Claimed by the Crown Heir novel Chapter 86

She was genuinely curious to see what this legendary business prodigy actually looked like.

"Absolutely not," Max immediately blocked her. "A lady must maintain her poise! You're formally meeting tonight, you'll see him then."

"..."

Inside the Vortex Group offices.

"Luke, you're back."

The moment Chloe saw him walk in, she immediately stood up to greet him.

The very next second, Lucas abruptly raised his hand and locked his fingers violently around her slender throat. His expression was utterly terrifying, dripping with malice.

"You bitch! It was you pulling the strings this whole time!"

During his drive back, he had opened the file Vanessa emailed him.

His affair with Chloe had been kept entirely under wraps, airtight and perfectly hidden. He couldn't fathom how Vanessa had suddenly discovered the truth.

It turned out someone had been feeding her information the entire time.

And that someone was the woman he had always thought was submissive, sweet, and perfectly obedient.

Chloe's face instantly drained of all color. Her hands weakly battered at his arm. "Luke, wh-what are you talking about?"

"Vanessa showing up in Southport that day, hearing exactly what you wanted her to hear—it was all deliberately orchestrated by you, wasn't it?" Lucas sneered, his eyes bloodshot with rage. "I can't believe I was played for a fool by your innocent act!"

A flicker of panic flashed through Chloe's eyes, before she finally snapped, raising her chin defiantly. "I just loved you too much! I wanted a legitimate place by your side. Is that such a crime?"

"Love? You don't even deserve to use that word!"

Lucas's gaze was bone-chillingly cold, his words stabbing straight through her heart. "You're nothing but a toy. I threw you a few scraps of affection and you actually forgot your place?"

Chloe turned pale as a ghost, her buried resentment finally detonating as she screamed back at him.

Vortex... was given to him by Vanessa?

Lucas slowly released his grip on her throat and collapsed back onto the sofa. He buried his hands in his dark hair, looking as if his very soul had been drained out of him.

"The startup capital... came from Vanessa. Silas Sterling's relentless backing... was entirely her doing."

His entrepreneurial journey had been far too smooth, so perfectly paved that it had completely warped his ego. He had grown arrogant, throwing away the one person who had been by his side through it all—the only woman who truly loved him.

"That's impossible!" Chloe felt as if she had just been clubbed over the head. She couldn't process the words.

Vanessa was just a penniless orphan. How could she possibly possess the power to command a titan like Silas Sterling?

She rushed over to Lucas like a maniac, desperately clutching his arm, her voice shrill with sheer panic.

"Luke, don't let her trick you! She's making this up to make you feel guilty and regret losing her!"