BOOKSDRAMA Chapter 508
Chapter 498
But Claire couldn't give Irene what she wanted.
She owed a debt only to Irene-she didn't owe the rest of the Cole family a thing.
Claire gave Irene a gentle smile. "That's a privilege you have. As for him..." She turned her gaze to Brian.
Brian was watching her with open anticipation, hope written all over his face. Inside, Claire scoffed. "No."
The word landed like a stone. The hope in Brian's eyes shattered in an instant, and his whole demeanor crumpled. He stared at
Claire, as if searching her eyes for a hint of warmth, and what he found instead was unmistakable dislike.
But why? He couldn't understand it. This was the first time they'd ever met-why would she dislike him so much?
The question gnawed at him, but he could do nothing except swallow the pain.
Even Irene was stunned. She could feel that Claire meant her no harm, but it was just as clear that Claire had no fondness for
her brother.
Claire didn't care about Brian's feelings. In her previous life, she and Brian had been so close. But it had only taken a few
careless words from Vanessa for Brian to turn on her without hesitation, always choosing to believe Vanessa's lies and never
trusting her.
People like that she wanted nothing more than to keep them at arm's length. How could she ever consider being friends with him
"Let's go," Claire said.
The family clustered around her as she slowly exited the hospital.
She thought that was the end of it, that she could finally go home. But as they stepped outside, she was caught off guard by the
crowd of reporters swarming the entrance. The moment they spotted Claire, their eyes lit up, each one desperate to be the first
to get a statement.
Before they could close in, security stepped in and barred their way.
Orion shot Claire a wink. "I figured this might happen, so I arranged for bodyguards ahead of time."
"Thank you, Orion," Claire said quietly.
He ruffled her hair. "Hey, I'm your brother. It's my job to protect you. No need to thank me."
For a moment, Claire felt a lump in her throat. Ethan-her biological brother-had never once tried to protect her. All he'd ever given
her was pain.
But now, she finally had a brother who would stand up for her.
Surrounded by her family, Claire climbed into the car.
"Mom, Dad, are we heading straight back to Northcrest City now?" she asked.
Mrs. Tempest squeezed Claire's hand. "Not just yet. We need to thank the person who saved your life."
"My savior?" Claire blinked in surprise.
She had come to Cresthaven because she'd known that Nathan, Sophia and Vanessa wouldn't let her go so easily. With her
current identity, any harm done to her would have serious consequences.
Last time, they'd framed her and sent her to prison. This time, she was determined to turn the tables and make them taste a bit
of their own medicine.
That's why she'd reached out to Adah beforehand, arranging for her to call the police as soon as she was kidnapped.
"Mom, wasn't it Adah who called the police?"
Mrs. Tempest shook her head. "No, the police said it was a young man who made the call when you were taken."
"Thank goodness he acted so
quickly.
ет
he hadn't, you might not
have it out in one piece." Mrs. Tempest's voice trembled with lingering fear.
"Claire, you nearly scared me to death. Do you realize that?" she said, her voice tight with emotion. "I know you wanted to come
to Cresthaven to see your birth mother, but you're only seventeen. You're still just a child. How could I possibly be at ease letting
you travel so far alone?"
“No more of this, do you understand?"
"I'm sorry, Mom. It won't happen again," Claire promised sincerely.
"Then who called the police, if not Adah?" she asked after a moment.
Mr. Tempest replied, "His last name is Lewis. We're going to the Lewis family now,
to thank him for saving your life."