The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 215

VAFTER TWO HUNDRLEY AND HETEN MARGOTS FOV

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN MARGOT’S POV

The hospital room had become a war room.

I found that mildly amusing.

Two months ago I had been unconscious.

Now security guards occupied every corner of the floor, police officers checked every visitor, and my husband was treating hospital food as though it were a personal insult.

Life was strange.

I sat upright in bed with my laptop open, and stack of files rested beside me.

My reading glasses sat low on my nose.

I watched my husband who occupied the chair near the window, grading his students’ papers.

Then my phone rang.

I answered immediately. “Margot Sinclair.”

The managing partner of one of the city’s largest firms sounded nervous.

Good.

As he should.

“We received your message.”

“You received my warning.”

A pause.

“Margot-”

“No.”

I leaned back against my pillows. I didn’t care if I had to be a bully or the devil herself- I had to bring Eva to justice through whatever means legally possible.

“Listen carefully.” I started.Eva Sterling is radioactive.”

Silence.

“Any firm that takes her case becomes associated with her.”

I let that settle.

“Any firm that becomes associated with her becomes associated with fraud, conspiracy, falsified medical records, attempted murder allegations and public disgrace.”

The man swallowed audibly.

I smiled. “I simply wanted to ensure your partners understood the risk.”

The call ended shortly afterward.

Mason glanced up from his papers. “You do enjoy frightening attorneys.”

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HAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND OFTEEN MARCOTS POV

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“I enjoy efficiency.” I corrected quickly.

He laughed softly.

I made three more calls.

Then four, then six.

By lunchtime, most major firms in the city had received the message.

Eva Sterling needed representation.

I intended to make finding it as difficult as possible.

Not because of Lucian. Not because of the lawsuit.

Because of Claire and Elise.

And every other victim whose life Eva had stepped on while climbing toward whatever she believed success looked like.

Afterward, I contacted a private investigator whom I had worked with several times in the past. A good, thorough man who took his job very seriously.

“I want full background reports.”

The investigator immediately understood. “The jury pool?”

“Potential jury pool.”

“And the judge?”

“Especially the judge.”

He paused. “Looking for bias?”

“I’m looking for surprises.” I said, then added, just to be specific, “I don’t want Claire to get any suspended in court- not one.”

Surprises meant a case was lost.

I hated surprises.

The investigator promised results within forty-eight hours before I let him get off the line.

Another call came through immediately.

1 Claire.

A smile touched my face before I answered, monotone as ever; “Tell me you’ve already frightened someone important.”

Claire laughed softly. “I’m on my way to the station.”

“Good.”

Her voice sounded tired.

I hated that.

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APTER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN MARGOTS POV

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Bany

Claire was the kind of lawyer who worked herself into the ground whenever she cared about something.

Unfortunately, she cared about everything.

“We may be able to negotiate a plea bargain with Ramon.”

That got my attention..

“Oh?”

“He’s willing to cooperate fully.”

“He will.”

Claire hesitated. “You sound confident.”

“I am.” I stated, as I adjusted my glasses. “Rats always abandon sinking ships.”

Claire snorted.

I was proud of her.

After a moment, she asked a question I could tell had been sitting on her mind for sometime. “You really think we have her?”

I didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

Silence.

Then: “Really?”

“Claire.” I called, my tone firm. “This case goes beyond you.”

Silence.

“Beyond Elise. Eva Sterling has spent years destroying people.”

I looked out the window.

“Other women, other families, other careers. Other lives.”

My voice hardened. “Nobody has ever survived her.”

A long pause followed.

“But you did.” I added quietly.

Claire didn’t respond immediately. I knew why.

Because praise always embarrassed her- especially when it was deserved.

Finally she spoke.

“I’m not sure about that.”

I smiled.

“I am.”

The silence that followed felt emotional.

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HAIR WOHUNDRED AND TEEN MARCOTS POV

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Neither of us acknowledged it.

Naturally.

We were both terrible at that.

Eventually she said:

“I should go.”

“You should.”

Then:

“Claire?”

“Yes?”

“Finish this.”

A pause.

Then:

“I will.”

The call ended.

I returned to work.

For almost thirty minutes everything remained quiet.

I let my husband focus on the papers he was grading, while I worked on my computer.

Then my son walked into the room carrying his tablet.

His expression immediately caught my attention.

He looked… worried. That was never a good sign.

“What?” I asked.

He handed me the screen.

A news article was open.

One particular headline caught my attention.

“UNCONFIRMED REPORTS PLACE LUCIAN DHARK AT ABANDONED DHARK HOLDINGS SITE”

I almost laughed.

“What nonsense.” I dismissed it.

My son remained silent.

I looked again, then noticed the publication.

My amusement disappeared immediately.

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HARTER TWO HINDRED AND BITEN MARGOTS POV

Because they weren’t a tabloid.

They were usually irritatingly accurate.

Which meant somebody had sourced the information.

I frowned.

It seemed impossible.

Lucian had been shot yesterday.

Yesterday!

I had spoken to him less than two hours ago.

He’d been sitting in a hospital bed, pale and bandaged, pretending the pain was something minor.

No reasonable human being would leave the hospital.

Unfortunately, Lucian Dhark was not a reasonable human being.

The realization settled heavily in my stomach.

I called Claire first.

Straight to voicemail, as expected. She was probably questioning Eva.

Then I called Lucian.

Once. Twice. Three times.

All the calls went unanswered.

My pulse accelerated.

That never happened.

Not anymore.

Not after Hart.

Not after the threats.

Not after the shooting.

Slowly, I lowered the phone.

My son watched me.

“You think it’s true.”

I looked at him.

“Yes.”

For the first time all day, fear hit me in the chest like a load of bricks.