Rebirth Into My Second Chance

Chapter 192

I avoided his gaze, pulling my hand away with a chill that matched the ice in my veins, wrapping my arms around myself. My eyes briefly met the floor, an indifferent witness to the turmoil between us.

"Claire, you're always going on about Richard's jail time and starting fights with me. Plus, when Kate came back, you pushed her down the stairs, hurting her over and over. Plus, Kate told me you were in love with Richard. I felt like I could never measure up to Richard in your eyes despite taking care of you for ten years. It made me furious. My biggest fear in life is being abandoned. The Hilton family abandoned my family."

Claude's tears caught me off guard, his voice breaking in a way I hadn't anticipated.

"Excuses. You can't even convince yourself, and how do you expect to convince me? Claude, admit it. Back then, all you wanted was to outdo the Hilton family. You needed Kate, and I was the one left in the lurch," I scoffed as the elevator dinged open. Max stepped out, and his presence immediately cooled the tension. "Stay away from her!"

Claude clenched his fists, powerless against Max's command. "Uncle Max, understand. Thanks for calling off the engagement with the Goodwin family on my behalf."

Claude didn't look back as he walked away. He and Kate were no longer engaged, and had Max intervened?

Instead, he tenderly lifted my injured hand with his brow furrowed, discarding Claude's handkerchief into a nearby trash can before leading me into the apartment. He rummaged through my drawers for the first aid kit,

you want to

me, placing my bandaged hand on my lap as he met my gaze. "Claude has always been desperate for the Hilton

go public. To many, he was a golden boy. Yet, he was still under the Hilton family's thumb. So, Claude wanted to use the Goodwin family to strengthen himself. After all, the Goodwin family was only second to the

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Claude regretted choosing Kate, but the Goodwin family wouldn't allow

about we avoid seeing him from now

of Crestview Metropolis could make the most controlling requests in the gentlest

would happen if I did see him?" I

heart as if to say seeing

you, I'll see you, but you won't be my only option.

my words were, what else could I do? Expect him to fall hopelessly in love with me, defying his