Chapter 1209

Even though Claire had known nothing about the situation at the time, a life had still been lost.

In that moment, she felt a flicker of genuine sympathy.

She finally understood the sheer magnitude of his pain.

After all, the girl he loved had died tragically at the very height of their romance.

Anyone would have been shattered by that.

She knew she would be.

So, she could understand Felix’s grief.

But what on earth did that have to do with Madeline Lynwood?

Felix finally unraveled the mystery.

He said, “When Melanie died, she was an organ donor. I didn’t even get to see her

one last time. The only thing I found out later was that her corneas went to Madeline.”

Claire was stunned.

It made perfect sense now!

That was why Felix was so obsessively protective of Madeline.

The second Madeline complained about her eyes, he would panic.

He would drop absolutely anything he was doing just to rush to her side.

It was all about the eyes.

Felix’s expression twisted in agony.

This was the deepest, darkest wound in his soul.

He had refused to speak of it to anyone, least of all Claire.

If they hadn’t reached this absolute breaking point, he would have taken the secret to his grave.

He buried his face in his hands, trying to shield his unhealed scars, but the raw devastation in his voice bled through.

He said, “They were the only piece of her left in this world. I just wanted to protect them.”

“I swear to you, nothing ever happened between Madeline and me. I had absolutely zero feelings for her. Yes, I knew she had developed a crush on me, but I constantly shut her down. I told her in no uncertain terms that nothing would ever happen between us.”

Out of nowhere, Claire heard herself ask, “Then why did you kiss her?”

The second the words left her mouth, she regretted it.

She wanted to slap herself.

Way to ruin the moment.

Even Felix looked completely thrown. “Kissed her? When?”

“I… saw you two kissing outside a hotel room once,” she admitted, suddenly feeling deeply awkward.

Felix searched his memory for a moment before answering. “We weren’t kissing. She got drunk and tried to force herself on me when wasn’t looking. I shoved her off immediately.”

Claire was speechless.

She hadn’t stayed long enough to see that part.

She had just seen the silhouette and immediately looked away.

Felix held her gaze, the light in his eyes flickering with raw vulnerability.

“I know it might be too late to say any of this, but I need you to know the truth.”

“I admit that our marriage was

forced. I was backed into a corner, and Melanie’s death made me hate myself for the first two years, couldn’t even look at you.”1 couldn’t be a real husband to you. That was entirely my fault.”

“For two years, I was essentially a walking corpse. I was deeply unwell.”

Claire understood that much.

A forced marriage, the sudden death of his

grandfather, the crushing weight of business empi

est love, the passing of his e?

Any one of those things would break a person.

During that time, Felix had been a ghost of a man.

But without knowing the context, Claire had simply assumed he didn’t like her.

They had lived as polite strangers under the same roof for two years, their interactions practically non-existent.

The marriage was a sham in everything but name.

Claire had fully intended to divorce him the second the terms of Old Mr. Quigley’s will expired.

They would go their separate ways.

But eventually, that icy dynamic had started to thaw.

Claire couldn’t pinpoint exactly when the shift happened.

But Felix remembered it vividly.

It was the third year of their marriage, and he was still functioning purely on autopilot.

He buried himself in work, desperate to avoid a single moment of silence. Because the silence always brought memories of Melanie.