The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 213

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN_CLAIRE’S POV

The police station smelled like coffee, paperwork, and exhaustion.

By the time I arrived, I already regretted being there.

Not just because I was tired and the case was becoming impossibly draining.

But because Eva Sterling was inside.

And I knew exactly how draining she could be.

Nathaniel met me outside the interview room.

His expression said everything.

“You’re going to enjoy this.”

I snorted. “I doubt it.”

“Oh, no.” A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You really will enjoy this.”

That should have worried me.

It did.

A detective approached. “Miss Moreau.” He called.

I turned.

“It’s time.”

I closed my eyes briefly, then nodded. “Let’s get this over with.”

The interview room in this police station was smaller than I expected.

Smaller than the one Dr. Ramon had been in.

Gray walls, metal table and fluorescent lights.

No glamour, no cameras, no adoring fans.

Just more reality than Eva enjoyed.

Eva sat on one side of the table.

For the first time since I’d met her, she looked completely human.

Not glamorous, not untouchable.

Just normal.

Her makeup couldn’t hide the dark circles beneath her eyes.

Her hands were clenched tightly together.

And for a moment-a very small moment – I almost felt sorry for her.

Then I remembered everything.

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN CLAIRE’S POV

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The infertility lie.

The fact that she had leaked that report, leaving me vulnerable to public scrutiny.

The pregnancy she had faked.

All the times she had humiliated me for sport.

Everything she had stolen from me.

The sympathy vanished immediately.

Eva finally looked up, and our eyes met. Dark orbs against blue.

Something flickered across her face. If I hadn’t know better, I would’ve thought it was guilt. But it wasn’t even

remorse.

No, it was recognition.

She knew this wasn’t the same Claire.

I pulled out a chair and sat down across from her and her lawyer.

The detective remained standing nearby.

Nathaniel stayed against the wall, silent but watchful.

Eva’s gaze never left mine. “Hello, Claire.”

I folded my hands. “Eva.”

The room immediately felt colder.

For several seconds nobody spoke.

Then Eva laughed softly; the sound of a bitter woman.

“I always knew you’d enjoy this.” She remarked.

I raised an eyebrow. “Being at a police station?”

“No.” Her smile sharpened. “Watching me fall.”

Interesting.

The old Claire would have defended herself. Explained. Probably denied it.

Margot Sinclair and her firm had cured me of that habit.

Instead, I simply said:

“You think far too highly of yourself if you believe my life revolves around yours.”

Nathaniel coughed suddenly.

It sounded suspiciously like laughter.

Eva’s smile vanished then.

Good.

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN CLAIRE’S POV

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The detective opened a file.

“Miss Sterling.” He called calmly. “We’d like to discuss Hart Sullivan.”

“I already told you.” Eva folded her arms. “I barely know him.”

A lie.

An obvious one.

She had said in an interview some days ago that she didn’t know Hart Sullivan at all.

Now, she “barely” knew him.

Her lawyer must have made her adjust her story, considering Dr. Ramon had given us copies of messages between Eva and Hart, and letters she had sent to him when he was in jail.

The detective slid several photographs across the table-photographs that had been found in Hart’s abandoned vehicle after the shooting.

Photographs that featured Hart and Eva together.

Some were dated at least nine years ago.

Prom, events, even photos they took in private.

Years of evidence.

Eya didn’t even look surprised.

She looked annoyed.

“People take pictures with celebrities every day.” She said, snarky as ever

The detective remained patient.

“And people normally attempt murder for those celebrities?”

Silence.

Nathaniel looked away to hide another smile.

Eva’s jaw tightened.

“I have never instructed anyone to hurt anybody.”

“Why did Hart Sullivan attack Nathaniel Vale?” The detective questioned.

Eva shrugged casually. “I wish I knew.”

The detective had the patience of an angel. “Why did he sabotage Margot Sinclair’s vehicle, resulting in a crash?”

Eva couldn’t even hide her little smirk. “I don’t know anything about that, but I would say this; Margot Sinclair is a nasty witch and she had it coming.”

Eva’s lawyer sighed. “Eva.” He warned, looking sick of her attitude too.

The detective nodded. “Then why did Hart Sullivan attack Claire Moreau?”

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN CLAIRE’S POV

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“Yes.”

“How?”

“He’s a doctor.”

The detective nodded.

“Anything else?”

“No.”

A lie.

A terrible one.

Even Eva seemed to realize it afterward.

The detective leaned back.

“Interesting.”

Eva said nothing.

The detective continued.

“Because Dr. Ramon has a different version of events.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Eva’s face drained of color.

Not much.

Just enough.

And suddenly I understood something.

She wasn’t afraid of us.

She was afraid of Ramon.

The detective closed the file.

“Miss Sterling.”

His voice hardened.

“We’ve spent months hearing your version of events.”

A pause.

“Now we’re hearing everyone else’s.”

Eva’s breathing became uneven.

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN CLAIRES POV

The room felt smaller.

Tighter.

Like the walls were closing in.

For the first time since she’d entered, she looked cornered.

Then she turned toward me.

And finally asked the question she’d wanted to ask all afternoon.

“Do you hate me?”

Nathaniel blinked.

The detective blinked.

Even I wasn’t expecting that.

The room became completely silent.

I looked at her for several seconds.

Really looked at her.

The woman who had taken so much.

The woman who had caused so much pain.

The woman who had spent years trying to destroy me.

Then I answered honestly.

“No.”

Eva stared.

Clearly not expecting that.

I continued.

“Hating you would require too much energy.”

The silence afterward was devastating.