Chapter 319

Elio frowned, “I bet Emmett already knows! It’s already the afternoon of the next day.”

“What?!”

Elio showed her his phone, and sure enough, it was the next day.

Clara immediately stood up to leave, but Elio grabbed her, “You can’t go! Someone’s out to get you. It’s dangerous out there! You’re safe here!”

“I don’t get it, if you’re looking out for me, you should tell me everything.”

“I can’t tell you yet; you just need to stay here. I’ll protect you.”

“You’ve got me all confused. I don’t know who’s out to get me or why I can’t leave.”

Clara was anxious, but it was clear Elio wasn’t planning on letting her go.

“If you trust me, just relax here: Once it’s safe, I’ll bring you back to Emmett.”

Clara took a deep breath and frowned, “Fine, give me my phone back. I need to call Emmett and let him know, or he’ll be searching all over for me. If he finds this place, I’m afraid he might blow a gasket at you.”

Elio’s mood suddenly turned sour, “So you think I can’t protect you and only Emmett can?”

“No, that’s not it. If Emmett finds out I’m missing, it’s normal for him to look for me, isn’t it? If I don’t tell him, he’ll still be searching, won’t he?”

Elio didn’t respond.

“Why are you being so unreasonable? I just don’t want you to get dragged into this. If Emmett knows I’m with you, will he come after you or me?”

“I don’t care about all that. I just want you safe.”

Clara took another deep breath, “You know how Emmett is; he’s capable of anything. If you’re really looking out for me, let me tell him. Emmett won’t hurt me!”

Elio scoffed, “Who do you think hurt you?”

Clara was speechless, “Can’t you just tell me straight? Elio, what’s happened to you?”

She remembered Elio as a bit prickly but fundamentally good. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have helped her when they didn’t know each other that well. But now Clara was finding it harder and harder to read him.

“Do you think I want this? Do you know how much it hurts?” Elio clenched her wrist, forcing her to look at him.

“What are you trying to do?”

“Ever since you left, I’ve been alone in that empty house. Without your frequent phone calls checking in on me, I suddenly feel like an orphan!”

Clara was taken aback, and she felt guilt welling up inside her.

“I’ve gotten so used to your presence over the years that sometimes leven feel like we’re married and that we have a cute kid. But what about you? Do you realize how much you’ve hurt me? You’ve completely wrecked my life!”

Clara was at a loss for words. She had plenty to say, but she was unable to say it.

“But I know you’re happy now with the Melendez family, with two kids by your side, so I let you go!”

Clara fell silent.

“If there was no danger, I wouldn’t have come back to find you! I’ve already let you be with Emmett. No matter how much it hurts, I won’t regret it.”

Clara bit her lip, “I’m sorry, Elio. It’s all my fault! I know you’re trying to help, but you have to let me tell Emmett. He’ll worry!”

“So you still don’t trust me?”

“That’s not it! I’ll call him, and I won’t tell him I’m with you, okay? I just want to let him know I’m safe.”

“No way, you can’t contact anyone right now!”