Chapter 87
Clayton couldn’t get Audrey out of his head. Compared to Valerie, whose face was swollen from crying, Audrey looked like a goddess.
He was furious that Audrey had humiliated him in front of professors and peers, exposing his wounds. He wanted to wring her neck just to shut her up. But instead of choking Audrey, his hand got broken by her.
Maybe it was because Audrey had always been so gentle before–her sudden outburst of violence sparked a strange desire in him to conquer her.
“Audrey…” Clayton braced himself against the wall with his broken hand and used the other hand to touch her.
Outside, Valerie’s eyes burned red with rage. She wanted to barge in several times, but held herself back.
She thought Clayton had to be hers. Everything about him belonged to her.
As the shower turned on, Valerie rushed back to the bed and pretended to be sweet and thoughtful when Clayton came out.
Clayton pushed her hand away. “Go to sleep. I’m really tired today.”
Valerie thought, ‘Tired my ass! You were at it for so long just now–didn’t seem tired then!‘
Valerie cursed in her heart but played the part of the obedient girlfriend, pitifully scooting to the edge of the bed. “I’ve been married. I’ve even had a kid. I know I don’t deserve you. But you know my mom…”
“Enough.” Clayton had run out of patience. He turned off the light and went straight to sleep.
In a private room of the banquet hall, after Clayton was escorted out, several people threw Audrey uneasy glances. Some were sympathetic, others pitiful.
There were even a few who thought she was just clueless–that she shouldn’t have married him in the first place. Now she was just reaping what she sowed.
“Mr. William’s legacy is outstanding. It shouldn’t be completely tarnished by one disgraceful person,” Yann said slowly.
Yann lifted his eyes, scanning the room. His gaze, cold and sharp, finally landed on Samson.
Samson’s eyelid twitched–he instantly got the message.
He raised his voice. “Make sure every law firm hears about Clayton’s misdeeds. Let this serve as a warning to all. But no one–and I mean no one–is allowed to hurt Audrey in any way again. Or I won’t let it slide.”
In other words, it was “Bash Clayton all you want, but Audrey’s name is off–limits.” She could be referred to as Mrs. Patel, Clayton’s ex–wife, or even other
names–but he didn’t want her name to be linked to Clayton again.
The lawyers who had just been gossiping about how Audrey brought this on herself instantly shut their mouths. His eyes shifted between Yann and Samson–it was clear these two were protecting Audrey.
He didn’t know who Audrey really was, or why she/had such powerful backing, but he was sure of one thing–Clayton was done for.
After leaving the room, Paul continued to guide Audrey through the social rounds. Yann seemed to have something else to do and left early.
Once Paul finished up with the last potential client, he grabbed a small cake from the display. “You must be tired. Take tomorrow morning off.”
He took a bite and then remembered to ask Audrey if she wanted any.
Audrey waved it off. “No thanks. I’m heading out.”
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21:05 Sat, 31 May
Chapter 87
The car that brought her was arranged by Calvin. If it didn’t take her home, it would probably take her to pick up her own car.
Paul watched her walk out of the banquet hall, his expression gradually changing.
“Mr. Gibson, it’s been a while.” A woman in black appeared behind him and handed him a glass of champagne. “If Mrs. Gibson finds out you’ve finally settled down, she’ll be delighted.”
Paul turned around, his gaze turning ice–cold.
Audrey had just walked out of the banquet hall when she realized her phone wasn’t on her–it must have been left in the car. She had rushed over and hadn’t memorized the license plate, so she could only borrow a phone to call Calvin.
Just as she was about to head back into the hall, a car not far away flashed its headlights. Calvin quickly stepped out and waved to her.
Audrey lifted her gown and hurried over, glancing around to make sure no one was watching before slipping into the car. She moved as quickly as a covert agent.
“I left my phone in-“Before she could finish, the phone was already being handed to her.
Audrey smiled at Yann. “I thought you’d left.”
“I was about to,” Yann replied calmly.
+38)
Audrey unlocked her phone to check it. There were a lot of missed calls. One from Tiffany, one from Carson, and the remaining eight were all from Calvin.
She looked up and saw Calvin watching her through the rearview mirror.
He explained, “I tried to call to let you know I was leaving, but I couldn’t get through. Sir was worried that something might have happened to you. Later, we found your phone in the car.”
Audrey’s eyes lit up as she looked at Yann. “At an event like this, I doubt anyone would be dumb enough to mess with me.” She paused, then added. “And if they were, I already dealt with them.”
She was about to call Tiffany back, but saw the call had come in over two hours ago and hadn’t been repeated since–probably nothing urgent.
So she chose to call Carson instead. The line rang for quite a while before it was finally answered by a woman.
“Dr. Wilson is in surgery. Would you like him to return your call after he’s done?” the woman asked.
“No need. I’ll call tomorrow.” Audrey hung up and noticed Yann looking at her phone. She took the initiative to explain, “Carson took Luna’s hair for a paternity test. He called me this morning but had to go midway.”
“With Valerie?” Yann asked.
“Mm,” Audrey nodded.
She thought, ‘Carson probably thinks Valerie isn’t the child’s biological mother–because how else could she be so cruel?‘ But Audrey knew from experience that sometimes, a biological mother could do things far more terrifying than a stranger.
A flash of heartache crossed Yann’s eyes. He reached out and held her wrist. She didn’t say it, but he understood. The pain of being betrayed by her own
mother was intense.
Audrey gave a bitter smile. “Let’s go.”
The car slowly pulled out of the parking area. As they passed the hotel entrance, Paul came down the steps, walking side by side with a woman in a black
gown.
Paul looked distracted and slightly irritated, but the moment he saw Yann’s car, his expression changed sharply,
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Chapter 87
The woman in black also looked over.
22%
+38
The Maybach had dark tinted windows–no one could see inside. But the woman seemed convinced whoever was inside could see her. She smiled and nodded, as if greeting someone.
Audrey recognized her. When she and Yann shook hands earlier, the woman had been standing nearby, next to a petite baby–faced girl.
She remembered the way that woman looked at her–it was strange. Not like she was looking at a romantic rival, but definitely not friendly.
Audrey instinctively glanced at Yann, who leaned forward just enough to block her view.
A second later, Vann’s phone rang. The screen hit up, showing the caller’s name. It was Coralie. Yann didn’t answer–he simply silenced the call.
A car ahead, probably driven by a rookie, had tried backing up three times and still couldn’t clear the gate. Calvin had no choice but to wait behind it.
The woman in black smiled and started walking slowly toward Yann’s car.
Audrey’s heart clenched. She thought, ‘They are pretending to be strangers in public–what if someone finds out they are in the car together?‘
She didn’t want Yann to be put in a tough spot, and she definitely didn’t want to explain her relationship with him to anyone.
Audrey turned and grabbed the door handle, ready to slip out and make a run for it. But just then, a large hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked her
back in.
Audrey lost her balance and fell straight into his arms.
The woman in black had just reached the car door when she saw the vehicle suddenly jolt.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
