Chapter 28: Absent ties and present lies
The sterile white sheets looked too big for her frame. Her skin was bruised, one arm in a sling, the other hooked to an IV. A heart monitor beeped steadily at her side.
Olivia walked slowly to the edge of the bed and sat down.
"Oh my God, Claire…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
She reached for Claire's hand, cold and limp in hers. Tears stung her eyes, not just from the sight but from the fear that gripped her chest. Despite everything Claire had been going through—her father's death, the investigation, the betrayals she hadn't yet uncovered—she had stayed strong. Seeing her like this felt wrong. So, so wrong.
"I'm here, okay? You're not alone."
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Meanwhile, at the Blackwood tower, Damian was in a meeting when Evelyn knocked twice and entered with her tablet.
"Sorry to interrupt," she said. "But I just got a call from a hospital. Claire Hart's been involved in a hit-and-run."
Damian looked up slowly, his expression unreadable.
