The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 94

CHATTER NINETY-FOUR-LUCIAN’S POV

The first thing I saw that morning wasn’t a report.

It was a headline.

Actually, multiple headlines.

My phone screen lit up with them in rapid succession, notifications stacking over each other before I’d even finished reading the first.

“Lucian Dhark Engaged to Eva Sterling.”

“The Power Couple is Set to Marry.”

“Sources Confirm Proposal.”

It was trending. It was everywhere.

I stared at the screen for a moment longer than necessary, my jaw tightening slightly as I scrolled.

Multiple images of Eva wearing a huge diamond ring. Speculation.

Certainty-where there shouldn’t have been any.

I hadn’t made an announcement, neither had I approved one.

I hadn’t even been aware that something like this was circulating.

And I certainly hadn’t-under any circumstance-proposed to Eva.

Yet somehow, everyone believed I had.

Irritation creeped up my spine.

Then within hesitating, I tapped a number.

“Sir,” my PR director answered almost immediately.

“What is this?” I asked, scrolling past another headline, struggling to keep my voice even, even though I wanted to explode.

A pause.

“We didn’t issue anything, Mr. Dhark.” The PR director answered.

My hand stilled. “You’re telling me this didn’t come from us?”

“Yes, sir. We’ve been monitoring it since early this morning. The initial push came from external sources.” He explained.

“Which sources?” I questioned.

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The director paused again- longer, this time.

“…Eva Sterling’s media team.”

Of course.

The call ended shortly after.

I didn’t need more explanation.

I already had more than enough.

The boardroom was quieter than usual when I walked in.

The first thing I noted was that for some reason, the directors looked expectant.

And honestly? I didn’t care to find out why.

Every seat was occupied with executives, investors, board members. The moment I took my place at the head of the table, they all turned their attention to me.

I noticed their faces were pleasant. Too pleasant. Some smiled subtly, knowingly.

“Congratulations, Lucian,” one of the senior board members said.

Another nodded. “It’s a good look for the company. Stability.”

“Public perception matters,” someone added. “And this helps immensely.”

Eva’s name was mentioned more than once. Positively.

Strategically.

As if it had all been planned.

As if she was the light I had needed in my life all these years. As if everything had suddenly started falling into place the moment she entered the picture.

Oh but they couldn’t be more wrong.

I let them speak for some time, then I leaned back slightly, my gaze moving across the room, almost amused by their unmasked corporate excitement.

“I just finalized a divorce,” I said, tone calm and measured. “I don’t intend to remarry anytime soon.”

Silence fell immediately-sharp and uncomfortable, covering the room like a dome.

I didn’t elaborate. Didn’t soften it.

And when one of them opened their mouth to continue-

“I’m not discussing this further.”

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That ended it.

The conversation shifted after that- back to business, just like I preferred.

But the message had already landed.

By the time I stepped out of the building, the irritation had only grown with the headlines.

Because it wasn’t just about the rumors.

It was the pattern- the party, the attempt to embarrass Claire, the sudden engagement narrative.

Eva’s behavior. It seemed layered too neatly to be a coincidence.

Eva didn’t react to situations- she shaped them.

And she knew very well- because I had made it exceptionally clear- I had no intention of marrying her.

Which meant this wasn’t optimism, neither was it assumption.

It was pressure.

She was forcing the narrative. Pushing it into the public until it became difficult to contradict without

consequence.

Cornering me. Or at least trying to.

I wasn’t the type of man to be easily cornered.

The house was louder than usual when I got back.

Not chaotic, thankfully. But active.

Staff were moving, phones ringing.

The house was being reorganized from whatever had carried over from the night before.

I had been spending my nights in my apartment on other side of town, far away from Eva.

Of course she must have taken the opportunity to host… something!

I found her in the sitting room, exactly where she would be- composed and perfect.

She looked up as I entered, a smile already in place.

“Have you seen the coverage?” she asked lightly. “It’s everywhere.”

Her audacity was incredible.

She stood, moving toward me with easy confidence. “People love it,” she continued, all giddy with excitement. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Investors, media-everyone-”

“You started it.”

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I didn’t need to raise my voice for her to understand that I was irritated.

The words cut cleanly through everything she was saying, but didn’t flinch. Didn’t even deny it.

Instead, she tilted her head slightly, and her expression softened, like she was being patient with me.

“I managed it,” she corrected. “There’s a difference.”

“There isn’t,” I replied flatly.

She exhaled lightly, as if I was the one being unreasonable.

“This helps your image, Lucian,” she stated. “You of all people should know that. Investors like stability. They like certainty.”

“This isn’t certainty,” I countered. “It’s fabrication.”

“It’s positioning,” Eva retorted. “And it benefits both of us.”

I watched her for a moment- really watched her.

Her blonde hair pulled up in a high pony tail, her gleaming blue eyes, her lips which I had once found

irresistible.

“You’re embarrassing yourself,” I said finally.

“Am I?” Eva’s smile remained.

“Yes.” My tone didn’t change. “Because when this ‘engagement’ doesn’t materialize, that’s when the narrative turns. That’s when the same media you’re feeding now, will start asking questions.”

Her expression sharpened.

“You won’t let it get to that point.”

“I won’t protect you from it.” I replied honestly.

The room went still.

Her gaze hardened.

“Be careful,” she said quietly. “You don’t want to damage my public image. It’s linked to yours now, after

all.” She stated.

I held her stare without hesitation.

“Then you shouldn’t have built it on something that doesn’t exist.”

Silence stretched between us. 1

Neither of us was willing to yield, or even budge. And for the first time, something changed.

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Not in what she was saying, but in how I was seeing it.

Before, it had looked like confidence. Now, it looked like calculation.

She wasn’t responding.

She was steering the wheels by herself.

My gaze dropped briefly to her hand.

The ring caught the light from the windows easily.

Large, impressive and obviously expensive.

“Where did the ring come from?” I asked.

Eva didn’t hesitate. “A private purchase,” she said lightly. “Custom. I wanted something that matched the

narrative.”

She had answered too quickly. And her Andwer was vague besides. Too polished.

I looked at the ring again.

It had to be at least a thirty carats diamond.

Eva had money, no doubt. Plenty of it in fact.