Tempting Him to Lose Control

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Tricked Again

Jacob Sinclair’s furious voice erupted from the other end of the line.

"Claire Kendall, when did you become so shameless! Cuddling up with another man on a livestream?"

"Tell me, who’s the man! Is it Miles Warren?"

Claire Kendall scoffed, hung up, and blocked his new number without a second thought.

-

Regency Gardens.

Claire Kendall stood by the elevator, hesitated for a moment, then keyed in the code for 501.

She retrieved the things she had left at Miles Warren’s apartment, erasing every trace of her presence, before returning to her own rented place, 502.

The door closed, plunging the room into darkness. The air was thick with a damp chill.

It was a stark contrast to the warmth and comfort of Miles Warren’s home.

Too exhausted to shower, she stripped off her clothes and collapsed onto the bed, her mind a chaotic mess.

Her plan to seduce Miles Warren would have to be put on hold.

She had to deal with Howard Kendall first.

Thinking of his face, his deep eyes, the tenderness he showed when he cared for her...

A heavy, uncomfortable feeling settled in Claire Kendall’s chest. ’I feel like a terrible person.’

Her phone vibrated. It was a message from Miles Warren.

"Where’d you go?"

The faint glow of the screen illuminated her tense face. Her fingertip hovered over the chat window with Miles Warren, typing and deleting her reply over and over.

"At the hospital with my mom."

She flipped the phone over, pressing it against her chest, and let out a deep sigh.

After a long while, he replied with a simple "Okay," followed by silence.

’I’ve already pulled this lofty flower from his pedestal. I can’t drag him down into the mud with me...’

Aethel General Hospital, patient ward.

Miles Warren stared at the message from Claire Kendall, his gaze instantly darkening.

"Dr. Warren, I’m so sorry to trouble you, coming to see me this late."

"That daughter of mine, Claire, she’s so busy with work. This old body of mine is just dragging her down."

In the hospital bed, Shirley Kendall was much calmer now.

"Ma’am, just focus on resting and getting ready for the surgery."

Miles Warren left the room as a nurse’s aide entered.

In the dimly lit hallway, a dull ache throbbed in the arm he’d just had reset from a dislocation.

He hailed a cab and rushed back to Regency Gardens.

The moment he walked in, he sensed something was wrong.

On the counter, where there had been a pair of matching teddy bear mugs, only one remained.

In the study, her laptop, her graphics tablet, and all her embroidery displays were gone from the desk.

Every trace of her was gone.

Miles Warren’s heart sank.

’She lied, and she took all her things. What does this mean?’

’Now that she’s secured a kidney donor, she’s cutting all ties with me?’

’She really knows how to play games.’

’I was played for a fool ten years ago, and now I’ve been played again...’

Miles Warren pulled out his phone, wanting to demand an explanation, but in the end, he couldn’t send the message. He just turned off the screen.

The next evening, in the grand ballroom of The Golden Manor, the Orwell family business was holding a celebration for their public listing.

Claire Kendall wore light makeup and a strapless, light purple gown. Her fresh, elegant look seemed out of place in this glittering arena of social climbers vying for attention.

"Ms. Kendall, sorry to keep you waiting."

Ethan Lynch was dressed in a burgundy velvet suit, his hair slicked back and gleaming with gel. His voice was laced with an obvious, flippant tone.

His contemptuous gaze raked over Claire Kendall, inch by inch, from head to toe, making her deeply uncomfortable, as if he were appraising merchandise.

"Mr. Lynch, hello." Claire Kendall’s voice was flat as she struggled to suppress her disgust.

Ethan Lynch swirled the wine glass in his hand.

"I never thought I’d see the day I’d be sitting down for a private meal with Ms. Kendall."

"Back in the day, the great Ms. Kendall only had eyes for Jacob Sinclair. But after all those years trailing after him, you still got dumped, didn’t you?"

He deliberately dragged out his words, a hint of resentment in his tone.

Claire Kendall remained expressionless. "Things change."

Ethan Lynch’s lips twisted into a smirk, his slimy gaze roaming over her body. "But even after all these years, Ms. Kendall is still as lovely as ever."

He stared at the sliver of pale skin peeking from the top of her dress, his eyes fixed on her chest.

"Especially your chest, Ms. Kendall. It has a great shape. Perfect for..."

Claire Kendall cut him off coldly. "Mr. Lynch, please have some self-respect. This is a banquet, not your private karaoke room."

Ethan Lynch’s fingers tightened around his wine glass.

’Claire Kendall is still the same as ever—an iron fist in a velvet glove, completely unyielding.’

He was starting to get annoyed. ’She’s just a woman Jacob Sinclair got tired of and threw away. What right does she have to be so arrogant in front of me?’

Just as he was about to lose his temper, a stir came from the entrance of the ballroom.

Jacob Sinclair and Yvonne Warren appeared together. It was as if they had their own spotlight, instantly drawing the attention of the entire room.

Yvonne Warren’s gaze swept across the room. When she spotted Claire Kendall and Ethan Lynch in the corner, she paused for a second, then a look of understanding dawned in her eyes.

She gently tapped Jacob Sinclair’s arm.

Jacob Sinclair followed her gaze, and flames of rage flickered in his eyes.

’Ethan Lynch?’

’So the man in Claire Kendall’s livestream was Ethan Lynch.’

’My arch-nemesis from college!’

’Fine. Just fine! If this isn’t revenge, what is?’

Yvonne Warren looped her arm through his and gracefully walked over.

"Well, well. Long time no see, Mr. Lynch." Jacob Sinclair’s voice was bone-chillingly cold. "Claire Kendall, is this the new backer you’ve found?"

Claire Kendall stood between the two men, feeling like she was surrounded by flies.

Ethan Lynch picked up on Jacob Sinclair’s displeasure.

He slowly drew out his words. "Mr. Sinclair, you two broke up. Do you still get a say in who she’s with?"

A vein throbbed on Jacob Sinclair’s forehead. Yvonne Warren held him back, her tone teasing. "Mr. Lynch, you certainly have unique tastes. You’re not picky at all, are you?"

Yvonne was mocking him for being with a woman Jacob Sinclair had cast aside.

Ethan Lynch couldn’t stand the loss of face and raised his voice.

"So what? She’s just a servant I bought to bring home to serve me tea, do my laundry, and wash my feet. With someone like her, who cares if she’s used goods or not?"

The mocking, curious gazes of the crowd fell upon Claire Kendall.

Claire Kendall remained expressionless the entire time, acting as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

She wouldn’t let the words of two buzzing flies get to her.

Jacob Sinclair sneered. ’Claire is being humiliated like this, in front of everyone.’

’Without me, anyone can just trample all over her. My little canary, once she gets a taste of how cruel the world is outside her cage, she’ll come running back to my side with her tail between her legs.’

"Yvonne, let’s go." Jacob Sinclair strode away, head held high, his departing figure radiating absolute arrogance.

Ethan Lynch’s face was ashen. ’It’s all this damn jinx’s fault!’

He directed all his anger at Claire Kendall.

’Dammit, I’m going to use this woman up and then kick her to the curb. Why would I want something Jacob Sinclair threw away?’

The banquet continued in full swing.

Suddenly, the host, a member of the Orwell Family, excitedly announced, "The guest of honor has arrived!"

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