Chapter 37
Clare stared intently at Irene. “Irene, it’s me, Claire,” she said softly.
“You despise me so much, I’m sure you can recognize my voice, right?“%
tive heard that some people in a coma can have some level of awareness. I wonder if you can hear me now.”
“If you can, when will you finally wake up?”
Claire rambled on, her words filling the air, but the person lying in the bed showed no sign of response.)
The antiseptic smell permeated the hospital room, mingling with the stark whiteness of the walls and bedsheets, which only accentuated Irene’s frail, skeletal frame X
Claire slowly sat down by the bedside, her eyes never leaving Irene’s pale face.
“Do you know?” Claire whispered. “Everyone thinks I was the one who hurt you, but I’m innocent. No one knows this better than you.“!!
“You’ve been unconscious for five years, and in that time, I took Vanessa’s place in prison.”
“You can’t imagine how homble it was. They jabbed me with needles, beat me with sticks, and even took one of my kidneys… all under the orders of your brother who wanted revenge for you.”
Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting dappled patterns on the floor, unable to chase away the gloom that hung heavily in the
room.
Claire took a deep breath, forcing back her tears as she continued, “I remember the first time I met you. You smiled so brightly, like a princess. I envied you then–your loving family, your affluent life, your many friends. And here I was, finally back with the Linwood family, but I always felt like an outsider…“}
“And now, I’m nothing more than a disgraced ex–con.“2
“But it was Vanessa who hurt you, not me…”
A wave of overwhelming injustice washed over her, and Claire’s tears began to flow uncontrollably.
She wiped her eyes, not noticing that Irene’s eyes had flickered ever so slightly.
After crying her heart out, Claire stood up. “Irene, you need to get better soon. I’ll come back to see you when I can.“!!
As Claire left the room, she found herself staring into a pair of deep, cold eyes.!!
The man standing before her was dressed in a sharply tailored black suit, his tall and imposing figure exuding an air of authority. His features were chiseled and handsome, yet hard and unyielding–thick eyebrows arched toward his temples, and his deep–set eyes were as inscrutable as a dark abyss. Below his high–bridged nose, his lips were set in a firm line, and his jaw was taut, projecting a stem demeanor
Just one gaze from him sent shivers down Claire’s spine. Her legs grew weak, and every muscle in her body tensed with fear, leaving her trembling uncontrollably.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, as if trying to burst free, making it difficult for her to breathe.
With deliberate, intimidating steps, the man advanced on her, and Claire instinctively retreated. In her panic, she backed into the door with a dull thud.
His gaze held her captive, making Claire feel like a trapped animal, ensnared by a predator’s unyielding stare, with no escape in sight.!! Finally, as the man continued to advance, Claire found herself backed into the room once more.
His towering presence loomed over her, and in that moment, the air in the room seemed to freeze. All that could be heard was the ragged rise and fall of Claire’s breath, loud in the suffocating silence.
Comered, Claire stumbled against the bed, unable to retreat any further
