Chapter 71
The unfamiliar man standing before Claire was strikingly handsome, even more so than Ethan and Brian, who were top–tier heartthrobs themselves. Claire was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained her composure.
She had only wanted to find a quiet spot to be alone for a while and hadn’t expected anyone to be in the stairwell. She considered turning around to leave, but since she was already there, it seemed pointless.
It was just a stranger after all–nothing to be concemed about. With that thought, Claire let go of her apprehension, and with heavy legs. she slowly descended the stairs.
As she passed by the man, the smoke from his cigarette wafted over to her, its strong scent invading her senses and causing a brief moment of dizziness.
Claire paused and looked at the man. Coincidentally, he was looking back at her. Noticing her slight frown, he politely said, “I’m sorry.” He moved to extinguish his cigarette, but Claire stopped him, “Do you have another one, sir? Could I have one?”
The man hesitated, a bit surprised by her request. The woman before him was pale, and her eyes were weary, clearly burdened with troubles.
Without a word, he took a ciga
a cigarette from his pack and offered it to Claire.
“Thank you,” she murmured, taking the cigarette and mimicking his actions by placing it between her lips.
She heard the striking of a lighter, and soon, a long, elegant hand appeared before her, the flame flickering in the dim stairwell, illuminating their faces
Claire hesitated slightly, then leaned in to light her cigarette, taking a deep drag. The taste of nicotine spread through her lungs, almost causing her to cough. She quickly exhaled.
The man noticed she wasn’t accustomed to smoking. His eyebrows arched slightly, but he said nothing, simply retracting his hand. Claire sat on the steps, smoking in silence. She had seen many men turn to cigarettes when troubled, but now she understood that smoking did little to ease her own burdens.
The stairwell was enveloped in silence, broken only by the occasional crackle of burning tobacco and the gentle dispersal of smoke rings in the air.))
The man finished his cigarette first, flicking the butt into a nearby trash can. He climbed the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the enclosed SpaceX
Just before exiting the stairwell, he glanced back, seeing Claire’s solitary figure illuminated by the dim glow of the cigarette in her hand. He paused briefly, then continued on his way.
Claire remained in the stairwell for a long time before leaving. She felt dazed and exhausted, longing only to return to her hospital room for rest.
However, when she opened the door she found someone already inside the last person she wanted to see.
He sat silently by the window, the sunlight casting a soft glow around him. But Claire knew he was anything but gentle; he was sharp, like a blade that could cut deeply.
Vincent looked up, and upon seeing Claire, he immediately stood and moved to support her, which she deftly avoided. His hand hung awkwardly in mid–air. He clenched it into a fist, pretending it didn’t matter “Claire, where have you been?” Ignoring him, Claire climbed into bed.
Vincent’s face showed a hint of embarrassment. “Claire, would you like some fruit? I can
peel it
for you
Claire shot him a cold glance, her voice laced with clear disdain “Attorney Lewis, you’re a busy man. You wouldn’t be here without reason. Let’s skip the pleasantries and get to the point.
Her indifference was like a punch to Vincent’s gut, but he dared not continue with small talk, Instead, he asked bluntly, “Claire, did you push Vanessa down the stairs?”
So that’s why he was here, Claire thought. It was about Vanessa again.
Chapter
