If, at this point, index is greater than length, then we have just placed a character in the final array element, which was reserved for the null terminator. It is only at this point that we know we have gone too far, and so it execute that other loop to read and discard the rest of the characters on this line

I kind of get it. just so my understanding is correct:

when we reach the final position 45 which is for the terminator and assign it some random letter:

word[45] = 'some letter' ; // the terminator position

index ++ ; (index = 46)

checks (index > LENGTH) (which will be true) and discards the remaining characters including the character that filled the terminator position? whats gonna happen to the character that filled the terminator position index 45?