Chapter 290 — The Truth He Feared
Chapter 290 — The Truth He Feared
The moment Clara saw him, her heart nearly stopped beating.
Her breath caught in her throat as if the air had suddenly vanished from the room. For a second she simply stood frozen, her fingers gripping the edge of the office doorway so tightly that her knuckles turned pale.
“Jorren… Matteo is here,” she whispered weakly.
Her voice trembled despite her effort to stay calm. Anxiety curled tightly inside her chest, spreading through her like a rising storm.
“It won’t be good for the hotel if we come face to face.”
Jorren slowly lifted his head from the documents on his desk. His eyes moved toward her with lazy interest, and then a cruel smile slowly stretched across his face.
Concern was the last thing in his expression.
“Don’t worry about the hotel’s reputation, you slut,” he sneered coldly.
His words were sharp and merciless, cutting through the quiet office like a blade.
“Don’t forget we gave you a job when the entire world turned its back on you.”
Clara lowered her head immediately.
She didn’t defend herself.
She didn’t argue.
There was nothing she could say that would change the truth of her situation.
She knew exactly why Jorren had hired her.
It had never been kindness.
It had never been charity.
The scandal surrounding her name had made her famous for all the wrong reasons. People recognized her face now—not because of admiration, but because of the story attached to her.
Visitors came to the hotel for many reasons.
Some came out of curiosity.
Others came out of cruelty.
Many of them were fans of Matteo De Luca.
They came with anger burning in their eyes, convinced that she had betrayed the man they adored.
Some simply stared at her with open disgust.
Others whispered insults just loud enough for her to hear.
A few were even bold enough to confront her directly, throwing harsh words in her face.
They wanted someone to blame.
And she had become the easiest target.
Every cruel comment, every humiliating glance, every whispered insult had become part of her daily life.
It was exhausting.
It was humiliating.
But Clara endured all of it in silence.
Because she had no other choice.
Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach.
The gentle curve beneath her uniform reminded her why she had to keep going.
For the sake of the child growing inside her, she was willing to endure anything.
Every insult.
Every humiliation.
Every painful moment.
As long as her baby was safe, she could survive the rest.
Deep inside her heart, she kept hoping that time would slowly erase everything.
Maybe the scandal would fade.
Maybe people would forget.
Maybe one day she could disappear into an ordinary life again.
“Now get back to work,” Jorren snapped harshly.
Clara clenched the fabric of her waitress uniform in her hands.
The material wrinkled tightly beneath her fingers as she forced herself to stay composed.
Then she gave a small nod and turned away.
Her eyes remained fixed on the floor as she walked back toward the restaurant area.
Her steps were slow.
Heavy.
The weight of the past months seemed to press down on her shoulders with every movement.
Then suddenly—
“Clara!”
The deep voice stopped her instantly.
Her entire body froze.
Her heart lurched violently against her ribs.
She knew that voice.
Even if a thousand years passed, she would never fail to recognize it.
Slowly, almost unwillingly, she lifted her eyes.
And there he stood.
Only a few steps away.
Matteo De Luca.
Her ex-husband.
For a moment the world seemed to fade away around them.
The noise of the restaurant disappeared.
The whispers and movement of people became distant.
Clara’s breathing grew uneven as panic surged through her chest.
She wasn’t ready for this.
Not ready to see him again.
Not ready to face the memories she had spent months trying to bury.
“Excuse me, sir,” she said quickly.
Her voice sounded calm, but only because she forced it to be.
Without waiting for a response, she tried to move past him.
But Matteo reacted instantly.
His hand reached out and wrapped around her arm.
The grip wasn’t rough.
But it was firm enough to stop her from escaping.
Clara halted.
Her body tensed as his presence surrounded her.
Matteo’s gaze slowly dropped.
Then he saw it.
Her stomach.
The gentle curve was impossible to hide now.
His entire body went still.
“You’re… pregnant?” he whispered.
Shock colored every syllable.
His eyes widened as his mind struggled to understand what he was seeing.
Clara refused to meet his gaze.
Her throat tightened painfully as she stared at the floor.
“Let go of my hand,” she said quietly.
She tried to pull her arm away.
But Matteo did not release her immediately.
His thoughts were racing too fast.
The sight of her pregnancy had shattered the calm control he had carried into the hotel.
“Leave us alone.”
His voice suddenly turned sharp.
His eyes lifted and landed on Jorren, who had been watching the entire scene unfold with thinly disguised amusement.
The anger burning in Matteo’s gaze made Jorren’s expression instantly change.
The manager lowered his head quickly and retreated without another word.
He had no desire to challenge Matteo De Luca in front of a crowded restaurant.
When they were finally alone, Matteo’s expression softened.
“Clara…” he said quietly.
There was longing in his voice.
And pain.
His eyes studied her face carefully, as if trying to memorize every feature he had missed for months.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
His voice grew heavier.
“Why did you leave without telling anyone?”
His grip on her arm loosened slightly.
“You didn’t leave an address.”
“You didn’t leave a phone number.”
“Nothing.”
He paused, swallowing the emotions rising in his throat.
“You just disappeared.”
Clara had blocked his number the moment their divorce was finalized.
She had changed her contact information.
When she moved to New York, she made sure no one could find her.
She had erased herself completely.
“Mr. De Luca,” she said coldly.
She lifted her eyes and met his gaze.
Her expression was distant.
Hard.
“You shouldn’t be seen with me.”
Her voice carried no warmth.
“It’s not good for your reputation.”
Matteo’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t care,” he said roughly.
His frustration was beginning to rise.
Clara had ignored every question he asked.
She spoke to him like he was nothing more than a stranger.
Clara’s eyes suddenly moved around the room.
Her heart sank.
People were staring.
Some whispered quietly.
Others had already raised their phones.
Photos.
Videos.
The attention spread quickly through the restaurant.
Her chest tightened painfully.
She was already carrying enough humiliation.
A public spectacle would only make things worse.
“Everyone is watching,” she whispered urgently.
Her eyes pleaded silently.
Matteo’s expression softened slightly.
But his gaze slowly returned to her stomach.
The sight filled him with a storm of emotions.
Hope.
Fear.
Confusion.
He hesitated before speaking again.
“Clara…”
His voice dropped lower.
“…is this child mine?”
The question hung heavily between them.
Clara didn’t hesitate.
She looked directly into his eyes.
Her expression remained cold.
Unyielding.
“No,” she said firmly.
“It’s not.”
The words hit Matteo like a physical blow.
Shock flashed across his face.
Then disbelief.
And finally—
Heartbreak.
For a moment he couldn’t move.
Couldn’t breathe.
“Now leave me alone, Matteo De Luca,” Clara said sharply.
Her voice trembled despite her effort to stay strong.
“And don’t ever appear in my life again.”
Matteo’s hand slowly loosened.
His fingers slipped away from her arm.
Reality settled over him like a heavy weight.
Clara didn’t wait.
She turned quickly and walked back toward the counter.
Her head remained high.
But tears burned fiercely behind her eyes.
She refused to let them fall.
Not here.
Not in front of everyone.
She inhaled deeply, forcing her breathing to steady.
It was better this way.
Better if Matteo stayed far away from her.
Even if it shattered her heart.
Even if it meant raising their child alone.
Even if loving him still hurt more than anything else in the world.