Chapter 148: Heartache vs. Heartbreak

He was truly exhausted.

Even as Claire Grayson carefully cleaned and treated the wounds on his hands, removing the tiny shards of glass embedded in his palms and fingers, Lucas Reed remained deeply asleep. With every fragment she pulled out, Claire's heart clenched, the ache spreading through her chest. When she finally finished cleaning and bandaging both of his hands, her throat still felt tight, and her emotions threatened to overwhelm her.

Her delicate, slender fingers brushed against his pale, weary face, and tears welled up again, flowing uncontrollably.

She had believed that signing the divorce papers would put an end to Brianna's threats and manipulations. Just as Lucas had reassured her, Claire thought Brianna's actions were merely another ploy to gain sympathy. But no one had expected Brianna to go so far as to end her own life to destroy them.

Could she and Lucas ever return to how they used to be—when he was the powerful CEO and she was his quiet, devoted companion?

Wiping her tears away, Claire gently tucked the blanket around Lucas and left the room, steeling herself to face the worried parents waiting downstairs.

---

"Claire, how is Lucas? Is he still refusing to come down for dinner?" Helen Reed's voice trembled as she rushed to greet Claire. Her once vibrant, round face now appeared hollow and worn from the ordeal.

"Mom, he's asleep. I'll reheat the food and bring it up to him when he wakes up," Claire replied, looping her arm through Helen's and guiding her toward the couch.

Thomas Reed's sharp eyes immediately noticed the thin red line marring Claire's hand. "Claire, what happened to your hand?"

Helen gasped. "Oh no! Did Lucas—did he hurt you?"

"No, no! It's nothing like that," Claire quickly reassured them. "Lucas was overwhelmed and broke the bathroom mirror. He injured his hands trying to vent his pain. I must've cut myself while cleaning his wounds. I didn't even feel it at the time."

Helen sprang into action. "We need to disinfect that immediately! I'll get the first aid kit." She turned, already halfway to the kitchen.

"It's fine, Mom. Really, it's just a scratch."

"Nonsense," Thomas interjected. "Infections are no joke. I'll grab the kit." He rose and left before Claire could argue further.

Claire sighed, allowing herself a moment of stillness.

"Claire," Helen began hesitantly. "Do you think Lucas is blaming himself?"

Claire looked up, startled. "Mom, what have you heard?"

"I don't need to hear anything. I know my son. Lucas has always been close to Brianna, and she adored him. I thought her attachment was because of their sibling bond. I never imagined... If only I had recognized her feelings earlier and guided her properly, maybe this tragedy could've been avoided. This is my fault, Claire. I should've seen it coming."

Helen's voice broke, and tears streamed down her face.

"Mom, please don't blame yourself," Claire said, her own voice trembling. "You gave Brianna all the love and care a mother could. None of us saw this coming. We're all devastated by her loss, but we can't fall apart. Lucas is carrying more guilt than any of us. Brianna died in his arms. He needs us to be strong for him."

Helen wiped her tears. "Claire, do you still resent Lucas for lying to you?"

Claire immediately knew what Helen was referring to—Lucas's fabricated story about his supposed medical condition.

"No," Claire said firmly. "I just want him to heal from this tragedy and for our family to find peace and love again. We've already lost so much; we can't afford to lose each other too."

Helen squeezed her hand. "I'm so glad Lucas married you. You're the daughter-in-law I've always hoped for."

Claire froze, stunned by Helen's words.

"Mom... You don't blame me?" Claire's voice trembled.

"Blame you?" Helen asked. "Why would we blame you? You taught Lucas how to love. The only complaint we have is that he's been so busy loving you he forgot to check in on us!"

Helen tried to lighten the mood, but her forced smile only deepened Claire's guilt.

"Mom, I know you and Dad care for me, but if Lucas hadn't lied about his condition, you never would've accepted me into this family. I—I feel like I've ruined your happiness. If I hadn't interfered, maybe Brianna would still be here."

"Claire, stop blaming yourself," Helen said, her voice suddenly stern. "We can't dwell on the past. You said it yourself—no more regrets. We move forward from here. And don't ever say you ruined this family. From the moment you joined us, you've been part of us. Now, let's put this behind us, okay?"

Just then, Thomas returned with the first aid kit. "What's going on? Did you make Claire cry?"

"Dad, it's nothing," Claire said quickly, wiping her tears.

"Don't listen to her," Helen said with a mock glare. "Your daughter-in-law's too sweet for her own good. Now, let's clean that cut." She took Claire's hand and began disinfecting the wound with careful precision.

Watching Helen's gentle touch, Claire's heart ached. If only Lucas could join them, smiling and sharing this moment. That would make her the happiest woman in the world.

"All done," Helen said, patting Claire's hand. "Be careful not to get it wet."

"Claire, you haven't eaten much either, have you?" Thomas asked. "Let me warm up the food."

"I'm not hungry," Claire said quietly.

Helen shook her head. "You have to eat. If you want to take care of Lucas, you need to take care of yourself first."

"Let's eat together then," Claire said softly. "I know you two haven't had much either."

"Good idea," Helen agreed. "Thomas, go warm the food. Now!"

"Right away!" he said, heading toward the kitchen.

Later that night, after forcing herself to eat dinner with Helen and Thomas, Claire went back upstairs. But Lucas was gone.

Panic set in.

She rushed to the bathroom—empty. The bedroom—empty. The house felt suffocatingly small, yet he was nowhere to be found.

Terror gripped her heart.

What if he hurt himself?

She searched every corner of the room, then raced downstairs, her breaths shallow and quick.

But as she rounded the staircase, she froze.

Her eyes locked onto the faint light seeping through the cracked door of Brianna's old bedroom.

Claire's heart pounded as she stepped back, dread washing over her.