The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 231

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE_CLAIRE’S POV

By the time I stepped into Lucian’s room, the evening sunlight was spilling softly through the windows.

The room felt different- warmer somehow.

Perhaps it was because he was sitting up now.

The hospital bed had been raised and the ventilator was gone.

Most of the tubes too, had disappeared.

But Lucian still looked pale, bruised and far too thin.

But at least he was alive.

His eyes found mine almost immediately I stepped into the room.

And just like that, the weight pressing against my chest seemed to ease.

“You made it back.” Lucian said.

His voice remained rough and weak, but still unmistakably Lucian.

“I had to.”

I walked closer.

“You would’ve complained if I didn’t.”

“I was preparing a speech.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

I pulled the chair beside his bed closer before sitting.

For a few seconds, we simply looked at each other.

Neither of us seemed eager to break the silence.

Eventually, I smiled.

“The preliminary hearing went exactly how you’d expect.”

“Oh?”

“Eva tried to settle.”

His eyebrows lifted.

“Already?”

I nodded.

“She doesn’t want this reaching court.”

“I can’t imagine why.”

I couldn’t help laughing.

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TWO HONESLD AND THIRTY ONE

“She even stood up and gave a speech about how much this has ruined her life.”

Lucian sighed dramatically.

“I’m devastated for her.”

I laughed harder.

“You would’ve enjoyed watching Jonathan try not to roll his eyes.”

He smiled.

“Did you shut it down?”

“I did.”

“What’d you tell them?”

I shrugged.

“That my client wasn’t interested.”

He nodded approvingly.

“Excellent client.”

“The best.”

I told him about the judge.

About Eva’s lawyers.

About the trial date.

About the reporters waiting outside.

By the time I’d finished, the smile had disappeared from his face.

“I’m sorry.” He said quietly.

I already knew.

“If I hadn’t brought Eva back into our lives…”

His gaze lowered.

‘…none of this would’ve happened.”

I looked at him for a long moment.

“I’m pretty sure you’ve learned your lesson.”

A tiny smile appeared.

“I have.”

He swallowed.

“I can’t undo what I did.”

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“I can’t erase any of it.”

“I’d give anything if I could.”

He looked at the blanket covering his legs.

“But I can’t.”

Silence settled between us.

Then he surprised me.

“Thank you.”

I frowned.

“For what?”

“For protecting me.

I blinked.

“When I couldn’t protect myself.”

He met my eyes again.

“You defended me before the board.”

“You handled the lawsuit.”

“You stayed.”

His voice grew quieter.

“You fought for me while I was unconscious.”

My throat tightened.

“I don’t know how I’ll ever repay that.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I do.”

Another silence.

Then he took a slow breath. “The reason I started pulling away from our marriage…”

He hesitated. “…was because of you.”

I frowned, already growing irritated. “What does that even mean?”

His expression softened. “You terrified me, Claire.”

I opened my mouth.

Lucian shook his head. “Not because you did anything wrong.”

“Claire you terrified me because I loved you.”

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TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE CLANES POV

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My heart stopped.

“The last person I loved that much…” His voice nearly broke. “Was my mother.”

I listened, frozen in a spot. It felt as though any movement would ruin the moment.

“Losing her shattered me. I don’t think I ever fully recovered.”

He looked at me with heartbreaking honesty. “Then you came into my life and became just as important.”

His eyes were glistening.

“And I couldn’t survive losing someone like that again.”

He gave a humorless laugh. “So I convinced myself that if I pushed you away…’

“…if I created distance… if I loved you less… it wouldn’t hurt as much.”

He closed his eyes briefly. “It didn’t work.”

I felt a tear on my cheek before I even realized I was crying. “I never stopped loving you.’

He looked directly at me. “Not during the separation. Not during the legal battle.” He paused. “Not even after the divorce or while you were dating Nathaniel. Not while I was with Eva either.”

His voice barely rose above a whisper. “Not for one day.”

The room became impossibly still.

I had to look away.

Hearing those words hurt.

Not because I doubted them, but because I believed every single one.

A shaky laugh escaped me. “I’m tired, Lucian.

He looked confused.

“I’m tired of trying to hate you.” I wiped another tear away. “I’m tired of pretending.”

Slowly, I looked back at him. “The truth is I never stopped loving you either.”

The words hung between us.