Chapter 29
Tve already lost everything; what more do I have to fear?” Claire’s voice was steady, defiant.X
Ethan glared at her, his eyes boring into hers, but Claire met his gaze without flinching.
For the first time, Ethan saw something in Claire’s eyes that he never expected–contempt.
Could she really despise him?%
The Claire he remembered was always compliant, eager to please, putting his needs first. During those three years, he had grown used to her unwavering devotion and admiration. He couldn’t comprehend how her attitude had changed so drastically
He had even gone so far as to cross Brian for her sake.
Brian was Vanessa’s fiance, and in siding with Claire, Ethan had ended up hurting Vanessa too.”
After all he had done, how could she still not be satisfied?
“Claire!” he growled, a menacing edge to his voice. “If you try to run again, I’ll fire May.“”
Claire’s heart skipped a beat
May was the only person in the Linwood family who had shown her any kindness. If May lost her job because of her, Claire would never forgive herself_1
She clenched her fists, trying to appear indifferent. “You can fire your own staff, what does it have to do with me?”
As long as she acted like she didn’t care, perhaps Ethan wouldn’t follow through on his threat to May.
But Ethan only laughed coldly. “Oh really? Then I’ll not only fire May, but I’ll also see to it that her daughter is expelled from school.” May’s daughter, Mandy Shaw, was in her second year of college.
Five years ago, Mandy had braved a storm on her bicycle to bring Claire her college entrance exam admission ticket. The slippery roads had led to a fall, breaking her right arm, nearly costing her the chance to sit for her exams.
When Claire returned home after the exams, May had confided that the admission ticket had somehow ended up hadn’t found it in time, it would have been carried away by the garbage collectors.
- h. If May
in the trash. If
Claire owed both May and Mandy more than she could ever repay.”
If her actions caused them to lose their jobs and educational opportunities, it would be worse than death for her.
Claire’s body was tense with anger, barely held in check.
Seeing her silence, Ethan assumed she still hadn’t given in. He sneered, “I heard May’s daughter is a top student, always winning scholarships. It would be a shame if she were expelled…”
“Smack
A sharp slap interrupted Ethan’s words and sent his head snapping to the side.
Victor, watching from the rearview mirror, widened his eyes.
Did Claire just slap Ethan?!
It was an unimaginable scene, yet it unfolded right before his eyes.
He had always thought of Claire as meek, but here she was, showing her claws &
It reminded him of the saying. Even a cornered rabbit will bite.”
This defiant side of Claire piqued his interest far more than her submissive demeanor ever had
Victor grinned, entertained by the drama “Ethan, does it hurt?
Ethan’s expression darkened, nearly stormy enough to bring rain k
Claire was frail, having not eaten or drunk anything for nearly two days; her slap was light, barely causing him any physical pain. But the sting wasn’t in the slop itself–it was in the affront to his pride
His sister wasnt supposed to be so disobedienti
Ethan, enraged by the unexpected blow felt his temper boil over. His eyes flashed with anger as he lunged, clamping his hands around. Claire’s neck, pinning her against the car seat
Pain seared through Claire’s throat, her breath coming in desperate gasps, her lungs screaming for air Her vision blurred as her face turned a deep shade of purple
Victor’s voice cut through the tension, “Ethan, let go! You’ll kill her if you keep this up.
“Good riddance, Ethan spat, though his grip slackened
Victor, unimpressed, quipped, “If she’s going to die, let it be somewhere else. I don’t want the mess in my car.”
