Clayton felt a buzz explode in his head. His face, already dark with anger, turned pale in an instant.
He read that viral post. Many parents shared photos of bruises on their kids from their time at Ashwood Mental Hospital. Some said their children had been locked in dark room’s without food or given meals that had clearly gone bad.
The kids who just stayed there for a week would get roughed up. Audrey was there for a whole month: Just imagining it made his stomach twist.
‘Yes, she’d crossed a line. But the punishment I gave her was way too much,‘ thought Clayton.
Lillian saw the change in Clayton’s expression and knew immediately that he still had feelings for Audrey.
28
Lillian never liked Audrey, but she had to admit that Audrey did take good care of her son. In Lillian’s mind, Clayton needed to focus on his career, and someone like Audrey, who could handle the house and look after them, was useful.
Lillian patted Riley’s hand and looked at her, but her words were aimed at Clayton. “I heard about Ashwood’s scandal too. You didn’t know what went on in there when you sent her, so that’s not your fault.
“If she’s angry, she should sue Ashwood. That doesn’t give her the right to go after Vally, and definitely not to slap Riley and humiliate her in front of others.
“Riley is the baby of Wyatt and Alexa. Think about it–if someone laid a hand on your daughter, would you just let it go? Audrey is your wife, your choice,
“But if you can’t calm Wyatt and Alexa down, it’s gonna hurt more than just your marriage. It’s gonna affect Wyatt and your relationship.”
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Clayton clenched his fist, his voice low and rough. “They’re coming home for dinner this weekend, right? I’ll bring Audrey and apologize to them in
person.”
“Just a verbal apology?” Riley cut in, her tone sharp and bitter. “Not even my grandparents or parents ever laid a finger on me. And she? She said if she ever sees me again, she’ll hit me again.
“I don’t want her to just say sorry. I want her to slap herself in front of the whole family.”
2
Lillian didn’t say anything, but the silence showed that she was on board.
Clayton frowned, thinking, ‘If I can’t calm Wyatt and Alexa down, they’ll find their own way to punish Audrey. Without anyone protecting Audrey, she wouldn’t stand a chance. She threw the first punch, so she’ll have to eat
the fallout.
‘Once she slaps herself a few times, I’ll step in and save her. She’ll realize I’m the only one who truly can protect her. Then she’ll stop talking about divorce. She’ll cling to me like before, maybe even more than before.
After a long silence, Clayton finally nodded. “Alright.”
A flicker of triumph crossed Riley’s eyes. She had already made up her mind–she’d record the whole thing on a mini camera. When Elise or Jessica tried to come at her, she’d pull out the footage and shove it in their smug faces.
Meanwhile, Audrey had just finished preparing Ivan’s tutoring materials for the next day when she opened her laptop and pulled up the job boards.
Tutoring Ivan alone barely covered the mortgage, let alone groceries or other bills. She needed more students or a second job.
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A few days ago, there hadn’t been anything suitable for her. But now, the top job listing felt like it was written just for her. Every requirement— education, experience, background–lined up perfectly. Stride Commerce was hiring an experienced personal assistant.
Audrey remembered applying to Stride Commerce when she first arrived in Ironhaven. The general manager was out of town at the time, so the interview got postponed.
Meanwhile, another company offered her a job, one that matched her expectations. She didn’t want to gamble and end up with nothing, so she
took the offer.
But now, Stride Commerce was hiring again. This felt like a golden opportunity she couldn’t miss.
Audrey clicked the link, filled out the form, and left her phone number.
Just as Audrey hit “submit“, there was a knock at the door.
“Coming,” she called out, grabbing an apple from the table and taking a bite before opening the door.
She opened it with a bright smile that instantly vanished the moment she saw who it was. Even her eyes went cold. She snapped, “What? Couldn’t cuss me out enough over the phone, so you show up in person? Came to slap me for Riley’s sake, huh?”
Clayton’s face was grim. His hand clenched in his pocket. His voice was flat and cold. “I paid for Vally’s medical bills. Consider it compensation to Vally for what you did to her.
“As for what happened to you at Ashwood, I’ve demanded a public apology from the staff who mistreated you. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know. But since you slapped Riley, you’ll have to—“
Audrey cut him off, her tone sharp and eyes colder than ever. “You were giving Valerie money even before she got hurt, weren’t you? Whatever
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Ashwood did to me, I’ll handle it myself. If anyone owes a public apology, it’s you—for sending me there in the first place.”
Clayton’s eyelid twitched. The guilt in his chest flipped into rage. “You the one who told Leo’s wife about his lovechild?”
Audrey didn’t answer but just took another bite of the apple. The calm look on her face drove Clayton up the wall.
He thought bitterly, ‘She will handle it herself? By blowing up Leo’s personal life and dragging the firm’s reputation down with it? She has no clue how far this mess spreads.‘
Though Clayton was angry, he forced himself to keep cool. Some things couldn’t be said out loud, especially not this. And the plan to have her slap herself in front of the family should better be kept on the down–low.
Clayton stepped forward to enter the house, but Audrey raised an arm and blocked him.
He snapped, “What do you think you’re doing?”
Audrey replied, “Say whatever you want to say right here.”
Clayton’s voice dropped, sharp and cold. “You sure you want to talk here?”
There was noise from the neighbor’s place. Audrey didn’t want Calvin to catch wind of this. She shut the door and said to him, “Let’s go downstairs.”
They stepped into the elevator. Audrey stood as far from Clayton as she could manage. The second the doors opened, Clayton reached out to pull her close by the shoulder.
She dodged his touch and said, “Mr. Patel, I suggest you speed up our divorce proceedings.”
Clayton’s chest tightened again. Then the tightness boiled over into anger.
They walked into the garden, and he suddenly grabbed her arm. “You
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really wanna a divorce, huh?”
She tried to yank away, but the apple dropped in the process. His grip was too tight to break free.
Her voice dripped with sarcasm. “The divorce agreement has already been delivered to your firm. Do you think I’m bluffing?”
Clayton sneered, “I allow you to throw a tantrum, but there’s a limit. Divorce doesn’t scare me. But think about it. If you leave me, what’ve you got? You think you can survive in Ironhaven on your own?”
His tone was icy, almost cruel. “You hit Riley. Wyatt and Alexa won’t just let that slide. Without my protection, life’s gonna be a hell of a lot worse than
Ashwood ever was.”
Audrey slammed her heel down onto Clayton’s foot, and he stepped back with a grunt, letting go of her.
She took out a tissue and wiped at the spot where he’d touched her, as if something dirty had gotten on her skin.
She sneered, “If divorce doesn’t scare you, then what’s stopping you? We signed a prenup, and I’m not asking for alimony. What’s wrong, Mr. Budget, are you hoping to get paid from me?”
Clayton’s face went pale, his eyes flushed with fury. The disgust on her face and the way she wiped off her hand hit him harder than a slap.
He didn’t understand why the woman who used to love him like he was her whole world now wouldn’t even let him lay a finger on her.
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