Her questions were sharp, yet her expression remained calm, her tone laced with contempt. York's face darkened, his chest rising and falling heavily. His Adam's apple bobbed. His eyes were a storm of emotions—heartache, conflict, and helplessness.
After a moment, the storm in his eyes subsided, replaced by a calm resolve. He took her arm, gently pulling her closer. When he spoke again, his voice was soft. "Your mother is being discharged from the hospital today. I'll go with you."
"You know my family doesn't want to see you," Claudia reminded him flatly.
A wave of frustration washed over York. He nodded. "Alright. Then I'll pick you up tonight, and we'll go back to the Ferguson Mansion together."
A car she'd hailed pulled up to the curb. Claudia subtly pulled her arm free, got in, and drove away. York stood on the sidewalk, watching as the car merged into traffic. At the driver's prompting, he got back into his own car. It remained parked as he rolled down the window and lit a cigarette, a flicker of irritation in his movements. A message from Ann popped up on his phone screen. He glanced at it and ignored it.
Around noon, Claudia finally brought her parents and brother home from the hospital to their spacious city apartment.
The moment they were inside, Jessica pulled Claudia into her room.
"Claudia," she asked, her voice laced with worry, "what's really going on with all that news?"
Claudia forced a smile. "Mom, don't worry about things you see online. In this world, not everything is as it seems. It's best not to take it too seriously."
Jessica sighed. It seemed her daughter was finally starting to let go of her feelings for York. "Money isn't everything," she told Claudia. "Your health is what's most important. No matter what happens, promise me you'll take care of yourself."
A pang of sadness hit Claudia, but she kept the smile on her face.


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