No Divorce? The Billionaire's Love Chase! novel Chapter 345

Claudia rolled her eyes at York and picked up her bag to leave.

On the sidewalk by the road outside the bar, York stopped her.

"It's late," he said. "Let me take you home."

Claudia was a little surprised he wasn't forcing her to go back to their home.

She stopped and stood in front of him.

"York," she said softly, "we've known each other for over twenty years. It's pointless to keep dragging this on now that we're at this point."

York took a step closer, tentatively taking her hand.

"Then what do you want?" he asked.

Claudia's gaze was cold and resolute.

She shook his hand off, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. "You ask that as if I can have whatever I want."

York stared at her without blinking.

"Claudia, can you please not look at me like that?" he pleaded.

Her eyes remained fixed on his.

"The way I'm treating you now isn't even a tenth of how you treated me," she told him.

Losing control, York grabbed her shoulders.

He said, word by word, "Claudia, I know I was wrong. Give me another chance!"

Claudia laughed.

Her eyes crinkled as she smiled.

"A chance to do what?" she asked. "To find Ann another apartment? To hide her away again as your mistress?"

York's hands fell from her shoulders, defeated. "You know about that?"

Claudia took a step back, putting distance between them.

"York, don't look so heartbroken," she said. "If anyone saw you like this, they might actually think you love me."

"What if I do?" York blurted out, the corners of his eyes turning red.

"When you were in a bad mood, I'd feel helpless, terrified of upsetting you. When you couldn't sleep, I'd stay up with you, desperately studying pharmacology. When your stomach hurt, I felt more pain and anxiety than you did."

...

"Real love is what I had for you," Claudia said.

"It's knowing your joys and sorrows without you saying a word."

"It's willingly taking on all your negative emotions. It's fearing that I'm not doing enough, not giving you enough. I worried about you, cared for you, and would have torn out my heart for you."

"York, the highest form of love is empathy. And once, I achieved that for you."

"Claudia!"

York's eyes were bloodshot as he pulled her into a desperate embrace.

Claudia struggled in his arms, but he only held her tighter.

He choked out, his voice a low murmur, "I'm sorry, Claudia. I failed you. It's all my fault!"

"York," Claudia said, her voice muffled against his chest, "the way you cared for Ann was exactly the same way I cared for you. However much I once loved you is how much you love her, whether you admit it or not."