Part 44

"From what I know, he always asks someone else to represent him. If it's not Sir Altezza and Duncan, it's usually the PR team that steps in. Am I wrong?" Claire shook her head in response to Bella's rhetorical question. What Bella said was indeed true. Very true.

"What's suspicious is why he has to bring your niece along. At first, Abigail could serve as a bridge to connect him with his daughter, but does she have to be there all the time? The answer is no. Abigail doesn't need to be around if it's just about getting Antony and Flavia closer. But she must be there to connect you with Antony. Am I wrong?"

Claire shook her head again. Bella didn't know that Antony had been trying to get close to her by leveraging Flavia's name. If she knew, Antony would score even lower in her eyes, and for some reason, Claire didn't want that to happen.

"But again, I think the reason for Antony's presence isn't the real issue that's bothering you. I know you like him, so don't deny it." Bella raised her hand as Claire was about to interrupt. "Yes, admit that you like Antony and are captivated by his charm. Because if you didn't like him, you wouldn't complicate things for yourself by thinking about him or feeling angry at him and all his actions. You're just looking for a reason not to like him because you don't want to fall too deeply in love. The real reason for your attitude toward Antony these past two days is because you're worried about your mother's reaction, isn't that right?" Bella concluded.

Claire fell silent. Her mother's face suddenly flashed in her mind.

Claire's mother knew Flavia's grandmother, Antony's mother. Even though their first meeting was when the middle-aged woman entrusted Flavia to her, Claire could see that her mother's response toward Antony's family was perfectly fine. But would her mother feel the same way about Antony?

Claire couldn't lie to herself that her mother was very much concerned about what others said.

"I don't know," Claire finally replied.

"I know, it's your mother who's troubling you, and finding faults in Sir Antony is your way of escaping that anxiety. I'm not sure that if you and Sir Antony were to actually start a relationship, your mother would easily accept him," Bella commented. She returned to her original sitting position, stretching out her legs and propping herself up with her hands behind her back. "You're her only daughter, her pride. She'd prefer you to marry a single man, especially if he's a rich bachelor," she continued, speculating. Two years of knowing Claire seemed sufficient for Bella to read the family dynamics.

Claire shot a side-eye at her best friend, a sarcastic glare that made Bella chuckle.

"If you don't believe me, just tell your mom that a widower with a child is currently interested in you. I'm sure she'd be ready with a butcher's knife to chop you up."

"So you think if one of those three Italian guys likes me, I should choose Gian or Altezza?" Claire retorted, her tone teasing.

"It'd be better if Sir Altezza liked you. He's middle class, handsome, caring, and humble. Seems like he'd make a great husband," Bella commented again.

"So, you're saying Sir Antony isn't husband material?" Claire inquired.

This made Bella furrow her brow again. "There are two important questions we should consider if we want to have a relationship with a widower," she answered seriously.

"What are they?" Claire asked, curious.

"Regardless of whether he's rich or not, we need to understand why he and his ex-wife separated. And second, we need to know who's to blame," Bella looked at Claire with a serious gaze. "Isn't it always the case that there's a reason those who divorce can't maintain their marriage? Whether it's the husband's fault or the wife's, there's certainly a fundamental reason for their separation. And if we want to start something with someone who has failed in the past, we need to know what led to that failure. They're moving forward, not to repeat the same mistakes. And we, who are about to move forward with them, certainly wouldn't want to make similar mistakes."

"So, to avoid a second failure, we need to know all the issues they had in their past. Am I wrong?" Bella concluded.

Claire shook her head in response.

"There are too many risks for us who aren't married yet to marry a widower, Claire."

"I'm not even thinking about marriage," Claire replied.

Bella scoffed. "If you're not thinking about marriage, then why are you overthinking things and why are you dating? Just stay single or choose one-night stands to fulfill your needs."

"You're the one who really wants to get married," Claire countered. "Because Chand is married, you don't want to be outdone by him." She joked.

Annoyed, Bella hit Claire's arm, creating a loud sound. Claire laughed, knowing she had successfully poked Bella's ego.

"I'm talking about your issues; take it seriously, C," Bella snapped, annoyed.

Claire rubbed her arm and nodded. "Okay, okay, Ms. Bella. Please continue your lecture. So tell me, what are the risks if I marry a widower?"

Bella glared at Claire, but she answered, "First, the problem is the ex-wife. Are you sure she won't come back and interfere in your relationship at some point? Even if she doesn't directly disrupt your relationship with your husband, she could use the child as an alternative route. For example, she might badmouth you in front of the child to make them rebel and hate you, or she might persuade the child to convince their father to get back together with her."

Claire frowned. Where is Flavia's mother? Is it possible that the woman will return to Antony and Flavia's lives someday? Claire shook her head. After all, why should she think about it? She wasn't going to marry Antony anyway.

"Second, whether it's a marriage out of love or out of obligation, sooner or later, you'll be compared to your husband's ex-wife. Whether it's in terms of looks, personality, cooking, or other things."

Claire frowned again. Bella was right about that. Would she really be okay being compared to someone she didn't even know? She shook her head vigorously. Why should she bother thinking about it again? Again, She had no intention of becoming Antony's wife.

"Third," Claire's thoughts returned to Bella. "The child. Will the widower's child fully like us or not?" she continued. Bella looked at Claire, observing her friend from head to toe and back up again. "But for that question, I think he will like you, but that still won't guarantee that he won't waver if his biological mother comes back someday. And fourth," the girl continued.

"Fourth?" Claire frowned. How many points is Bella going to mention, anyway?

"Fourth and beyond, I'll have to think about it first," she replied playfully. Claire pouted and nudged her friend's shoulder. "Whatever happens in the future, you have to make sure you're ready for all the possibilities you'll face. And most importantly, you love him and trust him," she added.

Claire didn't respond. She chose to follow the direction of her friend's gaze, looking up at the dark sky that showcased a beautiful crescent moon.