Chapter 12
“Is this child related to the ones family?” Isabelle roared. The bodyguard, who had been silently standing beside her, Immediately pushed open the door.
As soon as Tanis saw Clifford and Isabelle standing in the doorway, she dropped to the ground in shock All her earlier arogance vanished like it had never existed. Elliot’s face had already tumed pale. He trembled in his chair. No matter how powerful the Oney family was, dragging the Jones family into this mess was something even he couldn’t afford.
Clifford supported tabelle as they slowly stepped into the private mon Elliot used to give up his seat for her.
“What the hell is going on here? Isabelle’s expression was icy. She had barely sat down before she demanded answers,
The tall, imposing bodyguard stepped closer to Tania and Elliot, and the panic on both their faces grew obvious, especially Tania’s, whose eyes were filled with
Temor
“M–Mrs. Jones Senior, please have some tea. Don’t get too upset. 1–‘s not good for your health,” Elliot stammered nervously. He threw a look at the server, who quickly brought overacpefte.
He scrambled to Isabelle’s side, his smile stiff. “This has nothing to do with me. Sure, we had a thing, but you know how it is in our circle…”
Isabelle’s gaze sharpened. Elliot quicly corrected himself, “My circle, I mean, my circle When she told me she was pregnant, I gave her two million dollars to get an abortion. But she kept coming back. She’s playing both sides, trying to scam both our families.”
Elliot spoke quickly, doing everything he could to paint both the Grey and Jones families as victims of Tania Isabelle’s expression softened slightly.
Suddenly, Clifford said, “Mr. Grey, if you tell the truth, the Jones family won’t touch you, and we won’t mind working with you in the future.” His voice was low Jand cold, the air around him dropping several degrees.
Elliot’s eyes up at the mention of a potential partnership with the Jones family,
- y. It was worth every bit of public embarrassment. He cleared his throat, the
wrinkles on his face contorting into a greasy smile.
“I met her at a nightclub and thought she was gorgeous, so I kept her as a mistress. I mean, look at me, my kids are all grown. Do you think I want another child at my age? I was careful. Who would’ve thought that this scheming bitch would trick.”
His face darned as he glanced at Tania with disgust
“She got pregnant and tried to blackmail me into manying her. Like hell I would. That someone give her a bankcard at a banquet, and I thought that was the end of It, But she would’t let it go. Then she drugged Mr. Jones and tricked him into thinking that the child was his..”
Isabelle shot up from her seat, her voice trembling with rage as she asked, “So is it your child instead of Clifford’s!
Elliot nodded frantically. “Mr. Jones Senior, don’t get too upset. Even if that child is related to the jones family, there’s no way you should accept it
“Look at her. She’s so young, yet so cunning. Even I was completely fooled.”
He kept going, “she came to me for money three times. The second time; told her to prove it. I even went with her to get an amniocentesis. The test confimed that it’s mine. That’s when I gave her the money!”
His words hit like a bolt of lightning. Isabelle froze where she stood. It was as if someone had hit pause on her entire being. It took a long while before she slowly sank back into her seat, clutching her chest. “How could we get scammed by a woman like this.”
clifford immediately called for the bodyguards to take her to the hospital. Once they’d left, he finally let his guard down and tumed his cold gaze toward the trembling Tania,
Tania snapped out of her daze, crawled over, and clung to his leg. “Clifford, it’s not truel it’s not like that! He’s lying to you!”
Elliot sneezed. “You’re already pregnant. Take the test if you think I’m lying to Mr. Jones. It’ll be edry to find out.”
Clifford’s expression tomed grim, and his gaze became more icy as he looked at her. “Do it,” he slowly commanded.
Tilliot immediately waved two attendants over. “Take her to the hospital under Grey Group. Mr. Jones and I will follow her for the test,” he ordered.
“No! No! Clifford, please, believe mel Don’t believe him!” Tania screamed, sobbing. “It’s not like that! This really is your chiki!”
The attendants dragged her by the legs. As she was pulled past Clifford, she grabbed onto his ankle with both hands. “Clifford, don’t you believe me? Didn’t you say you were looking forward to the arrival of this child?”
She looked up, her expression tearful in the past, that would’ve been enough to melt his heart. He would’ve pulled her into his arms and comforted her endlessly.
But now, his face was as hard as stone. He didn’t say a single word.
when he didn’t push bar away, Tania blurted out, “Clifford, anyway, Tessa has already left. Why can’t the three of us just be a family?
Suddenly, Clifford’s hand shot out and gripped her throat, his eyes bloodshot as he growled in anger, “Who has left?”
Elliot quickly took a step back and humed his face away.
Tania struggled in Clifford’s grasp, her face tuming a ghastly shade of purple. Her face went purple, and her eyes bulged as she choked on her own tears and breath
Clifford finally loosened his grip just enough for her to gasp for air, and a foul smell filled the room
Ellie clamped a hand over his mouth and nose and rushed over. “Mr. Jones, please calm down. I’ll personally deliver the best results to your home. You have my
Tanis finally realized what was happening. Her face twisted into something grotesque, the sweet and pitiful mask she always wore completely gone. She didn’t
Care dymore
“Clifford ar’s no wonder Tessa wanted a divorce so badly!”
It was like Lightning had struck Gifford. His hand fell away
Chapter 12.
Tania broke free and sneered when she caught the stunned look on his face. “Cliffood, I bet you didn’t see that coming. Tessa’s been gone for a long time!“
The mangave a w
- r. The kitten immediately ran to him, nuzzling into this palm like they were old friends
awwm smile and crouched beside her. The
“Is it yours?” she asked.
“No,” he replied, his semile so bright that it made it hard for her to look away for a second. He set down the bag labeled “freeze–dried cat food” in his hand, then casually rubbed the kitten’s belly with practiced ease. “I only found it around here a little while ago, and I stop by to feed it whenever I’m in the area.”
“So. It’s a stray?” Tessa asked as she locked eyes with him.
“It seems like it,” he said in a low and pleasant voice. “She probably wants a home as much as anyone else.”
The sight of him stroking the kitten, with his long lashes catching the light and casting shadows across his face, awakened something long buried within her heart. “Come on, then,” she said suddenly, scooping up the kitten like she’d done it a hundred times
The kitten didn’t resist at all and just blinked up at her in contusion
“What?” The man looked surprised, clearly not following.
“To get it spayed,” she said slowly and clearly, placing the kitten on her shoulder She smiled dazzlingly.
“Let’s go.” She was already putting up directions to the nearest yet on her phone. The man blinked, then allowed himself to be topped along in a daze.
She found a nearby wet and headed off with the lätten in her arms. The man stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before grabbing the bag of eat food and hurrying after her. He ran a hand through his slightly messy hair, cleared his throat, and held out his hand. “I’m Edison Lloyd. It’s nice to meet you.”
Tossa stopped, took his hand, and shook it properly. “I’m Tessa Tumer. I just moved here not long ago. It’s nice to meet you, too.”
The latten, mimicking her, gently placed its tiny paw on top of their handshake and pavè u soft “meow“,
Their eyes met, and both of them couldn’t help but laugh.
That shared laugh caused the loud, paindul echoes of her past to recede, disappearing into the appeaching dusk
Edison walked beside her and asked, “So that cafe is yours, huh?”
Tessa nodded. “Tomorrow’s opening day. It looks like I’ll have a litten to keep me company.”
The tabby lotten meowed right once and rubbed its face against her.
“I’ll be there too. I’ve had my eye on your shop for a while now,” Edison added at just the right moment.
She gave him a teasing look. “Are you going to compete with the kitten for attention now?”
As she spoke, the vertically came into view,
