Chapter 7
Clifford glanced down at his phone and quickly pressed the lock screen button to silence it. His movements were so smooth, it was as if he had practiced this countless times.
Suddenly, I felt a surge of curiosity.
During the countless nights over the past three years when I had worried about his late returns, was this how he had ended my calls?
Just as the ringing stopped, the caller dialed again before he could even respond.
I saw a flicker of familiar irritation cross Clifford’s eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he lifted his gaze, cautiously looking at me.
I maintained a blank expression and pointed toward the door, silently urging him to leave.
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Seizing the moment he turned to answer the call, I slipped away in the opposite direction.
Once I was in the car, I immediately set my phone to silent mode.
It wasn’t until after the interview that I noticed dozens of missed calls on my
phone.
It was my sister and Clifford who had called.
In addition, there was a notification for an entertainment news article about the Cain
Family.
A sense of foreboding surged within me.
I clicked in and, sure enough, found photos. of my sister and me on the day of the wedding, both wearing cheap wedding dresses and waiting for the groom.
In the comments, some users accused my sister and me of using our father‘ sillness to threaten the Cain Family into a sham
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marriage.
Even our father’s death was being dismissed as a scripted act.
Others had dug up details about our family’s background.
The stark disparity in our assets led the online community to wholeheartedly believe these allegations.
I was shaking with rage, taking screenshots. as evidence for a potential lawsuit.
Just as I was preparing to order a ride. home, another call from Clifford came. through.
He began with a sharp, accusatory tone.
“Aren’t you the one who wanted a divorce? Why are you exposing those photos? Do you have any idea that the wedding planning company is considering suing Tere because the contract signatory and the wedding’s actual star aren’t the same person?”
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“She was just trying to help and the way you‘ re acting now is downright cruel! You orchestrated that trending topic yesterday, didn’t you? You know my mom can t stand her–how can you be so manipulative?”
“She’s already forgiven you for what you did to her. What more do you want to stir up? With how adamant you are, I thought you really wanted a divorce. But it looks like this is just a game of push and pull, isn’t it?”
was so furious I almost blacked out.
With someone so shameless and dim- witted, arguing was pointless.
“Think whatever you want. If you want to keep up this delusion, go ahead. Just set a date for the divorce and let me know!”
I ended the call without waiting for his response.
But just a few steps out, I saw Clifford‘ s Maybach parked right in front of me.
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My expression darkened instantly.
Before I could think of a retort, he feigned a casual demeanor and said,
“If you don’t want to go through with the divorce, that’s fine. I can pretend nothing happened this time, but you have to apologize to Tere. You were wrong for laying a hand on her.”
“She was just trying to help and the way you‘ re acting now is downright cruel! You orchestrated that trending topic yesterday, didn’t you? You know my mom can’t stand her–how can you be so manipulative?”
“She’s already forgiven you for what you did to her. What more do you want to stir up? With how adamant you are, I thought you really wanted a divorce. But it looks. like this is just a game of push and pull, isn’t it?”
I was so furious I almost blacked out.
With someone so shameless and dim-
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witted, arguing was pointless.
“Think whatever you want. If you want to keep up this delusion, go ahead. Just set a date for the divorce and let me know!”
I ended the call without waiting for his
response.
But just a few steps out, I saw Clifford‘ s Maybach parked right in front of me.
My expression darkened instantly.
Before I could think of a retort, he feigned a casual demeanor and said,
“If you don’t want to go through with the divorce, that’s fine. I can pretend nothing happened this time, but you have to apologize to Tere. You were wrong for
laying a hand on her.”
After hanging up the phone, I forced a smile and stepped inside.
My sister had already prepared a meal and hurried over to take my bag from me.
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“How was your day, Sis? You‘ ve worked so hard! Go ahead and eat and once I‘ m healed, I’ll start looking for a job too!”
“Don’t worry, even though I haven‘ t worked in three years, taking care of you won’t be an issue!”
I pulled out my phone to check the date–it was time for my sister‘ s bandage change.
As we sat down to eat, I noticed she seemed a bit uneasy, hesitating several times as if she wanted to say something.
After a long pause, she finally spoke up,
“Adrian called me again.”
My hand paused midair, chopsticks frozen.
I knew how much my sister liked Adrian; part of the reason I agreed to a secret marriage was because I could see how deeply she loved him.
I thought maybe she was having second thoughts about the divorce, but then she surprised me with her next words.
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“Sis, can we file for divorce? I don‘ t want
any contact with him anymore.”
There was a determination in her eyes that I had never seen before.
In that moment, I suddenly realized my sister, whom I had always protected, had
grown up.
I smiled at her and said, “Go get ready; we need to head to the hospital for your bandage change. I’ll be quick.
While she changed, I washed the dishes
and called for a ride.
All the way to the hospital, I contemplated how to ask Clifford to move up the divorce
date.
Once we arrived at the hospital, my sister went to the outpatient department for her bandage change while I tried to call Clifford a few times in the hallway.
But none of my calls went through.
Thinking he might be busy with work, I
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headed downstairs to pay the fees first.
However, a crowd had gathered and I couldn’t squeeze through to the payment
window.
From the center of the crowd came a
familiar roar.
“What have I done to deserve this? You think you can play me and my brother for fools? For five years, I must have been blind! Don’t ever let me see you again!”
Clifford was even angrier than he had been during our last fight, his rage reaching a breaking point.
Facing him, Tere stood there with her arm bandaged, the wrapping unraveling and dragging on the ground, yet there wasn’t a single wound on her arm.
The gentle expression that once graced his face was gone, replaced by a twisted, terrifying visage.
“These were your choices! My five years of
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youth aren’t worth anything? Those were all my dues! Stop pretending to be innocent in front of me!”
“I know exactly what you and Adrian are! Don’t think I’m as foolish as those two idiots from the Lloyd family!”
Clifford was furious, the veins in his neck. bulging prominently.
In the next moment, in front of everyone, he slammed a thick stack of documents
onto Tere’s face.
I had never seen him treat Tere with such ruthless disregard.
Onlookers quickly parted to form a path as he stormed toward me.
But the moment he laid eyes on me, his furious expression vanished, replaced by a forced smile.
“Wanda, can we talk?’
Thinking about the divorce, I nodded in
agreement.
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Once the crowd had dispersed, I finished paying and followed him to the corner of
the staircase.
Before I could say a word, he slapped himself hard across the face.
