The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 154

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FOUR LUCIAN’S POV

I hadn’t gotten any proper sleep.

By the time morning settled over the city, I was still sitting in the downstairs lounge in yesterday’s clothes, my tie loosened slightly, my injured, bandaged hand resting against the arm of the chair while untouched coffee cooled beside me.

The mansion was quiet.

Too quiet.

It had always been quiet, even with the staff. But now, it just felt abandoned.

My gaze moved slowly across the room.

Claire’s books were still arranged on one of the shelves exactly the way she used to leave them.

A tea set she once insisted looked “less depressing” than the black porcelain I preferred still sat untouched near the kitchen entrance.

Even the flowers near the windows reminded me of her.

White carnations.

I hated carnations.

But Claire had loved them.

And somehow, despite everything, no one had replaced them.

I leaned back slowly, exhaustion pulling heavily at the edges of my body.

The worst part was that I could still remember her here too clearly.

In the kitchen, at the dining table, walking barefoot through the house early in the morning while pretending not to notice when I watched her.

Now there was nothing left here except echoes.

A knock sounded against the partially open door.

My assistant, Tessa stepped inside carefully, tablet in hand.

Her expression told me immediately that whatever she was about to say wasn’t good.

“Sir,” she said quietly. “Margot Sinclair was in a serious accident two nights ago.”

My gaze lifted sharply.

“What kind of accident?”

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“A car crash” She answered. They believe the brakes failed.”

Something sharp moved through me instantly.

Not logical, but instinctive.

Margot Sinclair had trudged into my home like a war machine, leading an investigation because of the crash that almost killed Claire.

A crash I suspected Eva was responsible for.

Convenient? Or planned.

“She’s currently in a coma,” Tessa continued carefully. There haven’t been many details released publicly yet.”

For a second, I said nothing.

Claire came to my mind immediately

Margot mattered to her.

And Claire had already lost too much-she was an orphan just like me.

I rubbed a hand slowly across my jaw, the exhaustion becoming heavier.

Part of me wanted to go to her. At least just to see her and make sure she was alright.

But I already knew I couldn’t.

Not now.

Not with the scandal, not with the press tailing me and Eva’s fans’ destructive… tendencies.

And not with Nathaniel probably beside her already.

Now, the right thing to do would be to try- and probably keep failing- to contain the damages occurring in Dhark Holdings.

I stood slowly.

“Prepare the boardroom,” I said finally. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

The atmosphere inside the boardroom was even worse than I’d expected.

Not just tense, but also unstable.

Screens lined the walls displaying stock movements, media coverage, and international headlines. Worse, even investor reactions.

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ONCILINDRED AND FIFTY FOUR TUCIANS POV

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Every graph pointed downward.

Every headline carried my name beside Eva’s.

The board members barely tried to conceal their concern anymore.

One of them leaned forward first. “We’ve lost three major European investors since yesterday morning.”

Another added immediately, “Three sponsors are reconsidering partnerships pending investigation

outcomes.”

“Pending allegations,” the board chairman corrected sharply.

A pause followed.

Then another board member spoke carefully. “We still don’t know exactly what happened.”

The implication landed clearly enough.

They could have as well said “We don’t know if you did it.”

I held the man’s gaze calmly.

“I didn’t do it.”

Silence followed.

It wasn’t disbelief. But it wasn’t trust either.

And that was worse.

Another executive exhaled heavily and rubbed at his forehead.

“We just need to survive the next seventy-two hours.”

The room quieted after that, because everyone understood what he meant.

If this continued escalating at this speed, Dhark Holdings wouldn’t just suffer reputational damage.

Entire divisions could collapse.

Investors were already hesitating, partners were retreating.

The board itself was beginning to fracture.

And through all of it, Eva remained silent publicly except when she wanted to fuel the fire again.

At first I thought she wanted surrender.

But now, I was beginning to understand she would settle for ruin.

The meeting dragged on for another hour before finally ending with no real resolution.

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AN IN ONE HONORED AND FIFTY-FOUR LUK JANA POV

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More collapses, more containment, more waiting.

As if waiting had ever solved anything.

Nathaniel Vale called shortly after noon.

I answered immediately.

“We’re preparing strategy here at KVEK,” he started without preamble. “I’ll need a complete timeline from you. No gaps, no inconsistencies.” 1

“You’ll have it.”

A pause.

I didn’t know if I should bring up such an issue to him, but it wasn’t like I could call Claire and ask.

“I heard about Margot Sinclair.” I finally said.

The like was silent for a moment.

“If this connects back to Eva…” Nathaniel said carefully.

He didn’t finish.

Didn’t need to.

Because we were both thinking the same thing now.

And if Eva had truly escalated this far, then none of this was accidental anymore.

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