Chapter 341
Chapter 341
Carson couldn’t quite figure out why Paige had such a strong dislike for Clayton.
Afraid she might make a scene, he quickly pulled her away.
Back at the office, he gently coaxed her, handing her a glass of water.
“Come on, he’s not worth getting upset over…”
“He makes my blood boil!” Paige took the glass and downed half in one go. “The audacity, he of all people went to see Ms. Brown at the company?”
“Wait, Ms. Brown?”
“She used to be Ms. Henderson. She changed her name. It’s Ms. Brown now.”
She grumbled about Clayton a while longer, and only after venting did she start to calm down. With a proud little grin, she lifted her wrist to show off a bracelet. “Look! Ms. Brown brought this back from her vacation. Said I’ve been doing a great job.”
Carson took her hand, turning it slightly to get a better look. “It’s really pretty. Bet it wasn’t cheap.”
“Of course not! I’m her favorite assistant, you know.”
Carson’s expression suddenly shifted. He looked up, surprised. “You’re Audrey’s assistant? I thought you worked for Stride Commerce.”
“Oh, right. I never really explained it properly. Ms. Brown is actually a major shareholder at Stride Commerce. Mr. Gibson still runs the place, but I report directly to her. I handle the business deals she left behind, including the Lunesse line.”
Just then, Carson’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and his face darkened.
“Who is it?”
“No one important. One of my patients isn’t doing well. I need to check in.”
“Alright,” Paige said, getting up. “We’ve got a company dinner tonight. I’ll give you a call once it’s over.”
“Sounds good.”
Carson walked her to the elevator, then made his way to Clayton’s hospital room.
His tone was cold as he entered. “What are you trying to pull?”
Clayton motioned for him to draw the curtain around the bed. Carson hesitated for a beat, then pulled it closed and stood at the bedside, arms crossed.
Clayton was sitting up in bed, knees pulled to his chest, silent for a moment before finally speaking.
“Your girlfriend,” he said quietly, “has a mole at the corner of her eye.”
Carson’s hand, tucked in his pocket, clenched into a tight fist. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ignoring him, Clayton continued, “She works at Stride Commerce too.”
He tilted his head and looked at Carson, his eyes narrow and cold, like a snake silently slithering in, poised to strike.
Carson avoided his gaze, but Clayton didn’t let up.
“I don’t care how you do it. I want to see Audrey. If you don’t make it happen, I’ll tell your girlfriend the real reason you’re dating her.”
1/2
09.03 Fri, 20 JUN →
Chapter 341
Carson’s jaw tightened, his expression hardening into something sharp and dangerous.
“Do whatever you want.”
He turned and walked out without another word.
He looked calm, but his steps gave him away, just a little too quick and uneven.
Once he was gone, Clayton finally looked down at his own crooked middle finger,
The first time he laid eyes on Paige, something about her felt strangely familiar.
He couldn’t put his finger on it at first, but when she came closer to curse him out, he saw the mole near her eye, and it hit him. Audrey had one just like
- it.
That was when he realized Carson wasn’t in love with Paige. He was using her as a stand–in for Audrey.
Clayton hadn’t expected that kind of deception from him.
Whether Audrey had remarried or not, Carson had no right to covet his friend’s woman.
Clayton hated that he’d lost Audrey for good. He hated even more that Carson still had access to everything about her, always one step closer than he
was.
If he couldn’t have her, then Carson sure as hell didn’t deserve happiness either.
Clayton didn’t come home that night. No one really noticed because no one really cared.
The next day passed, and by evening, Wyatt finally realized something was off.
“He’s been gone for over twenty–four hours?” he asked, frowning.
“Nope,” Riley replied, casually stirring a bowl of cereal before bringing it over to Lillian.
They had let the caregiver go weeks ago. Riley had stepped in, on the condition that she got full control over Lillian’s pension, and Lillian agreed.
Wyatt lifted Lillian into her wheelchair. Her head lolled slightly to the side, her mouth slack as she mumbled Alexa’s name over and over.
1
“Will you cut it out?” Wyatt snapped. “She’s not coming back! No one’s doing well right now, and it all started because Clayton couldn’t keep his damn distance from that woman.
“You spoiled him, and now look at the mess we’re in. He’s dragged the rest of us down with him!”
Lillian’s eyes welled up, but she didn’t argue. She knew Wyatt wasn’t in the mood to be reasoned with.
“Dad, you’ve worked all day. Go get some rest. I’ll take Grandma out for a walk,” Riley said as she wheeled the chair toward the front door.
They left the house and strolled through the apartment complex, stopping at a quiet corner near the outdoor gym.
Riley crouched down in front of Lillian, her tone suddenly shifting. “Grandma, Mom’s divorcing Dad. She promised to pay for my school, but now she won’t. I’m going to take you to talk to her, and we’re getting that money back.”
Lillian blinked, clearly confused.
“I’m not doing it for myself,” Riley went on, voice soft and convincing. “I’m doing it for you. Think about how good you’ve been to her since she married into the family.
“You never made her do housework. We had help during the week, and on weekends Audrey took over.
3/2
Chapter 341
“And remember the IVF? I heard each round cost over fifty grand. You helped her pay for that, right? the pregnancy didn’t work our TRATTINGERI But instead of taking responsibility, she lashes out at everyone, blames us for hver misery.
“Grandma, Dad barely makes enough to cover his own bills. Uncle Clayton’s drowning in debt. And even with your persion, how ans de cuppakene handle your hospital bills? We heed that money, and you need it. So you can recover. Isn’t that what matters?”
Lillian nodded slowly and then shook her head.
Her stroke had left her with slurred speech, a twisted mouth, and a constant stream of drool. Even if they did find Alexa, she couldn’t explain anything
herself.
Riley gently patted her leg. “You don’t need to talk. Just cry. As loud and as miserable as you can. Valerie says we’ve got the moral high ground. Tog‘ de the grandmother. I’m the daughter. She can’t just walk away from us like we don’t exist.”
At the mention of Valerie, Lillian’s eyes flickered with surprise.
‘What has Valerie been saying to her?‘ she wondered. “What did she tell her to make her so obedient?”
Lillian had never trusted Valerie and blamed her, in fact, for much of the chaos the Patel family had spiraled into. But on this point, she couldn’t deny the woman had a point.
She was Wyatt’s mother, and Riley was still a child. Alexa didn’t get to just walk away.
With Lillian’s hesitant blessing, Riley moved quickly, pushing the wheelchair with unexpected urgency. A driver saw them, a young girl alone with an elderly woman, and offered to help, touched by the sight.
Before long, they arrived at the office where Tony worked.
Alexa might not care about making a scene, but Tony did.
Last time, it had been Tony who gave in, who promised money just to make the problem go away.
Riley remembered that. And this time, she brought backup, her stroke–stricken grandmother.
She had learned a lot since then. Valerie had trained her well.
The moment she walked into the building, she was all smiles and politeness, greeting everyone she passed. When people asked what she was doing there, she gave the same sweet answer every time.
“This is my grandma. My mom’s really busy with work. She couldn’t take time off. There’s no one else to care for her. My grandfather said he’d send me to Ashbourne to study, but with my grandma sick, I don’t think that’s happening anymore.
“I might drop out for now. Take care of her until she gets better. Then maybe I’ll reapply.”
“It’s really not that hard. I mean, I’m only fifteen, but I can still manage. I’m not strong enough to lift her or turn her over, stuff like that.
“My grandfather always told my mom we should take care of our elders…”
but I can feed her, da laundry,
Tony
wor
