From Widow to His World: Claimed by the CEO

Five years ago, I, Claire Parker, ran away for love with Daniel Carter, the broke boy everyone looked down on. But on the very day we were supposed to leave together, he abandoned me.

Overnight, I became the laughingstock of the entire city and was forced into a marriage alliance with a terminally ill man, Ryan Cooper.

Five years later, my husband died, the marriage alliance fell apart, and the Cooper family threw me out without a shred of mercy.

Meanwhile, Daniel, the man everyone once sneered at, returned home in glory and became the hottest rising name in the business world.

And somehow, he ended up becoming my boss.

I wanted nothing to do with him, yet he kept closing in on me, cornering me with sarcasm sharp enough to draw blood.

Then one day, Daniel caught me on a date with another man.

His eyes reddened instantly as he pinned me against the wall.

"Claire... are you abandoning me again?"

......

Daniel had me pinned against the window, one hand gripping my waist as his teeth brushed against my earlobe.

Whenever we made love, he always liked forcing me to tilt my head up and look at him.

"Weren't you the one who said you'd leave with me?" he murmured against my ear. "Then who are these tears for now?"

His kisses left my legs weak. My fingers instinctively clutched at his shirt as even my breathing fell apart.

And then, right at that moment, my phone rang.

My eyes flew open, my chest rising sharply.

The moment the call connected, a calm, professional voice came through.

"Is this Ms. Claire Parker speaking? This is City General Hospital. We're very sorry to inform you that your husband, Ryan Cooper, passed away despite emergency treatment. Please come to the hospital as soon as possible to handle the necessary arrangements."

My hand froze, and I nearly dropped my phone.

Something lodged itself in my throat. After several long seconds, I finally managed to whisper, "What?"

It took me several more seconds to remember that I even had a "husband."

Half an hour later, I stood outside Cooper Mansion.

The mansion was shrouded in mourning. Guests dressed in black moved quietly through the halls, and funeral flowers filled the entrance foyer.

Ryan was really dead?

The second I stepped inside, every person chatting in the living room turned to look at me.

A cup came flying at my face the very next second.

My mother-in-law. Patricia Cooper's shrill voice pierced through the room. "You cursed little witch! You brought death into this family!"

The cup shattered at my feet, porcelain fragments scattering everywhere.

She stormed toward me, jabbing a finger so close it nearly hit my face. "You've been married into this family for five years and couldn't even give Ryan a child! Now that he's gone, what are you even doing back here?"

The others immediately joined in, their voices growing louder and harsher one after another.

I stared at