Chapter 4

**Claire Vance POV**

Inside the room, Lucas took a deep drag of his vape, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. His voice carried a complex weight.

"What do you know?" Lucas scoffed. "Eight years ago, when I was kidnapped and escaped, I fell through the ice into a freezing lake. Chloe risked her life to drag me out. If not for her, I'd be dead. I owe her my life. I'd give her anything to repay that debt."

Outside the door, it felt as if a bomb had gone off in my head.

Repaying a debt?

Eight years ago, during that freezing winter, I was the one who plunged into the icy lake to save that drowning boy. I ended up with a fever that lasted three days and nights, almost dying. But when I woke up, my parents forced me to keep quiet.

"Claire, your sister has always been sickly and fragile. She can't handle hardships. That boy clearly comes from a wealthy family. Let Chloe take the credit for saving him. We are begging you. This is about your sister's future happiness!"

Because of my parents' favoritism, Chloe stole my credit and became the savior Lucas held closest to his heart. It was her golden ticket into the Sterling inner circle.

"And after that?" his friend on the line asked. "If you loved Chloe, why did you end up marrying Claire?"

Lucas's voice turned incredibly disgusted, as if he were speaking of something filthy. "If she hadn't been so shameless as to drug me, do you think I would have married her?! That night, I was supposed to meet Chloe. But I drank a glass of wine Claire handed me, and I blacked out. When I woke up, she was in bed with me. Grandpa forced me to marry her to save the family's reputation. Women who use dirty tricks to climb the social ladder make me sick!"

I bit my lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

Drugged?

So that was what he believed!

Three years ago, at that gala, Chloe was jealous of how popular I was at the office. She secretly slipped a drug into my glass, planning to have some old creep ruin me.

But Lucas had accidentally picked up my drink.

When the drug kicked in, Lucas was in agony. To save him from a public scandal, I took him to a hotel room. That night, I happily gave myself to the man I had secretly loved for years.

I thought it was a night of passion and love. I never knew that in Lucas's eyes, it was a calculated trap!

So that was it.

The root of all his hatred lay here.

I leaned against the cold wall, tilted my head back, and let out a silent, bitter laugh.

To save him, I lost my dignity. For love, I lost myself. For our marriage, I lost my baby.

And in the end, my husband saw me as a scheming, disgusting snake.

While the real culprit—the one who stole my credit and drugged the drinks—was the angel he cherished above all else.

I suddenly realized that some truths could never be explained away. In his heart, I was already cast as the villain. And Chloe, even if she climbed over my dead body, would always be his innocent, fragile little girl.

Chloe stole everything from me, and Lucas punished me as if I were his worst enemy.

What a blind, foolish man.

I've had enough.

I turned and drifted upstairs like a ghost. That night, I didn't shed a single tear. My heart had turned completely to ash.

***