The Wife he threw Away (Claire and Lucian) novel Chapter 250

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY CLAIRE’S POV

When the courthouse doors opened, the noise hit us like a wave.

Questions started flying in from every direction before we had even taken three steps.

“Mr. Dhark!”

“Miss Moreau!”

“Did Eva Sterling attempt to negotiate a settlement?”

“Are the two of you back together?”

“Mr. Dhark, how are you feeling after the attack?”

“Miss Moreau, are you confident you’ll win this case?”

Flashes exploded so rapidly that they blurred together into one relentless white light.

For weeks, I’d stood in front of cameras as an attorney.

But somehow, today felt different.

Today, they weren’t just looking at the lead counsel in the biggest civil trial in recent memory.

They were looking at the woman standing beside Lucian Dhark.

I felt his hand brush mine.

Instinctively, our fingers intertwined.

It wasn’t a performance. Neither of us had even looked at the other.

It was simply something… natural.

Security tightened around us as we descended the courthouse steps. Officers guided reporters backward while photographers leaned over the barricades, shouting questions over one another.

One voice rose above the others.

“Mr. Dhark! Did Eva Sterling apologize to you?”

Lucian didn’t even slow down.

Another reporter shouted,

“Miss Moreau! Did she admit responsibility?”

Still, we kept walking.

A microphone nearly reached my face before a security guard gently pushed it away.

“Do you still believe justice will be served?”

That one made me glance toward the courthouse behind us.

Justice.

A year ago, I wouldn’t have believed justice was even possible.

Now…

I was helping build it piece by piece.

As we reached the waiting vehicles, Lucian finally looked at me.

“You okay?”

I smiled.

“I think I should be asking you that.”

He chuckled softly.

“I’ve had worse days.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“You were shot.”

“And stabbed.”

“And apparently cross-examined by the press.”

“I’d argue the last one was the most exhausting.”

I laughed despite myself.

God…

It felt good to laugh again.

Tessa was already waiting beside the SUV, arms folded tightly across her chest.

She didn’t even wait for Lucian to get into the vehicle before beginning.

“I hope you’re happy, Mr. Dhark.”

Lucian shrugged. “I usually am.”

“The hospital has been calling nonstop.”

“I had permission.”

“You manipulated them.”

“I persuaded them.”

Tessa squinted, worry etched into her expression. “You look exhausted.”

“I attended court.” Lucian replied flippantly.

She stared at him, then at me.

I smiled sympathetically. “You have my sympathy. He can be very stubborn.” I said. “But he’ll be fine ”

Camilla stepped forward from the opposite side of the car, her expression carrying the same mixture of affection and exasperation.

“Lucian Dhark.” She called.

Lucian sighed. “…Yes, Camilla.”

“You need to return to the hospital.”

Lucian smiled patiently in response. “I don’t think I do.”

Camilla looked heavenward. “Your mother always worried me about this.”

“My stubbornness?”

“No. Your talent for pretending you’re reasonable while doing the exact opposite of what everyone advises.”

I covered my mouth to hide another laugh.

Lucian noticed. “You’re enjoying this far too much.” He hissed.

“I really am.”

Tessa opened the rear passenger door.

“Hospital, sir?”

Lucian looked at me instead. “I’m not going.”

I frowned.

“What do you mean you’re not going?”

“I’m going with you.”

“… With me?”

“To your apartment.”

For a second, I thought I’d misheard him.

“My apartment?”

He nodded as though he’d suggested stopping for coffee.

“You need to rest.”

“So do you.”

“I can rest there.”

‘You’ll listen to your doctors.”

“I’ll try.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“You’ll listen.”

He smiled.

“I’ll listen.”

Tessa looked unconvinced.

“So am I escorting you to Miss Moreau’s apartment now?”

Lucian answered before I could.

“Yes.”

She sighed dramatically.

“I should’ve become a florist.”

The drive across the city felt strangely peaceful, especially after the horde of reporters we had just faced.

Neither of us spoke much.

Lucian leaned back carefully against his seat, closing his eyes for several moments.

I watched him from the corner of my eyes. L

Not because I thought he’d disappear…

But because there had been a time-only days ago-when I wasn’t sure I’d ever see those eyes open again.

Just when I least expected it, he suddenly opened his eyes.

“Caught you.”

I shook my head haughtily. “I wasn’t staring.”

“You absolutely were.” Lucian shot back.

“I was checking to make sure you hadn’t passed out.” I retorted.

He grinned. “I’ll take that as concern.”

“You should.”

His smile softened as he angled his head to the left, so he could get a better look at my face. “I missed you.”

The words were so quiet I almost thought I’d imagined them.

I looked out the window before answering- I couldn’t have him seeing the bright shade my cheeks had turned.

“I know.”

Neither of us said anything else. We didn’t need to.

The silence between us no longer felt heavy. It simply felt… comfortable.

Like coming home.

Almost forty minutes later, my apartment building came into view.

Lucian looked up at it through the window. “Somehow, this place still surprises me.”

I smiled as the car came to a stop. “You’ve only been here once.”

“I know.” He glanced at me. “It just still feels so much like you.”

I laughed as I climbed out of the car. “What does that even mean?”

Lucian followed more slowly, careful of his shoulder.

“It means it feels warm.” He said.

I looked up at my apartment building, then back at him.

For some reason… that simple sentence made my heart ache more than any grand declaration ever could.