Chapter 148
Claire gestured absently toward the hallway, and Evelyn immediately followed her direction.
Peering through the slightly ajar door, she saw exactly what Claire had described—Lucas and Isabella locked in an intimate embrace.
Isabella clung to Lucas’s waist, her shoulders shaking with dramatic sobs as she buried her face against his chest.
Lucas stood motionless, his hand stroking her back in slow, soothing circles while murmuring words of comfort.
Evelyn’s breath hitched. Even with the hospital staff bustling nearby, the scene felt painfully private.
Her stomach twisted. If she felt this sick watching, how must Claire be feeling?
Lucas had gone too far this time.
Evelyn turned away, her heels clicking sharply against the tile as she returned to the waiting area.
Claire sat curled in a chair, her face hidden against her knees. "He won’t answer my calls," she whispered, voice raw. "But he has time for her. I actually believed he was different now. How stupid am I?"
Her quiet devastation shattered Evelyn’s restraint.
She pulled Claire into a fierce hug, swallowing her own fury. "Don’t cry," she ordered gently, thumb brushing away a tear. "You’ll upset the baby."
The unspoken truth lingered between them—some betrayals cut deeper than others.
The slap came too fast for anyone to react.
Isabella gasped, her palm flying to her stinging cheek. Tears sprang to her eyes instantly, reddening them with practiced ease.
"Claire."
A vivid handprint bloomed across Isabella's delicate skin, the swelling already visible.
"Claire, have you lost your mind?" Lucas roared, shoving himself between them. His face twisted in disbelief. "Since when do you assault people like some deranged woman?"
Claire said nothing. Her fingers flexed, itching to strike again.
Actions speak louder than words.
Had she made a mistake? No. This deceitful viper deserved far worse.
Lucas seized her wrist in an iron grip. Claire struggled, but his hold was unbreakable.
Fury burned through her veins. She turned on Lucas instead, raining blows against his chest. "Filthy bastard! I gave you a chance! You threw it away! We're done—no arguments!"
"Claire, stop this hysterical nonsense!" Lucas snarled, his expression darkening.
Though the hospital corridor was nearly empty at this hour, the commotion drew curious stares from nearby visitors. Whispers spread like wildfire, painting the scene in humiliating shades.
Lucas's jaw tightened as he tried to explain. "Isabella twisted her ankle. I was just assisting her to the hospital. What's gotten into you? There's nothing going on between us!"
Claire crossed her arms, her eyes flashing with disbelief. "She needed your help for a twisted ankle? What are you, her personal knight in shining armor? Couldn't she just call an Uber?"
"How was she supposed to get into a car by herself if she could barely walk?" Lucas shot back, frustration creeping into his voice.
Claire scoffed. "Oh, please. I saw the way you two were clinging to each other. Don't tell me that was just 'helping.' You had your arms wrapped around her like she was about to collapse!"
"That's called supporting someone, not embracing them," Lucas snapped.
"Right," Claire drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "And when your lips were practically glued to hers, was that just you helping her breathe too?"
Lucas's face darkened. "What the hell are you even saying? Claire Dawson, you're being completely irrational!"
The air between them crackled with tension, neither willing to back down.
What will happen next? Will Lucas manage to convince Claire of his innocence, or has Isabella's scheming already driven a wedge between them?