Chapter 9
James turned to me, his eyes softening instantly. “Honey, how were those punishments? Did they make you feel better?”
I nodded, my voice hoarse as I spoke. “Make them disappear. I don’t want to see them again.”
Hearing this, James waved his hand in disgust. “Drag them away.”
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Soon, only the two of us remained in the lounge.
James immediately dropped his cold facade and burrowed into my arms. like a big dog, his voice pitiful. “Honey, it’s all my fault. I’ll never leave you alone again.”
“Okay, okay.” I helplessly smoothed his hair.
The next moment, as if remembering something, James frowned, clearly annoyed, and protested. “Honey, you’ve always refused to publicly announce your identity as Mrs. Efron, thinking it was too high–profile. But it’s precisely because you’re too low–key that those scumbags dared to bully you. I don’t care–I’m going to officially announce you right now, so no blind idiots will dare bully you again next time.”
With that, James pulled out his phone and directly posted a family photo of the four of us on the Efron Group’s official account.
Watching his anxious manner, warmth surged through my heart.
The favoritism James showed me was something I’d never experienced before.
Over the next few days, James kept his word. Wherever he went, he
Chapter 9
brought me along, wishing he could hang me on his body like an
ornament.
Finally, while he was in an important meeting, I had a chance to take a walk by the beach, but I encountered the person I least wanted to see- Derek.
The moment they saw him, the bodyguards following me immediately went on high alert.
Derek ignored them completely.
He looked at me with deep affection and quickly walked toward me.
When he was just a step away, I roared. “Don’t come near me! You disgust me!”
Derek was hurt by the revulsion in my eyes, his face showing a wounded expression as he stammered. “Claire, don’t be like this… I came to… apologize to you. I’m sorry…”
His voice grew quieter and quieter, as if bowing his head to me was the most shameful thing in the world.
Seeing me cross my arms and sneer coldly.
His expression suddenly became agitated. “Claire, I already know that witch Tiffany’s true face. She’s just a gold digger who despises the poor and loves the rich. I was deceived by her innocent act. I… I just made a mistake that all men in the world would make-
“But… but how could you marry someone else? And have children? Didn’t I tell you to wait for me at home? How could you betray me?”
Derek’s eyes turned red as he breathed heavily and shouted hoarsely.
I found him utterly ridiculous. “What betrayal? We divorced ages ago,
Chapter 9
okay? Just because you say, ‘come back,‘ I’m supposed to drop everything? Just because you tell me to come back, I should come running back like a lapdog? Am I some dog you raised? Is that how cheap I am in your eyes?
“Derek, please have some shame. We ended things five years ago. Given how much I hate you, the fact that I haven’t sought revenge for five years is already the greatest mercy I could show you.”
Seeing me turn to leave, Derek panicked and chased after me, grabbing my hand.
J’Claire, don’t go. Your daughter is James’s child. Where is our child? Is James not letting you raise our child?
“I already know I was wrong. For the sake of our child, please divorce James, okay? Let’s remarry. I still love you…”
Hearing him mention the child, the hatred in my heart could no longer be contained.
How dare he?:
What he owed that child could never be repaid!
I yanked my hand away and slapped him across the face with all my strength.
“Shut up! How dare you mention the child–you don’t deserve it!
“You want to know where the child is? Then go die right now and reunite with them, so the child can see what kind of monster you were as a father!”
Hearing my hysterical roar, Derek looked bewildered for a moment.
He asked, his breath catching. “What… what do you mean? What happened to the child?”
Chapter 9
I looked at him coldly. “That child died five years ago. Because you locked me in the car, it suffocated to death in my belly.
“Derek, the sins you’ve committed can never be redeemed in this lifetime.”
Derek felt his world instantly collapse.
He knelt on the ground, ashen–faced, covering his face as tears streamed down, nearly breaking down completely.
“How could this be? I didn’t know.
“I didn’t know it would turn out like this. I did think about looking for you then, but Tiffany stopped me. She said you’d be fine, that she’d already found someone to take you to the hospital, so I…”
His face contorted as he squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth. “Tiffany!
“It’s all her fault, everything is her fault!”
Seeing him still refuse to reflect on himself and shift all responsibility to others, I sighed. “She’s at fault, but aren’t you? You cheated on your wife and abandoned your own child. Derek, you’re even more despicable and hateful than her. You two are cut from the same cloth. I used to fear you had a relationship, but now I sincerely wish you’d be locked together forever.
“Also, don’t appear in front of me again, or I really won’t be able to stop myself from killing you.”
After saying everything in one breath, I turned around to see that James had somehow finished his meeting and was waiting for me in the distance.
I lifted my skirt and ran toward him with a smile.
Chapter 9
But Derek, in complete desperation, shouted madly behind me. “All men in the world are the same! I’m a scumbag, but do you think James is any better? He’s a golden boy–he only plays around more! Claire Morgan, you’ll never be happy with him. I am the one destined for you!”
