Chapter 211: Hard to Accept

Lucas Zeller ended the call with a deep sigh, his emotions conflicted. His thoughts kept circling back to the phone call he had just received from Lena. The furrow in his brow deepened with every passing moment.

He trusted Claire Grace with every fiber of his being. She would never betray him—of that, he was certain. And over the past few months, he'd come to understand Blaine Jackson's character as well. Blaine wasn't the type to exploit someone's vulnerability or sow discord in someone else's marriage. If he had such intentions, wouldn't he have acted long ago, back in France, during all that time spent with Claire?

So why did Lucas feel so uneasy? If it wasn't jealousy over the two of them dining together, then what was it?

Perhaps he was overthinking again. He had already let his insecurities and narrow-mindedness drive a wedge between them once, resulting in their year-long separation. This time, he had to trust her. He *would* trust her.

Because they loved each other.

---

The bright city lights illuminated the streets, but Claire Grace wandered aimlessly, her steps uncertain and ghostly. She looked like a shadow drifting through the crowd, her eyes hollow and unfocused.

When her gaze fell on the medical report in her hand, any remaining glimmers of hope were snuffed out in an instant, leaving behind a void so vast it threatened to consume her. The revelation was cruel, catching her completely off guard.

How had things come to this? She had been so certain—so hopeful—that she was pregnant. Instead, all her joy had turned out to be misplaced, nothing more than an illusion. Worse still…

"Claire!" Blaine's sharp call cut through the air. He rushed to her side, grabbing her arm firmly. His face was a mix of worry and frustration.

"Are you out of your mind? You nearly walked straight into that car just now!" His voice trembled slightly, betraying how shaken he was. "This is ridiculous! You've been completely out of it since we left the hospital. I asked what was wrong, and you wouldn't say a word. They wouldn't let me into the exam room because I'm not your husband, so I had to wait outside. And when you finally came out, you looked like the whole world had collapsed on you. What the hell happened?"

Blaine's chest heaved as he tried to steady himself. "Claire, talk to me. What's going on? You can't just wander the streets like this. It's dangerous!"

Claire stared at him blankly, as if she hadn't heard a word. After a long pause, she whispered, "Gone… It's gone…"

"What's gone?" Blaine's panic grew. "You're not making any sense. Claire, please, tell me clearly. What's gone?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched the edges of her medical report tightly. "The baby… The baby's gone!" With that, she collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably like a child.

Blaine froze, her words hitting him like a freight train. "The baby's gone?" he repeated, his voice barely audible. He crouched down beside her, placing a comforting hand on her back. "Claire, what do you mean? What happened? Please, tell me everything."

Still crying, Claire handed him the report without a word. Blaine took it hesitantly, scanning the contents. As he read, his expression shifted from confusion to shock and finally to a deep sadness.

How could this have happened?

After a long silence, Blaine exhaled deeply and helped her to her feet. "Claire," he said gently, "even if the baby's gone, it's not the end of the world. You're still young. There will be other chances—"

"No, there won't be!" Claire's tear-filled eyes met his, shaking her head furiously. "There won't ever be another chance. Don't you get it? Dr. Feng said my chances of conceiving are practically zero. I'll never be able to have a child. Never."

Blaine's heart ached at the despair in her voice. He pulled her into a comforting embrace. "Claire, this isn't your fault. None of this is your fault."

"It *is* my fault!" she sobbed, her voice breaking. "You saw the report, didn't you? Not only am I not pregnant, but my body… My body is broken. I can't give Lucas the child he wants so badly. He loves children. His parents love children. I've let all of them down. I'm… I'm a terrible person."

"Stop it," Blaine said firmly, though his tone remained gentle. "Modern medicine is amazing. There might still be options. And even if… even if it's truly impossible, Lucas won't stop loving you because of this. He loves you for who you are, not because of what you can or can't give him."

"You don't understand," Claire whispered. "Lucas… he's already thought of names for our future children. He treats me like a queen, doing everything to make my life easier. And now, I've crushed all his dreams. How can I face him? How can I tell him…"

"Claire," Blaine interrupted, gripping her shoulders. "Listen to me. Even if you can't have children, Lucas will *never* leave you. Do you hear me? Never."

Claire's tear-streaked face looked up at him, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "You think so?" she asked hesitantly.

"I *know* so," Blaine assured her. "Now come on, let's get out of here. We can't keep standing in the middle of the street like this." He glanced around at the curious onlookers who had gathered, their faces full of intrigue. "I'm not exactly a fan of being the center of attention."

Claire allowed him to guide her to his car, but her thoughts were still heavy. As they drove, she murmured, "It's not just Lucas. His parents… The Zeller family is counting on us. Lucas is their only son. If I can't have children, their lineage ends with him. How can I live with that guilt?"

Blaine sighed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "So what are you saying, Claire? Are you planning to leave Lucas over this?"

The question hung in the air like a thunderclap, striking Claire to her core. She didn't answer, but her silence spoke volumes.

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