Chapter 306: You’re Being Bad

Antony’s voice crackled through the phone, frantic with panic.

“What do you think I could possibly do to her? She’s my fiancée,” Frederick replied coolly, his voice dripping with dark amusement.

“Frederick, don’t make things harder for Claire! If you have a problem, take it out on me!” Antony was nearly jumping out of his skin.

“On you? We have nothing to do with each other. It’s Claire who’s with me,” Frederick countered with a taunting smile.

“Mm! Mm!” Claire, desperate and terrified, struggled to breathe as she feared Antony might rush over in a blind panic to save her. But Frederick had his hand firmly pressed against her mouth, controlling her body. She was utterly powerless, only able to make muffled sounds.

“Claire, you’re not being very good,” Frederick teased, watching her helplessly. He said it into the phone, deliberately savoring the moment. He tossed the phone onto the bed, turning his attention back to Claire.

“Ugh!” Claire couldn’t stop herself from crying out, a wave of helplessness washing over her. Then came a second, third, involuntary groan. No matter how hard she tried to control herself, after everything they’d been through, Frederick knew her body all too well. He went straight for the most sensitive parts of her, hitting all the right spots without hesitation.

On the other end of the line, Antony had completely lost it, practically screaming, “Frederick, even if you’re engaged to Claire, you can’t treat her like this! Do you hear me? Frederick, you animal! Let her go!”

At the sound of Antony’s desperate cries, Frederick seemed to finally reach a point of satisfaction. He grabbed Claire’s phone, hung up the call, and released her.

“Frederick, give me my phone back!” Claire, still in shock from everything, scrambled to get to her phone. She needed to talk to Antony, explain herself—but Frederick had snatched it away. He raised an eyebrow, amused by her desperation. “Claire, if you move any closer, I’ll make sure something happens to Antony. You should know—I don’t even have to lift a finger. There are a thousand ways I can make him wish he were never born.”

Claire froze, her hand mid-air, realizing just how much power Frederick had over Antony’s fate. She believed him. She knew he could make Antony’s life hell. Terror gripped her. Since she’d gotten out of prison and met Antony again, he had done so much for her. She couldn’t let him be dragged into this mess any further.

“Frederick,” she said quietly, her voice trembling with exhaustion and resignation. “I’ve told you before—we were never like you think. I never wanted to run away with Antony. I don’t even like him. Why are you doing this? Why drag innocent people into your mess?”

“You’ve been like this since we were kids,” Frederick’s voice was cold and cutting. “You never listen to anyone’s side. You just believe what you want to believe.”

Claire took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I told you, it was Caroline who lured me to that meeting. She pushed me off the cliff, and Antony jumped after me to save me. You don’t believe me, do you?”

She paused for a moment before continuing, trying to make him understand. “If you don’t believe that, then what about the rest? Caroline made me swear I’d disappear from your life once I had the recording. Does that sound like someone who doesn’t care about you?”

“You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed. You’ve been with her for four years. If you look into it, you’ll find something isn’t right. Since I’ve been out of prison, and since I came to Halfmoon Manor, everything that’s happened has been suspicious. You can check it yourself.”

She swallowed hard, her voice growing steadier, though still filled with pain. “Caroline is Anna’s sister. I know you won’t do anything to her. But still, I need to warn you. I’m trying to help you see what’s really going on. Please, don’t make things worse for Antony. He’s innocent in all of this.”

She finally finished, standing still as her words hung in the air. “If you think this is just about me liking Antony, then fine. I’ve said what I needed to say. I can’t stop you from doing whatever you want to him.”

With that, Claire turned away, heading back to the bed. She pulled the covers over herself and lay down. Frederick knew her better than anyone, and she knew him just as well. She couldn’t believe he would still refuse to suspect Caroline after everything she had said.

“You think I’ll believe you?” Frederick’s voice was quiet, but his words cut through the silence. He paused for a moment before turning and walking away without another word.

Claire watched his retreating form, feeling her heart sink. It’s over. Her words hadn’t had the desired effect. In fact, they had likely made things worse.

“Antony… I’m so sorry.” She couldn’t help but pray, silently begging for Antony’s safety.

Back in the master bedroom, Frederick stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, holding Claire’s phone tightly in his hand. His mind replayed her words over and over. He couldn’t help but think of the things Caroline had said during the past few years.

“Great, now I can stay by your side forever. This is something I never even dared to dream of!”

“Frederick, what do you like to eat? I’ve written it all down. Once I move in with you, I’ll cook for you every day.”

“Frederick, I really don’t want to leave you. Didn’t Anna say you were supposed to take care of me? Can I stay by your side forever?”

Her excitement when she moved in with him, her constant affection, how she had seemed to cling to him more and more. And then, the last memory that played in his mind was that time Caroline had been ill—her strange, almost flirtatious behavior that left him feeling unsettled.