Chapter 14
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When Finley called, Claire was lounging on a sun–drenched beach in the Maldives.
The scenery was straight out of a postcard–crystal–clear water, endless blue skies. For someone who’d never seen the ocean, Claire was completely captivated.
She’d arrived carrying the weight of her grief, but the island worked its magic. Slowly, the sea seemed to pull her sadness away, leaving behind a strange sense of peace.
Nearby, the instructor was setting up for a snorkeling session when Claire’s phone started
buzzing nonstop.
She pulled it out, saw the caller ID, and her stomach sank. Finley. Of course, he’d seen the divorce papers. He probably knew about the baby too.
Claire sighed and hit decline. She didn’t have the energy for him.
But Finley didn’t give up. He called again. And again.
The instructor nudged her. “Seems important. You should take it. We’ll wait for you to join
us in the water.”
With a deep breath, Claire decided to just get it over with. She picked up.
“Hello?”
“Claire! You finally picked up!”
Finley’s anxious voice caught Claire off guard.
She blinked.
It was a tone she’d never heard from him before.
“Do you need something?”
“Where are you? I miss you so much. Let me come get you. Bring you home,” Finley
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pleaded. “I know I was wrong–I never should’ve hurt you over and over because of Renee.
I see that now. Please, Claire, forgive me.”
Nothing. His words didn’t stir a single emotion in her.
“Finley, there’s nothing left to say. I’ve spent years saying everything that mattered. As for the divorce, it’s in Raoul’s hands. If you have questions, talk to him. Don’t contact me again.”
“Can’t you give me one more chance? I swear, I’ll never see Renee again. She’s out of my life.”
Another promise.
Claire let out a bitter laugh. “Finley, how many times have you said that in the past three years? I lost count. Do you really think I’ll believe you now?”
“I mean it this time! I’ll prove it to you. Just tell me where you are–please, Claire, just one more chance.”
Finley’s voice cracked with emotion, but Claire remained unmoved.
“Even if I forgave you, our dead child never will. Don’t forget, Finley–it was you who pushed me down those stairs. You who stood there and did nothing. That’s why, at just three months, our baby died inside me!”
Tears streaked down her face. She sniffed, forcing down the sobs. “Since you love Renee, not me, go be with her. Once the divorce is final, she’s all yours. I don’t care anymore.
“You called me jealous. Cold. Don’t worry–I won’t be anything to you ever again.”
She hung up before he could get a word in.
Wiping her tears, she switched off her phone and turned to the instructor with a steady smile. “I’m ready. Let’s get in the water.”
With the instructor’s guidance, Claire slipped beneath the surface. The ocean was unreal,
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more breathtaking than she’d ever imagined. Down here, surrounded by nothing but silence and blue, she finally felt a flicker of peace.
Meanwhile, Finley stared at his screen. Straight to voicemail. She’d shut him out.
Desperate, he instructed Kevin to track Claire’s location through her phone’s signal
It didn’t take long
“Mr. Lloyd, Mrs. Lloyd is in the Maldives.”
Finley’s face fell.
The Maldives–Claire’s dream destination.
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