Chapter 3
As I walked out of the meeting room, my body trembled uncontrollably, and I could only lean against the wall as I moved forward.
In the hallway, I ran into that man again.
He stood leisurely by the floor–to–ceiling windows, holding a cup of coffee, looking like a painting come to life.
The secretary bypassed me and walked over to him.
“Mr. Parker, everything has been settled.”
I dragged myself over, and the secretary shot me a glance before discreetly leaving.
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Chapter 3
+ 5 Points
“Excuse me, are you Alan Simpson’s boss?”
“Simon Parker”
Simon Parker introduced himself but didn’t spare me a single glance.
“Miss Walker, I know you’re going through a rough time. Ten years of dating, seven of which he cheated, and now, just after your marriage, you’ve been dragged into this mess. I sympathize with you.”
“But if you’re here to plead on his behalf, I suggest you give up on that idea.”
I stood awkwardly, feeling as though I was a mere glass of water that Simon Parker could see right through.
The words I wanted to say were stuck in my throat, neither coming out nor staying down.
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Simon Parker studied me with an amused look, a trace of mockery in his eyes.
Yes, I did look pitiful now.
The plea for mercy still didn’t come out. I left the company and drove to the police station.
Alan Simpson sat before me, handcuffed. As I looked at the stern police officers in the corner, I leaned forward slightly, holding onto a sliver of hope and asked,
“Tell me the truth–who is Alice Mitchell? Did you embezzle money for her?”
Alan Simpson lowered his head further, his expression grim, but he remained silent.
It was his silence, his refusal to speak, that caused my heart to plunge.
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+ 5 Points
I stood to leave, but suddenly, he lunged forward and tried to embrace me. The police officers immediately restrained him and pinned him to the table.
He squirmed, his face covered in tears and snot, like a dying maggot.
“Clara, I didn’t mean it. I was drunk that day!”
He broke free from the officers‘ grasp and rushed to grab my hand.
“I love you, but Alice Mitchell is pregnant. The doctor said it’s a boy.”
“Clara, please help me. Once she has the baby, we can get married. The child can stay with you.”
Alan Simpson’s head must have been kicked by a donkey!
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I glared at him, disgusted, and yanked my hand away.
He was pulled back by the officers, but his eyes remained filled with desperate hope.
“Alan Simpson, do you take me for a fool?”
“You want me to raise the child of your mistress? Your schemes are so loud they’re practically making my ears ring!”
He kept babbling, trying to persuade me, but I didn’t even spare him another glance as I walked away.
When I got home, my clothes were thrown in the hallway, and I could hear a racket coming from inside.
Alice Mitchell was arrogantly directing
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+ 5 Points
several workers, making a mess of my carefully arranged living room. Even the potted plants I had nurtured were tossed into the trash.
“How ugly! No taste at all. Living in a house like this would give me nightmares,” Alice Mitchell sneered, holding her belly, yanking off the sofa cover and tossing it to the floor.
“Replace this trash with silk,” she ordered, as if silk were the only acceptable material.
Why not just use gold thread? Let the formaldehyde kill your brain, you idiot!
I stormed in and ordered the workers to stop. Alice Mitchell rolled her eyes at me and lazily sat on the sofa, watching me.
“Don’t think you can act all high and mighty. Alan Simpson’s parents are out buying
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groceries and will be back soon,” she drawled.
I was so enraged that I laughed through clenched teeth. I pulled the property deed out of the drawer and threw it in her face.
“Alice Mitchell, take a good look. My name is also on this.”
“This is a house Alan Simpson and I bought together, a joint asset. Even if we divorce, don’t think you’ll get a single penny!”
Alice Mitchell rubbed her belly, unfazed.
“Who cares? The baby in my belly is Alan Simpson’s child. This house should have a share for the baby!”
Suddenly, she stood up, taking slow steps toward me, cornering me.
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“His parents want me to move in, and once I live here, it’ll be mine, won’t it?”
Is there really such a shameless woman in this world?
Though I wasn’t a legal expert, I knew that children born out of wedlock have equal inheritance rights as those born in marriage.
Which meant, once Alice Mitchell’s child was born, I would have to share everything–our house, our savings with her.
The world went black before my eyes, and I almost fainted from the anger.
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