Meanwhile, Cain had just arrived at the prison cell at the allotted time. His steps were brisk as he entered the prison. The walls seemed to close in around him, carrying a stale scent and a faint, lingering chill. The sounds of shouting and distant clanging reminded him all too harshly of the horrors Claire must have faced within this place.
Soon, he arrived at the visitor's area and sat down on a metal chair that was placed opposite the side of a large investigation table, his gaze focused. The door creaked open and Beth walked in—a pale-looking girl with sharp features, in her mid-twenties. She took a seat across from him. As nervous as she was, she was also excited to see this man.
Beth's family owned a vast number of bars and wine factories in Asheville. They were the best in the business. When it came to refined and top-quality wines, it'd be foolish to be in business and not know the renowned Cain Willson.
Beth had long dreamed to be a part of the Wilson group and industries, but due to her father's death, her step brother wanted to acquire entire ownership. He falsely accused her and put her behind bars.
"Mr. Wilson," she said coolly, a hint of excitement in her voice. "You came here looking for me?"
Cain met her gaze, his tone direct. "I need to know about Claire."
Beth's eyes narrowed. "And why would you want to know about her? Do you know her personally?"
"I do. She had a terrible nightmare last night, and she kept repeating your name." Cain put forward the reports he received this morning. "Is this true?" He wanted to confirm if they were so inhumane as to treat her that way. If that was the case, he'd pay back each one of them.
Beth tilted her head, her gaze scrutinizing him. She took the reports and flipping through the pages, she sighed. "Everything written here is but truth. Word for word." She took a breath, choosing her words carefully. "Claire loved and trusted a man—a friend of the man, a girl named Maria, used lies and deceit to tear Claire's life apart."
Twitching her face, she continued, "That bitch accused her for framing and assault. You tell me, Mr. Wilson. If Claire was capable of harming someone to this extent, she wouldn't have suffered the torture and abuse here." Slamming the reports on the table with frustration, she grit out, "She didn't let me harm that slut, Verica, who hurt her every day. Why would she frame an assault on another girl?"
Cain's jaw tightened, fury simmering beneath the surface. "Maria…" he echoed, his voice barely above a whisper.
As the meeting time came to an end, Beth got up from her seat, her eyes shifting between the reports and Cain. "Mr. Wilson, if Claire is anyhow truly related to you, then with your power and connections you wouldn't have let her suffer this much." Letting out a bitter laugh, as she walked away.
Cain's fists clenched, the weight of his own failure crashing down on him. Words failed to come out of his mouth. He sat there, feeling helpless. Was he fooled all this time? Why would Maria do this to Claire?
Maria and Cain's family were relatively close and hence, their children grew up together and had known each other for years. Maria was a good friend of Cain's and all along, he regarded her as his younger sister. As far as he knew, she wasn't one to pull cheap tricks, especially something that could harm her.
As he exited the prison he thought to himself, 'Whatever it is, the truth or a dirty trick, I'll get to the bottom of this, but for now all I know is: Claire didn't deserve to go through all the misery and suffering. I have to make things right and I will do it.'
By evening, he returned home, his body heavy with the regret that had festered all day. He found Claire sitting by the window, the fading light casting shadows across her face. She seemed so small, so distant, and yet so incredibly strong in her silence.
Before he could approach her, Maria lunged in all of sudden, wrapping her arms around Cain's neck. Cain instantly drew back, causing Maria to stumble. His gaze was mixed with confusion and suspicion.
"Ouch, Cain! I still haven't recovered. Why didn't you come visit me for the past two days?" she complained.
Ignoring her question, Cain shot her with a straight question. "Why did you come here? If you haven't recovered, shouldn't you be resting now?"
Biting her lip, she hesitated. With a concerned voice, she spoke softly, "I heard Claire was bailed and her grandmother just passed away. I came to pay my respects and be there for her."
"You could've visited her at her grandma's funeral." Cain raised his eyebrows.
"Uh, Well—I… " she took a deep breath and continued, "I wanted to know why Claire hates me so much that she played such a dirty game with me. I didn't deserve it. It's haunting me and I-" With that, she started crying.
Claire quietly looked at the dramatic scene and let out a dry laugh. Cain called his butler and instructed him to drive Maria safely to her apartment. Maria, refusing to go, started ranting and crying, yet Cain was unbothered. Finally, she was led out by the maids and driven away.
The next minute, without a word, Cain approached her, hesitating only a second before wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close. Claire stiffened at the contact, but he held her gently like he was afraid to break her, letting the silence fill with everything he couldn't put into words.
Slowly, she softened, just barely, and he felt her let her guard down even if it was just for a moment. When he pulled away, he looked at her, his gaze filled with a mixture of sorrow and tenderness she hadn't seen in him ever before. He reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Claire," he whispered, his voice thick. "I'm so sorry."
She looked at him, her face guarded, eyes searching. "For what?" Her voice was hoarse as if she'd been crying all day.
"For everything." He swallowed, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't see you. I didn't understand...and because of that, you suffered."
He took a deep breath, steadying himself, then dropped to his knees before her, his head bowed. "Claire, I thought what I felt for you was...temporary, just attraction. I told myself it was nothing, that I could ignore it. I tried to convince myself that it didn't matter." He paused, and his voice shook with the weight of his confession. "And because of that, I didn't trust you. I trusted Maria over you because she's always been here. I thought I had to believe her, and I failed to see the truth in front of me."
She watched him, her expression unreadable as he continued, "I know I can't take back what happened. I can't change what you went through because of me. But if you'll let me, I want to spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I'll protect you, love you...if you'll let me."
Cain's words hung heavy in the air, his confession raw and stripped of pride. He took her hand, his grip gentle but desperate. "The choice is yours, Claire. Hate me if you need to, make me pay for every hurt. But please...please know that from now on, I am yours to command. I want to prove it to you that I'll never make that mistake again."
In a moment of vulnerability, he leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead. She felt his tear, warm and wet, fall onto her hand. He rose slowly, looking at her one last time, his expression of hope and walked out of her room.
As the door closed behind him, Cain's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a text message attached with a document that left him in utmost shock. His face clearly expressed anxiousness. Taking a deep breath, he walked downstairs to get to to the bottom of this matter.