Chapter 12
“I repeat–I ain’t agreeing to a divorce.” Clayton gripped Audrey tighter and leaned down to kiss her neck.
Audrey swung her bag hard to hit his back as she struggled to break free.
She was dead set that their divorce was happening, with or without his permission.
Outside the door, she turned to him and said, “Valerie trashed my
apartment. If you don’t pay for it, I’ll report her and let the cops handle it.”
Clayton asked, “You really have to take it that far?”
Audrey nodded. “Yes.”
Clayton’s face went dark like a thundercloud. He took out his phone and transferred the money to her account.
Audrey reminded him, “Make sure you note it as compensation for Valerie damaging my house.”
As a lawyer’s wife, she knew such cases. Clayton once told her that transfers between spouses, if not clearly noted, could be considered joint marital assets. She wasn’t about to give him half of it back during their divore
-y
early thought of that too, and his expression turned even colder.
saw the notification–50,000 dollars received–then turned and
ked into the elevator.
Clayton stopped the doors from closing and added, “The extra money is for living expenses. Stay at the new place and think it through.”
He thought, ‘Audrey was still asking for money, and it means she couldn’t be serious about leaving me. She’s just jealous of Valerie and Luna.‘
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Audrey slapped his hand off the door and let it close.
In her mind, the compensation was hers by right, and the living expenses were also hers by right.
Clayton stuck his hand out again, forcing the door open. “Audrey, sending you to Ashwood was on me, I admit that. But the way you spoke to my mother wasn’t okay. You should call her and apologize.”
Audrey shot him a glare. “Are you out of your damn mind?”
“She’s my mom. Even if she was out of line, you shouldn’t have embarrassed her.” He tugged at his collar, annoyed. “And besides, she didn’t even say anything. Riley is immature. Are you really gonna blame a kid?”
Audrey would have slapped him across the face if she didn’t hold anything
in her hands.
She burned with rage, thinking, ‘If Lillian had even a shred of respect for me, Riley wouldn’t have dared act like that. They all humiliated me, and now he wants me to apologize? Has he completely lost it?‘
Suddenly, Clayton’s phone rang from inside the house. He hesitated, unsure whether to answer. Audrey used the moment to stomp hard on his foot, shoved him back, and slammed the elevator door shut.
*****
At Ironhaven Medical Center, Luna sat quietly there, tears streaming down her face. A shallow but nasty–looking cut ran across her slim wrist. It hadn’t hit any major vessels, but the torn flesh looked scary.
“How’d she even get a knife?” Clayton rushed in after getting the call and was greeted by the sight.
Valerie explained through her sobs, “Luna saw Audrey use a knife to cut my hand. She was probably afraid that Audrey would hurt me again, so
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Chapter 12
she hid the knife on herself.”
She paused for a moment and added, “She understood what you said to Audrey. She didn’t want to be a burden and cause you any more trouble. That’s why she tried to end her own life.”
Sitting to the side, Lillian looked like she was carved from ice. “Look at what your wife did. Oh, poor Luna.”
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“Mrs. Patel, it’s not Audrey’s fault. I’ve just had a hard life.” Valerie clung to Luna like she was about to pass out from crying. “If my dad were still alive, we wouldn’t be so helpless. That scumbag would’ve never dared treat us like this.”
Luna’s face was pale–whether from blood loss or fear. Her little body trembled in Valerie’s arms.
At the mention of Valerie’s father, Lillian’s face turned even more gloomy.
A flash of irritation crossed her eyes, and she thought, ‘Sure, we owe her father a big favor, but the way Valerie kept using his name like a shield is really annoying.’
“Clayton, Luna got hurt because of your wife. Whether Audrey agrees or not, you should be Luna’s legal guardian and protect her,” Lillian spoke like she was issuing a command, leaving no room for argument.
Clayton’s eyes turned icier. “I see, Mom. I’ll take care of it.”
“You heard that, Luna? Clayton won’t leave you alone.” Valerie gently pulled Luna from her arms, cupped her face, and smiled with tears. “Now, you have a real family. No more kids will call you a bastard.”
Luna looked up at Clayton, confused.
Clayton crouched down and softly patted her head. “Luna, you’re a wonderful kid. I’ll be there as you grow up. But no more hurting yourself, okay? That breaks my heart.”
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Chapter 12
Luna glanced over at Valerie again.
Valerie wiped her tears and forced a smile. “Thank goodness you’re here, Clay. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
The doctor recommended keeping Luna at the hospital for observation, but Valerie turned it down.
She said, “She’s scared of hospitals. I was in and out of them a lot back when her father used to beat me. She still gets flashbacks. Taking her home will help her calm down. I’ll manage it.”
Everyone in the Patel family knew Luna had autism, so no one objected.
Riley grabbed Luna’s other hand, tugging her along while muttering, “Audrey cut Vally’s hand last time, and now Luna’s hurt too. She’s just a jinx.”
“Audrey only snapped because she’s too in love with Clayton. If she didn’t care, she wouldn’t be pushing for a divorce just to force him to cut ties with me,” Valerie said gently while watching Lillian out of the corner of her eye.
She wondered, ‘Clayton didn’t want Audrey to air the divorce in front of the family. Fine, I’ll do it for her.‘
“Divorce?” Lillian stopped dead in her tracks and turned sharply toward Clayton. “She’s threatening you with that now?” ·
“I’m sorry, Clay. I thought Mrs. Patel already knew that. I shouldn’t have said that.” Valerie pretended to panic.
She waved her hands and bowed to Lillian. “Mrs. Patel, just pretend I didn’t say a word. Audrey probably didn’t mean it. Maybe she was just kidding.”
“She doesn’t get to joke about something like that,” Lillian snapped, clearly irritated. “I was against her from the beginning. That girl from a small
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town is greedy as hell, and she pretended to be all sweet at first. Now we see who she really is.
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“Vally’s family did us a huge favor, and Audrey’s trying to cut her off like we’re ungrateful bastards? That kind of woman doesn’t deserve to be your wife. File for divorce, now.”
Clayton clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling. “Mom, you promised once I got married, you wouldn’t meddle in my marriage.”
“What now? You gonna cut off your own mother for some spiteful
woman?” Lillian’s glare could slice glass.
“Clay, Mrs. Patel’s blood pressure isn’t great. Don’t upset her,” Valerie said softly to Clayton.
She then turned to Lillian. “Please, Mrs. Patel, don’t stress yourself. Clayton’s the sweetest I’ve ever seen. He’d never go against you. You don’t need to push him. He knows what he should do.”
Lillian thought, ‘Look, even an outsider knows my blood pressure’s a problem. Audrey even argued with me like I’m no one. I had a bad feeling about her from day one. She’s too pretty and doesn’t look like someone from a small town.
‘She definitely did get into a university in Ironhaven and land a job at a foreign firm on her own.
‘If I hadn’t pushed Clayton, he wouldn’t have grabbed just any woman to shut me up. She even tries to play the queen in front of Clay? Not a
chance!‘
Lillian said as she walked ahead, “Even if you don’t care about your own reputation, think of your father and your brother.
“Your wife has violent tendencies. She hurt Vally and nearly pushed Luna to the edge. If you want people saying the Patel family turns their backs on those who helped them, then go ahead and keep defending her.”
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