Chapter 3

**Claire Vance POV**

The study in the Sterling mansion smelled heavily of cedarwood.

I sat on a wooden chair, my back straight, though I had grown so thin that a gust of wind could have blown me away.

"Grandpa, I want to leave the Sterling family," I said, my voice flat, without a single ripple of emotion. "For three years, I did my best. Now that Lucas is gone and the baby is dead, I can't stay in this house anymore."

Arthur looked at me and let out a long, heavy sigh. He knew the events of the past few days had broken me.

"Claire, the Sterling family has failed you." Arthur's eyes grew red. He pulled a check from his drawer and slid it toward me. "If you want to leave, I won't stop you. Go somewhere else and start over. Here is ten million dollars. It's a small compensation from me. It'll be enough for you to live comfortably."

I looked at the check and didn't refuse. I needed money to cut ties with this place completely.

"Thank you."

"Wait a minute!"

The study door was violently kicked open. Chloe marched in on her high heels, followed by a dark-faced Lucas.

"Grandpa, why are you giving her so much money!" Chloe pointed at the check, her voice shrill. "Lucas has only been dead for a few days, and she's already taking the cash and running! The Sterling fortune belongs to Julian, the only surviving heir. Why does she get ten million?!"

Arthur slammed his hand on the desk in a fury. "Who are you to speak in my study?! Claire is Lucas's widow! What is wrong with giving her compensation?!"

"Grandpa, Chloe is right."

Lucas stepped forward, shielding Chloe. His cold eyes swept over me. "Since Lucas is dead, she is no longer a Sterling. Not a single penny of this family's money should go to an outsider. This check stays here."

I looked at Lucas, the last ember of warmth in my heart freezing into ice.

To secure the fortune for Chloe, he was willing to strip his own wife of everything, using his "brother's" identity to rob me of my rightful compensation.

"Julian, if Lucas could see how you are treating his widow, what do you think he would say?" I sneered, my gaze cutting like a poisoned blade.

Lucas swallowed hard under my stare, but he forced himself to remain cold. "If Lucas were alive, he would see through your gold-digging ways. You're not getting a single dime."

In the end, with Lucas's stubborn interference, I couldn't take the check. I said nothing. I just gave Lucas one last, deep look, turned around, and walked out of the study.

Late that night.

I was parched, so I threw on a cardigan and went downstairs to get some water.

As I passed the guest bedroom on the first floor, the door was slightly ajar. A faint light peeked through, and I could hear Lucas speaking on a Snapchat voice call.

My feet froze.

"...I know what you're thinking, but I just can't accept it," Lucas's voice was muffled and filled with frustration.

The person on the other end seemed to be a close friend. His voice leaked from the speaker. "Lucas, faking your death to take Julian's place is a wild move. But I really don't get it. Chloe is pretty, sure, but she's greedy, arrogant, and spoiled. How does she compare to Claire? Claire is gentle, sweet, and she loved you to death. What more did you want?"

I stood outside the door, holding my breath, my fingers digging into the drywall.

Yes, I wanted to know too. Where did I lose?

***