Chapter 12
Blanche’s hand slipped under Edmond’s shirt, trailing along his chest.
He froze. The meaning behind her touch was crystal clear, and any desire he might’ve felt vanished instantly, without a
trace.
“Don’t even think about it,” he said coldly, pushing her hand away. His voice was glacial. “Finn’s birth was a mistake. Don’t you dare read anything more into it.”
Blanche’s face went pale. She quickly withdrew her hand.
“I wasn’t… It was Finn-he kept bringing it up. I swear, I’ll do whatever you say.”
“He shouldn’t even have those thoughts.”
Edmond shot her a look, raw disgust flickering openly across his face..
“His birthday’s over. Once we’ve sorted out his school enrollment, we’re filing for divorce.”
That sentence stopped her cold.
“Edmond!” she cried, rushing toward him and clinging desperately to his arm. Her eyes brimmed with tears.
“We can’t get divorced! Finn’s still so young. Are you really going to make him grow up without a father?”
Edmond gave a short, bitter laugh and yanked his arm free.
“And what about my daughter? You think I’m going to let her grow up without a name, without a future?”
He buttoned his shirt, tone clipped and final.
“I’ll give you and your son a generous settlement. You can move to another city-live well. But stay away from us. Forever.”
Without another word, he grabbed his coat and stormed out, never once noticing the look Blanche shot at his back-eyes burning with poison.
“That bitch and her little bastard…” she hissed under her breath. “If only they’d both just die.”
Edmond returned home to silence. The empty house only made his frustration worse. He dialed Harris immediately.
“Find Amelia. I want her location within five minutes.”
She was being unreasonable-completely reckless. April was still an infant. What was she thinking dragging a child
around like that?
But five minutes passed. Then another. And another.
All Harris could say was: “We’re still looking.”
“Useless,” Edmond muttered through gritted teeth, hurling his phone onto the couch.
He paced, agitated. Amelia had always been gentle-never one for petty tantrums. If she’d left this time, it wasn’t on a
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whim. She was genuinely furious.
The thought of her glaring at him through tears-tear-brimmed eyes, trembling lip-sent a strange flicker of satisfaction
through his chest.
She still cared. She had to. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be this upset.
Smirking slightly, Edmond decided to give her an out-extend the olive branch, show her he was willing to make amends.
The next morning, he texted Blanche:
“Bring your ID and our marriage license. Meet me outside the City Hall in 30 minutes.”
He needed to close this chapter before starting anew with his daughter. Once the divorce was official, he could register
April properly. Once Amelia saw he meant it, she’d come back.
But hours passed, and Blanche never replied.
He called. Her phone was off.
His expression darkened.
Blanche had never ignored his calls-let alone dared to shut off her phone.
An uneasy chill spread through his chest. On impulse, he pulled up the bank app and checked the transactions on her
linked account.
His pupils constricted. Over the last three months, Blanche had withdrawn more than ten million.
She’d always been cautious with money. What the hell was she doing with that kind of cash?
Anxious now, Edmond jumped in his car and drove straight to the villa. The moment he opened the door, he stopped
short.
Clothes-both men’s and women’s-were strewn across the entryway, forming a trail that led all the way to the bedroom.
A sick dread coiled in his gut as he approached the partially open door. And then he heard it-moans, breathy and vulgar, seeping through the crack.
He pushed the door open just enough to see-two naked bodies entangled on the bed.
His eyes zeroed in on the man.
The voice. The face. The man who’d orchestrated Finn’s kidnapping.
“Missed me, babe?” the man crooned, his laugh low and lecherous.
Blanche’s cheeks were flushed, her breath ragged. “You’re still the best… Edmond’s been useless for years-bland, boring. barely a man anymore.”
“Once I squeeze a few more million out of him, we’ll disappear. Just the three of us.”
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“Don’t rush,” she giggled. “That idiot still thinks Finn is his. He’s obsessed with the kid.”
“When the time’s right, I’ll cozy up to him again, get him to transfer part of the company to me and our son…”
“You think he’ll fall for it?”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Blanche let out a peal of laughter. “He didn’t even realize the kidnapping was staged. And he drove his own wife away for me. What a fool!”
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