After work, Claire received a call from Mrs. Sterling. She asked Claire to come to the Sterling estate.
"Claire, there's something I'd like to discuss with you. Would you be able to visit tonight?"
Mrs. Sterling spoke softly, but her tone left no room for refusal.
In the past, Mrs. Sterling had never spoken to Claire this way. Whether in public or private, she'd always been kind and warm toward Claire.
Claire and Ethan had shown signs of a budding relationship back in high school. Mrs. Sterling had liked Claire and approved of her family background. She had even encouraged Ethan's pursuit of Claire.
But then… Claire sighed softly. The Harper family's bankruptcy and mounting debts had changed everything. It was natural for Mrs. Sterling to change her attitude.
"Of course, Mrs. Sterling. How about eight o'clock?" Claire agreed readily. She already knew why Mrs. Sterling was calling.
News of her signing new debt agreements with creditors must have already reached the Sterling family. In this city, sometimes news traveled slowly, but other times, it spread like wildfire.
Claire couldn't help feeling a pang of reluctance when she thought of Ethan.
The Sterling family's rejection of her was inevitable, and Mrs. Sterling's reaction was perfectly reasonable.
For three years after the Harper family's downfall, Ethan had never mentioned breaking off the engagement. That alone proved he was a man worth trusting. Claire had never doubted Ethan's character.
It was precisely because of this that she felt it was time to let him go.
A marriage without parental blessing was destined to be fraught with difficulties. Ethan was inseparable from his family. Their engagement had long been on borrowed time. Claire had been clinging to Ethan's warmth, reluctant to face reality.
At exactly eight o'clock, Claire arrived at the Sterlings' grand estate, carrying a bag of carefully selected fruits.
Ethan was out of town on business, and Mr. Sterling wasn't home either. Mrs. Sterling was the only one waiting for her in the vast villa.
Mrs. Sterling glanced at the fruits Claire brought and offered a word of advice, sounding both concerned and condescending. "The Sterling family doesn't lack for fruits. There's no need for you to be so polite. You're not as financially secure as you used to be, with your modest salary. You shouldn't spend unnecessarily… Don't take offense at my bluntness; I'm saying this for your own good."
Mrs. Sterling's words carried a faint air of superiority that Claire found grating.
It was true Claire's salary wasn't high.
For the past three years, she had curbed her lavish spending habits and worked tirelessly to earn extra income to repay her family's debts. The fruits she brought were a rare indulgence for her. She was no longer the extravagant Harper heiress she once was but a frugal, careful young woman.
Despite everything, Claire had never forgotten the lessons her father instilled in her, including the importance of good manners. To visit without bringing a gift went against her upbringing.
When Mrs. Sterling had liked Claire, this politeness had been seen as a virtue. Now that she didn't, it was just another fault.
Not wanting to argue, Claire simply nodded. "This will be the last time, then. I won't bring anything in the future."
Mrs. Sterling frowned slightly.
Claire had never been one to bow and scrape. Even when her family went bankrupt, she refused to grovel or beg. Mrs. Sterling had tried multiple times to assert dominance over Claire, but it never worked, which only fueled her dislike of Claire.
Mrs. Sterling had discussed breaking off the engagement with her son Ethan numerous times. Ethan had always refused, citing principles and loyalty. Even Mr. Sterling agreed with Ethan, believing it would be wrong to abandon Claire.
Mrs. Sterling had reluctantly conceded in the past, but this time, she had no intention of backing down.
Claire had signed new agreements to take on her father's debts, effectively removing any financial safety net. With her modest salary, how could she ever hope to repay it all?
"I won't allow Ethan to help you pay off your debts," Mrs. Sterling said firmly. "I can accept a daughter-in-law from a bankrupt family, but I can't accept one burdened with mountains of debt. Don't think you can use Ethan's feelings for you to take advantage of the Sterling family's wealth. Our money doesn't grow on trees."
Though Mrs. Sterling had voiced her disapproval before, this was the first time she had spoken so bluntly.
Claire was mentally prepared.
Her mother's remarriage and her own entry into the Sterling family were mutually exclusive. When Claire signed those debt agreements, she knew she would have to face the Sterlings' rejection.
Breaking off the engagement was inevitable, and Claire accepted it calmly.
However, there were things she wanted to clarify directly with Mrs. Sterling. "Mrs. Sterling, I've never thought of asking Ethan for help. Before my family went bankrupt, Ethan and I always split our expenses evenly. After the bankruptcy, I never accepted any extravagant gifts from him. If you think I've taken advantage of the Sterlings, I can calculate all the meals we've shared and give you an IOU. How about that?"
Her genuine offer seemed to insult Mrs. Sterling, who scowled. "Claire, watch your tone!"
Mrs. Sterling couldn't possibly accept such a ridiculous arrangement. If word got out that the Sterlings had demanded an IOU for dating expenses, they'd become a laughingstock.
Claire's defiance had drained Mrs. Sterling's patience. She snapped, "Ethan has treated you well over the years. If you truly care for him, you should break off the engagement yourself. Don't let him be dragged down by gossip. Don't you think that's the right thing to do?"
Claire nodded. "I understand. Thank you for everything over the years."
Right then and there, Claire called Ethan. Before he could say much, she told him it was over.
"Claire… Wait until I'm back. Let's talk about this face to face," Ethan pleaded.
"I've already made up my mind," Claire said, suppressing her sadness. "Ethan, let's end things on good terms."
To ensure Ethan wouldn't try to reach her again, she blocked his number and all his contact details in front of Mrs. Sterling.
"Mrs. Sterling, does this satisfy you?" Claire asked.
Mrs. Sterling scoffed. "Don't think you can backtrack. If Ethan tries to reconcile—"
"You have nothing to worry about," Claire interrupted coldly. "I have no intention of ever marrying Ethan. I could marry a pig or a dog, but I would never marry him."
Furious, Mrs. Sterling shouted, "The Sterling family doesn't welcome you! Get out!"
Before leaving, Claire returned the engagement ring Ethan had given her. Mrs. Sterling instructed the housekeeper to throw the fruits Claire had brought out the door.
One of the apples rolled to Claire's feet as she straightened her back and walked away.
Under the dim night sky, her silhouette looked so frail it seemed like the wind might blow her over. Even the housekeeper felt a pang of pity for Claire: she was a good girl, just unlucky. After all, Claire Harper wasn't good enough for Ethan Sterling anymore.
Ethan was held up by business abroad and couldn't return immediately. Meanwhile, Mrs. Sterling seized the chance to publicly announce on social media that Claire had voluntarily called off the engagement.
When others reached out to Claire to confirm the news, she admitted it without hesitation.
"Ethan and I parted ways on good terms."
"There's no other reason—our feelings just faded over time."
This was Claire's response to everyone who asked. She came across as calm and magnanimous, but Grace Harper knew her daughter must have been deeply hurt.
"Claire, you shouldn't have signed new debt agreements with those creditors! The money your father owed doesn't have to be your responsibility. I'll find a way to solve it," Grace said, her voice choking with emotion.
Looking at the diamond ring on her mother's finger, Claire refused to admit that the reason for her breakup with Ethan had anything to do with debt. "Mom, Ethan and I really did part on good terms. We've been together for so many years without getting married—of course the spark faded!"
Grace didn't believe her. "If you've lost feelings for Ethan, then who are you interested in? After all these years, he's the only boyfriend you've ever had."
Claire forced a smile and fabricated an excuse. "You can't start something new without letting go of the past. When the time is right, I'll introduce you to someone new."