Claire grew up believing her mother wanted a child so badly that she went to a sperm bank to have one since she couldn't find a man. In a weird way that made her feel special. Stephanie went out of her way to have her despite knowing she would have to be a single mom.
At least that was what she believed before she found out that everything was a lie. Now she didn't know what to believe. She couldn't ask about it either because her mother was long gone.
She had felt her mother's love for her over the years—they were best friends because they were all the other had—but how much of that was due to obligation, like with her and Ethan? Of course she cared about the kid but she only took him in because she felt guilty. He was only in the situation he was in because she was the one that insisted on getting the younger Numbers out.