Chapter 6

As for Claire—theirs was a transaction from the start. Payment rendered, needs met.

He had hit her, but he had compensated her.

He told himself he had done more than enough.

Any flicker of guilt was unnecessary—and frankly, unwarranted.

Any lingering discomfort was just because they'd shared a roof for three years—a leftover sense of familiarity, nothing more.

He loved Emily. Back then, he just wasn't strong enough to keep her safe.

But now? He had the power—no way was he letting anyone hurt her, not even a little. So, with that, he convinced himself.

*****

Two days later, Claire piled on layers of foundation to cover the bruises, then headed back to the Quinn Estate with Michael.

As usual, she charmed Miranda, leaving the older woman delighted.

And as usual, Miranda insisted they stay the night.

In the past, Claire would always take the sofa first, grinning as she teased, "Sharing a room like this, we've got a real roommate bond. If I ever fall on hard times, you'll help me out, right?"

Michael never answered, but he always felt a bit more relaxed around her.

And deep down, he'd already decided—if Claire ever needed help, he wouldn't just stand by and do nothing.

But this time, Claire silently took the couch, not saying a word.

Michael watched her, seeing nothing but indifference. He wanted to say something, but swallowed his words.

Since that day, they'd gone from friends to strangers.

The unfamiliar distance left him unsettled.

All night, the silence between them was absolute.

The next morning, under Miranda's watchful eye, Claire took her place in the passenger seat beside Michael.

After they left the estate, Michael took a call and pulled into a quiet corner.

Before he could say anything, Claire tactfully got out of the car.

Michael looked at her through the window. "My assistant will be here to pick you up soon."

Claire nodded and said politely, "Thanks."

If it weren't for the fact that it was difficult to get a cab in this villa district, she wouldn't have accepted his help at all.

But that wait stretched into an hour.

His assistant's phone remained unreachable.

The thought of returning to the Quinn Estate crossed her mind, yet the consequences were too heavy to bear.

She sighed, a weary sound in the quiet.

"Not long now. Just hold on a little longer."

After what felt like an eternity of walking in those heels, Claire finally left the sprawling villa district behind her.

Suddenly, a car came speeding straight at her.

Instinct screamed to dodge, but how could a person outrun a machine?

Before darkness swallowed her, she glimpsed Emily's triumphant smile from the driver's seat.

One final, bitter thought flashed through Claire's mind: If she died, would Michael renege on that land deal?

When Claire woke up again, she realized she was lying in a hospital bed.

Her head was wrapped in bandages, and her whole body felt like it had been smashed to pieces—every muscle screaming in pain.

From outside the hospital room, Claire could hear people arguing.

"I just wanted to see if you'd actually care if I hit her with my car." It was Emily's voice.

"Emily, this is aggravated assault! If she's seriously hurt, you could go to jail!" Michael's tone was tight, anger simmering beneath.

"You'll protect me, right? Didn't you promise you'd always keep me safe?" Emily insisted.

"That's a different matter," Michael replied coldly.

"Michael, you feel sorry for her, don't you? After three years, you've actually started to care about her, haven't you?" Emily pressed, her voice sharp with jealousy.

Michael sounded tired. "I don't. But Claire is innocent. You shouldn't have done this," he said quietly.

"Innocent? She's been Mrs. Quinn for three years, taking what was rightfully mine. How is she innocent? Michael, if you're so worried about her, maybe I should just go to jail then," Emily snapped.

"Emily, don't say that. You know I can't bear the thought of you going to jail," Michael replied, his tone full of conflicted emotion.

The yelling outside was making Claire's head pound.

She fumbled for her phone—she needed to call the cops, fast.

This was attempted murder. Emily had done it on purpose.

Just as her fingers brushed the phone, the door to the hospital room swung open.

Michael walked in, and when he saw Claire was awake, he froze for a second.

Seeing what she was about to do, he moved without thinking and grabbed the phone from her hand.

"Claire, I think you should settle this privately. Emily didn't do it on purpose—she just acted on impulse," Michael said, his tone firm but trying to sound reasonable.

Claire let out a bitter laugh. "Michael, you really think I'll buy that? The street's got cameras everywhere."

Michael's expression froze. "The cameras are broken."

Of course. Claire wasn't surprised.

Protecting Emily meant erasing evidence. For him, disabling a camera system was a minor inconvenience.

He could make any problem disappear for Emily, no matter how big.

"Michael, do you even realize what you're doing? You're covering up a crime," Claire said, her voice icy and unwavering.

Michael pulled out a contract from his briefcase.

"This is the deal. Sign it, let it go, and I'll make it worth your while," he said flatly.

Claire glared at Michael, her eyes blazing with fury. "So tell me, Michael—how much is my life worth to you?"

Michael frowned. "Claire, don't get snarky with me. There's no evidence, so even if you refuse to sign, nothing's going to happen to Emily."

"So you're really willing to toss your morals aside just for Emily?" Claire shot back, her voice trembling with anger and disbelief.

Michael shoved the contract into her hands. "Claire, instead of getting all worked up and demanding answers, maybe you should ask yourself if you've really got what it takes to make a scene. If you try anything, we've got all the witnesses and testimony lined up.

"The doctor says you've only got a mild concussion and a few bruises. Emily knew exactly what she was doing—she was just seeing how much I care about her," he said coldly.

He paused, then added, "I know you could tell Grandma. But the moment she finds out, I'll have the construction crew break ground on that land. Claire, don't make a fuss. I know Emily went too far, but I'll always back her up, no matter what."

Claire gripped the contract tightly, her knuckles white with rage.

"Michael, you were the one who found me, asked me to be your contract wife. You said you'd protect me, that nothing would ever happen to me while we were married.

"But you slapped me ten times, then let Emily run me down with her car. And now you want me to just forgive her?

"Your so-called promises are nothing but a bad joke."

"I've already compensated you. What more do you want?" Michael said coldly, not liking how confrontational Claire was being.