Chapter 118: Dream On!

Frederick felt a surge of agitation as he watched Claire cry, a feeling that surprised even him as a wave of tenderness rose within him.

“Stop!”

His sudden command made Claire’s sobs abruptly cease. She had never seen this side of Frederick before, but it only took a moment for her tears to flow even more fiercely.

“Waaah… Ahhh…”

At first, it was a small act of defiance against the pressure Frederick had exerted over her for so long. But Claire didn’t expect it would turn into an uncontrollable flood of tears. It was as if all the years of pain and suffering she had endured since her imprisonment found an outlet in this moment.

“Claire! If you cry again, I swear…”

Frederick was taken aback by the volume and depth of Claire’s sorrow. The pain radiating from her seemed to seep into his very being, hitting him like a heavy stone dropped in his chest.

“Ahhh… Waaaah…”

She was in such a state that, if she continued crying in this hospital, doctors and nurses would surely come rushing in. They would misunderstand the situation and think Frederick had been cruel to her.

Realizing he had no choice, Frederick leaned in closer, grasping Claire’s head and pressing it against the headboard, blocking her cries with his lips.

“Mmm!”

Caught off guard, Claire found herself silenced, unable to make another sound. Seeing her stop crying, Frederick smirked with satisfaction.

“Try crying again!”

He pulled away from her lips, his expression suggesting that if she dared to shed another tear, he would kiss her senselessly. Claire was left speechless. With that look in his eyes, Claire halted her sobs. The torrent of sadness that had just overwhelmed her seemed to dissipate under Frederick’s domineering presence.

The atmosphere in the room shifted to something awkward yet charged with an unspoken warmth. Frederick and Claire stared at each other, momentarily frozen in time.

After what felt like an eternity, Frederick’s phone rang, breaking the spell. It was Caroline calling.

“Frederick! I heard from Diana that you got shot today! Are you okay?” Caroline sounded genuinely concerned.

“I’m fine.”

Although her tone was filled with care, Frederick felt an inexplicable irritation rise within him. In the past, he would have appreciated Caroline’s concern; today, however, it grated on him.

“Where are you now? Are you at the hospital? I’ll come see you!” Caroline insisted anxiously.

Frederick frowned. “No need. I’m not hurt. Claire took a bullet for me.”

“What? Claire took a bullet for you? How is she? I have to check on her; she’s not hurt, is she?” Caroline already knew that Claire had shielded Frederick from harm; Diana had informed her about the incident earlier.

“She’s fine now; there’s no need for you to come.” Frederick rejected Caroline’s offer outright without even realizing he was capable of saying such a thing.

“No! I have to go! I can’t just sit here worrying! Think about what I did to Claire four years ago. I nearly choked her to death! I’ve felt guilty ever since; I need to see her!”

Caroline sensed Frederick’s coldness and brought up the events from four years prior. She knew that mentioning Anna’s death would trigger his memories and emotions regarding that time. As long as Anna’s death loomed over their relationship, Claire would never find peace with Frederick!

Caroline thought, “Claire wants to steal Frederick from her? Dream on!”