The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN_ Claire’s POV

Shortly after Eva and Lucian left my room, the household staff cleared the ruined clothes, like they were erasing a simple mistake.

I knew Eva hadn’t just wanted to stop me from going to the interview.

She wanted me to go looking like a failure- just like she saw me.

I stood in my closet, trailing my fingers past silk dresses and tailored pieces I hadn’t worn in months. Clothes meant to be worn beside Lucian, as Mrs. Dhark, not as Claire Moreau.

I pulled out a simple, modest navy dress instead. It was plain and forgettable, not the outfit of a woman walking into her future.

But it was the only thing even close to professional in my closet.

When I looked in the mirror as I dressed, I barely recognized the woman staring back at me.

She looked smaller. Her eyes were numb but steady. She had already survived the worst days of her life.

Eva was waiting near the staircase when I stepped into the hallway, with a teacup in her hand. Her posture was perfectly relaxed, as if she’d been standing there for some time, waiting for me.

Her gaze slid over me from head to toe, then she smiled mockingly. “You’re still going?”

“Yes,” I replied curtly.

Eva tilted her head. “Brave, but stupid.”

I didn’t respond.

“That dress,” she added, sipping her tea. “Is very… modest. I suppose that’s appropriate, given your

résumé.”

Her eyes flicked to the folder clutched in my hands.

“Good luck,” she said sweetly. “Try not to sound as pathetic as you are.”

I walked past her without saying another word.

For the first time in a long time, Eva’s taunting was the least of my worries.

Lucian’s study door was closed as I walked past.

I tried to listen, but heard no movement behind the door. No sign that he knew I was leaving – or that he cared. 1

I paused for half a second, took a deep breath, then kept walking.

The drive to Sinclair&co felt longer than it should have.

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THA RUIMIN, Claire’s POV

+25 Bonus

I sat in the cab, rehearsing answers in my head. Recalling legal principles I had once used confidently, before my world shrunk into dinners and galas, and smiling beside a man who no longer saw me.

Then I thought of the people who would interview me.

Had they seen the headlines? Did my name even mean anything now, beyond the scandals?

I would soon find out.

Sinclair&co was the definition of quiet luxury. The floors were polished to perfection and the walls were neutral. People moved with purpose, not haste.

I suddenly felt more self-aware than I ever had at galas with Lucian.

A receptionist greeted me professionally, then directed me to sit and wait.

I sat there for several minutes, my mind spiraling. I thought of the divorce papers sealed in the envelope on my desk.

I wasn’t refusing to sign them.

I just couldn’t afford to yet.

The moment I put my signature on that document, I would have just a few days to leave the mansion. No income, no place to go.

I needed one thing first: a job.

Maybe even my first paycheck.

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My name was finally called, interrupting my thoughts. I stood slowly, brushing my clammy hands against my lap.

Regardless of how stiff my legs felt, I walked in as confidently as I could.

The interview room was cool. Two men and one woman sat at one end of a long table, their expressions

attentive but unreadable.

The woman gestured for me to sit.

“Claire Dhark,” she said, glancing at the file in front of her. “Thank you for coming in.”

I nodded and took my seat across them.

“We’ve reviewed your academic record,” one of the men began. “It’s quite Impressive, you graduated top of your class. Strong recommendations.” He paused. “But dated.”

Of course. Just what I was scared of. I had been out of practice for so long, it was impossible not to notice the gap.

“You’ve been out of practice for several years. That’s concerning, but not unusual.” The other man said, leaning back slightly in his seat. “What is unusual is the level of public attention surrounding you.”

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Claire POV

+25 Bonus

The woman adjusted her glasses, almost like she wanted to see through me. “We’re a firm that values discretion.”

That’s when I felt a shift in the atmosphere.

This wasn’t just about my résumé anymore.

“I understand,” I said carefully.

She studied me for a long moment. “Do you believe clients would take you seriously, given… recent events?”

The words were polite, but the meaning behind them wasn’t.

I inhaled slowly, weighing the words in my mind before speaking them. “I believe clients take competence seriously.”

One of the men raised an eyebrow. “And you think you can offer that?”

“Yes.” I answered evenly.

“Even with reporters following your every move?” The first man asked. “Even with your name trending for reasons that have nothing to do with the law?” He pressed further.

My fingers tightened together beneath the table.

“I didn’t choose publicity,” I said. “But I’ve learned how to exist under it.”

The woman’s gaze sharpened. “You see, Mrs Dhark, that’s not the same as thriving in a professional

environment.”

I knew she called me ‘Mrs. Dhark’ to get the point across. My whole image was built around being a billionaire’s wife. Why should they believe I could offer more?

“No,” I agreed. “It isn’t. Which is why I’m here.”

After a moment of silence, the second man asked a deep question. “Why now?”

More silence.

“Because I spent years being told my role was to stand still,” I finally said. “And I’ve learned the cost of that.”

They watched me closely now.

“You are married to a very powerful man,” the woman started. “And you’re in the middle of a wave of scandals. How do we know this isn’t an emotional decision?”

I met her eyes. “Because if it were, I wouldn’t have come here prepared.” I said, sounding more confident than I actually was.

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