Chapter 113
Seeing Brian, Claire’s mind was bombarded with memories of the prison, where she had been assaulted. The attackers, their faces twisted with malice, had grabbed her hair forcing her to look up. “Don’t blame us,” they sneered. “Mr. Cole promised us a reduced sentence if we took good care of you.”
They hadn’t named Mr. Cole, but Claire knew it had to be Brian. Only he had the power to reach into the prison.
During those high school competition years, she had been deceived into thinking Brian was a genteel, sophisticated heir. But in prison, she discovered that his charm was merely a facade. The real Brian was ruthless and vengeful.!
As if awakening from a nightmare, Claire stumbled backwards. It was as though she was fleeing a monster, her fear so palpable it seemed to take form in her eyes
Brian was provoked by Claire’s obvious fear. An unpleasant glint flashed in his eyes as he moved towards her
Claire was terrified, her mind spinning. She kept retreating until she lost her balance and nearly fell. Brian swiftly reached out, catching her by the waist and pulling her firmly into his arms.!!
His large hand tightened instinctively around her slim waist, his brow furrowing. How did she get so thin?
Startled by Brian’s sudden move, Claire’s heart raced. She wanted to fight him off, but her body felt paralyzed.
She could feel the cold, commanding aura emanating from Brian–an aura honed through years of dominating the business world. It hade breathing difficult.
Brian looked down at Claire in his arms, her once–clear eyes now filled with anxiety and fear. Her long lashes trembled like a frightened fawn’s. He smirked slightly, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. “What are you running from?”
His voice was deep and magnetic, yet it was jaringly out of place in the tense atmosphere.
Claire desperately tried to push away from Brian, but his arms were like steel, holding her firmly. She looked up, finding his handsome face alarmingly close. Too close, close enough to feel each other’s breath.
Her heart pounded as she averted her eyes, pressing her hands against his broad chest, trying to push him away. “Let… Despite her attempts to sound calm, the tremor in her voice betrayed her unease.3
let go
of me.
To Claire, Brian was like a sword hanging over her neck, threatening her life at any moment. Only distance could assure her safety. Seeing the panic in Claire’s eyes, Brian felt an unexpected pang of guilt. But he quickly masked it with his usual indifference. “Why are you so scared?”
Here he was, torn between his sister and the woman he had loved for three years. It should be him who felt the most pain, yet Claire always acted as if she was the one gravely wronged,
What was worse, he actually felt a pang of sympathy for her. How could he face Irene, lying there in the hospital?
Thinking this, Brian abruptly pushed Claire away.
She staggered back, colliding with the wall and using it to steady herself, if not for the wall, she might have fallen flat on her back. Even without falling, the sharp pain from her still–healing shoulder was excruciating Claire bit her lip to stifle a cry, but the tension in her forehead revealed her agony.
Her face turned pale, and beads of cold sweat dampened the strands of hair at her temples.
Brian watched her, instinctively wanting to reach out and support her, but he restrained himself. His hand hovered mid–air, caught in an internal struggle.
A wave of inexplicable sorrow washed over him, seeing Claire’s pain. The long–buried emotions began to stir again.
