Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Leo peeled a boiled egg to help ease the swelling on his face. Just then, his phone rang, and it was from Linda.
Linda said, “Mr. Sanchez, looks like the authority is onto us. The CPS says they can’t keep things under control. Should we have Mr. Reed step in?”
Leo crushed the egg and tossed it into the trash bin. “Damn! Clayton’s hand can even reach into the CPS now?”
He ended the call, took a deep breath, and dialed his wife. His tone was all sugar and charm. “Honey, I know I messed up. I’ll do whatever you ask, alright?
“I’ll get the car and the house back. You know, Ashwood is under fire. Can your dad help resolve it?”
Alice, who was applying seaweed mud to her face for a facial, mumbled through the mask, “I need to see some real sincerity from you first. Otherwise, just forget it.”
“Honey, we’re in the same boat. Ashwood’s paperwork was all signed off by your dad. If this blows up, he’s gonna get dragged into it too, right?” Leo said.
Alice hesitated for a moment and replied, “I’ll call my dad. Make sure you get everything back as fast as possible.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for your call,” Leo responded eagerly, his eyes dark and calculating.
Once he hung up, his face twisted into a malicious grin. Within moments, he dialed another number, his mind already plotting his next move.
He was determined that anyone who used him as a pawn was about to feel the sting of his revenge.
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Chapter 15
Meanwhile, as Clayton left Ashwood Mental Hospital, he made a call back to the law firm, instructing them to sever all ties with Ashwood.
At nearly the same time, Jade received the divorce papers Audrey had sent over to Clayton.
Jade scoffed, “Audrey lost her mind, hasn’t she? How could she possibly ask to divorce Mr. Patel? Is she trying to blackmail him into cutting ties with Ashwood? She’s so vicious. Not only is she humiliating Mr. Patel, she’s going after his career too.”
Emilia, who had enough of it, cut Jade off. “You don’t know the full story. For all we know, Ashwood has gone too far.”
Jade shot Emilia a quick glance and headed to the bathroom to make a private call. “Vally, Audrey’s seriously playing dirty. She’s trying to force Mr. Patel to end the partnership with Ashwood using divorce as leverage.
“You’d better brace yourself. If Audrey really pushes him, Mr. Patel might really distance himself from you.”
Valerie tightened her grip on the phone, her mind racing. ‘Clayton doesn’t care about Audrey, but why would he let her affect him like this? With my family background, I’m not gonna find anyone better than Clayton. He’s my only chance now.
“The Patels talk about being grateful to my father, but they’ve never done anything for me. I sent rumors through John’s office about the Patel family turning their back on their benefactor, so they agreed Clayton to be Luna’s guardian.
‘Audrey’s just a girl from a small town. How could she have a better marriage than mine? The position of Mrs. Patel was supposed to be mine.
‘If Audrey won’t divorce Clay, I’ll make sure she does. Once they’re divorced, I’ll find a way to make Clay marry me.‘
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“Jade, calm down. There might be some misunderstanding. I don’t think Audrey’s the kind of person you think she is.” Valerie feigned kindness.
“Come on, Vally, don’t get fooled by her. She’s a girl from a small town with no connections. If she hadn’t played some dirty tricks, how could she even marry Mr. Patel?” Jade opened the door and looked around the
restroom.
After making sure no one was around, she whispered, “In our eyes, you’re always the best choice for Mrs. Patel.”
Valerie instantly denied it. “Don’t say that. Maybe before, there could be a chance for Clay and I, but now… Well, Clayton and Audrey are married. I’m genuinely wishing them the best.”
“Vally, you’re too close to the situation to see clearly. As an outsider, I can tell Mr. Patel cares about you more than anyone. You can’t keep pushing him away. Think about how to handle Audrey. Don’t let her get the upper
hand.”
Jade hung up and returned to her desk, twirling a pen idly in her hand.
The law firm was planning to expand, and Jade knew Valerie’s words would work for Clayton. If Valerie could recommend her for a top position, Jade wouldn’t have to deal with Emilia breathing down her neck anymore.
*****
Audrey reached the door of her apartment but suddenly remembered the
showerhead at home was broken. She turned around and went to the nearby store instead.
As she entered the store, a black car pulled up at the entrance. The driver answered a call and reported to the man in the back seat, “Sir, Leo is trying to have Mr. Reed step in.”
“Post the details of Alan Watson’s case online,” came the deep, almost hypnotic voice from the back seat.
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Chapter 15
The driver immediately made a call to follow the order.
A few minutes later, Audrey walked out of the store with her shopping bags.
“Sir, Ms. Henderson has moved out of Hightower Homes. Should we assign someone to keep an eye on her?” The driver asked cautiously.
He thought to himself, ‘Not sure what Boss is thinking. He’s had people watching Ms. Henderson for two years. Boss came to Ironhaven once when she got married. Now she’s getting a divorce, and Boss came again.’
Audrey walked past the car, turned the corner, and entered the neighborhood.
The man in the back seat slowly twirled the silver ring on his finger and spoke in a low voice, “She chose this herself, so she deserves the consequences.”
“Understood,” the driver replied. He then started the car and drove away. But deep down, he didn’t really believe his boss would just leave Audrey
alone.
Once Audrey entered the neighborhood, she finally allowed herself to relax. As soon as she left the store, she felt that familiar pressure–so strong that it nearly made her stumble. She managed to keep herself composed, though, acting like everything was fine.
Audrey thought, ‘I shouldn’t be running into him. I cut ties with them and moved to a new city. This must be my imagination.’
But as the image of that man crossed her mind, along with his actions, she couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.
When Audrey reached her door and scanned her fingerprint, Marlyn’s door opened.
Audrey said to her, “Mrs. Evans, I can tutor your grandson from tonight.
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Since we are neighbors, I’ll just charge 50 dollars per lesson. What do you think?”
A young man spoke, “Hi, I’m Calvin Jenkins. My cousin took them home. I’m just watching the house for now.”
Audrey thought to herself, ‘Well, the money I was about to make is gone.
“Oh, hi. By the way, do you know when Mrs. Evans comes back?” she asked.
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Calvin handed her a box of pastries and said, “She’ll be back once her leg is fully healed. Let’s stay in touch.”
Calvin glanced at the bag in her hand and asked, “Did your showerhead break? I can fix it for you.”
“It’s okay. I can handle it,” Audrey replied.
“We’re neighbors. Just let me help,” Calvin insisted, his enthusiasm making it hard to say no.
He quickly replaced the showerhead and tested it, accidentally soaking himself in the process. Audrey rushed to grab a towel for him, and Calvin took a quick look around. He found no signs of a man’s presence in the
house.
Once Calvin left, he made a call to his boss. “Sir, Audrey seems to be tutoring students.”
Meanwhile, Audrey was on the phone with the property management to verify Calvin’s identity. Once she confirmed everything, she got started on
dinner.
Her meal was a simple plate of pasta, accompanied by the pastries Calvin had given her.
The new mattress was incredibly comfortable, and Audrey was asleep in no time.
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At the same moment, Blackthorn Legal was working around the clock.
Alan Watson’s case was reopened, and the law firm that had defended Ashwood Mental Hospital was under intense scrutiny.
Several companies that had business ties with the firm suspended their partnerships, eager to distance themselves from the controversy.
Clayton, suffering from a stomach ache and a headache, was just about to relax when the phone rang, its sharp tone making him even more frustrated.
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