The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 214

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN_LUCIAN’S POV

Pain was a remarkable thing.

When it was bad enough, it stripped life down to just the essentials: breathing, moving, surviving.

Everything else became secondary.

The wound felt like it was on fire.

Every bump in the road had been a complete agony. Every movement a punishment.

And yet, as I sat alone inside the abandoned construction site, staring out over rusted steel beams and unfinished concrete, I barely noticed any of it.

Because I wasn’t thinking about the bullet.

I was thinking about that bastard, Hart Sullivan.

The site had belonged to Dhark Holdings once.

Years ago, before the project had been abandoned.

Before budgets shifted and priorities changed.

Now it sat forgotten at the edge of the city.

Empty, silent… perfect.

Nobody would ever think of coming here.

Nobody except the man I was waiting for.

I leaned back carefully against the wall.

I immediately regretted that, as the movement sent a sharp stab of pain through my body.

I ignored it.

Claire would have hated this.

Camilla would have murdered me.

The doctors would probably have had me committed.

Unfortunately for all of them, I had stopped caring.

Because the police were reacting to Hart.

Following evidence and sightings and clues.

While they were being as competent as they could, it didn’t change the obvious truth:

Hart was always three steps ahead.

Always gone before anyone arrived.

Always watching, always hunting.

I knew that the only way to catch a predator was to make him think he had found prey.

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN LUCIAN’S POV

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My phone vibrated again in my pocket.

It was Camilla.

For the seventh time.

I ignored it.

The phone immediately rang again.

I sighed, then answered.

“Tessa.”

“What the hell is wrong with you, sir?”

I winced.

Not because of the question or her sudden rudeness, but because she was shouting.

My shoulder already hurt enough.

“You left the hospital!” She cried.

“Yes.”

“No one knows where the hell you are!”

“Also yes.”

“You were shot less than twenty-four hours ago!”

“Technically it was yesterday.”

Silence.

A dangerous silence,

“That isn’t helping your argument, sir. You are the CEO of–”

I almost smiled.

“Tessa.”

“No.”

Her voice sharpened. “You’re bleeding. You’re injured. Do you understand how lucky you are to be alive?” She continued. “And if you think I’m explaining this to the board-”

“I’ll send flowers.”

“You’ll send flowers?”

“I’ll send expensive flowers to you and every single board member if necessary.

Tessa made a strangled noise.

The kind people made when considering homicide.

Finally, I relented.

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CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN LUCIANT POV

“Tessa.”

“What?”

I glanced around the empty structure, then gave her the location.

She went silent.

“Why are you there?” I could hear the fear in her voice.

I didn’t answer.

Because I knew that she already knew.

Another silence.

Then-

“No.”

“Tessa.”

“No!”

“Call the police a two hours after we hang up.’

Her voice dropped. “Mr Dhark–”

“Two hours.”

“No.”

“Please.”

That finally stopped her.

Because I almost never said please.

When she spoke again, her voice was quieter. More worried. Extremely frightened.

“You’re trying to lure him.”

I didn’t answer.

I didn’t need to.

She already knew.

“Two hours,” I repeated, then hung up before she could stop me.

Before she could convince me otherwise.

Before she could remind me how stupid this was.

Because it was stupid. In fact, it was probably the most foolish thing I’d ever done.

But it was also the first plan I’d had that Hart couldn’t predict.

At least I hoped so.

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317

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN LUCIAN’S POV

I reached for my phone again, scrolled through contacts and found the number I wanted.

A journalist.

One of the reporters from the press conference.

The call lasted less than two minutes.

I never directly told him where I was.

I simply allowed him to believe he’d discovered it himself.

Just one careless comment, one vague answer and a few breadcrumbs.

That was enough to make him believe he had just discovered my location by himself.

Reporters talk, news spread, information leaked.

And Hart Sullivan was watching everything.

If I had called the police to set the trap for me, I had no doubt Hart would have found out.

I wouldn’t give him the chance to be even one step ahead of me again.

The trap was set, now all I could do was wait.

Hours passed slowly. Painfully.

The sky darkened.

The construction site became shadows and steel.

My shoulder worsened.

Blood had started seeping through the bandage again.

I could feel it-warm, painful, annoying.

The doctors would have been furious.

Assuming I survived long enough for them to find out.

The thought almost made me laugh.

What if I was wrong?

What if Hart never came?

What if he was smarter than this?

What if I had dragged myself out here for nothing?

The questions repeated in my mind endlessly.

Then-

A sound.

Finally.

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4/7

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN LUCIANS POV

I froze.

It wasn’t a gunshot or a crash.

Just footsteps. Slow, measured footsteps echoing softly through the unfinished structure.

One step, then another, then another.

Whoever the footsteps belonged to was not hiding, neither was he rushing.

He was simply approaching.

My pulse slowed oddly.

Danger had always done that to me.

When the footsteps grew closer, I already knew who it was.

Because nobody else would just walk into an abandoned site like that.

Then he finally stepped out from the shadows.

Hart Sullivan was relaxed. Calm. In fact, he was smiling.

I scanned him with my eyes- no visible gun.

That somehow felt worse- much worse.

Because men carrying visible weapons usually wanted you frightened.

Men who didn’t needed something else.

Hart looked me over slowly.

His eyes finally settled on my shoulder, then his smile widened.

“You look worse than I hoped.”

I didn’t move. Didn’t look away.

“You look exactly like I expected.”

Hart chortled, the sound echoing through the structure.

For a moment, he looked almost pleased.

Then he glanced around, taking in the empty site.

No guards, no police, no security.

Just me.

And him.

“You finally figured out the rules.” He said.

I held his gaze. “No.” I replied. “I figured out yours.”

His smile faltered- slightly, but I saw it.

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5/7

ORED AND FOURTEEN WICIANS POV

The first crack.

That was the first sign that I’d managed to get beneath his skin.

Hart’s eyes narrowed.

Good.

Let him be angry.

I’d spent months watching him terrify Claire and everyone around her.

Months watching him hurt people and control the game.

Now it was my turn.

“You should’ve stayed in the hospital.” He said, flashing his crooked teeth.

I smiled right back. “You should’ve stayed hidden.”

Silence followed, heavy and dangerous.

Hart stared at me.

I stared back.

Neither of us looked away.

Neither of us moved.

Then slowly, he reached into his jacket.

I didn’t flinch. Not even slightly.

Something shifted in his expression- disappointment.

Like he’d expected more of a reaction from me.

Then I spoke. “The police will be here in a matter of minutes.”

Hart smiled.

The expression looked so wrong on him.

“Then I suppose we should make the most of the time.”

I hadn’t lured Hart here to talk.

And Hart hadn’t come here to talk either.

Claire Ree Author

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