Chapter 90: Did the circus lose two performers?

In her previous life, she had never appreciated everything he did for her.

Even on the anniversary of Diana’s death, Dominic had quietly arranged everything for her without expecting anything in return.

Yet all he ever received were her cold, heartless words.

"Keep your filthy hands away from my mother’s grave."

"Do you think doing all this will make me love you?"

"Never, Dominic. I will never love you."

Every single sentence had been cruel enough to cut deeper than any knife.

Even so, Dominic had never once argued with her.

He had simply endured it all in silence.

Remembering those moments, Clara lowered her head, a bitter smile tugging at her lips.

"I was so cruel to the only man who ever loved me unconditionally."

Her voice trembled slightly.

"But this time..."

She looked at Diana’s photograph.

"I’m going to love him with everything I have."

For the first time in years, those weren’t words spoken out of guilt.

They were a promise.

After a long silence, another thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.

She looked thoughtfully at the tombstone.

"Mom... Did you ever think about going back to the man who truly loved you?"

She remembered the stories Diana had once shared with her.

The man who had loved her mother wholeheartedly... yet never had the chance to stay by her side.

Unlike Clara, Diana had never been given a second chance.

That thought alone made Clara’s heart ache.

A part of Clara wished her mother could have the happy ending she had never received.

Someone as kind and gentle as Diana had deserved far better than falling in love with a married man who turned out to be nothing more than a lying scumbag.

If there was such a thing as a second chance for her... Clara hoped her mother would meet someone who loved her wholeheartedly and would never betray her.

She smiled softly at the thought. "Maybe in another life you’ll have the happiness you deserved, Mom."

However, another thought suddenly crossed her mind, and her smile slowly froze.

"...Wait."

If her mother had truly been reborn... would she still become Diana’s daughter?

And if Diana lived a completely different life... Would Clara even exist?

Her eyes widened.

"..."

A horrifying possibility flashed through her mind. "And if I don’t exist..." she gasped dramatically before clutching her chest. "Then... then I wouldn’t meet Dominic!"

The cemetery instantly fell silent as Clara stared at the tombstone with a conflicted expression.

"Mom..." She awkwardly scratched her cheek.

"As much as I want you to have your own happy ending..." She let out a helpless sigh. "...I really can’t risk not meeting Dominic in this life."

She quickly clasped her hands together before the tombstone.

"So... how about this? You get your happy ending..." she giggled, "...but somehow I’m still born, I still meet Dominic, and everything works out perfectly."

She nodded to herself.

"Yes. That sounds like a very reasonable compromise."

A breeze swept gently through the cemetery, rustling the leaves overhead. Clara smiled sheepishly.

"I know, I know... I’m being greedy. But what can I do?"

She laughed softly, her eyes filling with warmth. "I’ve finally found someone worth spending my whole life with. And this time... I’m never letting him go."

For the first time in a long while, Clara left the cemetery feeling lighter than when she had arrived, believing her mother would understand her shamelessly selfish wish.

A few minutes after Clara left the cemetery, another black sedan slowly pulled up outside the entrance.

The engine fell silent.

The rear door opened, and a man in his late fifties stepped out.

Time had left a few silver strands in his neatly combed hair, but his dignified presence remained unchanged.

In his hands, he carried a bouquet of white lilies.

He stood there for a brief moment, staring at the cemetery gates before letting out a quiet breath.

"Boss."

Logan walked around the car and stopped beside him.

"This way."

Adrian gave a slight nod. Without another word, he followed Logan through the peaceful cemetery. The only sounds were the gentle rustling of leaves and the birds singing in the distance.

After walking for several minutes, Logan finally stopped in front of a modest tombstone.

"We’re here."

Adrian’s footsteps came to a halt. His gaze slowly fell upon the photograph engraved on the stone. The moment he saw Diana’s gentle smile, his expression softened.

So many years had passed... yet seeing her face still made his heart ache as though no time had gone by at all.

Without saying a word, Adrian knelt before the grave and carefully placed the bouquet of lilies beside the tombstone.

His fingers lightly brushed across the engraved name.

At last... he had come to visit the woman he had loved his entire life.

***

Instead of calling a cab, Clara decided to take a walk.

The afternoon breeze was pleasant, and after finally talking to her mother again, her heart felt much lighter. For the first time in a long while, she had been able to share everything she had kept buried inside.

Her rebirth...

Her regrets...

And how she had been too blind to cherish her marriage until it was too late, losing not only the man who had loved her unconditionally but also her own life.

Fortunately, fate had given her another chance. And this time, she wouldn’t make the same mistakes.

Taking a deep breath, Clara smiled to herself as she continued walking down the quiet street.

However, only a few steps later, her feet came to an abrupt halt.

"Well, well... here comes the lady."

Two men stepped into her path, blocking the sidewalk.

Clara slowly looked them up and down.

One had greasy hair slicked back with far too much gel. The other wore a flashy shirt that looked as though it had lost a fight with a box of glitter.

Her nose twitched in disgust. She tilted her head before muttering under her breath, "...Did the circus lose two performers?"

The two men froze.