Blake’s POV:
The glass shard felt cold against my skin before I pushed it in. I watched the blood trail down my arm with detached curiosity. No pain. Just… nothing the crimson line was almost beautiful against my pale skin.
‘Blakey! You promised you wouldn’t hurt yourself again!”
Claire’s voice cut through the silence of my room at the private facility outside Boston. She rushed toward me, her ballet–trained movements graceful even in panic. She fell to her knees in front of me, tears already streaming down her face.
“Hmm, I did promise, I said flatly, still watching the blood.
I’d always had trouble controlling my emotions. As a child, I hid it well. Everyone praised the “elegant, cool demeanor of the Wright heir. The perfect mask I’d crafted. The perfect lie.
It all started unraveling when Anna decided to leave with Seth. The nightmares came every night – Anna in his arms, laughing, happy without me. A slipping through my fingers like water. The control I’d maintained my entire life vanished when she did.
Or maybe it started earlier. When she asked for a divorce. Or even the day we married, when I thought I finally had her forever.
“Claire,” I said, my voice stronger than it had been in weeks. “Get me a suit. I don’t need to stay here anymore.”
“What?” Her eyes widened, mascara smudging underneath.
“The treatment isn’t helping.” I gestured around the stark white room, nearly empty except for the bed. “I need to go back and fight for what I want. Otherwise, this will only get worse.”
‘Blakey, you must be tired. Why don’t you lie down for a bit?” Claire’s voice was soft, coaxing.
I looked down at my hands, tracing the overlapping scars – some old, some fresh. A map
of
my
failures.
“How can I stay in a place like this? It’s like admitting I’m mentally ill. I laughed bitterly. “I’m Blake Wright. Since Dad died, I’m the only one left in charge of the Wright family. How can I lock myself away here?”
I glanced around the clinical room again. White walls. White ceiling. White sheets. A prison designed to look like a sanctuary.
Claire grabbed my hands, sobbing as she stared at the maze of scars. “Are you really going back like this? When you shake hands with business partners, do you want them to see these scars?”
“Scars fade…” I muttered.
“Can you promise there won’t be new ones?” Claire wiped her tears, her voice softening. “What about when you’re with Anna? Do you want her to see these? She’ll be frightened! Normal people don’t do this. Don’t you want to make the best impression on her?”
Something clicked inside me. “You’re right. I can’t let her fear me.”
My shoulders slumped. The fight drained out of me as quickly as it had appeared.
“How long will it take? What does the doctor say about when I can see her again?”
‘Soon, Blakey. Trust me,” Claire said, stroking my hair. “I’ll talk to the doctor right now and tell you what they say. You’re exhausted. Rest a bit.
I nodded, suddenly feeling the weight of everything. As Claire guided me to the bed, I noticed something flash across her eyes – something beyond concern. But I was too tired to question it.
Claire’s POV:
I closed the door quietly behind me as I left Blakey’s room. For a moment, I leaned against it, letting the smile I’d been holding back spread across my face.
1/2
Chapter 264
My heart raced with a strange mix of worry and satisfaction.
The mention of Anna had worked perfectly. Just as I knew it would,
Dr. Parker was at the nurses station, reviewing charts. I composed myself, forcing my expression into one of distress and worry before approaching hiss
“Doctor, I said, my voice trembling just enough. “My brother’s condition is getting worse. He had some really disturbing thoughts during our conversation. Maybe you should talk to him yourself. He’s very resistant to treatment right now. You can’t let him leave like this…”
Dr. Parker frowned, concern etching deeper lines into his already serious face. “Thank you for letting me know, Ms. Wright. We’ll adjust his medication and supervision accordingly.”
Thank you, doctor. I’m just so worried about him.”
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