Chapter 41
Audrey quickly glanced at Lillian, then hurriedly lowered her head, clutching her backpack tightly with both hands.
“What else do you have to say for yourself?” Clayton looked at Audrey with disappointment.
Although Audrey’s background didn’t match his, he had never looked down on her. He never expected that, out of jealousy toward Vally and Luna, Audrey would dare to steal money from the family. This brought shame not only to her but also to Clayton.
Audrey kept her eyes down and didn’t speak, but her knuckles turned pale as she clutched her bag and subtly hid it behind her back. “If you insist it was me who took it, then it was me.”
“Audrey, enough of that.” Clayton raised his voice
“What did she mean? The evidence is right here. She won’t admit her mistake and is still pretending to be innocent, he thought. “She can act well, but her eyes and actions have already given her away. She clearly feels guilty!
Lillian gave Alexa a look, and Alexa immediately stood up and snatched Audrey’s backpack.
“Keep your hands off my bag.” Audrey’s face turned pale as she tried to grab it back.
Alexa tamed her back and unzipped the bag: “Audrey, if you just hand over the item honestly, Mr. and Mrs. Patel might still forgive you, You’re the one pushing it,” she said, taking out the contents and throwing them onto the sofa.
“Don’t go through my bag. Who gave you the right to go through my things? You’re violating my privacy.” Audrey’s face turned red with anger as she grabbed Clayton’s shirt and demanded. “Clayton, you’re a lawyer. Are you just going to let Alexa go through my bag?” ”
Clayton’s were cold, and his tone was mocking “I gave you a chance just now
–
Audrey raised her hand to slap him, but Clayton caught her wrist. He held her tightly and looked back at Alexa.
Alexa, growing impatient, simply dumped the contents of the bag, causing keys, a power bank, and a lipstick and compact mirror to clatter noisily onto the floor.
“Clayton, don’t regret this. I will get my pe
I get my revenge for the humiliation you’ve caused me today.” Audrey said.
“Stealing over 1,000 dollars can lead to criminal liability 6,000 dollars is considered a significant amount,” Clayton said without turning his head, still tightly gripping Audrey’s wrist. “If Mom and Dad don’t sign a letter of forgiveness, you’ll be waiting to go to jail”
Audrey sneered. “You’d be happy to see me go to jail, so no one would stand in the way of you taking care of Valerie and Luna.”
Clayton grow even more furious. “At a time like this, she still won’t humble herself to sock forgiveness from Mom and Dad, and she’s still fixated on Vally he thought
Audrey’s words convinced Lillian that Audrey had taken the money out of jealousy toward Valerie and Luna.
*Found it,” Alexa said, picking up the brown envelope wrapped in a handkerchief. She had intended to give it to Lillian, but John took it first.
Upon seeing the factory name handwritten on the envelope, John’s eyes instantly filled with coldness.
The factory manager had approached John several times before. John used to approve requests, but now that the higher–ups were cracking down, ho was avoiding any suspicion by refusing to meet, John never expected them to target Lillian.
Knowing she had done wrong, Lillian now saw her only way out was to blame everything on Audrey to reduce John’s anger toward her.
“You bitch, you’re going to ruin the Patel family” Lilian grabbed something at random and throw it at Audrey
Without thinking, Clayton shielded Audrey with his body, taking the hit on his back.
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Chapter 41
The searing pain spread along his spine, and Clayton couldn’t help but grunt.
Lilian saw the power bank on the feer and immediately panicked. “Clayton, are you okay? Let me see?
Clayton’s shirt was stained with a hint el bleed on his back. Lillian’s eyes filled with tears as she carefully tried to lift his shirt.
Clayton dodged to the Side, still holding Audrey in his arms, and drop this”
nough gritted teeth, “We found the envelope. I’ll replace the money. Let’s just
“Clayton, are you still protecting her at a time like this?” Lillian couldn’t believe it. She was heartbroken for her son and furious with Audrey
In Lillian’s eyes, Audrey didn’t deserve Claytofat all. With just her looks, Audry had bewitched Clayton into losing his senses. Even with the evidence right there, Clayton was still protecting her.
Five minutes earlier, Valerie had arrived with her daughter for a visit,
A servant, aware of Valerie’s relationship with the Patel family, treated her politely and asked her to wait in the courtyard, mentioning that a family meeting was in progress inside
Valenc, using the excuse of accompanying her daughter to the restroom, positioned herself just on the other side of the wall and listened clearly
She thought to herself, “Audrey must be insanely jealous of me to actually steal money from the Patel family. What’s so great about her that Clayton would go against his entire family to protect her?
Hmph, since he won’t agree to a divorce, just give them a little push. What if the neighbors see Audrey being taken away by the police and the Patel family being humiliated! Even if Clayton doesn’t want to, he have to divorce her!
Lilian was not willing t to let Audrey off easily.
“It doesn’t matter that she’s poor and has no one to rely on, but she can’t stoop so low,” Lillian said, her face pale with disgust. “We were fortunate to discover this in time and averted a major disaster. Who knows what she might do next? She could bring ruin to the entire family”
Clayton defended Audrey but had to admit that his mother had a point. He said to Audrey, “You were indeed in the wrong this time, and you need to
show some remorse.”
Audrey looked at Clayton, her eyes filled with disappointment and grievance. No matter how much Lillian and Alexa humiliated her, Audrey neither
admitted nor denied anything
Clayton felt uneasy as if he had misunderstood her again. But the evidence was right there–the envelope with the money was found in Audrey’s bag.
‘Didn’t she want evidence? The evidence is right in front of her. I’m not wrong he thought to himself,
Clayton’s palm pressed down hard, forcing Audrey to bend her body lower. “Kneel before Mom and Dad.”
Why should I? Audrey suddenly exerted force and broke free from Clayton’s grip. “Even if I admit I took it, I won’t kneel to them.”
“Audrey, you have gone so far.” Clayton raised his hand sharply. Before his hand could come down, Audrey slapped him first. Crack Clayton’s face twisted to the side, and a flash of ferocity crossed his eyes
Previously, when Audrey had struck him, he had endured it, but this was the third time. Clayton was a man with pride and a reputation to uphold. When he looked at Audrey again, his eyes were as forces if he wanted to devour her.
Audrey picked up her phone. The screen was cracked, but it still allowed her to make a quick call
“Hello, this is the emergency center, the voice on the other end said.
Clayton, being the closest, heard clearly and instinctively tried to grab the phone. “Audrey, who said you could call the police?”
Audrey clutched the phone and ran outside. “Help me. Eve been illegally detained and assaulted.”
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Chapter 41
Alesá grabbed kućmy’s hah, but Audrey wong her hand to prevent her from taking the phone. “I’m at number 27, Starise House Help”
Clayton grabbed her wrist, wrested the phone from her, and hung up before slapping Audrey :
hey again. Audrey fall to the ground and suddenly became
told you we shouldn’t be too lenient with her.” I wouldn’t have dared to’scheme”
“Lillian said, walking over and looking down at Audrey. “If you had disciplined her like this earlier, she
Clayton’s hand was numb, and his heart ached with pain. He hadn’t wanted to bit Audrey, but she know the money was sensitive. By calling the police, she was trying to in John
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