Claimed by the Crown Heir novel Chapter 37

A fleeting look of panic flashed across Chloe's face before she offered a frail whisper, "I found it sitting on the vanity in her bedroom..."

She had always seen Vanessa wearing the pendant close to her heart and figured she must have forgotten it in her rush to leave. The jade was smooth and warm to the touch; in a moment of greed, she had slipped it around her own neck.

Did this thing actually mean something?

Otherwise, why would Luke be exploding with such intense rage?

Lucas's gaze darkened into an abyssal black. His knuckles remained entirely white as he gripped the pendant, staring at the jade as if it held the answers to the universe.

Vanessa had actually abandoned the ultimate symbol of their love without a second thought.

For days, he had been harboring a desperate, pathetic sliver of hope, lying to himself that once Vanessa cooled off, she would return, and they could go back to the way things were.

He remembered exactly how it felt to place this pendant into her palm and explain its profound significance to him. Back then, Vanessa had clutched it tightly, nesting in his arms with eyes full of aching tenderness. She had whispered softly, *Luke, I'll protect it. I'll never take it off as long as I live.*

But now she was gone, and she had left even this behind.

Chloe was completely paralyzed by the terrifying, chilling darkness on his face, too afraid to even breathe. Her fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

"Get the hell out! If you ever step foot in here again, I'll destroy you!"

Furious beyond measure, Lucas grabbed her by the wrist, violently shoved her out the front door, and slammed it shut with a deafening crash.

"Luke! Open the door! I haven't even changed my clothes..."

Her hysterical screams tore through the hallway, but inside, there was nothing but dead silence. No one answered.

Chloe clenched her fists, biting her lip until she tasted blood, her eyes swimming in venom. It was just a stupid piece of jewelry. Why was he acting like a heartbroken saint?

He was the one who got sick of Vanessa first! Now that she was actually gone, he wanted to play the grieving lover!

Inside, completely drained of energy, Lucas collapsed onto the sofa. His spine remained rigidly straight, but it couldn't hide the devastating loneliness radiating off him. He gripped the lingering warmth of the pendant tightly.

"You push yourself too hard. You need to relax when the time is right, or you'll turn into a machine."

Arthur knew exactly how burdened Alistair was, managing dozens of corporations globally without a moment's rest. He originally assumed his grandson would never permanently return to Sterling City, but shockingly, he had come back three years ago.

Arthur had immediately tried to set him up with elite heiresses, hoping that getting married locally would keep him anchored.

Instead, his grandson had surprised him by requesting an arranged marriage with the eldest Grant daughter.

Coincidentally, around that same time, Arthur had suffered a sudden medical emergency while out, and he had been saved by George and his daughter. The girl was absolutely gorgeous, with a gentle, soft-spoken demeanor and a brilliant smile. She was more than good enough for his grandson, even if her family's status was miles below the Howards.

If his eldest grandson was genuinely interested, who was he to stand in the way?

He wasn't an unreasonable old man, so he gave them his blessing.

But who could have predicted the girl was so ungrateful? The moment she heard she was being arranged to marry into the Howard family, she packed her bags and vanished in the middle of the night.