Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 17

17 /90

Claire let out a cold laugh. “It’s not about what I want. You messed with Catherine. Today’s her birthday, and you just ruined her vibe. You don’t need me to spell out what that means for you, do you?”

Of course I knew. I knew there was no way out. Tonight, like it or not, I’d have to drink.

I looked over at Catherine. “Catherine, I’m sorry. I was out of line. Normally, I wouldn’t be the one to handle something like this. But since it’s your birthday, I’ll drink.”

Catherine smiled, her eyes glinting with amusement. “Claire, you’re something else. Got him to listen that fast. But honestly, just letting him off like this feels way too easy.”

I thought that giving in would be enough, that once I agreed, they’d let me go. But Catherine was even harder to please than I’d thought.

Claire jumped in again, her tone sharp. “Alright, Catherine. If you’re not happy yet, we’ll keep going till you are.”

She walked over to a side table, grabbed a bottle, cracked it open, and came back to me.

“You need money, don’t you?” she said, her words dripping with mockery. “Catherine just said, a thousand per glass.” She pulled out a thick stack of bills from her purse and tossed it at my feet. “This bottle’s five thousand.”

She threw down a few more bundles of cash, letting them land right in front of me. “That should be enough for you to finish off the whole table.”

I stared at the money on the floor. To them, it was just pocket change, the price of a night’s drinks. It meant nothing—just a convenient way for them to crush someone’s dignity.

I looked up at Catherine, the woman I had once loved so much. She stood in front of me, all softness gone. Her face was rigid, her eyes freezing cold, full of the anger she’d been holding onto for years.

I didn’t move. Claire’s voice snapped at me. “What’s wrong, you don’t want to? Or is it not enough? That’s half a year’s pay for you. All you have to do is swallow your pride.”

She didn’t stop there. “But really, what pride do you have left? Weren’t you the one who ran off with your dad’s money back then? Always looking for an easy way out.”