When He Stopped Loving Me Chapter 27

In that moment, Ethan felt his heart being literally torn apart!

Like a stone sculpture, he froze in the darkness, forced to watch everything he'd once had blooming in another man's embrace.

Overwhelming jealousy and pain drowned him. He actually lost control, rushing out, falling to his knees outside Claire's apartment building, kneeling through the entire night begging forgiveness, despite night dew soaking his clothes, until dawn when security "escorted" him away.

Yet this "self-punishment tactic," beyond becoming jokes for building security and early-rising neighbors, didn't earn Claire a moment's sympathy.

She didn't even glance down from her window once.

Though Ethan's persistent harassment was annoying, it didn't truly affect Claire and Sebastian's developing relationship.

Sebastian gave Claire enormous respect, understanding, and space. His mature stability, genuine consideration contrasted sharply with Ethan's obsessive madness, actually helping Claire see more clearly what truly healthy love looked like.

On Claire's birthday, Sebastian carefully planned a grand surprise.

He reserved Manhattan's tallest building's top-floor panoramic rotating restaurant, decorated with countless air-freighted white roses and twinkling star lights, inviting their closest friends.

When Sebastian led Claire into the restaurant, she was stunned by the dreamlike scene.

Melodious violin music played, windows framing the glittering city night view like a pouring galaxy.

Sebastian held her hand, walking to the restaurant center. Before everyone's witness, he knelt on one knee, taking a velvet box from his coat, opening it to reveal an exquisitely designed, deeply meaningful diamond ring.

"Claire," Sebastian looked up at her, blue eyes filled with genuine love and nervousness, "Meeting you was my life's most beautiful accident. Your talent, your resilience, your kindness—I'm deeply captivated. I don't dare say I can make up for past hurts, but I swear to spend every day of my remaining life loving you, respecting you, protecting you, keeping you forever in sunlight and happiness. Will you marry me?"

Claire looked at this exceptional man, at the undisguised affection and anxiety in his eyes. Complex warmth and emotion welled up in her heart.

Past shadows seemed gradually fading. New, hope-filled life beckoned.

She hesitated slightly, but more moved by his sincerity was her softening.

Just as her lips parted to respond—

BANG!

The restaurant doors burst violently open! A figure charged in like an uncontrolled beast, knocking over the entrance champagne tower, causing alarmed cries!

It was Ethan!

He'd somehow gotten the news. Disheveled hair, rumpled clothes, eyes filled with terrifying bloodshot threads, completely lacking his former Pierce CEO refinement and dignity.

He staggered toward Claire and Sebastian, gaze locked deadly on Claire, voice hoarse and broken, carrying desperate madness:

"Claire! No! Don't accept him! I was wrong! I really know I was wrong! Look, I've cleaned up everything! Rachel's gone, the child's gone! I can give up Pierce Industries! I want nothing! I only beg you, give me one more chance! Just one! Please!"

He even tried reaching for Claire's arm, attempting to push aside the kneeling Sebastian!

Sebastian's guards immediately intervened, the scene descending into chaos.

Claire watched this maddened, completely undignified man, her eyes holding not a ripple—only cold disgust and complete disappointment.

She stepped forward, blocking Sebastian, looking directly at Ethan, voice clear and icy as frozen steel:

"Ethan Pierce, look at yourself. What have you become?"

She paused, each word landing like a hammer on Ethan's fragile nerves:

"A pathetic loser. Your harassment only makes me find you more pitiful and disgusting."

"Get out."

"Don't make me... despise you even more."

"Security!" Sebastian calmly called.

Several large guards quickly moved forward, unceremoniously seizing the struggling, screaming Ethan, forcibly dragging him from the restaurant despite his undignified outbursts.

His wretched figure vanished at the entrance, leaving only scattered wreckage and lingering awkwardness and sighs in the air.