"But Clara definitely knew about Autumn Shelby." Poppy Vance didn’t think her memory was failing her. That day, Clara had clearly asked her about what was going on between Brother Quinn and Autumn Shelby.

She even asked if you were the one who told me about her. I said yes, so I just assumed you’d already told Clara.

"What? She knew?" Seth Quinn sounded agitated. He instantly uncrossed his legs and stared intently at Poppy Vance.

"Yeah, she asked me about it that day." Poppy then recounted the gist of her conversation with Clara, making sure to emphasize the most important parts: Clara saying, "I don’t dislike him," and the part where she got nervous and jealous because of Autumn Shelby.

"You... you’re saying she... she said she doesn’t dislike me?" Seth Quinn looked incredulous. The man who was normally so calm and collected was actually stammering. "She said that herself?"

"Of course! You think I’d make up a lie to trick you?"

"And you’re saying... she got nervous and jealous over Autumn Shelby?" Seth pressed on, still finding it hard to believe.

"Yep!" Poppy nodded firmly again. "Even though Clara kept denying it, she was so obvious that day. Anyone with eyes could see what she was really thinking."

"But..." Seth was both shocked and overjoyed. ’So she doesn’t feel nothing for me after all! She isn’t completely indifferent!’ Still, he had a doubt. "But she’s never said anything to me. When we went home that day, she didn’t ask me anything!"

The moment he said that, something suddenly flashed through his mind.

’No, wait. She did seem to ask me something. Before she brought up the divorce, she asked me, "Is there nothing you want to say to me?"’

’Her question was rather vague, and I didn’t think much of it at the time. Looking back now, she must have been waiting for me to take the initiative and tell her about Autumn Shelby, right?’

"You’re a grown man. Your ex suddenly appears, and you don’t even offer an explanation? Of course a girl is going to be reserved and wait for you to say something first." Poppy was truly at a loss for words with Seth. She had no idea how his brain worked. His ex-girlfriend and his current wife were already on the verge of a showdown, and it still hadn’t occurred to him to explain the situation to his wife.

’Well,’ she mused, ’at least he’s excellent at one thing: when he breaks up with an ex, it’s a clean break, no messiness involved.’

...

Seth Quinn didn’t return to the Quinn family residence, instead heading back to his apartment at The Millennium Grand. He had been living there all week.

Even though Clara had been gone for a week, her scent seemed to linger in the apartment. Being here put him at ease.

Standing on the balcony, Seth Quinn lit a cigarette. He squinted out the window through the curling smoke, his expression unreadable. It was unclear if he was looking at the scenery or if his thoughts had drifted far away.

All night, the words Poppy had relayed from Clara echoed in his mind: "I don’t dislike him."

Even though it wasn’t an "I like him," her words still gave him a small thrill of excitement.

He had always believed she married him purely as part of a transaction. He thought her unwillingness to give herself to him, even after all this time, and her forbidding him from making their marriage public, was all because her heart still belonged to Miles.

At one point, he had feared that Clara might love Miles forever, and that she would never truly see him at all.

After all, whenever he brought up divorce, she always looked thrilled, as if it was the best news in the world.