Chapter 149: Passion

Claire Grace hesitated as her hand gently pushed open the slightly ajar bedroom door. Her heart trembled with unease. The first thing she saw was his tall, proud figure silhouetted against the vast glass window, his back straight and unyielding, yet shrouded in an invisible sorrow. 

For reasons she couldn't fully comprehend, the grief she had fought so hard to suppress suddenly resurfaced, overwhelming her. 

Though Lucas Zeller had his back to her, Claire could feel the weight of his silent anguish as if it were her own. 

Without a word, she moved to stand behind him. Her small arms encircled his broad chest, and her cool cheek pressed softly against his muscular back. She wanted him to know that he wasn't alone in his pain—she was there, sharing every ounce of it. 

Lucas's body stiffened under her touch, and a fleeting trace of vulnerability flashed across his otherwise stoic, handsome face. His scarred hands balled into tight fists as if to suppress the urge to turn around and embrace her. After a moment's hesitation, he relaxed his grip and let his hands fall back to his sides. 

"Lucas," Claire said softly, her voice tinged with concern. "It's late. Please... get some rest. You're worrying me." 

He remained silent for a moment before speaking, his tone heavy and distant. "Do you think Blaire is resting now? Or... wandering somewhere, all alone?" 

Claire froze, her face going pale. She didn't know how to respond. 

"Blaire was so afraid of the dark," Lucas continued, his voice tinged with anguish. "Do you think... where she is now, it's bright like it is here? Do you think she's cold? She hated the cold. Do you think—" 

"Stop it!" Claire interrupted, her voice trembling. She turned him toward her, cupping his face in her hands. Her eyes were filled with tears. "Lucas, Blaire is in another world now. I believe she'll find peace there. She won't—" 

"What does she need to find peace from?" Lucas's voice rose sharply, and his piercing gaze locked onto hers. "Do you think she made a mistake? Do you think she deserved to suffer?" 

"No! Lucas, no! Don't say that about yourself!" Claire cried, tightening her embrace. "You've been tormenting yourself for days. We're all so worried about you—your parents are beside themselves. Do you really want them to keep suffering like this?" 

"I didn't ask any of you to suffer with me!" 

"Is that what you think this is?" Claire's voice broke as she glared up at him, her frustration spilling over. "Lucas Zeller, do you think starving yourself will bring Blaire back? Do you think punishing yourself will make anything better? Have you even thought about how I feel?" 

"I *did* think about you!" Lucas roared, his voice cracking with emotion. "I thought about you too much, Claire! That's why I couldn't give Blaire what she deserved. Because I fell in love with you! You consumed my entire heart, and because of that, I failed her! It's my fault she's gone!" 

Claire staggered back, his words hitting her like a physical blow. She let out a hollow laugh, her voice trembling with disbelief. "So that's it? You're blaming me now? You think I'm the reason Blaire is gone?" 

"No, I—" 

"Am I the monster in your story, Lucas?" she demanded, her voice rising. Tears streamed down her face as she stepped away from him. "Do you wish it had been me instead of Blaire?" 

Lucas's heart clenched painfully at the sight of her grief-stricken face. "No! Claire, I could never—how could you think I'd want that?" he said, his voice breaking. 

The sight of her tears and the anguish in her eyes twisted something deep inside him. What was he doing? Claire was the woman he loved, the woman he had promised to cherish and protect. And yet, here he was, lashing out at her with words that cut deeper than any blade. 

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," Lucas whispered hoarsely. His hands covered his face as he sank to the floor, his towering frame collapsing in on itself like a broken man. "I can't escape it, Claire. The image of Blaire... dying in my arms. Her face was so pale, and her blood—God, there was so much blood." He shuddered as the memory consumed him. "And her smile... that cold, hollow smile as she..." 

"Lucas," Claire sobbed, kneeling beside him. She wrapped her arms around his trembling shoulders, her tears falling freely into his dark hair. 

"It's my fault," Lucas muttered over and over, his voice cracking. "It's all my fault. I let her down. I let everyone down." 

"No, Lucas," Claire said firmly, her voice steady despite the tears streaming down her face. "You have to stop doing this to yourself. You have to let go of the guilt." She cupped his face in her hands again, her lips brushing softly against his. "Lucas, I love you. Please, don't push me away." 

She kissed him again, her lips trembling but determined. Each kiss was a promise—a declaration of her unwavering love for him. 

Her tears mingled with their kisses, the salty bitterness seeping into both their mouths. Lucas felt her warmth, her love, breaking through the icy barrier around his heart. 

A spark ignited in his eyes as he returned her kiss, his hand slipping around her waist while the other cradled the back of her head. The kiss deepened, growing fervent and unrestrained. 

Claire could feel his desperation, his need to replace the torment inside him with something—anything—warm and alive. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders. She pressed her soft body against his, her touch gentle yet insistent as she tried to draw him out of his anguish and into the present moment. 

"Claire," Lucas murmured, his voice rough with emotion. "I love you too." 

Her heart leaped at his words, the sincerity in his voice making her breath catch. 

Their emotions surged like a tidal wave, drowning out everything else. But just as they were about to fully surrender to the passion enveloping them, Lucas froze, his body tensing.