The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 201

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND ONE CLAIRE’S POV

I told myself I wasn’t going to watch it. I really did.

Because I had work to do.

A lawsuit to manage, a missing witness, a dangerous criminal making threats. The list was endless.

So naturally, I had absolutely no reason to spend the next hour watching Lucian Dhark hold a nationally televised press conference.

And yet, somehow, I found myself standing in the conference room at Sinclair & Co alongside half the firm’s attorneys watching as every television screen in the building displayed the same live broadcast.

The lawsuit had already hit the news.

The headlines were spreading rapidly across every major media network.

“DHARK HOLDINGS FILES CIVIL ACTION AGAINST EVA STERLING”

The country had officially lost its mind.

Sinclair&co was no exception. Phones rang constantly, associates rushed through hallways.

The news alerts regarding the lawsuit were exploding across social media.

My eyes remained glued to the screen as Lucian walked onto a stage.

My stomach tightened instantly.

God. Why did he still have that effect on me? Even after everything…

The conference room fell silent as reporters began firing questions.

At first it, the questions were quite easy.

Business questions, corporate questions, questions about Dhark Holdings’ investors, questions about

the lawsuit.

I already knew all of that- I had helped build the case myself.

And Lucian answered them all admirably. Intelligently.

Then the questions shifted, and everything changed.

“Did you have a romantic relationship with Eva Sterling while you were still married to Claire Moreau?”

The room became completely silent.

I already knew the answer to that. In fact, the entire country already knew the answer.

Still, something inside me tightened uncontrollably.

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Lucian didn’t hesitate. “Yes.” He said, making no attempt to soften it.

The honesty hit harder than I expected it would, especially for something I already knew.

Then came another question.

“Do you consider that relationship a mistake?”

I folded my arms tightly, waiting. Preparing myself for whatever answer Lucian would give.

“I consider hurting my wife a mistake.” His tone was calm. The sincerity in it almost undid me.

My breath caught, and for a second, the room around me seemed to disappear.

I didn’t even notice the way the other attorneys’ heads turned towards me.

I only stared at the television. At Lucian’s face.

At the man who had once stood across a courtroom and let me believe I had never mattered enough to fight for.

The questioning continued.

“Did your marriage end because of Eva Sterling?”

Lucian shook his head. “No.”

A pause.

“My marriage ended because of me.”

Something painful twisted in my chest then.

Because for all those years Lucian had drifted away from me-

He had never apologized. Never explained.

And now he was doing all of it. And what made it worse was that he was too late- far too late.

The conference continued.

Lucian answered questions about the infertility. Questions about Eva and the lawsuit

Then came the question that seemed to stop the entire country.

“If Claire Moreau was never infertile, if she was deceived, and if she was publicly humiliated because of that deception… do you owe her an apology?”

The conference room became deathly quiet.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

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TENDIWEDANE ONE YAIRERV

I found myself staring directly at the screen.

Waiting.

Lucian looked straight into the camera.

And said:

“I owe Claire Moreau far more than an apology.”

My throat tightened instantly.

I hated it.

God, I hated it.

Because a part of me had wanted those words once.

Years ago.

Back when I still believed apologies could save things.

Back when I still believed love was enough.

Back when I still believed he would choose me.

Anger surged through me immediately afterward.

Not because of what he’d said.

Because of what it did to me.

I wanted to hate him.

Wanted him to remain the villain.

It was easier that way.

Much easier.

The final blow came minutes later.

“Do you still love your ex-wife?”

I nearly turned the television off.

Nearly.

Lucian remained silent for several seconds.

Then-

“That question isn’t relevant to today’s proceedings.”

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The reporter pushed.

“Is that a no?”

I knew I shouldn’t care.

I knew it didn’t matter.

I knew none of it changed anything.

Still-

I waited.

Just like everyone else.

Lucian’s answer came quietly.

“No.”

Relief flashed through me.

Briefly.

Then-

“It isn’t.”

The room exploded.

The entire country exploded.

And for reasons I absolutely refused to examine, my pulse started racing.

The conference ended shortly afterward.

The television screens switched to news analysts almost immediately.

Nobody in the room spoke for several moments.

Then Daniel Reyes appeared beside me.

He watched the screen for a second before looking at me.

“I’ve seen a lot of public apologies.”

His voice was careful.

“I’ve never seen one quite like that.”

I looked away first.

“It wasn’t easy to watch.”

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Daniel nodded.

As though he’d expected exactly that answer.

Before either of us could say anything else, the conference room door opened.

Two large men walked inside.

Both wearing dark suits.

Both carrying credentials.

Both looking very serious.

I immediately frowned.

Daniel frowned too.

One of the men approached.

“Claire Moreau?”

I already knew.

Somehow I already knew.

“Yes.”

The man offered a professional nod.

“We’ve been assigned to your security detail,”

I closed my eyes briefly.

Of course.

Of course he had.

“Assigned by who?”

The guard’s expression didn’t change.

“Mr. Dhark.”

I sighed.

Daniel looked alarmingly amused.

The guard continued.

“Mr. Dhark instructed us not to leave your side.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

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NDRED AND ON CARE SPOV

“Mr. Dhark isn’t my husband.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

A pause.

Then:

“He told us you’d say that.”

Daniel immediately laughed.

Traitor.

I stared at the guard.

The guard stared right back.

Completely serious.

Completely unmovable.

God.

Lucian was impossible.

Even when he wasn’t physically present.

After several more minutes of futile arguing, I finally gave up.

Because there was no point.

The guards weren’t leaving.

And judging by their expressions, not even a court order would make them leave.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur.

News channels continuously replayed clips from the press conference.

More information about Hart Sullivan was released to the public.

His photograph appeared on every major network.

His age.

His military history.

His hometown.

His education.

His known aliases.

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SHAPER TWO HUNDRED AND ONE CLAIRESPO

Warnings that he was armed and dangerous.

The nationwide search continued.

The walls were slowly closing in around him.

Good.

Maybe eventually we’d all be able to breathe again.

My phone rang shortly before six o’clock.

Margot.

I answered immediately.

“Tell me something good.”

Margot laughed softly.