Part 2
### Chapter 1: Chapter 1
After catching her boyfriend cheating with her best friend, Clara tries to return the expensive watch she'd bought for him.
The clerk refuses.
A stranger buys it instead.
Days later, Clara discovers that the stranger is her new boss.
Five days.
One temporary job.
And the unexpected beginning of a love she never saw coming.
Complete Chapters 22
Rating 4.8 ( 99 reviews ) Age Rating mature
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Chapter 1
Nolan POV：
Then the torrential rain poured down.
Dark clouds hung heavy and low in the sky.
The storm showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.
A watch shop stood by the roadside.
It sold low-end brands, the kind I never bought.
But I decided to step inside to kill some time.
I had no desire to get drenched on my way to the parking lot.
I was the only customer in the shop.
The salesgirl’s eyes locked onto me for a split second.
Then she greeted me with intense enthusiasm.
"Hello, sir. What can I help you find today?"
She seemed to recognize the brands I wore.
She judged that I was worth her absolute best service.
I walked over to the counter, my gaze drifting across the displays.
"Sir, the styles over here would suit your taste much better."
Predictably, she pointed at the most expensive pieces in the store.
They did look slightly better than the rest.
But I was not used to buying things this cheap.
The other salesgirl stared out the glass windows at the rain.
She held a hand over her Bluetooth earpiece, gossiping in a low voice.
"Let me see this one." I pointed randomly at a watch inside the glass showcase.
The salesgirl carefully took it out for me.
"You have excellent taste, sir. This just arrived."
I picked it up and turned it over in my hands.
Compared to any single watch in my collection at home, its price was mere pocket change.
From the design to the craftsmanship, it was nothing special.
I had no intention of buying it.
A gust of cold wind rushed in, carrying the scent of rain.
A girl walked inside, dragging a suitcase behind her.
Strands of chestnut hair stuck to her face.
Her face looked pale, likely from the biting cold rain.
Her hands shook slightly as she brushed the messy hair from her forehead.
The salesgirl on the phone cut her call short.
She scanned the girl with a swift, calculating glance.
Her fake, robotic smile made it clear.
She had already decided this girl wouldn't bring in a commission.
The girl hesitated for a moment.
She pulled a box from her bag and placed it on the counter.
"I’d like to... return this watch," she said, her voice dropping low.
The salesgirl rolled her eyes toward our direction before flashing her professional smile again.
"In theory, yes. Let me check the date on your receipt."
The girl fished the sales receipt out of her shoulder bag and laid it on the counter.
The salesgirl inspected the receipt thoroughly.
She opened the watch box, lifting the timepiece to examine it from every angle against the light.
Then she walked over to whisper with the clerk serving me.
After a quick huddle, the salesgirl walked back.
She pushed the watch box and the receipt back to the girl.
"I'm sorry, miss. The packaging is damaged. We can't accept the return."
"It's brand new. I haven't even taken it out of the box since I bought it."
Curiosity drew my eyes to the watch.
It was a very ordinary men's watch, priced under a thousand dollars.
The girl wore simple jeans and a plain shirt.
A men's watch at this price was clearly not a casual purchase for her.
It took no genius to guess that a miserable story lay behind this.
But on a boring, rainy day like this, it was a nice bit of drama.
I shifted my posture slightly, asking the clerk to fetch another watch.
All the while, I kept my eyes on the girl out of the corner of my vision.
Her fingers gripped the edge of the glass counter.
She stared expectantly at the box in the salesgirl's hand.
"Look, miss, almost half the box is soaked through. It impacts resale value. So, I'm sorry."
"Can't you just dry it? It only got wet on my way here. I never used it."
She grabbed the box back, inspecting it closely.
"Do you have a hairdryer? Let me try."
The salesgirl rolled her eyes at the clerk serving me. Disgust showed plain on her face.
"Next time you buy an expensive gift like this, make sure you're actually exclusive first."
The girl froze for a few seconds.
She kept her head down, her voice thick with tears.
"But he was in bed with someone else..."
The salesgirl watched her, cold and detached.
"I sympathize, but I have to follow protocol.
I placed my credit card on the counter, then pointed toward the girl.
And I raised a finger to my lips, signaling my clerk to stay silent.
My clerk raised her eyebrows to confirm.
She quietly took the card over to the register, swiped it, and handed me the pen to sign.
The girl just picked up the watch box, about to shove it into her soaked shoulder bag.
"Wait a minute, we can process your return now."
The girl froze, snapping her head up in pleasant surprise.
"Really? You can take it back?"
My clerk took the watch box from her.
"I'll try to restore the packaging. It should be fine."
She brushed back her wet hair, her voice trembling slightly.
The clerk worked the register for a moment, then handed the card back.
"The return went through. The refund might take a few business days to hit your account."
The tension finally drained from the girl's shoulders.
She turned slowly and walked out.
The clerk shook her head, then slid the watch box over to me.
I took the watch out, and turned it over in my fingers.
The clerk started filling out the sales receipt.
"Sir, why did you do that for her?"
"She's had a bad enough day. It's no skin off my back."
I strapped the watch onto my wrist, right next to my own luxury timepiece.
It looked even cheaper by comparison.
"You're very generous, sir," the clerk flattered, handing over the receipt.
The automatic doors slid open again.
The girl's voice echoed from behind me once more.
"I want to know why you refused at first, but then suddenly changed your mind."
She saw the watch that had just belonged to her, and the pieces clicked.
Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"Protocol says no, but this gentleman offered to buy your watch. So we processed it as a return."
"Thank you." The whisper was barely audible.
Then, she turned and left without looking back, almost running.
Through the glass window, I watched her plunge into the downpour.
Dragging her suitcase, her strides were wide and resolute.
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### Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Today was officially the worst day of my life.
Heaven knew what I went through.
I dragged my suitcase away from the watch shop, exhaustion finally catching up to me.
Warm yellow lights gleamed through the glass, carrying the rich aroma of coffee and soft background music.
My feet refused to move another inch.
Life was unfair enough, and I refused to torture myself any longer.
I walked inside and found a corner seat.
I dug out clean clothes from my suitcase and headed straight for the restroom.
A few minutes later, I emerged.
I was no longer the dripping-wet loser anxiously trying to return a men's watch.
The customers sat in small groups, every single one of them wearing relaxed smiles.
The server brought my coffee, steam rising from the mug.
The bone-chilling cold slowly faded.
I stirred the spoon, watching the dark brown swirl in the cup.
Then, the sickening scene from an hour ago flashed across my mind again.
I stepped out of the Uber from the airport and rushed into the apartment building, pulling my suitcase.
It was my boyfriend's birthday—correction, my ex-boyfriend Levi's birthday.
I worked late, compressing a three-day business trip into two just to make it back today.
I did not tell him because I wanted to give him a surprise.
As I pulled out my keys at the door, a smile played on my lips.
A hundred possibilities crossed my mind.
Would he spin me around in his arms?
Or kiss me hard and tell me how much he missed me?
Then, I would present the watch he loved so much.
I pulled the watch out of the suitcase, my heart beating faster.
I picked it out weeks ago, saving up for two whole months to buy it.
Simply because Levi said he liked it.
I unlocked the door. The living room was empty.
Perfect. I could set up the surprise with balloons and candles.
Just as I set down my suitcase, a muffled sound echoed from the bedroom.
No, I was mishearing it. I had to be.
But deep down, I knew. That wasn't a normal sound.
I stood frozen, then forced myself to take two steps forward.
The noise grew louder, more breathless.
My shoulder bag slipped from my grip, and the watch box tumbled out, rolling a few feet away.
Levi always told me he loved me.
He always claimed he could not live without me.
I trusted him with my whole heart, letting myself drown in his words.
I leaned against the sofa, my legs too weak to carry me.
I weighed my options: storm in and scream at them, or grab my bag and walk away, pretending I knew nothing.
The noises from the bedroom grew louder, wilder.
Suddenly, the female voice sounded sickeningly familiar.
The two people closest to me. The two I trusted most. They were playing me.
My breathing turned into a ragged mess.
I forced a deep breath into my lungs and walked in.
Two familiar bodies tangled together, completely naked.
The heavy scent of sex hung thick in the air.
I raised my phone and started recording.
I choked back my tears, refusing to make a single sound.
"Damn it, Clara, What the hell are you doing back?"
Aria shrieked, and they ripped apart
I forced down the sickness in my throat, my voice deadly calm. "Don't stop. Keep going."
Levi lunged out of bed, catching his foot as he reached for my phone.
I already captured enough of their ugliness. I stopped the recording and hid the phone behind my back.
I looked at him coldly. "Any explanations?"
Levi snatched up his boxers, frantically pulling them on.
"Clara, listen to me, this is..."
"This is what?" Tears pricked my eyes. "A game?"
Aria leaned back against the headboard, making no effort to cover herself.
Her F-cup breasts bared proudly, her eyes gleaming with triumphant satisfaction.
"I always treated you as my best friend. I shared everything with you. Why did you do this to me?"
She smiled, rising slowly and putting on her clothes.
"I’m actually doing you a favor, Clara. Helping you see what kind of man he really is."
She stood up, buttoning her shirt one by one.
"True, he said he loved you, but he also said he loved me."
She walked toward the exit, still smiling.
Passing by my side, she did not forget to pat my shoulder.
"You still believe in true love?"
Disgusted, I brushed her hand off. "Get the hell away from me!"
The front door slammed shut, leaving only Levi and me in the apartment.
Losing Aria hurt, but it wouldn't kill me.
But Levi... Levi was different.
All those years I supported him. All the things I sacrificed.
I stared him down, my chest heaving as I fought for air.
Levi was now fully dressed, the panic gone from his face.
"Tell me, was I not good enough to you? What did I fail to do?"
He opened his arms to embrace me. I took two steps back, slapping his hands away.
After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke.
"You were great." His eyes shifted away.
"You were just too good, so I always felt indebted to you.
"Being with you made me feel guilty. I couldn't breathe."
A sharp pain stabbed my heart, making me sway.
"With her, I feel relaxed," he hesitated, "after all, I don't owe her anything."
I wanted to scream at him, but my throat felt choked.
After a long pause, a bitter laugh escaped my lips.
"So treating you well and funding your dream to study law was actually my mistake."
I walked slowly out of the bedroom, my steps unsteady.
He hung his head. "Clara, I'm sorry."
I ignored him and went straight to the living room.
I picked up the watch box that rolled onto the floor, turned to face him, and opened it.
"Do you know why I came back early?"
"Today is your birthday. This is the watch you said you loved."
I sniffled hard, placing the watch back into the box.
Levi’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief.
I put the watch box into my shoulder bag.
"Yes, but I don't intend to give it to you anymore."
Levi stood frozen, his lips twitching, but no words came out.
I dragged my suitcase and opened the door.
Only then did he suddenly rush forward, grabbing my arm from behind.
"Clara," his voice carried panic, "we can start over, okay?"
I did not turn around, my voice dropping to a dead chill.
"You were always so forgiving and understanding, weren't you? Let's just forget the bad things."
I slammed the door hard, leaving that filthy room behind.
I dragged my suitcase, my mind completely numb.
I wanted to cry, but no tears came.
I had no idea where to go, and just walked forward.
By the time awareness flooded back, I realized I had walked three blocks.
I slowed down, wondering where to head next.
Dark clouds hung low overhead, matching my mood.
Return the watch. That was my single, driving thought.
At the very least, I needed to get my money back and cut my losses.
The watch shop lay not too far ahead.
I hadn't walked far when the downpour unleashed.
I just let the heavy rain soak me through.
I couldn't tell if I was crying. My face was just wet.
I snatched it up and swiped to answer.
The other end fell silent for a second before a familiar female voice spoke.
"Clara, the company went through a restructuring, and unfortunately, your position was affected. Come in tomorrow to handle the paperwork."
A flash of lightning ripped across the sky.
"I... just got back from a business trip..."
"Upload your files as soon as possible. Your system access remains open for another twenty-four hours."
I laughed, tears mixing with the rain as they slid into my mouth.
When the automatic doors slid open slowly,
I dragged my suitcase and stepped inside.
Inkitt’s mission is to discover talented writers and turn them into globally successful authors.
Authors can write and upload their manuscripts on Inkit for free and writers retain 100% of their copyrights while writing on Inkitt
Readers can read all books for free, without any ads and give the authors feedback.
Books that perform well based on their reader engagement are published on our Galatea app.
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