Crossroads

Chapter 59

Dominick reclined against the car, adopting a leisurely posture. His eyes, partially veiled, lazily traced patterns on the car window with hist Fingertips, as if indifferent to the world around him.

“Not only did you deceive him, but you also orchestrated a plan to harm him in ways that he could never fathom…”

With each chilly, sonorous syllable, Claire’s complexion paled, as if the weight of Dominick’s words pressed upon her soul.

“No, that’s not true,” she protested, her lips trembling in denial.

“Stop your baseless accusations!”

Claire’s agitation grew, a mounting sense of dread and unease enveloping her in the confined space of the car. Desperately, she grasped at the door handle, wanting to escape.

But the door remained locked, trapping her within.

Dominick, disdain evident in his gaze, opened his eyes fully, fixing Claire with an unwavering stare through the rearview mirror.

“Ms. Peterson, according to this hospital report, you’re medically incapable of bearing children. So, may I ask, where did your daughter come

from?”

He casually tossed a bundle of papers toward her, his eyes ablaze with contempt and impatience. “While your daughter is truly related to the Nelson family, the DNA test shows that you’re not her mother…

“You first planned to get Kevin into legal trouble, then sought your brother–in–law’s help to save him, hoping to earn his gratitude so you could marry him and become part of the wealthy Nelson family. But Stella’s insistence that he marry another woman thwarted your plans. So you patiently bided your time abroad, waiting for the right moment to return with his daughter…”

“No! That’s not it”

With these accusations, Claire’s heart pounded with fear and apprehension.

‘No… he couldn’t possibly know,” she tried to comfort herself

Her thoughts spun in disarray.

This long–buried secret was unknown even to her sister, Courtney, so how could Dominick know about it so well?

Could it be that fateful year, he…

Startled, Claire looked up, meeting Dominick’s inscrutable and forbidding eyes in the rearview mirror.

Claire’s mind was in a mess, while she was drowning in fear and anxiety

The incessant ringing of her phone in her pocket jolted Claire back to the present.

Realizing she had been summarily dismissed from the car by Dominick, she turned her gaze toward the highway, where his vehicle had vanished into the distance, leaving her heart racing uncontrollably.

“Claire, are you alright?”

As the call connected, Courtney’s voice crackled with concern and urgency. “Why did Dominick look for you out of the blue?”

10:38 Sat, 22 Jun

Chapter 59

Claire held her phone and said in a trembling, low voice, “He knows everything.

since a long time

and shouted repeatedly into the phone,

anxiety.

“What?”

seat. “Does Dominick really know about Stephanie’s taking away and our involvement

her again, I’ll ensure you both enjoy your time in

a shiver down Claire’s spine as they replayed in her

then…” Courtney’s voice

Courtney remain unscathed if

he really knows

with fear, shattering Courtney’s hopeful

the revelation, and she gripped her phone tightly.

Claire

hands has no reason to exist.” That was what Dominick

the desolate outskirts, her heart gripped by a relentless fear,

secrets known by him, she lacked the means to retaliate and was

your side?” Courtney’s voice came

Kevin?

“Kevin, you

u should go back.”

him with a complex expression, urging him to

chest. Luckily, they were in a hospital and could bandage it up quickly. However, Stephanie felt conflicted seeing the bruise

and handsome, and he was the epitome of a refined gentleman. It would take at least half a month for the bruise to heal,

temper.” Stephanie felt indignant when

“I’m fine.”

and suddenly felt inferior to Dominick, whether it

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Chapter 59

been practicing how to fight since childhood. You don’t need to compare yourself to

raised his head, chuckling at her, “I never

outshone them. After all, he was the eldest male descendant of his generation in the Wellington family. Plus, there was always a difference between maternal and paternal grandchildren. Whenever anything was compared to

always the best to me,” Stephanie, sitting

words and looked at

heard? Beauty lies in the eyes of the

“And now…” His gaz

her grew increasingly intense,

you,” she urged again, emphasizing, “We’re both married now, and we can’t

Their love was

that seemed destined to

complex and conflicted. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly when, but every time he heard about Claire and

Kevin

phone is tinging.” Stephanie said coldly,

incessantly. The caller seemed to have something urgent

daughter fell at the amusement park and she’s been

and her voice was audible even to Stephanie beside

at Stephanie with a complex gaze. Before hanging up, he responded, “I

you should go back soon,” Stephanie

intensely. There was no awkwardness

ex–wife, she could speak so calmly about his daughter.

was as if she truly

when Claire returned to the country…” Kevin hesitated, wanting to explain some things, but it