章 573: TRUST ISSUES III

The room fell into an almost palpable silence after Claire's confession, each word hanging in the air as if suspended in time. The atmosphere was thick with shock, the weight of her revelation pressing down on everyone present. It was as if the very walls of the sitting room absorbed the enormity of her words, amplifying the tension that gripped the space.

Claire stood in the center of the room, her posture defiant yet vulnerable. Her eyes met Curtis briefly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face before she steeled herself once more. She had laid her heart bare, and now she awaited the reactions of the people with bated breath.

The silence was abruptly shattered when Curtis stepped forward, his expression hardening into one of cold denial. "Claire," He began, his voice firm, "I don't know what you're talking about. We aren't mated."