Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 389 Claire\u2019s Shattered Aftermath\u00a0<\/p>\n
Reaching the doorway, she stopped. Peering inside, she saw Claire huddled on the sofa, wrapped in a bedsheet. She was curled into a tight ball, arms locked around herself, her body shaking with silent sobs. Her eyes stared vacantly into the distance, empty and dull.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stepped inside and slowly approached. As she sat down on the edge of the sofa, the details became painfully clear\u2013Claire\u2019s hair was a tangled mess; angry bruises mottled her skin; her lip was split and bloody; dark blood was crusted under her fingernails.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett\u2019s mind recoiled from imagining what had happened. She didn\u2019t dare ask.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead, she gently reached out and placed a tentative hand over Claire\u2019s. \u201cClaire,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the cool touch, Claire flinched violently. Her unfocused eyes darted to Scarlett\u2019s face, but held no recognition. She began to scramble backward, her voice a broken whisper. \u201cNo\u2026 don\u2019t come near. Get away\u2026 get away from me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her friend in this state twisted Scarlett\u2019s heart. She tightened her grip on Claire\u2019s hand. \u201cClaire, it\u2019s me. It\u2019s Scarlett. Look at me. Please, look at me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Claire didn\u2019t seem to hear. She shook her head wildly, hands flying up to cover her ears as fresh tears streamed down her face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett pulled her into a firm embrace, holding her close, one hand rubbing soothing circles on her back. \u201cClaire, what happened? Tell me what\u2019s wrong,\u201d she pleaded, her own voice thick with worry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Claire didn\u2019t answer, her breaths coming in ragged, heavy gasps. Just as Scarlett began to loosen her hold, concerned she was being too restrictive, Claire suddenly lunged forward and sank her teeth deep into Scarlett\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A sharp pain shot through her, but Scarlett stifled her cry.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Claire bit down with frightening force, as if she wanted to tear the flesh away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she finally released her jaw, she screamed at Scarlett, her voice raw and shattered, \u201cYou monster! You\u2019re a monster!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tears now fell freely from Scarlett\u2019s own eyes as she held her sobbing friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Outside the door, Damian, who had followed, heard everything. He exchanged a grave look with Zachary, whose face was a mask of anguish and guilt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Zachary\u2019s shoulder. The gesture\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
21:00 Wed, Jan 14 d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 389 Claire\u2019s Shattered Aftermath\u00a0<\/p>\n
said more than words could.\u00a0<\/p>\n
56\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zachary turned to him, his expression tortured. \u201cThis is my fault,\u201d he said, the words choked. \u201cI let her walk into that. Elias\u2026 He humiliated her because of me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian opened his mouth to speak, but no adequate words came.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was too late,\u201d Zachary continued, his voice dropping to a haunted whisper. \u201cJust a few minutes earlier\u2026 if I\u2019d been just a few minutes earlier, she wouldn\u2019t be like this.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian understood the crushing weight of that guilt. Knowing platitudes were useless, he simply asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s the plan now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zachary took a deep, steadying breath. \u201cI\u2019ve already called Felix. We\u2019re pressing charges. We\u2019re taking this all the way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to contain this,\u201d Damian said, his tone practical but urgent. \u201cIf word gets out, Ms. Wright will bear the brunt of the scandal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zachary nodded grimly. \u201cI know.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u2019s Elias now?\u201d Damian asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was gone by the time I got here. Ran off.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian\u2019s eyes\u00a0<\/p>\n
turned cold. \u201cHe won\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
get far.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They waited outside for another half hour before Scarlett emerged from the bedroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked drained, her face pale and distant. A small, dark stain was slowly seeping through the fabric on her shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her, Damian moved quickly to her side. He wanted to ask about the wound, but held back. The cause was obvious\u2013Claire. Under any other circumstance, he would have been furious, but now, Claire\u2019s wellbeing took precedence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zachary also looked at her anxiously. \u201cIs she\u2026 any calmer?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett lifted her gaze to his. For a moment, it seemed she wanted to accuse him\u2013to ask why he had lured Claire into that situation. But the words died on her lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What, truly, was Zachary\u2019s sin in this? The fault lay with Elias. Only with Elias.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After a silent internal struggle, she spoke, her voice unnervely calm. \u201cStay with her. Both of you. I\u2019ll be back soon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her composure was almost unsettling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
21:00 Wed, Jan 14 d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 389 Claire\u2019s Shattered Aftermath\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
56\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d Damian asked, concern etching his features.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cClaire says she wants slow\u2013cooked pork shanks. I\u2019m going to get them for her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The answer was logical, yet it set off an alarm in Damian\u2019s mind. \u201cJust stay with her, that\u2019s all. It\u2019s the middle of the night. I can make something here. Or I\u2019ll go with you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett looked at him, her expression unwavering. \u201cShe was specific. It has to be from that shop.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Damian fell silent, conflicted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen I\u2019m coming with you,\u201d he insisted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett shook her head, her gaze shifting meaningfully toward the bedroom door. \u201cClaire needs someone here. I\u2019m afraid\u2026 I\u2019m afraid Elias might come back.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
H\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 389 Finished\u00a0 Chapter 389 Claire\u2019s Shattered Aftermath\u00a0 Reaching the doorway, she stopped. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27753"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27753\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}