The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 210

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TEN LUCIAN’S POV

I woke up to a tearing pain.

It was more of a deep, burning ache spreading through my shoulder and chest, dragging me from darkness.

For a moment, I didn’t know where I was.

Everything felt distant and muted.

Then it hit me that all-too-familiar antiseptic smell.

The white ceiling above me, the steady beeping.

Hospital.

The realization came slowly.

I shuddered.

Then it all came back to me-

The parking lot. The gunshot. The glass exploding.

Claire.

My eyes snapped open.

I remembered the car driving past us, the flash from the window.

My body moving before my brain could even think.

Then the darkness.

I immediately tried to sit up- that turned out to be a terrible decision.

Pain exploded through my right shoulder.

“Mr. Dhark.”

A nurse appeared instantly. “Don’t.”

“I need-”

“You need to stay in bed.” She said firmly.

“I need to know where Claire is.”

The words came out rougher and harsher than intended.

The nurse blinked.

Before she could answer, the door opened and a doctor walked in.

He was tall, middle-aged and calm-annoyingly calm.

The sort of calm doctors only possessed when they weren’t the ones lying in hospital beds.

“Good morning, Mr. Dhark.”

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CAPTESTWY HUNDRED AND TEN TUCIANS POV

I ignored the greeting.

“Where is Claire?”

The doctor sighed like I was the one being unreasonable here.

“You were shot yesterday.”

“I know.”

“The bullet passed through your shoulder.”

I stared at him, waiting.

“No major organs were hit.” He finally said.

“Good.”

“You lost blood.”

“I’ll be alright.”

“You are extremely lucky.”

“I don’t care.”

The doctor pinched the bridge of his nose.

Apparently I wasn’t going to make his favorite patient list.

“Mr. Dhark-”

“Where is Claire?”

For a moment, neither the doctor nor the nurse spoke.

“She’s fine.” The doctor finally answered.

Relief hit me so hard I almost felt dizzy.

For the first time since waking up, I could finally breathe properly.

The doctor continued. “She wasn’t injured.”

I closed my eyes briefly.

Thank God.

Then he added. “She’s been here all night.”

My eyes opened.

All night?

The doctor gave me a look that was almost amused.

Then he nodded toward the chair beside my bed.

Only then did I notice her.

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2/8

A

TWS HUNDRED AND TEN CIANS POV

Claire was asleep, curled awkwardly in a chair clearly never designed for sleeping.

Her dark hair was a mess- the breakage was even more noticeable.

She was wearing yesterday’s clothes.

Dark circles peeked out from beneath her eyes.

One hand rested on the edge of my mattress.

The other was wrapped around mine.

She was still holding my hand.

My chest tightened painfully.

Not from the wound.

From something far worse.

Years ago, Claire had gotten pneumonia.

Nothing life-threatening.

Nothing dramatic.

Yet I had spent three nights sleeping beside her hospital bed.

Refusing to leave.

Refusing meetings.

Refusing calls.

Refusing everything.

Because seeing her sick had terrified me.

Now the situation was reversed.

And somehow that felt worse. 1

I watched her quietly.

The rise and fall of her breathing.

The exhaustion on her face.

The evidence of an entire sleepless night.

She should have gone home.

She should have been resting.

She should have hated me enough to stay away.

Yet she hadn’t.

The movement of my hand must have disturbed her.

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3/8

TER ANY HUNDRED AND TEN LUCIANS POV

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Claire stirred.

Then her eyes opened.

For a second she looked confused.

Then she saw me awake.

Immediately she sat upright.

Immediately.

No hesitation.

No pretending.

No lawyer mask.

No ex-wife mask.

Just relief.

Pure relief.

“You’re awake.”

Her voice cracked slightly.

I hated how much I liked hearing it.

“Apparently.”

Claire leaned forward.

Studying me.

Checking my face.

My shoulder.

The monitors.

Everything.

Making sure I was actually alive.

Then her expression changed.

Relief disappeared.

Anger arrived.

Fast.

“You absolute idiot.”

I blinked.

Well.

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APTER TWOKONDRED AND TEN LUCIAN’S POV

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That was unexpected.

“What?”

“You got shot.”

I considered that.

Technically accurate.

“I noticed.”

Claire stared at me.

“I am serious.”

“So am I.”

“You could have died.”

“I didn’t.”

Her jaw tightened.

“That wasn’t the point.”

The room went quiet.

And suddenly I understood.

She wasn’t angry because I’d been shot.

She was angry because she’d been scared.

A dangerous realization.

One I probably shouldn’t enjoy as much as I did.

Before I could say anything, another voice interrupted.

“You both sound ridiculous.”

Claire and I turned simultaneously.

Nathaniel Vale stood in the doorway.

Looking terrible.

Absolutely terrible.

Pale.

Bruised.

Still recovering from his own attack.

And apparently ignoring every medical instruction he’d been given.

Claire stared.

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TYNTHUNDRED AND EN, LUCIANS POV

+15 Bonus

“Nathaniel?”

“You should be in bed.”

“So should he.”

Nathaniel pointed directly at me.

Fair.

I couldn’t argue with that.

He walked into the room slowly.

Clearly still hurting.

But too stubborn to admit it.

Some things never changed.

His gaze landed on me.

“You look terrible.”

I looked him over.

“So do you.”

A pause.

Then Nathaniel nodded.

“Fair.”

For a brief moment, nobody spoke.

It was strange.

The three of us in one room.

After everything.

After Claire.

After the divorce.

After the attacks.

After the chaos.

Nathaniel finally looked at me properly.

His expression unreadable.

Then he said:

“You took a bullet for her.”

Not a question.

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HAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TEN LUCIANS POV