Claire’s POV Cont'd:

I heard the roar of the engine, which meant Nate had already gone to get the car, and I quickly snapped back into character. I ran my hand through my hair several times to make myself look more disheveled, and tears began to pool in my eyes.

Suddenly, Nate rushed in, lifted her lifeless body, and placed her in the back seat. He started the car, and we headed straight to the outskirts of the city, deep into a forest where it's unlikely anyone would venture.

This was the best option because it had fewer risks. By morning, wild animals would likely feed on her body, leaving no trace, or she might decompose quickly since it is unlikely that any sane person would go to a remote area. I didn't feel safe burying her at the mansion. what if the watchman stumbled upon us and blackmailed us? You never know.

After we arrived and dragged her cold, stiff body kilometers away from where we parked, making sure to leave marks that could lead us back, we set her down. Ouch, My legs are killing me. Such inconvenience over this worthless bitch.

Nate stepped forward and stared closely at her body, lost in thought. I gave him some time to process before breaking the silence. “Nate, we have to go. It's almost dawn.”

He nodded. “Daphne…” He fell silent, unable to face her body and say what he wanted.

He whispers, “I’m sorry. I hope you finally find peace.”

He faced her this time, letting the tears fall. “My child, I’m sorry your father wasn’t a good man to your mother and couldn’t even protect you.” He kissed her forehead and stepped away. “Goodbye, my love. Forever in my heart.”

I felt rage wreck through me. Despite everything—the lies, the manipulation, the attempts to make him hate her—he still had affection for her. It should have been me. I had been trying my hardest to break them apart.

Even after setting her up multiple times, which I’m not sure if he ever confronted her about, I bought a brunette wig styled like her hair, did some questionable things, and hired a photographer to make it look like she was cheating on him.

Then, I hired someone to send those pictures anonymously while I was with him to make it seem believable. I ‘supported’ him and acted like I knew all along, covering up her tracks so the media wouldn’t get involved with the Sinclair heir’s scandalous affairs. I pretended to be a victim, claiming that she was putting my image as a social figure in jeopardy. I gave him a shoulder to lean on since we were ‘family’.

I finally caught him in my web when I sent him an anonymous text to come to Lavender Hotel to see his wife. I set it all up, and afterward, I went to console him. I told him I was blackmailed by someone anonymously and was told to come get my drunk sister.

He was so broken, and everything seemed to be going as planned, or so I thought. I laced his drink, hoping to take advantage and have sex with him. I had always wanted him and thought I could kill two birds with one stone.

But even while drunk, he refused to touch me. Even when I went to the bathroom, put on the brunette wig, and used her perfume to smell like her, he still wouldn’t touch me. He kept mumbling, drunkenly, “These are not the eyes of my Daphne” over and over again.

So Instead, I took off our clothes and lay with him. When he woke up, I acted confused and sobbed uncontrollably. He was devastated and consoled me, apologizing. We never spoke about it again. He dismissed it as a drunken mistake that should be forgotten. We decided to ‘sweep it under the rug.’

Two months later, I came to him with a fake pregnancy test, claiming I was pregnant with his child. I convinced him that he finally had a chance to become a father and told him about Daphne’s manipulative ways. He was furious, and that’s when she walked in on us and brought us down to this chaos.

“Excuse me, I have to call home,” I said, stepping aside to dial Dad’s number. He picked up after the third ring.

I told Dad that she had tried to kill me and accidentally caused her death. It was only self-defense from my part, and I covered up the tracks. It was easy for me to lie because Dad thought she had mental issues linked to her childhood trauma. She talked weirdly, and acted weirdly, like an uncultured person, she lacked etiquette, which is why it was better to have her hidden.

After the call, we walked back, with Nate in front of me. I should be the one with everything she had. I got her life, her name, her family, her money, her identity—everything except one thing: Nate. And I would go to any lengths to claim him too. Since the day my eyes landed on his striking green ones, chiseled face, full lips, and physique.

I watched his tall, sturdy shoulders as he walked with his charismatic charm, with one thought in my mind:

…Her life is mine.