Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 1

The year Claire’s family lost everything, I was the one who broke up with her.

After that, she made a comeback that no one saw coming. She became famous, successful, untouchable. The next time I saw her was at a reunion, when I walked in with a delivery bag slung over my shoulder.

People snickered as soon as they saw me. “Lambert, if you hadn’t let her go, you’d have half of The Gates Family’s fortune.”

Claire sat among them, her eyes icy and distant. “He’s not worthy,” she said, voice cool as glass.

Everyone knew I’d left her when she needed me the most. People shook their heads and whispered. “You really owe Claire an apology, Lambert.”

I just stared at her, silent. No one had any idea that the price of her comeback was my own future. No one knew I’d traded my health, my hope, almost everything, just to help her get back on her feet.

No one knew about the hospital letter in my pocket, either.

—

I was supposed to clock out after my last delivery. Just go home and crash. But when I stood outside that private room, I could barely move. My feet felt glued to the floor.

That familiar laugh from inside—there was only one person it could belong to. The woman I would have given my life for once. The woman I’d hurt more than anyone.

I squeezed the Black Swan cake box in my hands. Time was running out, so I forced myself to open the door.

The room was full of familiar faces. I tugged my cap lower, pretending I didn’t know any of them.

“Claire, I didn’t think you’d show up this year,” someone said.

I’d heard the rumors. She never missed a reunion after I left, even though she’d always hated them before. And I—who used to come every year—stopped showing up altogether.

“How come nobody’s seen Lambert in years?” someone else asked.

“You don’t know?” another voice chimed in. “Lambert bailed on Claire when she needed him most.”

“Why would he dare show up? Does he even have a shred of dignity left?”

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