Tempting Him to Lose Control

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: No Strength, Yet Still Pinching

A priceless, limited-edition Phaeton slammed straight into the rear of a Mercedes.

The immense impact sent the Mercedes skidding two or three meters, its tires screeching horribly.

The rear of the Mercedes was caved in, and the Phaeton’s windshield was shattered.

The Mercedes’s airbags deployed. Evelyn Sinclair was thrown violently forward, her head striking something and starting to bleed profusely.

"AHHH—"

Yvonne Warren, also covered in bruises from the impact, helped Evelyn Sinclair out of the car.

The driver, in a panic, banged on Miles Warren’s window while dialing his phone.

Passersby gathered to watch, creating a chaotic scene.

Miles Warren didn’t get out of the car.

His arm had also been scraped in the massive collision, and a bit of blood was seeping out.

His gaze passed through the windshield and rested on the people ahead, completely unfazed.

’They schemed against Claire Kendall.’

’So what if they’d ended up dead?’

Miles Warren, his face devoid of expression, made a call.

"Find Claire Kendall’s latest address. Have someone watch it. If any suspicious individuals approach, detain them immediately."

"And get someone to watch Moonstone, too."

「Inside Moonstone.」

Wendy White was humming a little tune, her face alight with glee. "Claire! Claire! It’s true what they say, what goes around comes around!"

"That Yvonne Warren and old Mrs. Sinclair just got in their car and got hit at the intersection up ahead! Mrs. Sinclair’s face was covered in blood. Serves them right!"

"It’s just a shame about that black Phaeton, though. That’s my dream car! It looked so expensive."

Hearing the word "Phaeton," Claire Kendall shot up from her seat.

"The intersection in front of the Keystone Building?"

"Yeah, that’s the one." Wendy White was taken aback by her reaction.

Claire Kendall ran straight out. By the time she reached the intersection, the cars had been towed and there was no one in sight.

Only scattered debris remained, which the sanitation workers hadn’t yet had a chance to clean up.

Miles Warren’s car was a black Phaeton.

’Could it really be such a coincidence? Or did he do it on purpose?’

Claire Kendall took out her phone. After much hesitation, she sent him a message.

[Are you okay?]

The message sank like a stone in the sea; there was no reply.

「Aethel General Hospital Emergency Room.」

Jonathan Keller disinfected the wound on Miles Warren’s arm and gave him two stitches.

He put down his instruments. "Miles Warren, you’ve really done it this time. Crashing into your own niece? Are you insane?"

"Just scaring them. It wasn’t fatal," Miles Warren said, his face impassive.

Jonathan Keller had already guessed the reason. "Did they mess with Claire Kendall again?"

He sighed in resignation. "Was it worth doing this to your arm for her? What if you’d seriously injured your hand?"

"You went crazy once seven years ago, and you’re going crazy again seven years later? How can someone like you never learn their lesson? Falling into the same trap twice."

Jonathan Keller was also particularly disappointed in Claire Kendall.

"Besides, don’t you get it? You’ve known her for ten years, but she got with Jacob Sinclair seven years ago. Do you really think you can shake a seven-year relationship in just six months?"

"Miles Warren, there has to be a limit to your foolishness."

"Enough," Miles Warren cut him off. "Talk to the insurance company for me. Don’t reveal my information."

Jonathan Keller knew he couldn’t persuade him and nodded helplessly. "Fine, I got it."

After Jonathan Keller left, Miles Warren received a call. The person on the other end gave him Claire Kendall’s new address.

It was in a residential complex near Aethel General Hospital.

Miles Warren leaned back in his chair, his breathing slightly ragged. He closed his eyes, his mind filled with Jonathan Keller’s words.

’She and Jacob Sinclair... seven years together. He, the latecomer, couldn’t compare.’

’Couldn’t compare? So what? The game has begun, and the power to decide isn’t just in Claire Kendall’s hands anymore.’

-

「Vista Gardens.」

Claire Kendall returned home, mentally and physically exhausted after processing the last batch of orders for Moonstone.

She thought about calling Jonathan Keller to ask if Miles Warren was okay, but in the end, she didn’t make the call. ’It felt like she didn’t have the right.’

She inserted her key and opened the door.

"Mom, I’m home! What are you cooking? It smells so good..."

She looked into the living room, and the motion of changing her shoes froze.

Miles Warren was sitting on the living room sofa.

His long legs made the sofa look small. Shirley Kendall was smiling brightly as she brought him a cup of tea.

’What is he doing here?’

Claire Kendall’s eyes immediately fell on the gauze on his arm.

’He’s injured? Was that Phaeton this afternoon really his?’

Shirley Kendall looked at her daughter. "Why are you just standing there like an idiot? Don’t you know to greet Dr. Warren? How rude."

"Dr... Dr. Warren..." Claire Kendall mumbled, changing her shoes and coming inside.

Shirley Kendall pulled her down to sit opposite Miles Warren.

"I was just at the supermarket downstairs getting groceries when I happened to run into Dr. Warren."

"Dr. Warren is on leave because of his injury, so he had time to come over for dinner."

Miles Warren finally looked up, his gaze landing on Claire Kendall.

His eyes were faint, so faint that no emotion could be discerned. When he looked at her, it was like looking at a stranger.

"Thank you, Auntie," Miles Warren said, his thin lips barely moving.

"Don’t mention it! We’re the ones who should be thanking you. Claire is so withdrawn. We’re so grateful for how you looked after her at the hospital," Shirley Kendall said earnestly.

"Withdrawn." Miles Warren repeated the word faintly, his cold, mocking gaze falling on Claire Kendall. "I hadn’t noticed."

"That’s because you didn’t see Claire when she was little, Dr. Warren. She was so dorky," Shirley Kendall said with a laugh, pulling a photo album from under the coffee table.

Claire Kendall immediately pressed her hand on it. "Mom, what are you doing?"

"Dr. Warren isn’t a stranger. He’s our savior! What’s the harm in looking?"

Without another word, Shirley Kendall opened the album.

"This is her when she was four or five..."

Miles Warren looked at the picture of the little girl with pigtails, the corners of his lips twitching upward slightly.

She turned another page, and Shirley Kendall froze.

It was a graduation photo of Claire Kendall and Jacob Sinclair from college.

The two of them were in academic gowns, their smiles bright and radiant.

Miles Warren’s gaze darkened imperceptibly, and the curve of his lips froze.

Shirley Kendall pulled the photo right out and tossed it into the trash can. "Claire, why are you still keeping this cursed thing?"

Claire Kendall said helplessly, "Mom, I wasn’t. You’ve been the one keeping this album the whole time."

"Then I must have forgotten," Shirley Kendall reminded her again. "Claire, you are never to see Jacob Sinclair again."

"I know, Mom."

Shirley Kendall, having lost her enthusiasm for sharing, closed the album.

"Dr. Warren, I’m going to cook. Claire, you chat with Dr. Warren."

Shirley Kendall turned and went into the kitchen.

Claire Kendall kept her head slightly bowed, not knowing what to say. She picked up her bag and got up to put it away in her bedroom.

The door was pushed open right behind her.

Miles Warren came in, gently pulling the bedroom door closed.

Claire Kendall looked at him. "I’m sorry, my mom must have troubled you. She’s been wanting to invite you over for dinner for a while."

"I’ll remind her later not to bother you again."

Miles Warren stared at her lips.

’These lips, always saying things that displease him.’

He took a step toward her.

Claire Kendall instinctively took half a step back.

He closed in again until the small of her back hit the edge of the desk. She had nowhere left to retreat.

The corner of the desk dug into her back, making her wince. She frowned, trapped by him with no place to hide.

A hand reached out, sliding between the small of her back and the edge of the desk, and gave her a pinch that was neither light nor heavy.

A tingling numbness shot up Claire Kendall’s spine, making her whole body tremble uncontrollably.

"Miles Warren, let me go." She tried to push against his chest.

He didn’t move.

He took a phone from his pocket, opened the camera, and raised it with one hand.

His other hand applied more force, pulling her into his embrace, pressing her even closer.

His scent was overwhelming, filling her senses.

Miles Warren snapped a photo. Claire Kendall was stunned. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Nothing. We dated, after all. We never even took a photo together."

Claire Kendall instantly thought of the photo her mother had just thrown into the trash.

’He has to compete over even this?’

"The injury on your arm, was it..." Claire Kendall’s voice was low. She was now certain that he was the one who had driven the car that hit Yvonne Warren that afternoon.

"It wasn’t necessary."

The three words pierced his eardrums like fine needles.

Miles Warren looked at her eyes, full of "pity and compassion," and the irritation in his heart grew stronger.

"Then what is necessary? Kissing? Touching? Or screwing?"

Claire Kendall, hearing his crude words, couldn’t answer. The strength drained from her body where he was gripping her.

Just when she thought he was about to do something even worse, he let go, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Why are you hiding? So boring."

With that, he turned and left.

The feeling of suffocation vanished, replaced by a heavier, dull ache in her chest.

Shirley Kendall poked her head out of the kitchen, puzzled. "Where’s Dr. Warren?"

"He took a call and left. Must be something at the hospital."

"Oh, alright. Come wash your hands and eat, then."

Claire Kendall nodded and went into the bathroom to change.

’Boring?’

In the mirror, a red mark was visible on her slender waist where he had pinched her.

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