Chapter 3: As Expected
She thought, “Why is Caroline here?” Caroline is Anna’s sister from the Beaumont family. I met her once, the day after Anna died. Just once, but I never forgot her face. After the truth about me and Anna’s identity was revealed, logically, in Caroline’s eyes, I was her blood-related older sister. But due to Anna’s death, Caroline almost strangled me.
“Ms. Prescott, there you are. It’s so good to see you out. I’ve owed you an apology all these years. Four years ago, it was my fault for believing a single piece of information and accusing you of killing my sister. I apologize.” Caroline apologized guiltily upon seeing her.
Claire unconsciously tightened her grip at the mention of the past. If it had been four years ago, she would have vehemently denied it, but now… She rubbed her hands, already stiff from the cold, and said, “No, it’s my fault. Anna…” But before she could finish, Frederick grabbed her throat.
Chapter 3: As Expected
“Claire, don’t let me hear Anna’s name from your mouth. You don’t deserve it!” His grip was so strong it nearly choked her until her eyes rolled back, and Caroline pleaded until he finally let go, sternly warning, “Claire, if I hear Anna’s name from you again, I’ll make sure you have nowhere to lay your body.”
“Frederick, Ms. Prescott didn’t mean to. Aren’t we going to have dinner? I’m starving. Let’s just go.” Finally, Frederick got into the car, pushed by Caroline. Watching the Cayenne speed away, Claire clutched at her chest, unable to stand anymore, collapsing to the ground.
She thought, “The man I loved wholeheartedly and unreservedly all my life was ready to strangle me over a name. How ironic!” She didn’t know how long she had been kneeling there, but the snow piling up on the ground had frozen her to the bone. Only then did she snap out of it and return to Prescott Manor.
In the living room, Harrison was laughing on the phone. When he saw Claire come in, his expression immediately turned glum. “You heartless thing, why aren’t you at the hospital with Grandma? Don’t you know she has surgery tomorrow?!”
Chapter 3: As Expected
“I… Grandma asked me to come back. Don’t worry. I’ll be there first thing in the morning.” She stood there, hurriedly explaining, not daring to step further into the living room.
“Claire, you’d better not pretend to be filial, or you’ll regret it.” Harrison clenched his teeth, and seeing her, reminded of his biological sister’s death, he picked up the ashtray from the coffee table and threw it at her.
“I didn’t. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Grandma. I’ll follow Grandma’s orders.” The ashtray hit her forehead, and tears instantly welled up in Claire’s eyes, but she forcibly held them back, covering her head, and kept explaining. Harrison froze, just staring at her. The hand that had thrown the ashtray hung in mid-air.
“What’s going on here?” Upstairs, Robert Prescott and Margaret Prescott heard the commotion and hurried downstairs.
“It’s nothing. I accidentally bumped my head,” Claire spoke before Harrison could.
“If you’re back, change your ways and live properly.”
Chapter 3: As Expected
“Alright, it’s late. Go upstairs and rest. You have to accompany Elizabeth for her surgery tomorrow.” Robert and Margaret clearly saw the ashtray on the floor but tacitly ignored it, saying only those few words before heading upstairs.
“Okay.” Claire nodded, looked down, and followed them upstairs. Harrison stood there, disbelief marking his face as he watched Claire walk away.
From childhood, even if he raised his voice at her, she would cry and scream, refusing to let it go. But now, an ashtray had been thrown at her, her head was bleeding, she was in excruciating pain, and she said nothing. At that moment, a pang of guilt rose in Harrison’s heart, but when he remembered his sister Anna’s death, that guilt quickly vanished. He wanted to see just how long she could endure.