Page 30 of Her Possessive Dominant Fake Husband

"Where did you say you grew up?" my father asked, leaning forward, engaging in actual conversation.

Claire answered with that same unguarded sincerity. Her presence was as calming as ever, and I hated how much I needed it. Especially now.

I replayed my father's words. It’s not official yet. There was still time. The suggestion that maybe there’d be a second chance. It burned like acid. I couldn’t get it out of my head.

I didn’t look at Claire, but I could sense her concern. It made me want to break something. Maybe just to show I still could.

She was watching me with those soft eyes, the ones that saw too much. As my father's words echoed again and again, I knew I was about to explode. I felt it coming, the burn in my chest, the urge to lash out and end this charade.

And then Claire reached for me.

Her fingers brushed my wrist, firm but comforting. The touch sent a shock through my system, unexpected and disarming. "Alexander," she said quietly, the word just for me.

The room stilled, the table watching in suspended silence.

I didn't want to listen. I didn't want to feel her touch calm the rage inside me. But I did. The fury shifted, moving to some unreachable corner of my mind. It didn’t disappear—it just became something else. Something I couldn’t quite name.

"You're okay," Claire said, her voice steady. "I promise."

The softness in her words, the truth in them, hit me harder than any of my father’s barbs. I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, the tightness in my chest easing. The anger cooled, turning into a different kind of heat.

When I finally exhaled, the table seemed to relax all at once. My father watched Claire with a new kind of respect, maybe realizing for the first time that I hadn’t brought just any pawn to the game.

My brother looked at Claire with a new kind of curiosity, one that would wind up with him getting his nose broken if he tried anything.

Allison didn’t hide her scowl.

My mother, though, was smiling. Pure joy radiated from her in a way I hadn’t seen before.

Claire let go of my wrist. She didn’t know how much she'd just won. Or how badly I wanted that touch back.

As the conversation picked up again, I saw my father turn his attention to Claire, treating her almost like family. He laughed at something she said, a genuine, hearty sound.

Allison watched too, looking like she'd swallowed glass.

My brother began hanging on Claire’s every word in a way that got my blood flowing.

And me? I couldn’t stop watching Claire. This sweet, resilient woman I’d thought would be a temporary fix. But she was more than that. More than I’d planned for.

The more I looked at her, the more I realized that the space she'd left when she pulled away was something I wasn’t sure I could stand anymore.

Three days later, I was tempted to lock the door before Jen could walk through it. Instead, I watched Claire let her in. On her wrist was a bracelet I’d bought Claire, and I wanted to remove it by any means necessary.

Claire's sister was relentless. Demanding. Spoiled. And Claire, sweet Claire, was backing down again. I watched from across the room, a strange unease rooting in my chest. She had the power now, even if she didn't see it. I waited for her to back down like she always did, ready to help pick up the pieces if needed, knowing it was only a matter of time.

But then, a miracle. Claire’s voice, stronger than I'd ever heard. “I said no, Jen. It’s not happening.”

Her sister stood there, shocked.

And me? I was just as stunned.

The scene was almost comical. Jen's jaw hung open, unable to process the word she wasn’t used to hearing. I stayed silent, unwilling to interrupt this beautiful moment. I wanted to bring out my phone and record for posterity’s sake.

Jen finally snapped her fish-like open mouth shut. "Mom’s gonna be pissed," she said, trying one last time to push Claire’s buttons.

Claire stood firm. "Tell her I’m sorry. I can't help right now."

Jen left, huffing out the door, clearly at a loss. But it was nothing compared to my shock.

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