The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 190

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY CLAIRE’S POV

By the time I arrived at the hospital, I was furious.

Not courtroom furious.

Not the cold, controlled anger I used during depositions.

This was personal.

The kind of anger that made my heart pound all the way up the elevator.

The kind that made me walk past two nurses without even acknowledging them.

The kind that made me forget Margot Sinclair had nearly died.

Because at that moment, all I could think about was the email sitting in my inbox.

The acceptance letter.

The signed agreement.

The fact that Sinclair & Co had officially agreed to represent Dhark Holdings.

And that somehow, Margot had volunteered me to lead the case.

I pushed open the hospital room door, making Margot look up from the stack of documents resting on her lap.

“Well,” she started calmly. “That didn’t take long.”

I closed the door behind me. “What were you thinking?” I asked through gritted teeth.

Margot didn’t even blink.

“I assume you’re referring to the Dhark Holdings matter.”

“You accepted the case!” I cried.

“Yes.”

I stared at her.

She stared right back- completely unbothered.

I threw my hands up in the air.

“For God’s sake, Margot.”

“What?”

“What do you mean what?”

1/11

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY CLAIRES POV

She calmly turned a page.

“Claire, if you’re going to yell at me, at least sit down first.”

I nearly laughed from disbelief.

Nearly.

Instead, I dropped into the chair beside her bed.

“I don’t want this case.”

That finally made her pause.

She set the papers aside.

Studied me carefully.

Then asked quietly,

“Why?”

I looked away immediately.

Because the answer sounded ridiculous.

Childish.

Dangerous.

Because the answer wasn’t legal.

It wasn’t professional.

It was Lucian.

Always Lucian.

“He needs representation.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“It is if Sinclair & Co wants to remain a serious litigation firm.”

I groaned.

“Margot.”

“What?”

“You know exactly what.”

A knowing look crossed her face.

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VAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY CLAIRES POV

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I blinked.

Margot continued.

“Twenty-three men.”

Silence.

“He pays them.”

I looked away.

“Margot-”

“He had absolutely no obligation to do that.”

I hated where this was going.

“He isn’t responsible for me.”

“No.”

“He didn’t owe me protection.”

“No.”

She held my gaze.

“And yet he provided it anyway.”

I swallowed.

Because she wasn’t wrong.

Every day for nearly two weeks, those men had been there.

Every hallway.

Every elevator.

Every entrance.

Watching.

Protecting.

Making sure no one else got close.

Hart Sullivan hadn’t returned.

And neither had anyone else.

Margot’s expression softened slightly.

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CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY, CLAIRES POV

“Rejecting him now would be ungrateful.”

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it again.

Because that wasn’t actually why I was upset.

Margot knew it too.

The room fell quiet.

Finally, I admitted the truth.

“I feel like I can’t escape him.”

Margot’s eyes narrowed slightly.

I laughed bitterly.

“He’s everywhere.”

The words came out before I could stop them.

“Everywhere I turn.”

My throat tightened.

“Something reminds me of him every day.”

The confession felt humiliating.

But now it wouldn’t stop.

“The flowers.”

Pause.

“The hospital.”

Pause.

“The gala.”

Pause.

“The apartment.”

My chest hurt.

Even saying it.

“Random memories keep resurfacing.”

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5/11

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY CLAIRES POV

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I looked down at my hands.

“At work.”

“Driving.”

“Making coffee.”

A bitter laugh escaped me.

“It’s like he’s haunting me.”

Margot watched me carefully.

I shook my head.

“I don’t even need him to be there.”

My voice dropped.

“Sometimes I just remember something.”

Silence.

“A date.”

Pause.

“A conversation.”

Pause.

“The way he looked at me.”

God.

I hated hearing myself say it.

“It feels like I’m constantly trying to pull myself out of quicksand.”

The room remained quiet.

Then Margot reached for the folder on her bedside table.

She handed it to me.

I frowned.

“What is this?”

“Read it.”

I opened it.

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SAL TRONE HUNDRED AND NINETY CLAIRI S POV

+25 Bonus

My stomach dropped immediately.

Because I recognized the document.

The acceptance letter.

Official Sinclair & Co letterhead.

Official firm approval.

My eyes skimmed downward.

Then stopped.

My breath caught.

Lead Counsel Recommendation:

Claire Moreau.

I stared.

Read it again.

Then again.

Just to make sure I hadn’t imagined it.

Slowly, I looked up.

“You recommended me.”

“Yes.”

Shock flooded through me.

“Why?”

Margot didn’t hesitate.

Because she already knew the answer.

“Because I trust you.”

The room fell silent.

She leaned back carefully against her pillows.

“I would have taken this case myself.”

I believed her.

Without question.

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ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY CLAIRES POV

Margot would have gone after Eva with everything she had.

Even now.

Even injured.

Even exhausted.

“But I can’t.”

She glanced briefly toward the window.

“The truth is, I’m not ready.”

That admission sounded difficult for her.

Painful.

Margot hated weakness.

Hated limitations.

But she continued anyway.

“If I take this case right now, I won’t be able to give it everything.”

Silence.

“And if I don’t give it everything, Eva might win.”

A chill ran through me.

Because neither of us could bear that possibility.

Not after everything.

Margot’s voice grew firmer.

“Nobody in this firm understands Eva the way we do.”