Shattered Rose He Held On Tight novel Chapter 97

Chapter 97 Seventeen Wishes

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39

Finished

Every year on Claudia’s birthday, they had once promised that no matter how far apart they were, they would come home and celebrate her birthday together in style.

But 17 years had passed. Those few early birthdays felt painfully warm compared to the long, cold silence that followed.

They had never truly thought about what those years of neglect meant to a little girl.

Or rather, they hadn’t dared to.

Lydia clenched her fists.

A single day only needs to honor one event. If it has already been ignored for 17 years, why bring it up again?

Among the guests, a few who knew the Lancasters‘ past had already guessed the meaning behind the number.

They couldn’t help but sigh. Sterling wasn’t just punishing them; he was cutting straight to their hearts.

For 17 years, the Lancasters had ignored their daughter. And now, in front of everyone, he was helping her reclaim every single birthday.

Some thought even further. Seeing how fiercely Sterling protected her, they whispered that change was coming. It wasn’t just for the Lancasters, but for the Romeros too.

…

After the truth was spread quietly through the crowd, the room fell into silence. Sterling, calm as ever, led Claudia by the hand to the first cake. His eyes were even glimmering with a tender smile.

“Make a wish, birthday girl.”

Claudia took a deep breath, clasped her hands together, and closed her eyes.

In the dark corners of her mind, she saw a frightened little girl, hungry and locked in a dark room to repent. She was punished for letting her sister fall into the pool.

“Happy birthday, seven–year–old Claudia,” she whispered to that girl.

She blew out the candle, and the little girl’s sorrowful eyes faded away. Then, a giant pink gift box appeared in front of her.

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19:07 Thu, Oct 9 d..

Chapter 97 Seventeen Wishes

(38)

Finished

Sterling’s sharp, aloof face looked unusually friendly that night. “Happy birthday, Claudia!”

She opened the box to find a soft, plush teddy bear inside.

It felt nice and cuddly.

Claudia’s eyes lit up with stars. “It’s adorable. I love it.”

Since Sterling put a lot of effort into it, she happily went along.

Seeing his gift being appreciated, the man’s mood visibly lifted.

He took her hand again and guided her to the next cake.

The routine repeated, but each surprise was different. Blowing out 17 candles took quite some time, yet not a single person there dared to complain.

Sterling was making one thing clear. Tonight’s star was Claudia.

He wasn’t tired of wishing Claudia “Happy Birthday” each time.

If Sterling himself was willing to go through this so seriously, who would dare slip away halfway?

And honestly, it wasn’t boring at all. When else could anyone witness Sterling acting so gentle and tender?

Before today, if someone had claimed he would go this far for one woman, they would have been laughed off as insane.

Moreover, the later gifts were even more astonishing.

It was no exaggeration to say some were rare treasures, priceless items that had never been shown to the public.

Even the most knowledgeable guests were impressed.

The only ones who couldn’t enjoy the show were the Lancasters.

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