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Chapter 61
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MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 62
**Fractured Victory**The sterile smell of disinfectant greeted Claire as she slowly opened her eyes. The world around her was fuzzy, muted. She blinked, trying to shake off the heavy fog clouding her thoughts, and gradually, the hospital room came into focus. The rhythmic beeping of machines was the only sound, marking the slow, steady pulse of her heartbeat.She was alive.But as the events of the previous night began to flood back into her mind, the relief she felt was quickly overtaken by dread. Mr. Grant. The developers. The laptop. She shifted slightly in bed, wincing at the sharp pain in her side where she had been shot. Her hand instinctively moved to the bandages, reminding her of just how close she had come to not making it out alive.As her thoughts cleared, Claire’s first concern was her family. Ethan. Lillian. Samuel. She needed to see them, to know they were safe. Panic flared in her chest at the thought that something might have happened while she was unconscious.The d
MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 63
** The Price of Truth**The sunlight streamed through the hospital window, bathing the room in an eerie calm that contrasted sharply with the storm of uncertainty raging inside Claire’s mind. She lay quietly, the sterile white sheets pulled up to her chest, her body still healing from the wounds of the last battle. The fight had drained them all—physically, emotionally, financially. But as the light poured in, it felt like the world outside was moving on without them. Maybe they had exposed the truth, but the price for it was becoming unbearable.Ethan sat beside her, his face drawn and tired. He had been there every day since Claire had been admitted, watching over her like a sentinel. Lillian and Samuel were still staying with friends, trying to reclaim some semblance of normalcy, but Claire knew their hearts were still gripped with fear. Fear of what was still lurking around the corner.It had been days since the evidence was released. The media was still buzzing with the story—cor
MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 64
** Shadows of the Past**The next few weeks passed in a haze of recovery and slow rebuilding. Claire had been discharged from the hospital and was now home, resting in the familiar comfort of their house. It felt strange to be back in the place they had fought so hard to protect. The old wooden floors creaked the same way they always had, the smell of the lavender candles she loved filled the air, but something about the house felt different, almost foreign, after everything they’d been through.The legal battles were over—or so it seemed. The developers were crumbling under federal investigation, and Mr. Grant was in prison awaiting trial. The media had moved on to other stories, and the town, though shaken by the revelations of corruption, was beginning to heal. For the Hayes family, it felt like the end of a long, grueling chapter. Yet, something about the way things had wrapped up so suddenly left a gnawing feeling in the back of Claire’s mind. It seemed too easy. She couldn’t sh
MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 65
**The Depths of the Web**Claire couldn’t shake the unease that had settled over her like a dark cloud. The air in the house felt heavier, the walls closer, as though their home—their sanctuary—was slowly turning into a cage. Despite Ethan’s assurances, and even Ruiz’s calm, professional approach, Claire felt it in her gut: they were far from safe.Days passed since the man in the suit had visited their doorstep, but the tension hadn’t eased. Every phone call made her jump, every knock on the door sent her heart racing. Lillian and Samuel had noticed too. Claire could see it in their eyes—eyes that had once been filled with the joy and innocence of childhood but now were clouded with fear and confusion.Ethan had spent hours on the phone with lawyers, trying to figure out how they could deal with this new threat. Ruiz was working her contacts, trying to uncover who was behind the mysterious man and his cryptic demand. But no answers came, and the weight of the unknown was suffocating.
MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 66
**The Weight of the World **Claire stared at the screen, her fingers trembling as she read the text message.**Unknown Number:** *Tick tock, Claire. The clock is running out. Are you sure you’re ready to leave it all behind?*A chill ran down her spine. It was the man—the one from the warehouse, the one who had stood in their doorway and delivered the ominous message. She hadn’t given him her number, but of course, that didn’t matter. He seemed to know everything about them.She felt exposed, like every step they took was being watched. How could they ever hope to outrun someone who was always one step ahead? The thought of disappearing suddenly felt impossible. How could they hide from someone who seemed to have eyes everywhere?Another message buzzed in almost immediately.**Unknown Number:** *You’re not safe anywhere. If you run, we’ll find you. If you stay, we’ll make sure you regret it. Choose wisely.*Claire’s breath caught in her throat as she read the words, the threat ha
MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 67
** Ties That Bind**The hurried energy in the house was palpable. Every movement felt sharp, tense, as Claire and Ethan packed the last of their bags. The looming deadline of 24 hours gnawed at them, but there was a faint hope now—Michael’s contact had promised a way out. Two hours. They just had to hold it together until then.Claire moved from room to room, double-checking the essentials: birth certificates, passports, a handful of keepsakes that couldn’t be left behind. The weight of each step felt heavier than usual, as though the air had thickened around her, constricting her movements. She could feel the clock ticking in her head, like a countdown echoing in every corner of the house.Ethan had gone out to check the car, making sure that everything was ready in case they had to make a quick getaway. Meanwhile, Claire was finishing up in the kitchen, her hands shaking slightly as she zipped up the final bag.Just as she finished, she heard the faint sound of voices from upstairs.
MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 68
**The Gathering Storm**The old train station loomed ahead, shrouded in shadows and silence. The moon hung low in the sky, casting eerie silver light over the crumbling building. Claire gripped the steering wheel tightly, her heart pounding in her chest as they pulled into the deserted lot. This was it—the moment that would decide everything.Ethan sat beside her, his jaw clenched, his gaze focused on the building in front of them. Lillian and Samuel were in the backseat, the tension so thick it was hard to breathe. The weight of their decision hung over the family like a storm cloud, the threat of what was to come pressing in on all sides.Claire parked the car at the far end of the lot, away from the broken windows and rusting metal that marked the abandoned station. She cut the engine, the sudden silence deafening in her ears. For a moment, none of them moved. It felt like time had frozen, trapping them in the space between fear and hope.Midnight was close, and Michael’s contact w
MY FIRST LOVE Chapter 69
**A Desperate Stand**The headlights from the approaching SUVs bore down on them like the eyes of a predator closing in for the kill. Claire’s pulse quickened as Michael stepped forward, his gun still raised, the barrel gleaming under the moonlight. The man in the suit, who had moments ago been so calm and confident, now took a step back, his eyes narrowing.“Michael,” the man hissed, his voice dripping with contempt. “You’ve really crossed a line this time.”Michael didn’t flinch. His voice was steady, his stance unwavering. “And you thought you’d get away with this, didn’t you, Derrick? You underestimated me. Again.”Claire’s mind spun. **Derrick.** The man in the suit had a name. For so long, he had been nothing more than a faceless menace, but now she could see the fear flickering in his eyes. Whatever power he wielded was crumbling in the face of Michael’s defiance.The two men who had grabbed Lillian and Ethan hesitated, clearly unsure of how to proceed now that Michael had ente
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