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

and shouted

anxiety.

“What?”

know about Stephanie’s taking

hurt her again, I’ll ensure

a shiver down Claire’s spine as they replayed in

If he’s truly had known about it, then…” Courtney’s voice trailed off, tinged with a mix

Claire and Courtney

really knows

tinged with fear,

and she gripped her phone tightly. “What exactly does

exactly do you want?” Claire

hands has no

gazed out at the desolate outskirts, her heart gripped by a relentless fear,

him, she lacked the means to

just wants you to keep Kevin by your side?” Courtney’s voice came from the

Claire to cling onto Kevin? Courtney

“Kevin, you

u should go back.”

looked at him with a complex

solid blow from Dominick, leaving a bruise on his chest. Luckily, they were in a hospital and

epitome of a refined gentleman. It would take at least half a month for the bruise to heal, and it was because of her that he had argued with Dominick, so Stephanie

him. He has a bad temper.” Stephanie felt indignant when

“I’m fine.”

his head, glanced at his injuries, and suddenly felt inferior to Dominick, whether

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Chapter 59

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

at her,

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 him, these relatives paled

the best to me,” Stephanie, sitting next to

was taken aback by her words and looked at her with

shrugged casually. “Haven’t you heard? Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.” It was probably

“And now…” His gaz

intense, his

should go back. Your wife and daughter are waiting for you,” she urged again, emphasizing, “We’re both married now, and we can’t

Their love was

seemed destined

but every time he heard about Claire and their daughter, he felt a lingering frustration at

Stephanie, I feel…” Kevin

is tinging.” Stephanie

phone continued to ring incessantly. The caller seemed to have something urgent to

daughter fell at the amusement park and she’s been crying and asking for

anxious, and her voice was audible

glanced at Stephanie with a complex gaze. Before hanging up,

go back soon,” Stephanie said calmly without

no awkwardness or anger on Stephanie’s

speak so calmly about his daughter. For a moment,

truly

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