Shattered Rose He Held On Tight novel Chapter 2

Shattered Rose: He Held On Tight

Chapter 2 Where Did This Poor Thing Come From?

Three days earlier, Lydia cornered Claudia.

“You know Jasper’s about to propose, don’t you?”

Her gorgeous eyes glittered–not with joy, but with jealousy and spite.

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“I heard both families wanted to skip straight to the engagement party, but he insisted on doing it right. Said he needed to hear your ‘yes‘ with his own cars, or it wouldn’t mean a thing. Tsk. How sweet of him.”

“So what?” Claudia looked up, cool as ever.

Lydia’s smile twisted. “So what? Claudia, what makes a sinner like you think you deserve happiness?”

She leaned in, voice sticky–sweet and poisonous. “Wanna bet? I say in three days, that proposal never happens.”

Claudia just stared. To everyone else, Lydia was the perfect angel–graceful, gentle, kind. No one would ever believe she could spit venom like this.

The proposal could’ve been called off with a single word from Lydia. Instead, she’d waited for the final act, set on shoving Claudia from the highest peak into the deepest pit–like she always did.

After the proposal went up in flames, Whitney’s phone lit up with an emergency call from home. Her face went dark, and she bolted. She’d planned to drop Claudia off first–Claudia had arrived in Jasper’s car–but Claudia had heard enough to know something was wrong with Whitney’s mom, so she pushed her to go.

When everyone was gone, Claudia lowered her gaze, standing alone in a storm of trampled flowers, staring for a long time. A bitter smile hooked at her mouth as she replayed the night.

It was late now. The streets outside were dead quiet. She left the club with no desire to go home, drifting along the river, letting the night air cool her face.

Then the hairs on her neck prickled. Someone was following her.

She pretended to take a selfie, tilting her phone just enough to catch a pack of men closing in from behind. She quickened her pace. They did too.

Her thumb brushed over her emergency contact–the number Jasper had forced her to set up a

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Chapter 2 Where Did This Poor Thing Come From?

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year ago. Back then, she’d broken a creep’s arm for harassing a girl and landed at the police station. Jasper bailed her out and lectured her all the way home about being reckless. He’d put himself as her emergency contact and made her promise: if she was ever in danger, call him. No heroics. He swore that no matter when or where, he’d come for her.

She never imagined the first time she’d dial it would be like this.

“Claudia?” Jasper’s voice came through, tired. He was at the hospital. The car accident hadn’t been serious, but Lydia–born premature and delicate–was rattled. Only he could calm her down. The Lancaster family was gathered outside; he’d just soothed Lydia into a half–sleep when the call jolted her awake.

“Jasper, someone’s following me.”

Silence stretched on the line.

“Claudia, I really can’t leave tonight. Don’t make a scene.”

He thought she was lying, trying to drag him away from Lydia’s bedside. Just then, Lydia’s mother, Lottie Wallace, came in with a glass of water. Her gentle face hardened. She snatched the phone.

“Claudia! Lydia’s been in an accident and you can’t even bother to visit. Now you’re out God- knows–where in the middle of the night, lying through your teeth. When will you grow up? Listen to me–no one is leaving tonight. We’re staying with Lydia. Put away your petty tricks.” She hung up without a blink.

On the bed, Lydia lay pale, voice soft and tremulous. “Mom, don’t be mad. What if Claudia really is in trouble?”

Lottie handed the phone back to Jasper, disappointment etched deep. “What trouble could she possibly be in? This isn’t the first time she’s tried luring us away when you’re sick.”

Back in eighth grade, Claudia had called late at night claiming she’d been kidnapped and demanded the family bring cash to rescue her. That same night, Lydia fell ill. The family was already frantic when the so–called ransom call came. Lottie nearly fainted from the double blow. They rushed to the construction site Claudia named… only to watch her stroll out, not a hair out of place. No kidnappers. No bruises. Not even a scratch. When they got home, Lydia was collapsed on the floor, alone. It had all been a prank. Claudia had even bribed a maid to ignore Lydia during her attack, so no one gave her medicine. By the time they got Lydia to the hospital, the doctor said another delay and she wouldn’t have made it.

That night, Claudia’s father beat her bloody with a whip. She spent a month in the hospital. Even then, she never admitted guilt or apologized.

Lottie sighed. When had her sweet little girl turned so wild?

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Chapter 2 Where Did This Poor Thing Come From?

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Jasper knew every detail of that incident. The Lancasters were furious, and after that, all their care went to Lydia. While Claudia was hospitalized, no one visited–except the nurse the family paid for. Jasper was the only one who slipped in after school with contraband snacks, telling stupid jokes to make her smile.

But tonight? Tonight was different. He told himself Claudia was just acting out after the ruined proposal. He didn’t have the bandwidth for a tantrum. Tomorrow, when she’d cooled off, he’d coax her back around.

Setting his phone down, he brushed Lydia’s forehead. “Your fever’s gone. Be good. Sleep.”

Bundled under the blanket, only half her face showing, Lydia’s eyes shone with worry and self- pity. “Jasper, about tonight… I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. If I were stronger, I wouldn’t be such a burden.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It was an accident. You’re never a burden.”

“Jasper…”

“Sleep.”

Her lashes fluttered shut, a serene smile tipping her lips. No doubt she’d dream sweet tonight.

Behind Claudia, the men closed in–unhurried, toying with her like predators who already owned the kill. She kept moving, Jasper’s indifference and her mother’s scolding still echoing in her ears. Maybe she’d been disappointed too many times; there was no sadness left. Just a clean, hollow emptiness, like something had been scooped out of her chest.

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