Chapter 86: Cannot Be Forced

Besides, more importantly, how could she really wear something so expensive? This simply did not align with her lifestyle and values. This marriage was essentially a fake union, maintained with the facade of harmony just for certain purposes. She looked at the ring, its brilliance dazzling under the light, silently declaring its expense and rarity. However, it was precisely this luxury and value that brought her a faint pressure. No matter what the ring meant, it was too precious for her to comfortably claim it as her own. William Foster noticed her hesitation and sighed softly. His voice drifted over like a whisper of wind, yet carried an irresistible strength: "If you don’t accept it as an engagement ring, think of it as my apology gift, how about that? To me, it’s just a small part of making amends; to you, it might be just a small comfort." He smiled slightly, his eyes sincere and warm. In truth, he had long prepared himself for the worst. No matter the reason, as long as she was willing to accept it, that would be the best outcome. He no longer wanted to dwell on the so-called identity or meaning; now the only important thing was to let her accept his feelings. When Clara Bennett heard this, she was first stunned, then raised her eyebrows, a teasing tone in her voice. "Oh, so there’s such a good thing? Are you suggesting I can choose any gift without considering the price, right?" A cunning smile appeared on her face, looking both clever and mischievous, yet her gaze remained scrutinizing. William Foster was startled for a moment, then showed a charming smile. That smile was tinged with innocence, yet carried a feeling that made one want to tenderly cherish it. His voice was low and gentle: "Yes, for my dearest Clara, anything is possible. Do you know, in this world, if you ask who treats me the best, my answer will always be only one person, and that’s you, Clara. You are the one who never gave up on me during the darkest, life and death moments of my life." Clara Bennett suddenly froze for a few seconds upon hearing this. She blinked, the light in her eyes flickering slightly, as if hiding some complex thoughts: "Wait..." She paused her words, her voice becoming slower and softer, "These things you just said... are they true? Or are they just made up to make me accept this ring?" William Foster did not rush to answer but fell into a brief silence. His eyebrows furrowed gently, his expression seemed to age instantly. After a long pause, he slowly spoke, his tone filled with bitterness and hidden pain: "The feeling of being abandoned is terrible, isn’t it? That sense of helplessness cuts through the heart like a knife." He raised a hand to rub his forehead, as if these memories were too heavy for him, almost collapsing the defenses of his heart. In fact, he also understood that such outpouring wasn’t without a bit of selfishness. After all, who would mind showing a bit of weakness to appease his own wife? So, he shrugged nonchalantly, his tone casual but carried an immense weight: "To be honest, I might have experienced quite a few similar things in the past. But the exact number... perhaps could be described as countless times." William Foster said, a slight smile tugging at his lips, but no matter how you looked at it, the smile seemed a bit illusory. He paused, then continued: "Actually, each time I hoped to catch up with those who left, to tell them I would change, I’d become better. But... alas, my legs don’t move as they should, ultimately unable to keep up with their pace. Later, I simply gave up the chase, too lazy to blame others. After all, everyone has their own aspirations, it’s not something you can force." He lifted his head to look at Clara Bennett, his gaze as gentle as a spring morning. "Sometimes I truly can’t help but fantasize, if back then someone was willing to persist just once, even for a brief moment, maybe everything would have been different... but unfortunately, Lady Luck never favored me. Not until I met you did I realize I had found someone worth relying on, and since then I no longer brood over past regrets." This speech gradually transitioned from probing to a genuine expression of emotion. As he spoke later, he didn’t even notice his tone had choked up, or that he had forgotten his original intent to hide his true feelings. Those blurred memories came flooding in, some vivid, some hazy, like a tangled mess cluttering his mind. Yet at the same time, he quickly suppressed them all, forcing himself back to rationality. These subtle changes were all observed by Clara Bennett, and at this moment, her gaze became even deeper. Clara Bennett was completely moved. Ah, one must admit, William Foster’s judgement of people was impressively accurate, managing to choose a soft-hearted woman. Clara Bennett did not fully believe every word he said, but she understood very well that feeling of deep-seated dilemma and sorrow in one’s heart. That complex emotion seemed like an invisible lock, firmly ensnaring the soul, making one unable to breathe. She couldn’t help but recall the painful time in a previous life when her leg was injured. During that time, her world suddenly became empty, everyone seemed to turn into indifferent strangers. The whole world appeared to lose its warmth, leaving nothing but cold grayness. Every day her nerves were tense, afraid that someone might poison her food, even the meals carefully prepared by the housemaid, she dared not touch casually. Fear, like an invisible beast, gnawed at her reason and trust. At night, when silence reigned, she could only painstakingly crawl down the stairs to take some cold food from the fridge, secretly eating it under the covers. Occasionally making a slightly larger movement, she could even hear the subtle sound of her joints scraping. Sometimes, being too weak to move, she was forced to ingest expired, spoiled food just to get by... These memories were too vivid, so much that recalling them now, she still felt a faint pain in her stomach. If at that time, someone suddenly treated her with extraordinary kindness, would she have wholeheartedly believed them? The answer was obviously no. After experiencing too much hurt, a person’s heart has long built a heavy wall, sealing themselves off tightly, allowing no one close. So even if someone approached, even if someone showed kindness, she would still instinctively doubt, probingly, until convinced this person was trustworthy. And this process often needs consuming too much time and energy, leaving one exhausted. Clara Bennett sighed, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness: "I can temporarily accept the ring, and use it when needed. Today, to avoid delaying the registry, I’ll let you off this time."