Chapter 418

Hanson spoke like he was catching up with an old friend, his tone so calm and casual that anyone else might've missed the weight behind his words. But Claire caught onto it instantly. That one sentence—"I survived"—held back a world of pain. After everything she'd been through, surviving wasn't any easier for her either. For once, she just leaned quietly against Hanson's shoulder. The silence only lasted a moment before that restless feeling crept back into her chest, pushing her to ask what had been stuck in her mind. Her voice was raspy, almost breaking. "Mr. Cooper, since you know how hard it is just to survive... then why all this? Everything you did to me abroad, and now this—whatever twisted game this is. Even if you've got issues with Nelson, you two could've just talked it out like adults, couldn't you?" They were brothers, after all. What couldn't be discussed properly? Even if they weren't close, it didn't mean taking someone's life should ever be on the table. Why go straigh