Chapter 13 - CLAIRE’S SECRET RELAPSETwo months after wedding, Claire called Ava at 2:13 a.m.
Ava answered immediately.
“I’m not using.”
Ava sat up.
“What happened?”
“I wanted to.”
Claire was crying.
After learning about Westmore debt and Calloway fees, she had panicked.
The old craving returned.
Not dramatically.
Quietly.
A thought:
One pill would make brain stop.
Claire had no prescription.
She had built safeguards.
Her husband knew.
Her therapist knew.
She called Ava because their recovery plan said to call someone before acting.
“Where are you?”
“Home.”
“Is James there?”
“Yes.”
“Does he know?”
“No.”
“Tell him.”
“I don’t want him to think I’m unstable.”
Ava’s voice sharpened.
“Craving isn’t failure.”
“I hate this.”
“I know.”
Claire whispered:
“What if marriage stress brings everything back?”
“Then you adjust support.”
“What if he regrets marrying me?”
“That’s his job to answer.”
Claire cried harder.
Ava stayed on phone until Claire woke James.
James came on.
“I’ve got her.”
Ava said:
“Don’t interrogate.”
“Don’t panic.”
“Ask what she needs.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
The next day Claire increased therapy frequency and attended recovery meeting.
No relapse.
But close call changed something.
Claire told her father.
Richard responded badly at first.
“Maybe this financial review is too much for you.”
Claire’s face hardened.
“My recovery does not remove my right to know family business.”
“I’m trying to protect.”
“That sentence has damaged me before.”
Richard went silent.
Claire continued:
“If information makes me want to use, I need better recovery tools.”
“Not less information.”
Ava heard about conversation later and felt proud.
Claire was no longer the woman family hid from reality to protect brand.
She was adult demanding truth.
This became important during Westmore negotiations.
Because Claire joined board meetings.
And once she did, she discovered something even Richard had not told Ava.
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The company’s largest Manhattan property—the Imperial Astor itself—had been pledged as collateral on refinancing package.
If deal failed, the hotel where wedding occurred could be sold.
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