Chapter 6
Claire glanced up at him with a composed and distant expression. Her eyes were steady and unapologetic. “I don’t have a gown.”
Ethan’s anger flared even more at her words. “No gown? Can’t you just buy one?‘%
Claire took a deep breath. Ethan’s prejudice against her mn too deep; he wouldn’t believe anything she said. She had tried to explain before, but the more she explained, the more he accused her of hiding things, relentlessly blaming her. She felt exhausted and didn’t want to explain anymore. So, she mplied coldly, “I don’t have any money.”
Ethan’s brows knitted tightly, and the fury roared in his chest, impossible to suppress. “For the three years you were with our family, you wanted for nothing. Every month, the company deposited half a million dollars into your account as an allowance. That adds up to eighteen million over three years! And yet, you dress in thrift store clothes, making it look like the Linwood family mistreats you.“l
“Claire, you can’t be so selfish. We’ve compensated you enough. It’s time to stop all this fuss.“X
“Anything more would just be overdramatic!”
Claire knew this would happen. No matter what she said, she would remain untrusted. She stared at him, unblinking. For some reason, her unwavering gaze made Ethan feel a momentary pang of guilt:
“Why are you looking at me like that? I didn’t say anything wrong.”
Wrong? Hal Claire chuckled inwardly. She hadn’t wanted to stir trouble, but Ethan’s aggressive stance fueled a spark of defiance in her She noticed some people approaching from the comer of her eye. If there was going to be a scene, why not make it a big one? She had already lost face; she had nothing left to lose. But Ethan, who cared so much about appearances, might not handle public humiliation so well
I’ve never received any money from the company, let alone half a million. If Mr. Ethan wants to accuse me, at least find a better reason.
Ethan’s eyes brimmed with even more disdain as he looked at Claire. “You really won’t cry until you see the coffin, Claire. You leave me no choice. Don’t blame me for not sparing your dignity.”
With that, he pulled out his phone and dialled the company’s finance department, putting the call on speaker. “Check for me how much money has been transferred to Claire’s account each month.”
A hesitant voice came through the speaker, “Miss Claire?7
“Yes.“I
if it’s Miss Claire, there’s no need to check.”
“What do you mean?” Ethan snapped.
“Well, the thing is, the company’s finance department has never transferred any money to Miss Claire’s account,“\
“What did you say? Ethan could hardly believe his ears: Even if Claire wasn’t well–liked, she was still part of the Linwood family. How could she not have an allowance?2
The night Claire was brought home, he had discussed with h
his parents how much allowance would be appropriate for her. To be fair, Claire’s allowance was set to be the same as Vanessa’s, at half a million a month. He couldn’t possibly remember it wrong.!
“I thought I made that clear before?“%
“Sir, didn’t you know? Mrs. Linwood said that since Miss Claire came from an orphanage and might have poor judgment with questionable friends, giving her such a large allowance might lead her astray. At the time, Miss Claire was still in high school, with all her needs covered by the Linwood family, so the allowance was deemed unnecessary. ”
Ethan’s mind buzzed with these revelations. No allowance at all? Claire had received nothing in those three years with the family.
“Oh, and Mrs. Linwood increased Miss Vanessa’s allowance from half a million to a million a month, saying she was worried Miss Vanessa might feel neglected with Claire back. The extra money was meant to compensate Miss Vanessa. You were aware of this, right?”
It felt as if Ethan’s throat was being constricted, leaving him breathless. No, he hadn’t known.
