Chapter 40

The door of the police station swung open again, and this time, the scent of whiskey clung heavily to the man who entered.

It was Lucas.

He must have rushed here straight from Eclipse Lounge. His gaze landed on Claire, and he turned to the nearest officer with a lazy smirk. "I'm here to post bail. Where do I sign?"

Before the officer could answer, Claire rose to her feet, her voice frosty. "That won't be necessary, Lucas. Someone else is already handling it. You can leave."

Lucas blinked, then chuckled, shaking his head. "Someone’s bailing you out, and yet you're still sitting here? Come on, Claire, we’re married. You begged for my help, and here I am. Why the attitude?"

The word begged stung like a slap. Claire felt her throat tighten, her composure threatening to shatter.

"I never begged for anything!" she snapped. "You can walk right back out that door if you want."

The tension between them crackled in the air. Sensing the storm brewing, Evelyn quickly—

The tension in the police station was suffocating.

Lucas Bennett clenched his jaw, his knuckles white from gripping the edge of the counter. His dark eyes burned with frustration as he glared at Claire Dawson, who stood trembling a few feet away.

Nathan Reeves stepped between them, his voice calm but firm. "Let's all just take a moment to breathe, okay?"

Lucas didn’t respond. Instead, he turned sharply and stormed out of the station, slamming the door behind him. Outside, he collapsed into the backseat of his car, pulling out a cigarette with shaking hands.

The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "Mr. Bennett, should we go?"

Lucas exhaled a slow stream of smoke, rolling down the window to let the cold night air in. His gaze flickered back toward the station, where he could just make out Claire’s silhouette through the glass.

She was crying.

His chest tightened, but he forced himself to look away. "Not yet."

Inside, Evelyn Carter gently wiped the tears from Claire’s cheeks.

She didn’t need words to understand. Claire still loved Lucas. Why else would she break down the moment he walked in?

The silence between them was heavy.

Evelyn sighed, deciding to break it. "Claire, he came here as soon as he heard. That has to mean something."

Claire shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "It doesn’t matter. We’re getting a divorce."

"What’s the point of discussing this now?"

Lucas had already agreed to the divorce. All that remained was signing the papers.

But lately, he hadn’t stepped foot in their home.

Claire had searched every high-end club Lucas frequented, desperate to confront him.

Yet he was nowhere to be found.

The whole situation left her unsettled.

Evelyn couldn’t shake the nagging suspicion that there was more to this than met the eye. Somewhere beneath the surface, a misunderstanding festered between Claire and Lucas.

She exhaled softly, sympathy tightening her chest. "Maybe you should reconsider. If Lucas is avoiding you, it might mean he isn’t ready to let go. If you still care for him, shouldn’t you at least try talking?"

Claire remained silent, her gaze distant.

At that moment, Alexander emerged from the back office.

The three of them stepped outside together.

Lucas, having just crushed his cigarette underfoot, leaned lazily against his car with a mocking grin. "Well, well. Looks like someone did come to your rescue. But let’s be honest—Evelyn’s the one who actually saved you."

The tension in the air thickened.

Claire’s fingers curled into fists at her sides.

Alexander’s expression darkened, his protective instincts flaring.

Evelyn glanced between them, sensing the storm brewing.

Lucas pushed off the car, his smirk fading into something colder. "Funny how things work out, isn’t it?"

No one answered.

The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken words.

Then, with a scoff, Lucas turned and walked away.

Claire watched him go, her heart pounding.

Evelyn reached for her hand, squeezing gently.

Alexander’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.

The evening sun cast long shadows across the pavement.

And just like that, the fragile peace shattered.

Evelyn was speechless.

Lucas strode to the backseat and yanked the door open, shooting her a challenging look. "Get in. Or are you planning to third-wheel us all night?"

Evelyn threw a glance at Alexander before responding icily, "Lucas, the only thing intimidating about you is that filthy mouth of yours."

Without hesitation, she slid into the car.

Lucas smirked, his voice dripping with mischief. "Just my mouth? You're welcome to test that theory anytime, Evelyn."

Her face burned with indignation. She glared at him. "You're insufferable!"

Lucas merely chuckled, settling into his seat as the engine roared to life. He gave Alexander a lazy wave before the car pulled away.

Outside the police station, only Alexander and Evelyn remained.

The crude joke had caught Evelyn off guard, leaving her flustered.

She lifted her gaze to Alexander, her cheeks still warm.

The night air was crisp as Alexander, ever composed, reached for Evelyn's trembling fingers. "You're ice cold," he murmured, his voice laced with quiet concern.

Without another word, he slipped her hand into the warmth of his coat pocket, his own fingers curling protectively around hers.

By the time they arrived home, Evelyn made a beeline for the bathroom, scrubbing furiously at the dark stains splattered across her sleeves. The water ran pink, then clear, but the memory clung like a shadow.

When she emerged, the clock read half past three.

A single amber lamp cast a soft glow across the bedroom. Alexander lounged against the headboard, the silk of his pajama top slipping open just enough to reveal the sharp line of his collarbone.

He didn’t press her about the blood. Didn’t ask what had happened at the Eclipse Lounge.

Instead, he simply lifted the duvet beside him in silent invitation. "Come here," he said, his voice low and steady.