abruptly and asked in a commanding tone, "You're really determined to marry that woman, aren't you?"

"I'm not going to marry her; I already am married to her. Claire, you should've faced reality a long time ago. We can't go back to the past. Everything changed from the moment you made that choice all those years ago," Sherman said firmly.

"In the end, you just refuse to forgive me. How can a grown man like you be so petty?" Claire accused.

Sherman would have burst out laughing if it were not for his understanding of Claire's personality. Was she implying that he should be magnanimous in taking her back after she cheated on him?

Sherman considered himself just an ordinary person and could not be that magnanimous. He had maintained somewhat of a relationship with her for so many years because of the deep bond they shared in the past, which he had not been able to completely let go of yet.

That was until Rita came into his life. She had given him the perfect excuse to let Claire go.

"Claire, I think you should know that you're the last person on earth who has the right to say that about me. I've given you chances to choose, but you'repeatedly chose someone else. You're only coming back now because you see Parr Group thriving. But we've missed our chance. I won't make the same mistake again," Sherman said calmly.

He remained unfazed throughout. His feelings for Claire had been drained over the years by the various tumultuous events she caused. The last time, she even arranged for a paparazzo to take their photos just to boost her popularity. It was proof enough that she was not t worth forgiving.

"Damn you! What's the point of saying all these righteous words? You're just trying to pave the way for the fact that you're already with Rita! I was the one who met you first! She's just a shameless homewrecker! Just wait and see. Since you don't want to argue with me, I'll ask that woman myself! Let's see if she feels guilty about being a homewrecker!"

Claire exclaimed before pushing open the door and running out, with Sherman following closely behind.

Lucy, who had been standing by, straightened up. She did not know what had happened but out of habit, she grabbed Sherman's car keys and followed them downstairs. She believed he would need them.

Sure enough, Claire had parked her car in the underground parking lot and it sped off as soon as she got in. She was headed to New Capital Times to confront Rita.

Sherman was at a loss, but Lucy happened to get out of the elevator at that moment. As she ran over with the car keys, he said gratefully, "You're getting a raise at the end of the year."

Even the usually composed Lucy could not help but smile shyly upon hearing the news of a promotion and a raise. She had worked so hard to secure her position, all for the year-end bonus.

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2876-Of course, there was not much room for Lucy's salary to increase any further.

She already earned more than many department managers, albeit in smaller companies outside. However, if Lucy could stay working for Sherman, there was a possibility of her being transferred to another department as a manager or something similar.

Her skills far surpassed those of some department heads who were just muddling through. Sherman had long wanted to shake up the staff, but he was used to having Lucy by his side. He would have a difficult time finding someone to replace her in the short term if he were to lose her.

Claire drove like a madwoman and ran several red lights on the way, clearly intent on confronting Rita. Meanwhile, Rita was sorting through her files and thinking about scheduling another interview with Esmond. However, sneaking in again after the fallout from the last incident would be difficult.

Esmond had been working in the dark for many years and was very cautious.

Getting information out of him would not be easy, and Rita's informants were not as trustworthy as they used to be.

'It'll be so much simpler if Sherman can help me out,' thought Rita with a sigh.

However, with their standoff, their once decent friendship had become strained.

She did not even know how to approach Sherman anymore.

She had accompanied Sherman to his family's house several times, and his family had been very kind. It was only during those times that she could relax, especially when they had to pretend to be a loving couple. Rita could not help but indulge in the illusion.

"Rita Russell, come out here! You home-wrecking mistress! How can you have the nerve to call yourself a reporter when you've schemed to steal my boyfriend away?"

Claire did not intend to have a civil conversation with Rita from the start; she started shouting as soon as she arrived at the door. The lobby was bustling with other reporters, and instinctively, they picked up their cameras to record the whole thing this was prime material for them.

The entertainment department Rita was in was quite far from the lobby. News from outside would not reach her for a while until Lenny hurried over to tell her to deal with Claire.

"How shameless of her to cause such a big scene outside! Does she think our newspaper isn't famous enough?" Rita asked in confusion. "Why do you assume this has anything to do with me? I don't remember being involved in any marriage dispute."

"She's cursing at you by name. You're the only Rita Russell in the whole company. How can it not be you? Sort it out quickly. Don't bother coming back to work if you can't," ordered Lenny.

Rita lowered her head and said, "But sir, this really has nothing to do with me.

I've been busy with getting materials for my articles. You know that. How could I get involved in someone else's romantic affairs? I really don't need more drama in my life."

Lenny could not help but chuckle at Rita's troubled expression. "So you are aware of the drama around you .

Regardless of whether it's your fault or not, being called out by your name isn't good for your reputation. Sort it out, and then you can better focus on your work, right?"

Rita nodded and hurriedly left. The troublemaker turned out to be someone she knew.

Miss Claire, what are you doing here?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2877-Claire subconsciously toned down her aggressive demeanor when she saw Rita coming out. She even dusted off the dust on her skirt.

"What am I doing here? Rita, are you that clueless? Why don't you ask yourself what you've been up to lately?"

Rita smiled and replied, "Miss Claire, you seem to have overstepped your boundaries. Our relationship should be that of interviewer and interviewee. What obligation do I have to report my activities to you?"

"We didn't have much of a relationship before, but you stole my boyfriend.

That's a big deal. How shameless can you be? We've been together for so

many years, and there has never been another woman by his side, only you.

The moment you appeared, you stole him. How ruthless of you. Does your family know you're a homewrecker? Won't your mother feel ashamed of your behavior?"

Even though Rita had not done anything like that, her face gradually turned red under Claire's questioning, especially since her mother had passed away long ago. Moreover, she had no idea what Claire was talking about.

"Miss Claire, why do you insist on making me admit to something I haven't done? You're not a judge. What gives you the right to accuse me of stealing your boyfriend? And you haven't even told me who your boyfriend is. If I don't even know who he is, how could I have stolen him? Please refrain from making baseless accusations!"

Rita tried to compose herself, but Claire unexpectedly blurted out Sherman's name.

"You're talking nonsense. You and him were never together," said Rita.

Claire stepped forward with a composed demeanor. "Who told you we were never together? When have you ever seen a man be so open? If we weren't together, how could we be so intimate? I can freely enter his office. Have you seen anyone else with that privilege? Do you know when his birthday is? What is his favorite food? You know nothing, so what gives you the right to conclude that I'm not his girlfriend?"

Claire deliberately chose to confront Rita in the lobby because it was bustling with people. At that moment, many of Rita's colleagues had gathered around.

"Who are they talking about? Why are two women arguing here again? Is it about a man? What kind of man could make these two beauties fight over him?"

"Beats me, but I heard Sherman's name being mentioned. Do you think they're just making things up? Sherman just got married, didn't he? How could he be involved with them?"

Another person, astonished upon hearing Sherman's name, could not close their mouth.

"No way. Is one of these two women Sherman's wife?"

'Wow, we have quite the talent pool here at New Capital Times I can't believe one of ours is Sherman's wife!"

"Hey, please don't say that. These two are still arguing."

Rita kept backing away from Claire's probing. She really did not om understand what was happening.

Affter all, the only reason she and Sherman ended up married was because of Vince's blackmail.

Rita could not help but wonder, 'Had Claire and Sherman been together all along? Why didn't Sherman tell me?'

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2878-Rita would have never let her father blackmail Sherman if she had known he had a girlfriend. No matter how much she liked him, she would fight against it with everything she got. After all, she could not hurt the person she liked just because she wanted to be with him, could she?

"You're talking nonsense. When were you two ever together? You're just jealous because you saw us get married."

Claire, no longer in a rush, scoffed. "Huh! You can stop pretending now. It was so obvious Sherman and I were together until you ruthlessly stole him from me!

Look into your heart can you swear to me that you've really done nothing wrong?"

She then turned and put on a sad expression. "I'm sure you know Sherman is a very filial son. His family has pressured him several times to get married, so he must've hastily married you out of respect for his elders.

"But you should also know he promised to take me abroad for our wedding after the New Year. He'd never have married someone like you if it wasn't for his family. So can you please find it in your heart to let him go? I'll surely thank you properly after we get married. I beg you, please let him go."

She grabbed Rita's hand, and tears rolled down her cheeks like beads falling to the floor.

Rita was momentarily startled by her tears. It felt like burning lava as they dripped onto her hand. She wanted to pull her hand back, but Claire's grip was strong, rendering her immobile.

Claire repeated, "You're lying to yourself and everybody else. Sherman didn't marry you."

"You're the one lying to yourself!" said Rita.

Sherman had never given her the confidence to deal with his ex-girlfriends.

Even Rita herself was not sure whether she was a homewrecker. She detested people who interfered in others' relationships, so how could she allow herself to become a homewrecker?

Fortunately, Sherman arrived shortly after. Upon seeing him, Claire immediately restrained herself. She quickly let go of Rita's hand and wiped away her tears continuously.

Sherman walked straight to Rita and grabbed her hand, carefully examining it for any injuries. Rita withdrew her hand timidly.

"Are you hurt?" Sherman asked Rita.

Rita quickly smiled and shook her head. "No, I'm not. You should go and talk to Miss Claire. I think there might be some misunderstandings between us. I'll file for a divorce right away if you two were together as she said. I won't force you to marry me. I'll try to convince my father…"

Sherman's temper flared up immediately upon hearing her words .

Would we still be getting married now if you could convince your father? If you couldn't, then don't meddle in matters that don't concern you. I'll handle the situation with Claire myself. There's no need for you to interfere," he said sharply, dropping Rita's hand.

Rita hugged her arms around herself, not understanding why his attitude suddenly changed. Wasn't he the he who didn't want to marry me in the first place?'

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2879-Rita had indeed been unable to convince her father before, but she had been trying her best. She even mentioned repaying the money her father owed Sherman-was that not enough? What did Sherman want from her?

Claire could not help but step back when she saw Sherman approaching.

"So this is the kind of woman you're dumping me for? You really are something, Sherman. How can you give up years of memories and feelings between us for someone like her?"

"I've never seen anyone as good at distorting the truth as you. You know perfectly well why I chose someone else; you just refuse to admit it. It's been so

many years, and you should've known by now that we can't go back to how we used to be. You made your choice, and you want to go back on it now?"

"Yes!" Claire rushed forward and grabbed Sherman's arm. "Yes, I want to go back on my choice. I shouldn't have left you to go abroad in the first place. How could I have known that when I came back, you'd have another woman by your side? I should be the one marrying you! I'm your childhood sweetheart. How could you fall for a woman you've only known for a few months? Have you forgotten what she did to you?"

Claire cried bitterly, and many people around them started to comment on the situation.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Looks like Sherman is just another fickle-minded man. Indeed, there are no good men in this world."

"Other men might not be good, but Sherman might be an exception. He's wealthy, so he doesn't need to resort to such things, does he?"

"Haven't you heard the saying? A man is bound to go astray, especially one with money. Especially someone as wealthy as Sherman. Who knows how many women's hearts he's played with? Look at these two beautiful women so heartbroken over him. If I were a man, I'd feel quite pleased."

Her colleagues nearby scorned her remarks.

"I bet you don't have that much money. If you did, you might be even more fickle-minded than Sherman! Plus, what gives you the right to comment on his love life? Do you have a death wish or something?" "You! You women only care about looks and money. Can't you talk about something else?"

"Oh, don't act like you men don't care about looks and money as well. What a joke."

Rita listened quietly nearby. She had not realized there was so much history between Sherman and Claire.

'But if they hadn't been together after all these years, didn't that just mean they weren't right for each other? If they both had feelings for each other, why not be together?' With these thoughts in mind, Rita stepped forward, wanting to calm Claire down.

The three of them could sit together and talk things out calmly. There was no need to make a seene in public.

Moreover, Claire was a public figure, and it would not look good on her if words got out about her behavior.

"Don't act innocent! Aren't you just dying to broadcast the fact that he dumped me to the whole world? h wouldn't be surprised If you're using me right now to expose your marriage with Sherman. As woman, I know exactly what's going on in your mind."

Rita almost burst out laughing. After all, Claire was the one who came to her company acting like a madwoman. How ow could anyone else know about this matter? Could it be that her barging in was also part of her plan?

Since you're unwilling to accept this fact, let me tell you again: Sherman and I are now married. We're legally recognized as husband and wife. I hope you w I won't bother my husband anymore." Rita, overcome with anger, lost her interest in maintaining her composure. She linked her arm with his and stood beside him as his wife as if commanding Claire to leave.

Claire looked pitifully at Sherman. "Sherman, are you just going to let her treat me like this? Can you bear to see me humiliated in front of so many people?"

The Day I Kissed An Older Man Chapter 2880-"I've told you that it's over between us. No, we never even began. You never chose me from the start, Claire. Please, stop making things difficult for my wife."

Sherman gently took Rita's hand. Claire felt as if her heart was stabbed by a thousand needles when she saw their tightly clasped hands.

"Wow… Just wow. Every choice I've made over these years has been wrong.

Leaving you was a mistake, Sherman. Now that I choose to come back, I realize I'm still going to lose you. Sherman, why pretend to be righteous here? Why don't you just admit that you've never ever thought of giving me a chance from the start?

"Rita, you rat. No need to show off in front of me. You just want to see me suffer, don't you? Well, I won't give you the satisfaction! I'll make all of you regret it!"

As Claire spoke, she charged straight toward the pillar in the lobby.

Sherman's reaction was swift, rushing toward her in that instant, but he could not stop Claire. At that moment, she had resolved to gamble on whether Sherman would relent. Luckily for her, she won.

He still cared for her but at the cost of finding that out was her health. Her forehead slammed heavily into the pillar, leaving behind a bloody stain.

Rita was so startled that she instinctively covered her mouth. She had not expected Claire to be so determined, resorting to such drastic measures. The situation had escalated even further, almost resulting in a tragedy and with even her supervisor coming down from upstairs.

"Get out of here, you lot! There's nothing to see here."

"What are you standing there for? Call an ambulance!" Sherman shouted at Rita, who stood dumbfounded.

Rita snapped out of her daze.

"Oh, yes! I'll call right away. Don't panic. Let's stop her bleeding first. The hospital is very close by, so I'm sure the ambulance will come quickly Don't worry, just focus on stopping the bleeding…" Rita muttered incessantly as she dialed the ambulance number.

Sherman noticed her behavior was somewhat unusual but did not dwell on it too much, especially since Claire was still lying in his arms.

"Sherman, tell me none of this is true. We're still as good as we used to be, and you're not married, right?"

Even at that moment, when blood continued to flow from her forehead, she grasped Sherman's collar, desperate for an answer.

However, Sherman and Rita's marriage was a done deal. They even had a marriage certificate, which was sitting on top of his desk in the office.

"Don't talk now, you're injured. We need to stop the bleeding first."

"Heh, so you won't even lie to me? You might as well let me bleed to death. No one cares about me anyway. I don't have a father or mother. Even if I die alone in my home, no one will know."

She lowered her gaze, tears streaming down her cheeks as if she had lost all will to live .

Sherman could not help but feel a ney

pang of guilt They had been friends for so many years, and he could not bear to see her so depressed because of his marriage. Even if they Were to part ways in the future, they should each walk their own paths rather than letting her go down a path of despair.

'How can you think like this? You're such a talented dancer with a bright future ahead of you You don't need to give up on life because of me.

Didn't you choose someone else before?"