Chapter 295: You’re Hurting Me

Frederick raised his hand, ready to dismiss the girl, but as he looked up through the hazy smoke, he thought he saw Claire.

“You’re here? Hah, perfect! How clever of you, thinking the most dangerous place would be the safest, huh?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t find you here? Where’s Antony? Aren’t you two supposed to be running away together?”

Frederick tossed his cigarette aside and lunged forward, grabbing the girl’s arm.

“Ouch! It hurts! Sir, you’ve got the wrong person. I’m not Claire! I’m just a college student working here as a hostess. Please, let go of me. You’re hurting me.”

The girl was terrified. Frederick’s grip was brutally firm, bringing tears to her eyes.

“What’s this act? You think you can fool me because I’ve been drinking? You are Claire!”

To Frederick, the face before him was unmistakably Claire’s.

“No, I’m really not! Please… sir, you’ve got the wrong person. My name is Sally, not Claire!”

The girl tried desperately to explain through her tears.

“General Hawthorne, you’ve mistaken her identity. She’s not…”

Only when Richard walked in and witnessed the scene did Frederick snap out of his daze, realizing his mistake.

“Get out!”

Frederick took one last look at the girl he was holding before roaring at her.

The girl’s face went pale with fear as she scrambled to flee.

“General Hawthorne, you…”

Richard stood there, staring at Frederick for a long while before speaking again. He had been waiting in the car outside. After Harrison left and Frederick didn’t emerge for a long time, he’d come to check if everything was alright. He never expected to walk in on such a scene. He wanted to ask something but couldn’t find the right words.

“Let’s go home.”

Frederick seemed to know what Richard wanted to ask and cut him off with the command before he could finish.

“Yes, sir.”

Richard nodded respectfully and followed Frederick out to the car, driving them back to the Halfmoon Manor.

It was already 1 AM when they arrived at the Halfmoon Manor. Caroline had just returned from her wild night out with several young hunks. But since she’d never done anything like this before, she’d played it safe and kept things simple before heading home. She didn’t expect to hear a car pulling up right after she’d showered and changed. She rushed to the windows and saw Frederick’s car parked at the entrance. She’d assumed Frederick wouldn’t be coming home tonight and silently thanked her lucky stars for returning early and avoiding him. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known how to explain herself.

Caroline let out a relieved sigh with her hand over her chest and was about to head to bed when she noticed something off about Frederick’s walk. Could Frederick be drunk? Caroline’s heart leaped with excitement. Whether Frederick was drunk or not, she had to go down and check. This was a perfect opportunity that couldn’t be missed.

It had been four years since Caroline came to live with Frederick, but now, with Claire gone, wasn’t this the perfect moment? Caroline’s heart raced with excitement at the thought. She quickly changed into a sheer nightgown and headed downstairs. She’d pretend she’d been asleep and only woke up thirsty for water.

“Frederick? Why are you home at this hour?”

Caroline had just poured herself a glass of water in the living room when Frederick walked in.

“Have you… been drinking?”

Sure enough, she caught the strong smell of alcohol in the air. She recognized it immediately. It was whiskey. Oh my god! Even heaven was on her side tonight.

Caroline rushed to his side. “Frederick, what happened? Why did you drink so much?”