Chapter 109: She Had to Survive
Elizabeth had always believed Claire was the one insisting on staying with Frederick. After all, she had watched Claire grow up, and her feelings for Frederick were obvious. Elizabeth knew such deep affection couldn’t be easily abandoned. She didn’t like being lied to, but she still wanted the best for Claire. She had used her own life as a bargaining chip to get Claire out, and she didn’t want Claire to throw herself at Frederick again.
Claire froze. She hadn’t expected Elizabeth to ask her to move to another villa with her right away.
“Grandma, I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to agree with you. I just can’t. I thought that after getting out of prison, I could let go of Frederick and find someone to settle down with. I wanted to follow your advice. That’s why I tried to leave Kingstown before. I want to stay away from him. Every inch of this city is steeped in memories of us. But once I left, I realized I couldn’t do it. Do you know? I dream of him every night. I miss him so much it drives me mad.”
“Grandma, I understand. With my current situation, there’s no chance I could ever enter the Hawthorne Manor. But I can’t let go of Frederick. Even if we can’t marry in the end, even if I can only be with him for a short while, I’d still be willing. Grandma, I beg you. Please, let me have this. I promise, after this passes, I’ll do whatever you ask. I’ll marry whoever you choose for me, alright?”
Claire bowed to Elizabeth. Her voice trembled as she spoke, her forehead striking the floor with a resounding thud. It was the only way she could think of to convince Elizabeth. Elizabeth had just undergone major surgery and had a heart condition. If she were to tell Elizabeth the full truth, the shock might be too much. At least Elizabeth had always known about her feelings for Frederick. That softened the blow and made it less likely to trigger a heart attack.
Elizabeth’s nose stung as she watched Claire repeatedly bow her head, tears welling up in her eyes. She quickly dabbed at them with a tissue and stopped Claire.
“Stop it! I’ll say this one last time. If I see any more scandalous headlines, you’re coming back to me immediately!”
Her voice carried a mix of frustration and helplessness. Elizabeth couldn’t bear to look at Claire’s sad expression. She turned and slowly made her way upstairs.
“Thank you, Grandma,” Claire whispered.
Watching Elizabeth’s unsteady figure disappear up the stairs, her back trembling slightly with silent sobs, Claire bowed deeply again.
“Impressive. You really know how to put on a show,” Frederick said as soon as Elizabeth was out of sight, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Thanks to you, Mr. Hawthorne. There’s no other way for me to survive,” Claire shot back.
In the past, such words from Frederick would have left her scrambling to explain. Even fresh out of prison, she might have lowered her head and endured in silence. But after everything she had been through, Claire understood one thing clearly: that her fate was safest in her own hands.
The memory of that dream still haunted her. In the dream, Frederick forced her to transform into Caroline’s image, only to end her life with a single shot. She couldn’t run or hide. Her only chance was to face it, betting everything on her resolve.
Frederick grabbed her wrist tightly. “Claire, I saw through your true colors four years ago. You’re venomous, like a snake. Stop pretending to be virtuous and innocent, as if you’re forced into this.”
“Oh? If you hate me so much, why did you take my first time?” Claire retorted coldly.
Everything came back to Anna’s death four years ago. It was a wound that would never heal. Now, since this was a negotiation, a transaction, and she no longer had any hope in him, she saw no reason to hold back.
“You!”