Chapter 3 She Has Had Enough

Claudia's hand wavered and the phone slipped, making a loud clatter as it dropped to the floor.

When Aurora came to, her gaze immediately found Claudia. Noticing that Claudia was awake, Aurora's emotions were a mix of elation and sympathy. "Cece, you're finally awake!"

"Aurora, I..." Claudia murmured, her voice shaky.

Both of them had just awoken, Aurora from sleep and Claudia from surgery. Aurora dismissed her confusion over the noise she'd heard and remembered something had hit the ground.

She glanced down and spotted Claudia's phone under the bed.

When Aurora picked up the phone, she was shocked by the image on the screen. It was a picture of Anthony holding Delilah.

Anger surged through her, causing her body to tremble. She was unsure if Claudia had seen the news and was terrified of worsening Claudia's condition. Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Aurora reassured Claudia, "I'm just so relieved you're awake, Cece. I'll summon the doctor."

Claudia caught a glimpse of Aurora as she placed the phone on the bedside table. Closing her eyes, Claudia replied softly, "Sure."

Aurora was still wearing the bridesmaid dress from the day before. It was evident she'd spent the night in the hospital ward.

Claudia didn't want to burden her friend any further, and she knew it was time for her to face reality.

Twelve years of knowing Anthony meant nothing to him. In Delilah's presence, she always felt like the runner-up.

She used to convince herself that this didn't matter, that Anthony truly loved her.

But the physical pain she was experiencing now was a stark reminder that she'd been deceiving herself, and it did matter.

If Anthony truly loved her, would he abandon her so easily time and again?

Enough was enough!

Claudia clutched the sheets, her teeth gritting with the intensifying pain.

This pain was the wake-up call she needed.

She couldn't endure it anymore!

Soon, Aurora returned with Jace, who had brought breakfast. Seeing Claudia awake relaxed his anxious demeanor.

Not long after the doctor finished examining Claudia, Jace suddenly passed out outside the ward.

Startled by the commotion, Claudia called out to him, her pale face filled with fear.

Aurora quickly left the room to check on Jace after comforting Claudia.

Lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, Claudia was filled with self-loathing.

As Bennett Dreskin and his assistant Jackson Ellis stepped out of the elevator, they saw a nurse and a doctor assisting Jace to the lounge.

Hesitant, Jackson queried, "Sir?"

Bennett gestured for Jackson to investigate the situation.

Upon receiving instructions, Jackson turned and headed to the lounge.

Bennett's gaze then shifted back to Claudia's ward.

Soon, he arrived at Claudia's hospital room.

His gaze turned steely as he pushed open the door and entered the room.

Alerted by the footsteps, Claudia slowly opened her eyes, meeting the man's penetrating gaze. "Mr. Dreskin?"

"Miss Marshall, I was the one who hit you yesterday. What compensation do you want?" he said, his voice low with a hint of frostiness, and his words delivered with an air of nonchalance.

Caught off guard, Claudia was silent. She was partly to blame for last night's accident. She had run after Anthony, heedless of the traffic.

She looked at her bandaged body, not saying a word.

Her phone suddenly vibrated with an incoming message as the screen lit up. She tried reaching for it, but her movement tugged at her wound, causing her to grimace in pain.

Bennett picked up the phone and handed it to her.

Before Claudia could take her phone over, she saw the message from Delilah on the screen.

While reading the message, an outrageous idea sprung into Claudia's mind.

Rather than reaching for her phone, she looked up at Bennett and proposed, "Let's get married."

She knew it was a bizarre proposition, but everyone in town was now making a mockery of her, and she wanted revenge for all the humiliations she had endured.

With gritted teeth, she reiterated, "I want you and me to get married."