Claire Reed thought she married the man of her dreams, Evander Kensington, but she had no idea that their marriage was built on a lie; a family vow that trapped him by her side. His heart, however, belonged to another woman, his white lotus. No matter how hard Claire tried to win Evander’s love, he only grew colder, and his family treated her like she didn’t exist. When she lost their unborn child, Claire’s world shattered. She wanted to see Evander, but he didn't bother to check on her. Instead, he went to meet that white lotus. Unable to bear the betrayal, she decided to free Evander from this marriage, leaving behind a letter and divorce papers, claiming she now had someone else she loved! ~~~~ "You’re mine, and I’ll never let you go!” he declared, his voice dark with possessiveness. “But I don’t want you anymore! You can have Susan—I’m now in love with someone else!” Claire shot back, her words sharp and final. "You can't be with anyone. Do you even know how sleepless nights I've without you?" Evander's hold on her tightened. "I'll see how you become some else when I'll claim you," he pronounced before crashing his lips on her.
Claire's POV
Evander stood there silently, staring at me without a single word. The silence stretched, filling the room with a tension that made my skin crawl. I was desperate to know what he wanted from me— what he expected me to do to finally be free of him.
"Are you not going to say anything?" I demanded as I clenched my teeth. "If you have nothing to say, then please call my friend. I want her here."
First, he said I needed to make up for him. Now he just stood there like he was lost in thought. I was beginning to think he had lost his mind. I shifted my gaze away from him, frustrated.
After a moment, he spoke, as his voice was surprisingly calm. "I can see the love you have for me, Claire," he said. "But what I regret most is that I was blind to it all those years ago. If I had seen it five years ago, maybe I wouldn't have done the things I did to hurt you."