The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 163

I explained everything carefully.

The unlocked office.

The gas.

The attack.

“The file is gone,” I finished quietly.

Nathaniel’s expression darkened immediately.

“Gone?”

“He took it.”

I reached instinctively for my phone.

Only to freeze.

My stomach dropped.

“My phone.”

Nathaniel frowned.

“What about it?”

“It’s gone too.”

Realization spread through me instantly.

“The photo,” I whispered.

“The navy seal?” Nathaniel asked.

I nodded slowly. “He took that too.”

For several long seconds, silence filled the room.

The reality of it all washed over me completely.

Dead end.

Margot’s file was gone.

The evidence was gone.

The photo was gone.

Everything!

Nathaniel’s expression had shifted entirely now.

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ACTERONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE CLAIRTS POV

This wasn’t just legal strategy anymore.

This wasn’t corporate scandal management.

This was criminal.

Dangerous and calculated.

“This isn’t a scandal anymore, Claire.”

His voice was quieter now.

“This is dangerous.”

Something about hearing Nathaniel say it made the fear finally snap open inside my chest.

Because Nathaniel wasn’t a dramatic man.

If he looked this shaken-

Then things were bad.

“I think you should step back from the case,” he said suddenly.

“What?”

“Until we know what we’re dealing with.”

“Nathaniel-”

“I’m serious.”

He moved closer.

“I’m not leaving you alone after this.”

I stared at him.

“You can’t possibly think I’m going to hide while Eva Sterling tries to kill people.”

“I think someone just attacked you inside a law firm.”

That shut me up.

Nathaniel closed his eyes briefly before speaking again.

“You’re staying with me tonight.”

“Nathaniel-”

“That’s not negotiable.”

There was enough fear in his voice to stop my argument before it properly formed.

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344 PESMONDRED AND SIXTY THRE CLAIRES POV

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Then suddenly, he groaned softly under his breath.

“What?” I asked.

“My mother’s birthday dinner.”

For a second, I genuinely forgot what he was talking about.

Then I remembered.

Tonight was Nathaniel’s mother’s sixty-third birthday dinner.

The normalcy of it all almost felt strange after everything that had happened.

“We should cancel,” I said immediately.

Nathaniel shook his head.

“No.”

“Nathaniel-”

“My mother is so eager to meet you in person. My sister’s flying in. Everyone’s expecting us.” He explained, then paused.

“I just need one normal thing tonight, Claire.”

That hit me harder than I expected.

Because I understood exactly what he meant.

It wasn’t him being selfish or demanding, but it was the fact that everything around us had become pure

chaos.

And Nathaniel-

Nathaniel was trying desperately to hold onto stability.

To peace.

To something safe.

Unlike Lucian.

Lucian had always moved toward chaos like he could bend it into submission. Like he could dominate it.

Nathaniel wanted calm.

And somehow that difference had never felt clearer than now.

I had thought the exhaustion would wear off by the time we arrived at Nathaniel’s house later that evening.

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ENTRES AND SIXTS 114611 CLAIRES AVV

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It didn’t.

Nathaniel wouldn’t even let me walk to the bedroom alone.

He hovered constantly now, protective in a way that almost felt overwhelming.

But I knew he meant well. I mean I had been attacked just hours ago, of course he had reason to be

concerned.

“You’re staring at the jewelry like it insulted you,” he said lightly from behind me.

I blinked back into focus.

I hadn’t even realized I’d stopped moving.

Nathaniel stepped beside me quietly and picked up a pair of pearl earrings.

“These.”

“You decided that very quickly.”

“They match the dress.” He stated, his tone remained calm and easy.

Comforting, even.

I watched him in the mirror as he carefully helped fasten the earrings onto me.

Then he reached for the zipper of my dress carefully and zipped it up.

The intimacy of it felt strangely soft.

Safe.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

“Yes.”

The lie came too fast.

Nathaniel’s sharp eyes met mine in the mirror.

But he didn’t push.

And that somehow made the guilt worse.

Because he was trying so hard, being so gentle.

So good to me.

And meanwhile, my mind kept betraying me.

I should’ve been thinking about the attack.

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About Margot.

About Eva.

Instead-

I kept remembering the way Lucian looked at me before everything went dark.

The regret in his voice.

The warmth of his hand against my face.

I can’t.

The memory hit me so suddenly I felt my chest tighten.

Nathaniel noticed immediately.

“You sure you’re alright?”

I forced myself to nod.

“I’m fine.”

But I wasn’t.

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Nathaniel’s family home was beautiful without being intimidating.

Warm lighting, homely colors, laughter.

Soft music drifted through the dining room.

I immediately noted that it was nothing like the cold perfection of the Dhark mansion.

Nathaniel’s mother greeted me immediately the second we walked in.

“You must be Claire.”

She hugged me carefully, immediately noticing my exhaustion.

“You look pale.” She said.

Mrs Vale was a beautiful lively ginger, just like Nathaniel had described.

“I’m okay,” I assured her softly.

Though judging from the knowing look she gave Nathaniel, she clearly didn’t believe me.

Nathaniel’s older sister arrived moments later with her husband, greeting everyone loudly enough to finally force an actual smile from me.

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AND SIXIN THREE DAIRY

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Dinner felt strangely comforting after the nightmare of the day.

There was warmth here.

Family teasing each other gently across the table, sharing stories. Pure natural laughter.

There were no power games.

No cold silences.

No strategic conversations masked beneath polished smiles.

No humiliation.

And somehow, that almost made me emotional.