The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 302

I poured myself another glass of wine.

The bottle was already halfway empty, but I didn’t care. I had stopped caring about things like that a long time ago.

Standing by the window of my apartment, staring down at the city while the lights blurred beneath me was therapeutic in its own way.

Somewhere out there, people were living ordinary lives—

Going to work, falling in love, getting married, having children…

Things the universe had somehow decided I didn’t deserve to have.

They probably had no idea how quickly everything could be taken away.

I took a slow sip of my wine, then turned to look at my phone, sitting on the table behind me.

I stared at it for a few seconds before reaching for it.

There was one person I needed to speak to.

I dialed the number.

She answered after the second ring.

“Hello?”

Her voice was quiet. Careful.

I smiled.

“Tell me about them.”

There was a pause.

“Mr. and Mrs. Dhark?”

“Who else would I mean?” I sassed.

“I’m sorry.”

It took me a lot of restraint to not snap at her. “You don’t need to apologize. Just tell me.”

I walked back toward the window.

“They’re happy,” she said.

The words made something unpleasant twist inside me.

“Happy?” I repeated.

“Yes.”

I said nothing.

She continued. “Mr. Dhark has been very attentive to her since she returned. He barely lets her out of his sight.”

Of course he didn’t. Lucian had always been like that when he believed he had something worth protecting.

Typical macho douchebag.

I took another sip of wine. “What else?”

“Camilla knows.”

I felt my fingers tighten around the stem of the glass. “Knows what?”

“About the pregnancy.”

I closed my eyes briefly. Of course they’re already spreading the good news, the imbeciles.

The thought of people congratulating them—congratulating Claire—made my stomach churn.

“How did Camilla react?”

“She cried.”

I laughed softly at that. Claire and Camilla were cut from the same cloth—boring and predictable. It’s no wonder they were so close.

A man as powerful and intelligent as Lucian Dhark didn’t belong with a simpleton like Claire.

He belonged with a woman like me.

Unfortunately, he was too blinded by love to see it.

“Of course she did.” I sneered.

Camilla had always loved Claire.

Even when Claire and Lucian were no longer together, that woman had never stopped treating her like family.

And it irritated me more than anything. Especially because I knew that Lucian saw that stupid old housekeeper as a maternal figure.

“Anything else?” I asked.

Hope thought about it for a minute. “They were talking upstairs.”

“About?”

“The apartment.”

That caught my attention.

“What apartment?”

“Claire’s apartment. She said she wanted to go back because she had already paid several months’ rent. She doesn’t want to waste the money.”

I smiled.

“She should.”

I had met the maid years ago, when I had first dated Lucian. We had been younger then—in our twenties—and he had brought me to the Dhark mansion regularly.

I knew everyone there had hated me, but I couldn’t have cared less.

The staff found me bossy. Or perhaps they thought I was mean. Entitled.

And perhaps they were right.

But I had never needed everyone to like me. I had learnt from a very early age, that I only needed the right people to owe me.

My looks and talent opened doors for me that a nice person could never have access to.

Hope’s sister had wanted a chance in the movie industry, and I had given her one.

A small role at first—not enough to get her noticed, but enough to change her life.

After that, keeping her sister’s loyalty had been easy.

Money helped too—you could get people to do just about anything for money.

“You’re still taking care of everything I asked you to?” I asked.

Hope paused. It was only for a second, but I noticed it.

“Yes.” She answered.

“Good.” I took another drink. “Then I’ll be in touch soon.”

“When?”

“When I need you,” I spoke through gritted teeth.

My patience with the girl was running thin.

I ended the call after that. For several seconds, I simply stared at my reflection in the dark window.

Then I smiled.

Claire was staying in the Dhark mansion. With Lucian. With Camilla.

With everyone who loved her.

She must be so happy right now.

And she had no idea there was still someone inside that house who belonged to me.

‘Clueless bore,’ I whispered, as I lifted the wineglass to my lips.

This was far from over.