NovelEnglishWaking up in a hospital had becan all-too-familiar scenafor me. But this time, when my eyes fluttered
open, instead of the sterile white ceiling or the indifferent faces of nurses, it was Richard who cinto my
blurry vision. His grip on my wrist was tight, his face etched with concern. As soon as he saw signs of
consciousness in me, his eyes lit up with unbridled joy.
"Claire, you're finally awake."
| took a quick look around the room, kinda expecting to see Max, but he was nowhere in sight. My heart sank a
little as | reached up to feel the bandage wrapped around my head, then looked back at Richard, contemplating
the turmoil that lay ahead.
If Richard ever found out that the person he had been tirelessly searching for was also the one who wanted me
dead, what dreadful choice would he have to make betweenand Tracey? It was a thought too cruel to bear.
"Am | okay? Did you figure something out?" | asked, avoiding the direct mention of what | was really inquiring
about. But Richard, catching my drift, hesitated for a moment before understanding dawned on him.
"Do you really want to see him? Considering your current state..." He trailed off, implying | was already in a good
place.
But he couldn't finish his thought.
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"Looks like I'm a mafor trouble, huh?" | said with a bit of sarcasm.
"I'll have someone protect you during this period. You won't get hurt again," Richard declared, immediately
making a call. No sooner had he hung up than two bodyguards appeared at the door, a clear sign they were
assigned to keepsafe. "Richard, the enemies I'm dealing with aren't going to back down just because | step
back. They won't stop," | analyzed calmly.
"Then I'll drag him out into the open, throw him in jail, so no one can ever hurt you again. And if someone tries,
I'll be the first to take the hit for you," he said earnestly, his voice thick with emotion.
| believed him. Just like in the past, when the whole world doubted me, Richard stood by my side, ready to face
death for me.
"Richard, | don't want you taking hits for me."
This taround, | didn't want to be a passive player in the shadows, nor did | want to wait in the light only to be
stabbed from the dark.
"What do you feel like eating? I'll go get it for you," he said, trying to change the subject, his body language
betraying his readiness to escape the heavy conversation.
"Richard, if you don't taketo see him, I'll go myself," | threatened.
He sighed deeply, eyes closed, as if making a painful decision. But he knew well enough that once | set my mind
on something, there was no turning back. Just like how | had loved Claude in the past, a love that knew no
bounds.
"Next week, the Hilton Group is hosting a launch event for a new prosthetic line. It's a project Max has been
personally overseeing, and he might show up. I'll take you there Now, focus on getting better," ke reassured me,
then handeda few cherries. "Eat these, you need to regain your strength. You won't be able to charm
Maximilian looking like this, let alone me."
His attempt at lightening the mood with a joke didn't miss its mark. He knew all too well why | was desperate to
find Maximilian.
| took the cherries, feeling a sudden
urge to cry. How was | supposed to
tell Richard that the person who had
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hurttwo lifetimes was the one he cherished? And how could
ove
protect Richard, ensuring he
remained unharmed in this battle?
"As long as you're okay, I'm okay. Nothing else, and no one else, matters more than you," he assured me, patting
my head as if he had read my mind.
But I still didn't have the guts to tell him the truth.
"Alright, I'll grow stronger. And Richard, you'll stay behindthis time. No taking hits for me," | said, mustering
a smile filled with newfound confidence, which only made him chuckle. "I'll hold you to that."
"What do you want to eat once you're out? I'll make it for you," he offered.
"You know my favorite," | teased, raising an eyebrow, deliberately leaving it unsaid.
He responded with a mischievous grin, playing along, "I have no idea."
It was at that moment, amidst our light-hearted banter, that Max knocked and entered the room.
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