Alex stormed into the room, his face a storm cloud of frustration. The scene before him was enough to make anyone's blood boil. The fact that Claire’s okay with anyone but him being close to her is just enough to make him angry.
“Adrian,” Alex said, his voice colder than an Arctic breeze, “maybe you should be taking care of Claire, not the other way around.”
Claire, who had been watching the exchange with a raised eyebrow, frowned at Alex. “I was the one who offered, Alex.”
Alex raised his eyebrows. “Why would you do that?”
Claire rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin. “Because he's hurting, Alex. Any sane person would help.”
Before Alex could respond, there was a knock at the door, breaking the tension. Adrian, relieved to escape the confrontation, quickly stood up. “I’ll get it,” he said, making his way out.
As the door closed behind Adrian, Claire and Alex were left alone in the room. Claire was already feeling the weight of dealing with Alex's mood on top of everything else, and it showed on her face.
“How are you, Claire?” Alex asked, trying to start a conversation.
Claire's response was brief and simple. “Fine.”
Alex's brow furrowed. “You’re soft with everyone else but me. What's up with that?”
She turned to him, her eyes staring straight at his brown orbs. “What do you want me to say huh, Alex? Do you want me to write a one-page paragraph? Or should I read it to make you feel better?”
Before Alex could retort, the sound of footsteps approached. Matthew walked in, looking concerned but professional. “Claire, you’re finally awake. How are you feeling?”
“Okay, I guess,” Claire answered again, though she clearly wasn’t concerned about herself. Instead, she turned to Matthew, her expression serious. “Who sent the person to kill me?”
“You don’t need to worry about that, Claire. I’ve taken care of it.” said Matthew to assure her however, it only makes Claire more curious.
Claire’s eyes narrowed. She knew Matthew too well. He was trying to keep her from doing something rash, but that only made her more determined. Sliding her legs down off the bed, she swung them over the side.
“I want to go home.”
Matthew’s eyes widened in alarm. “Now?”
“Yes.” She simply answered.
“Claire, you need to rest. You’re not fully recovered.” Said Matthew.
Claire rolled her eyes. “I don’t care. I want to know who tried to kill me.”
“Claire, that’s not wise.” Adrian, who had been hovering by the door, chimed in, “You still need to undergo some tests.”
“I’m fine,” Claire insisted as she stood up and yanked the IV out of her arm. Matthew and Adrian's eyes were wide with shock.
Alex, for his part, just watched in stunned silence as Claire, ever the stubborn force of nature, walked out of the room without so much as a second thought. Matthew quickly followed her, his concern growing by the second. He wasn’t about to let Claire storm off on her own, not in her current state.
“Claire, are you sure you’re, okay?” Matthew asked, his voice laced with worry as they headed down the hall.
“I told you I’m fine,” Claire repeated, her tone flat as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. She wasn’t about to let something like almost being killed slow her down.
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