Chapter 330
Calvin said, “Riley tried to commit suicide today, and Valerie got into a huge fight with Alexa.”
Yann leaned back in his chair, expressionless as he listened to Calvin finish, then ordered, “Escalate their conflict further.”
“Yes.” A flicker of excitement crossed Calvin’s eyes before he turned and left.
Meanwhile, in a hospital in Ironhaven, Alexa woke up shouting that she’d been infected with AIDS by Valerie. The nurse cleaning her wounds panicked and ran to call the head nurse.
Alexa’s yelling reached every corner of the ward. Though people knew they couldn’t get infected from a safe distance, the patients still resented sharing the space with her, and the ward descended into chaos.
Valerie, beaten by Alexa and seeking compensation, ignored the nurses‘ obstruction and stormed into Alexa’s ward when she heard the AIDS accusation. Another fight broke out–this time Valerie had the upper hand because Alexa feared infection.
The fiasco ended when Wyatt and Clayton arrived. Clayton dragged Valerie out, while Wyatt tried to soothe the sobbing Alexa.
“Have you had enough?” Clayton shouted at Valerie.
“Clayton, are you blind or deaf?” The gauze on Valerie’s face had fallen man?” she screamed as Clayton pulled her out.
“I’m your wife! I’ve been bullied like this, and you did nothing–are you even a
She shouted at the patients and family members who hadn’t yet fled, “That bitch hit me and accused me of having AIDS! She’s not just vicious to me- she’s vicious to her own daughter. She’s forcing her kid to die.”
Valerie noticed the crowd reacted little to her tears but started murmuring
“Is that true? How could a mother force her child to die?”
as soon as they heard about Alexa forcing her daughter to die.
“I saw something online earlier. Seems the mom tried to make her kid jump off a building because of bad grades. Kids are under so much pressure these days.”
“If a kid gets sick, parents pray for them to live, but now healthy kids are told to die if they don’t study well. That’s absurd.”
Emboldened by the support, Valerie shook off Clayton and turned to the crowd. “The woman in that ward wants her kid to fulfill her own unachieved dreams. She’s not smart herself, but she’s forcing her child to be a top student. How absurd!”
“Valerie, I’ll tear your mouth apart,” Alexa shrieked from the ward.
Valerie ignored her and went on, “That child is my niece. She’s changed schools three times and has depression, but her mom still tells her to die if she doesn’t study. How can a mother be so cruel to her own child?”
She added, “When my niece cried to me, my heart ached. I wanted to take her to Ashbourne–maybe her depression would improve–but her mom refused and beat me like this.”
Now the crowd fully sided with Valerie, agreeing the child should treat her depression before worrying about school and disdaining Alexa. Alexa angrily pounded on Wyatt in her ward after hearing that.
Clayton stared at Valerie in shock. He knew Valerie’s lies had played a big role in his divorce from Audrey, but back then, she’d played the victim. Now she was like a younger version of Cheryl.
After her speech, Valerie announced, “We’re family, so I’ll give Alexa time to think.” Then she was pulled back to her ward by Clayton.
Frowning at the ward door, Clayton waited for the nurse to redress Valerie’s wounds before saying, “You incited Riley to fake suicide to drop out of school. What if something really happened to her? Could you take responsibility?”
Chapter 330
Valerie lay on the bed nonchalantly “Alexa had already pushed her to the edge. If I hadn’t helped her, she would we willed here
time she’ll finally leave your messed up family.”
Alexa is doing what’s best for her,” Clayton said.
Valerie said, “Bullshit. If Alexa really cared, why didn’t she defend Riley when her classmates bullied her? Why did she scold her instead? What rel wouldn’t stand up for her child?”
“That’s their family business. You shouldn’t interfere,” Clayton said.
“I’m just looking out for Riley,” Valerie claimed.
Clayton scoffed, “Spare me the high–minded nonsense. Just say what you want.”
Valerie brushed her hair back, wincing as she accidentally touched her wound.
Staring at the bruises on her arm, she finally said, “I’ll take Riley to Ashbourne so she can escape the rumors. Her tuition, living expenses, and my caretaking salary–pay me every three months.”
“I get it–you just want money,” Clayton sneered, already seeing through her. “You can’t even take care of your own kid, but you want to leech off Riley?
Valerie tilted her head to look at Clayton, her eyes filled with a complicated and unreadable gaze.
After a long moment, she laughed, “Clayton, I really overestimated you. You’re Luna’s legal father–have you fulfilled your responsibilities as a father?
“You sent my child to be taken care of by others while I was sick, left me alone in the hospital, and ran back to Ironhaven yourself.
“Maybe I’m not a good mother, but at least Luna’s doing fine. Alexa is driving her kid to death. Sure, I want money, but I’m also saving Riley from that toxic family. What’s wrong with us each getting something we need?”
“Don’t play the hero with me. You betrayed your ex–wife, then betrayed me—you’re a selfish, hypocritical bastard,” she spat.
Clayton paled at the insults. He wanted to argue but couldn’t bring himself to.
Valerie fell silent after lying down. After standing awkwardly for a moment, Clayton turned to leave. As he opened the door, he heard her say, “Pay me Riley’s living expenses and my medical bills soon, or don’t blame me for making you all look bad.”
Clayton paused, then closed the door and entered Alexa’s ward–just in time for a coffee cup to hit him square in the face. His expensive dentures were nearly knocked out.
Alexa and Wyatt exchanged a glance at the blood trickling from his mouth. “I’ll call a doctor,” Wyatt said.
Clayton waved him off, covering his mouth, and mumbled, “Mom agreed to let Riley go to Ashbourne.”
“I don’t agree,” Alexa roared. “Riley is my daughter–I’ll never let her go with Valerie. Never.”
AD
