Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
Russ leaned against the bar, his drink untouched in his hand, as he cast a sidelong glance at Claire and Michael. Hillary stood close beside him, their proximity designed to make their eavesdropping appear like casual party posture. But the tension radiating between them was anything but casual.
Claire was doing exactly what Hillary had coached her to do, and Russ had to admit, she was good. She stood close to Michael, her hand lightly brushing his arm as she tilted her head the right way, her smile warm and inviting. To anyone watching, she looked like a woman utterly enraptured by the man in front of her.
“You really came all this way for me?” Claire asked, her voice soft and tinged with disbelief, as though she couldn’t imagine how much he cared for her.
Michael smiled, the kind of smile that screamed self-satisfaction. “Of course I did. When you stopped answering my calls, I got worried. I had to check on you, make sure everything was okay.”
Claire laughed lightly, brushing her hair behind her ear in a practiced gesture. “That’s so thoughtful of you. It’s such a long trip and I’ve never had anyone go so far out of their way to check on me. I’m sorry I wasn’t answering your calls. I don’t know what came over me. I was being silly, immature. I overreacted.”
Russ’s grip tightened on his glass. It was hard to watch this without stepping in, without doing something. But he stayed rooted, knowing this was the only way to get Michael to lower his guard.
“You don’t have to explain,” Michael said, his tone indulgent, like he was speaking to a child. “You’re so young. You haven’t had the opportunity to experience real adult relationships. It can feel overwhelming, but honestly those feelings are just not something you should allow in. We’re grown-ups.”
Claire nodded, her expression earnest. “Being back here, surrounded by family and everything at Willowbrooke, it’s made me realize how much I miss what we had. The plans we made, the future we talked about... I believe in you, Michael. I believe in the work we’re doing together.”
Michael’s chest puffed up slightly, his smile widening. “I’m glad to hear you say that. I’ve always known you’d come around. You’re so bright and special. We make an amazing team and we shouldn’t let anything get in the way of that.”
Russ caught the flicker of disgust in Claire’s eyes before she quickly masked it, leaning in a little closer. “We had a scare here earlier today. A terrible fire broke out in the main barn by the stables. It was terrifying and all I could think about was how much I wished you were here. You make me feel safe.”
Michael reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face in what he probably thought was a tender gesture. “I’m here now. You don’t have to worry about anything. You’re right to be scared. The world is a mess right now. You know the work we’re doing is cutting edge and people will want to tear us down. They always want to throw rocks at things that shine. But if we stay united, we’re so much stronger.”
Hillary shifted slightly beside Russ, her jaw tight. Russ could feel the barely restrained anger radiating off her, but she kept her composure, her gaze locked on Claire and Michael.
Russ leaned closer to Hillary, murmuring under his breath. “She’s holding up better than I expected.”
“He is a complete ass,” Hillary replied, her voice low. “If he touches her like that again, I might lose it.”
Michael’s hand dropped back to his side, and he glanced around the room as though taking stock of the audience. “Why don’t we step outside for a moment? I’d like to talk somewhere a bit more private.”
Russ’s stomach twisted. This was the moment they’d been dreading. He exchanged a quick glance with Hillary, their silent agreement clear. They couldn’t let Claire go anywhere alone with him.
Claire hesitated, her smile faltering just slightly. “Oh, um... I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to leave the party. Everyone’s expecting me to be here. I’m sure they’d be so pleased to meet you.”
Michael’s smile tightened, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. “You know I hate these kinds of events. I go to them because they make you happy, but I cringe when I see all these stuffy people eating crab puffs and talking nonsense. You know I like to be challenged. I need to be doing work that matters and having conversations with substance.”
“I know,” Claire apologized somberly.
“We’ll go outside for just for a bit. I need air and I want to have some privacy. You and I have some lost time to make up for.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice steady. “But just for a moment.”
As they turned to leave, Hillary stepped forward, her expression warm and friendly. “Claire,” she said brightly, “don’t wander too far. Your grandmother has insisted you and I make plans for the summer at one of her cottages on Cape Cod. I know you’re always so busy with work, but we must pick a date that would work for both of us.”
“Oh,” Michael gave her a polite but dismissive smile, his focus already back on Claire. “Claire lives in the lab. She’s very dedicated to our work. A cottage on in a sleepy town would bore her to death, right?”
“Uh,” Claire stuttered. “Michael, this is Hillary and Russ. They’re friends of Madame Fournier. They’re recently married.”
“Marriage,” Michael groaned. “People still trying to pretend humans can sustain monogamy. I’m so glad we are science-minded and don’t fall to those social lies.”
Russ clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to grab Michael by the collar and throw him out of the party. Instead he extended his hand for a shake and squeezed just a little harder than normal.
“I’m Dr. Michael Hale,” he said, wincing a bit under the tight grip.
“You work with Claire?” Russ asked, playing dumb. “She’s been enthralling us with talk of her incredible work on advancing medicine and the miracle-working doctor making all of that happen.”
“That’s me, the man, the legend.”
“And humble,” Hillary joked, painting on a smile. They all chuckled and Michael continued on, seemingly unbothered.
“It’s not easy to move things forward at the pace I am. It’s like playing God,” he said, gesturing broadly with one hand as if presenting to a lecture hall.
“The procedures we’re developing are decades ahead of their time. People don’t understand the level of innovation we’re bringing to the table. It’s groundbreaking, revolutionary... and let’s be honest, intimidating for some.”
He glanced around the room as though expecting applause. When none came, he powered on, undeterred. “I mean, I’ve been featured in some of the top medical journals— The Lancet , JAMA , you name it. My work’s been on the cover of Scientific American . Even Forbes did a piece on the economic implications of my research. It’s not just about medicine, you see. It’s about reshaping the entire industry.”
Russ exchanged a subtle glance with Hillary, both of them silently agreeing that Michael’s ego could fill the room twice over.
“Claire’s told us some incredible things about what you’re doing,” Russ said, feigning polite interest. “It all sounds so complex and collaborative. What’s your role in the process, Claire?”
Michael let out a short laugh before Claire could speak, cutting her off with a dismissive wave. “Oh, Claire’s part of the administrative side of things,” he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “She’s great at keeping everything running smoothly, you know? Scheduling, compliance, making sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. The research needs that kind of structure, of course. The boring stuff but she’s up for it.”
Claire’s face remained neutral, but Russ caught the way her fingers gripped her glass just a bit too tightly.
“She’s a fantastic support person,” Michael continued, oblivious to—or ignoring—Claire’s discomfort. “She gets to see the magic happen up close, which is probably a thrill for someone her age. But, you know, she’s not exactly wielding the wand herself.”
Russ felt his blood simmer at the condescension in Michael’s tone. He glanced at Hillary, who was maintaining her polite facade but he knew her well now. She was raging inside.
“I see,” Russ said carefully, leaning slightly forward. “And this ‘magic’—the procedures, the advancements is there ever a pace that’s too fast?”
“Oh, I can handle the pace. This is nothing less than a paradigm shift,” Michael declared, clearly delighted to be back in the spotlight. “We’re talking about cutting recovery times in half, reducing dependency on outdated surgical methods, and creating a system where precision meets efficiency. It’s the kind of work that will cement my legacy.”
Russ nodded slowly, his expression inscrutable. “And Claire, you must have a unique perspective on all of this, being so close to the process.”
Claire opened her mouth, but Michael cut in again. “She does,” he said, his tone dripping with patronizing affection. “She’s got a front-row seat to history in the making. It’s good experience for her, gives her an appreciation for what’s possible when you have the right vision and unmatched skill.”
“It sounds like a lot of pressure, Michael. Being at the center of all this innovation. It must be exhausting, trying to manage everything.”
Hillary tilted her head slightly, letting a warm, admiring smile creep onto her face. “It really does sound incredible, Michael,” she said, her voice honeyed and just the right side of impressed. “Not many people could take on so much responsibility and still have the confidence to make it look effortless. You must have nerves of steel.”
Michael’s chest puffed out, the arrogance becoming a second skin. “Well, it’s not for everyone,” he said with a modest chuckle that clearly wasn’t meant to be modest at all. “You have to be able to see the big picture while managing all the intricate details. Most people don’t have the capacity for that kind of thinking.”
Hillary’s gaze didn’t waver, and she let her lips part slightly, as though she were hanging on his every word. Russ, standing silently beside her, felt a knot tighten in his chest. He knew this was part of the plan—Hillary playing the sycophant to keep Michael talking—but the way she looked at the man, even if it was a ruse, made something hot and primal twist in his gut. Was he actually jealous?
He pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on Michael’s incessant rambling. It occurred to him, with an absurd clarity, that this really was that easy. Was ego the Achilles heel of men, even the so-called brilliant ones? Just a little ego-stroking, a captive audience, and suddenly their guards were down, their hubris blinding them to everything else. God men were simple creatures... in the worst possible way.
Michael waved dismissively at a passing waiter, signaling for another drink without so much as a glance. The waiter scurried off, clearly used to this kind of treatment, and Russ couldn’t help but bristle at the display.
“We should step outside for a bit,” Michael said abruptly, turning back to Claire. “It’s stifling in here, and I could use some air. Let’s go for a walk.”
Claire hesitated, glancing at Hillary and Russ with panic. Before she could speak, Hillary’s voice cut through, smooth and cheerful. “That’s a lovely idea! Russ and I could use some fresh air too, couldn’t we?” She looped her arm through Russ’s, her smile unwavering.
Michael’s expression darkened for a fraction of a second, his lips pressing together as if to stop himself from saying something vile. But he recovered quickly, plastering on a polite smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I was hoping for a little privacy.”
Hillary didn’t blink, her expression completely unbothered. “Oh, don’t mind us. We’ll keep our distance, of course. I love the gardens at night, don’t you?”
Michael looked between them, clearly annoyed but unwilling to cause a scene. “Fine,” he said finally, his tone clipped. “Shall we?”
Russ tightened his grip on Hillary’s arm as they followed Michael and Claire toward the door. The tension in the air was palpable, but Hillary moved with an effortless grace, her demeanor so calm and collected that it almost put Russ at ease. Almost.