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.

he knows everything since

She raised her voice and shouted repeatedly into the phone,

anxiety.

“What?”

really know about

you hurt her again, I’ll ensure you

cutting words sent a shiver down Claire’s spine as they replayed in

it, then…” Courtney’s voice trailed off, tinged

influence, how could Claire and Courtney remain unscathed if Dominick knew about

really

tinged with fear, shattering Courtney’s

paled at the revelation, and she gripped her phone tightly. “What

you want?” Claire had asked

has no reason to exist.” That was what Dominick

at the desolate outskirts, her heart gripped by a relentless fear, as if she had provoked

her secrets known by him, she lacked the

just wants you to keep Kevin by your side?” Courtney’s

Kevin? Courtney was

“Kevin, you

u should go back.”

looked at him with a

on his chest. Luckily, they were in a hospital and could

least half a month for the bruise to heal, and it was

provoke him. He has a bad temper.” Stephanie felt indignant when she thought of

“I’m fine.”

at his injuries, and suddenly felt inferior to

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Chapter 59

how to fight since childhood. You don’t need

her, “I never expected you to comfort

his generation in the Wellington family. Plus, there was always a

the best to me,”

by her words and looked at her with

you heard? Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.” It was

“And now…” His gaz

upon her grew increasingly intense, his voice tinged with

Your wife and daughter are waiting for you,” she urged again, emphasizing, “We’re both married now, and

Their love was

that seemed

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

feel…” Kevin

Stephanie said coldly,

to ring incessantly. The caller seemed to have something urgent to let him

park and she’s

her voice was audible even to Stephanie

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

so you should go back soon,” Stephanie said calmly without

intensely. There was no

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

was as if she truly didn’t

country…” Kevin hesitated, wanting to explain some things, but