Chapter 299
I hadn’t touched my dessert fork, instead rubbing my wrist and glancing at the clock. “Claude, you need to take me home. I won’t tell Max about today. You know how Max is; he forgave your past behavior because you helped me while he was away from Crestview Metropolis, plus you’re his nephew, but I can’t say if he’ll forgive you this time p>
“I don’t plan on waiting for his forgiveness,” Claude replied, his voice firm. “If I don’t act now, I’ll lose you forever. Uncle Max is tied up because Garrett, his brother, got badly injured, and he’s rushing over there. You can check your phone p>
He handed me his phone, and I saw the numerous missed calls from Max. Then Claude showed me a message from Max, saying he was headed to Serythia. “Uncle told me to take good care of you, so that’s what I’m doing p>
As he stepped closer, I instinctively slapped him. “Claude, don’t push it p>
He held his cheek where I’d hit him, still wearing that infuriating smile. “With a ring on, your slap hurts a bit more p>
Suddenly, he grabbed my hand, yanking off the ring Max had given me last night, clutching it tightly in his fist.
I didn’t want to confront him any longer. I got up and hurried to check on Kate, who’d just been rescued, quickening my pace.
Through the glass doors, I caught a glimpse of Claude watching me, a smug grin on his face as if he had already won.
Kate sat on the floor, her eyes filled with regret as I approached. “Claire, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have taken you there. We wouldn’t have run into that jerk otherwise p>
I hugged her, whispering in her ear, “I’ll pretend to go along with him. You find a way to escape. There’s a small balcony in the back garden you can jump from—I used to do it all the time. Max is tangled up with Serythia’s people. Go find Allen Ramsey; he’ll come to rescue us p>
Allen Ramsey might not hate me, but he definitely had it out for Claude.
Just as I finished speaking, Claude returned. “Claire, I’ve let Kate go, like I promised. So, shall we head to the courthouse and make it official p>
I clenched my fists gently, knowing leaving might give Kate a chance to escape. “Claude, if you think a
e without love
possible,
then let’s go p>
He approached, tossing the ring he’d been holding into the sink. “I’ll get you a new one. This one’s bad luck p>
Claude seemed thrilled, like a villain who’d just achieved his misguided dream grinning and pulling
pink notebook from a dra uka
in the
living room.
“You always loved keeping notes p>
J.ne
I instantly regretted my old habit and reached to snatch it, but Claude pulled back into the drawer. “Proof
of Claire’s love for me-I can’t just let
that go.” on
A relic of my misguided past, a lifelong regret.
“Claude, I admit I once loved you, but don’t read too much into it. I don’t care for you anymore p>
“That’s fine. We’ve got plenty of time p>
As I left Claude’s mansion, I dared not look back, hoping desperately that Kate had managed to escape.
“Claude, do you think Max would kill you when he returns p>