Chapter 76: So, This is Where You Were Hiding

"Are you coming out or not?" Lucas's gruff voice, heavy with impatience, boomed outside the door.

"I'm not going out." Claire's voice was barely a murmur, a soft whisper behind the door.

"Oh, really? Well, then stay in there forever like a snail in its shell!" Lucas let out a frustrated chuckle, ready to walk away. But just as he moved to close the door, a petite figure darted out in a hurry.

Claire was wearing a sleeveless ivory chiffon dress with a delicate V-neckline that hugged her slender figure, accentuating her elegance. Her fair arms and toned legs glimmered subtly under the light.

Lucas immediately regretted his decision to let her wear something this "revealing." But it was his wedding celebration, and anything less formal would seem disrespectful to their guests. Besides, this dress was already the longest available at the boutique; the others barely skimmed mid-thigh. As he thought this, he noticed Claire had produced a soft green scarf and was about to wrap it around her neck.

"What on earth are you doing?" he asked, exasperated. He reached out, tugging the scarf from her hands and pulling her toward the car.

"Lucas, give it back!" Claire tried to grab it, but his grip was too strong, his hand closed firmly around the scarf.

"What do you even need this for?" He had spent an hour convincing her to wear this dress, and now, just as they were heading out, she was acting shy again, refusing to leave without some excuse. He had almost given up and walked out on her, and only then had she relented. Yet here she was, trying to cover herself up with that awkward scarf.

"There are…strange marks on my neck. I just wanted to cover them," she muttered. It puzzled her that while the red marks on her hands and legs had faded, the ones on her neck seemed to grow more noticeable by the hour.

"Oh, I see. You think covering it up won't draw more attention?" Lucas raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk crossing his face as he opened the car door and gently ushered her inside before settling in on the other side.

"More attention?" She frowned, trying to make sense of his words.

"The more you try to hide it, the more others will notice it. That's how it works." He started the engine, and the car began moving towards the wedding venue.

The diamond necklace around her neck sparkled brightly, drawing attention to the area she was so desperate to hide. If she didn't cover it with a scarf, wouldn't everyone know what had happened between them the previous night? She thought about it, but ultimately kept her thoughts to herself.

"Lucas…" she ventured.

"Hmm?"

"Should we…maybe tell your parents the good news?" she asked. She knew they would be overjoyed; after all, he was their only son.

"No." He laughed. "Listen, don't tell anyone. You understand?"

"Not anyone?" She paused, a bit surprised. "What about Shauna?"

"Not even Shauna. She'll figure it out as soon as she sees those marks on your neck." After all, Shauna already knew he was perfectly healthy. Only his parents, Claire, and his closest confidantes were aware of his former "condition," and he had no intention of sharing it with anyone else.

"Oh, I understand." As long as Lucas was truly "cured," she would do whatever he asked.

---

The wedding venue was dazzling, packed with elegantly dressed guests and sparkling lights.

"Claire!"

Claire had just changed into a cocktail dress when she heard someone calling her name. She looked up to see Lauren, stunning in a floor-length bridal gown, motioning her back into the dressing room.

"Lauren, you look absolutely breathtaking," Claire said, her eyes lighting up with genuine admiration. A pang of sadness, however, rose in her chest. Would she ever have the chance to wear a wedding dress herself?

"You look lovely, too! Let me get one of the stylists to touch up your hair and makeup—you'll look even more beautiful." Lauren glanced at Claire from head to toe, her gaze pausing on the soft pink cocktail dress Claire had changed into. Her eyes flickered to Claire's neck, and a knowing smile crept across her face. "Well, it looks like everything went…according to plan, didn't it?"

At first, Claire didn't catch her meaning, but when she noticed Lauren's gaze fixed on her neck, her face flushed red.

Lucas had been right—Lauren had picked up on it immediately.

"You're amazing, Lauren. Those meds really worked wonders," Claire said with a shy grin, her voice filled with admiration.

Lauren laughed awkwardly, feeling a bit guilty. It wasn't her at all; the one who had worked wonders was Lucas.

"Does Lucas know about the meds?" Lauren asked, her voice dropping to a more cautious tone.

"Well…," Claire stammered, struggling to find the right words. Lauren understood immediately, a hint of alarm flashing in her eyes.

Oh no! She had been so focused on teasing Lucas that she hadn't considered the potential consequences of riling up that "dragon." Better to play it safe and keep a low profile—for now, at least. She'd need to stay close to her husband, just in case she needed backup.

"Are you leaving already?" Claire asked, grabbing Lauren's hand. "Didn't you say you'd find a stylist for my hair and makeup?" There was something different in Lauren's expression, a sort of urgency that hadn't been there before, and her gaze kept darting around as if she were on the lookout for someone.

"What are you looking for, Lauren?"

"He's not a 'thing,'" Lauren muttered, only half-listening as she leaned against the doorframe, glancing up and down the hallway, her head tilted to scan the surroundings.

"Not a 'thing'? So, you're looking for someone?" Claire guessed. "It must be Roy, right? He's probably in the groom's suite."

"The groom's suite?" Lauren's head turned back towards Claire, her eyes brightening as she tapped her forehead in realization. Of course! If Claire was here in the bridal suite, then Lucas must be in the groom's room.

She had worked herself up over nothing, fearing Lucas would come looking for her any second with that terrifying glare of his. But even with this reassurance, she couldn't shake her unease. She sensed that staying close to Claire might put her at risk of running into Lucas any minute.

Just as she was about to slip away, the door suddenly swung open. A deep, familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Lauren, so this is where you were hiding."