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

She raised her voice and shouted repeatedly into the phone, her

anxiety.

“What?”

made Courtney rise from her seat. “Does Dominick really know about Stephanie’s taking away and our

I’ll ensure you both enjoy your

cutting words sent a shiver down

it, then…” Courtney’s voice trailed off, tinged with a mix of complexity and lingering

Claire and Courtney remain unscathed

he really knows

with fear, shattering

and she gripped her phone tightly. “What exactly does he

want?” Claire had asked the same

of utility in my hands has no reason to

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

so many of her secrets known by him, she lacked the means to retaliate and was

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

Kevin? Courtney

“Kevin, you

u should go back.”

looked at him with a complex expression, urging him to

had taken a solid blow from Dominick, leaving a bruise on his chest. Luckily, they were in a hospital and could bandage it up quickly.

take at least half a month for the bruise to heal, and it was because of her that he had argued with Dominick,

temper.”

“I’m fine.”

his head, glanced at his injuries, and suddenly felt inferior to Dominick, whether it was their background, career

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Chapter 59

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

at her, “I never expected you

the eldest male descendant of his generation in the Wellington family. Plus, there was always a difference between maternal and paternal

always the best to me,” Stephanie, sitting next to him,

was taken aback by her words and

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

“And now…” His gaz

grew increasingly intense, his voice tinged

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

Their love was

that seemed destined

but every time he heard about Claire

I feel…” Kevin suddenly grabbed her

phone is tinging.” Stephanie

incessantly. The caller seemed to

daughter fell at the amusement park and she’s been

Claire calling. She sounded anxious, and her voice was

a complex gaze. Before hanging up,

go back soon,” Stephanie

her intensely. There was no awkwardness or anger

ex–wife, she could speak so calmly about his daughter. For a moment, Kevin

was as if she truly didn’t

only found out about my daughter when Claire returned to the country…” Kevin hesitated, wanting to