From Widow to His World: Claimed by the CEO

The moment I met Daniel's icy gaze, my mind went completely blank.

I tightened my grip on my phone and forced myself to stay calm. "What does that have to do with you?"

"Nothing to do with me?" He let out a quiet laugh, though there was no warmth in his eyes. "Didn't you make yourself very clear just now?"

He walked toward me step by step. "You said you would never marry me."

Hearing those words come from his mouth made them hurt even more.

My chest tightened painfully, and the emotions I had been suppressing all day finally burst free.

"Was I wrong?"

I looked up at him, anger bleeding into my voice.

"Daniel, what gives you the right to stand here and question me? Five years ago, you never showed up. Five years later, when I don't need you anymore, you suddenly keep appearing in front of me every single day. Do you enjoy humiliating yourself or something?"

Daniel's expression darkened instantly.

He laughed out of anger and lifted a hand, pointing at my face.

"Claire, after all these years, you've gotten even better at pretending."

Pretending?

I let out a cold laugh.

He thought everything I had just said was an act?

"What?" I laughed shakily. "Daniel, you think I was putting on a show for you just now?"

"Wasn't it?" Daniel stared at me coldly.

His eyes locked onto mine as he pressed each word down heavily.

"How dare you even bring up what happened five years ago? If you chose to marry Ryan for the Cooper family's money and influence, then stop acting pathetic! And now you're trying to turn it around on me because I didn't show up five years ago?"

He paused, his gaze frighteningly cold.

"Even if I had gone back then, you probably still wouldn't have chosen me. You're greedy. Disgusting."

His words cut straight through me.

So this was the kind of person I was in his eyes.

My eyes burned, but I forced the bitterness back down.

My fingers trembled uncontrollably, yet my words still came out sharp.

"What right do you have to judge me like that?"

Daniel did not answer.

He only stared at me, his expression terrifyingly dark.

The next second, something sharp flashed through his eyes as he suddenly grabbed my wrist.

Caught off guard, I stumbled when he yanked me toward him.

"Daniel, what are you doing?"

Without saying a word, he dragged me straight back into the restaurant.

"Let go of me!"

I struggled desperately, but I could not break free.

His grip was so strong that red marks bloomed around my wrist.

Daniel shoved open the restroom door and slammed me hard against the wall inside one of the stalls.

In the cramped space, the air instantly turned suffocating.

"What are you trying to do?"

The moment the words left my mouth, his burning body pressed hard against mine.

He stared at me as his breathing gradually grew heavier, his eyes filled with emotions I could not understand.

Just as I tried to push him away, he suddenly gripped the back of my neck and lowered his head to kiss me.

It was nothing like the gentle kisses we had shared in the past.

This kiss was filled with anger. His tongue forced its way into my mouth, leaving me struggling to breathe.

A wave of humiliation crashed over me.

How had things ended up like this?

Even through the confusion, my reaction was fast.

I bit down hard, and the metallic taste of blood spread across my tongue.

Daniel froze for a second.

I shoved him away at once and slapped him hard across the face.

The sharp sound echoed through the stall, leaving behind a terrifying silence.

My chest heaved violently as I stared at him, my voice trembling with cold anger.

"Daniel, have you lost your mind?"

His face was turned slightly to the side. The corner of his lips had been bitten open by me, the blood painfully vivid.

But he only wiped the blood away casually before his gaze fell back onto my lips.

"That mouth of yours only knows how to say things that piss me off. So I figured I'd shut it myself."

I laughed out of anger. "You're exactly the same as before. Everything has to happen your way. You're disgusting."

Daniel's eyes turned ice-cold instantly.

But I no longer wanted to hear another word from him.

I shoved open the stall door and walked quickly out of the restroom.

This time, he did not follow me.

I practically fled the restaurant.

The night wind hit my face, and only then did I finally manage to breathe again.

But the lingering pain on my wrist and lips still filled me with shame.

I closed my eyes briefly and forced myself to calm down.

Just then, a voice called out behind me. "Ms. Parker."

I turned around.

At some point, Evan had come outside as well.

He stood at the bottom of the steps, his suit still perfectly neat, that self-satisfied smile still hanging on his face.

"Were you waiting for me? Did you change your mind?"

I looked at him coldly.

"Mr. Collins, I've already made myself very clear."

"Really?" Evan smiled and took two steps closer. "But I've never been the type to give up easily."

I frowned.

Yet he acted as though he had not noticed my rejection at all, his tone becoming even more relaxed.

"You don't have to think so badly of me. I've heard a little about your family situation. Your parents are definitely overbearing, but I can help you."

"Help me?"

"That's right." He looked at me carefully, testing my reaction. "If you want to get away from them, you'll need someone more suitable to rely on."

His so-called help was nothing more than another transaction.

Disgust twisted in my stomach as I turned to leave.

But Evan suddenly reached out and grabbed my wrist.

"Ms. Parker, don't reject me so quickly." His voice lowered slightly. "The more you act like this, the more interested I become."

My expression turned completely cold. "Let go."

Instead of releasing me immediately, he smiled. "You're far more challenging than I expected."

As he spoke, he tried to guide my hand onto his body.

"Go ahead and touch me. Maybe you'll end up falling for me."

Disgusting.

I jerked backward and shook him off, only to collide with someone else behind me.

Before I could apologize, a low laugh sounded behind me.

The laugh was quiet, yet cold enough to send a chill through me.

"Claire." Daniel's voice was dangerously calm. "So this is the reason you rejected me?"