CHAPTER 98 SHATTERED HEARTS

Her mind raced, processing the events of the past few days. Had she made a mistake by keeping her double life a secret? Had Ethan been right to push her away? A tear escaped her eye, rolling down her cheek as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Claire attempted to wipe away the tear, but another quickly took its place. The dam holding back her emotions was breaking, and she was powerless to stop it. She thought back to their last argument, the way he had turned his back on her without a second glance. The pain of his rejection lingered like a festering wound, throbbing in her chest with each heartbeat. “Why, Ethan?” she murmured to herself, her voice catching. “Why did you have to be so cruel?” The hours stretched by, each minute agonizingly slow. Claire felt lost, alone, adrift in a sea of heartbreak and regret. She wanted to crawl into a corner, to disappear into the shadows and escape the pain that consumed her. Finally, a soft knock came at the door. “Ms. Smith?” A nurse’s