The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 179

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-NINE CLAIRE’S POV

By the time I arrived at Nathaniel’s house, my chest still felt too tight from everything that had happened at the gala.

The flashing cameras, the whispers… Lucian’s voice echoing through the ballroom.

“The woman I love most.”

I closed my eyes briefly as I stepped inside the house.

The silence immediately felt wrong.

Too still.

Too tense.

Nathaniel was already in the living room, loosening his tie harshly when I entered.

His suit jacket had been discarded over the couch, and for the first time in all the months I’d known him, he looked genuinely angry.

“Nathaniel-”

“You embarrassed me tonight.” His voice cut cleanly through the room.

I froze at the spot.

He turned toward me slowly, jaw tight.

“In front of clients,” he continued. “Colleagues. The press.’

“That isn’t fair,” I said immediately. “I didn’t ask Lucian to do that.”

“But you didn’t stop him either.”

My stomach twisted. “What was I supposed to do? Drag him off the stage?”

Nathaniel let out a sharp, humorless laugh.

“No,” he said quietly. “But apparently defending him comes naturally to you.”

I simply stared at him.

“That’s not what happened.” I said. “At all.”

“Isn’t it?” He asked.

His voice remained calm, but the restraint inside it felt dangerous.

“You defended him when Victoria spoke against him.”

“Because she was being cruel!” I bit back.

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SENHENEWGED AND SEVENTY NINE CLAIRES POV

“She was being truthful.”

“No,” I snapped. “She was being hateful.”

Nathaniel’s eyes searched mine carefully.

And suddenly-

something shifted.

“You still love him.” He said.

The accusation felt like someone had just knocked the breath out of me.

“What?” I managed to ask.

“You still love him,” he repeated more quietly this time.

I shook my head immediately.

“Nathaniel-”

“I saw the note.”

Everything inside me stopped.

My face must have changed because his expression hardened instantly.

“I know about the flowers he had delivered to you.” He said.

Goosebumps covered my skin.

“You went through my bag?”

“The note fell out when you were in the bathroom.”

His voice cracked slightly now beneath the anger.

“I picked it up for you.”

I opened my mouth… then closed it again.

The room suddenly felt suffocating.

“Nathaniel, I didn’t tell you because it wasn’t important.”

He stared at me in disbelief.

“Not important?”

“It was just flowers.” I said, although I knew it was a weak defense. Stupid.

“From your ex-husband who publicly declared he’s in love with you tonight!” Nathaniel yelled.

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NOREYANCE SEVENTY NINE CLAIRE 5 POV

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I rubbed my forehead tiredly. “You’re twisting this into something that it’s not.”

“No,” he said quietly. “I think I’m finally seeing it clearly.”

Pain flashed across his face then- real pain.

I hated myself for putting it there.

“I love you,” I told him desperately.

Nathaniel looked at me for a long moment. “Do you?”

The question destroyed me because I couldn’t answer fast enough.

And he noticed.

God, he noticed.

Nathaniel looked away first.

And somehow, that hurt even worse.

“I defended him because I know who he is,” I whispered. “Because despite everything, I know there’s still good in him.”

“And that’s exactly the problem.” Nathaniel said, his voice was only a little louder than mine.

The silence between us stretched painfully.

Then he exhaled slowly and ran a hand down his face.

“I need you to leave tonight.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

“What?”

“I need space, Claire.”

His voice sounded exhausted now.

Not angry anymore, just tired.

“I can’t do this tonight.”

A lump rose in my throat. “Nathaniel-” I called, but he didn’t let me finish.

“Please.”

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