Chapter 332: A Video

Richard let out a quiet sigh and thought, “If only Frederick had faced his true feelings for Claire, he wouldn’t be this regretful.” But when he looked up and saw Frederick standing there, shrouded in an aura of loneliness, an involuntary pang of distress tugged at him. This wasn’t the first time Frederick had lost his temper. Richard had been by his side for years, so he had grown accustomed to Frederick’s fiery outbursts. But this was different. He had never seen Frederick look so utterly desolate. From behind, he could sense the heavy weight of Frederick’s inner pain and struggle.

“General Hawthorne,” Richard began, “I know there are some things I probably shouldn’t say. But I can’t help it. The truth is, you and Ms. Prescott are already engaged. And now that she’s pregnant with your child under these circumstances, I think the child should stay.”

Richard hesitated for a long time. But in the end, he simply couldn’t hold those words back any longer. He could picture Frederick’s face darkening. The words he was about to speak felt like a detonator, ready to set off a chain reaction he couldn’t predict or control. He couldn’t even begin to guess what Frederick might do in response. But if he stayed silent, Frederick might live to regret it for the rest of his life after the child was aborted. Richard couldn’t bear the thought of watching Frederick suffer like that.

What he didn’t expect was for Frederick to react so violently. “Richard, if you dare say one more word…” Frederick whirled around, his eyes blazing with fury. Without warning, he grabbed the ashtray beside him and hurled it at Richard. With a loud bang, Richard felt a sharp sting as blood began to trickle down his forehead.

“Take a good look at this!” Frederick yelled. Catching sight of the blood, he frowned. Without a word, he strode to the desk and yanked open the drawer to pull out a document, hurling it toward Richard. “This was delivered by Harrison this afternoon,” Frederick declared. “It’s from Madam Prescott. She’s made her conditions crystal clear.”

“Well…” Richard’s confusion gave way to shock as he quickly bent down to retrieve the document from the floor. He flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the text. When he reached the clause that explicitly forbade Frederick and Claire from marrying, his face drained of color.

Frederick’s expression darkened as he asked, “Do you still think the child should stay?” Richard felt a lump form in his throat, his words dying before they could even leave his lips. He stared at the document in disbelief. The terms outlined by Elizabeth were nothing short of brutal. “Get out,” Frederick finally growled, dismissing Richard without another word.

The weight of the day’s events pressed down on Frederick like a suffocating blanket. First, Elizabeth had issued her cruel ultimatum: he could never marry Claire. Then, the revelation that Claire was pregnant had sent a jolt of disbelief and discomfort through him. Each piece of news felt like a dagger to his chest, leaving him raw and unsettled. Yet, even as the chaos of the day swirled around him, he clung to a single thought: his discomfort stemmed from being forced into these situations. He had never been one to let others dictate his actions.

In truth, he was blind to the unspoken bond that had grown between him and Claire. Over time, their connection had deepened. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching as the daylight slowly faded into darkness. It wasn’t until Richard returned to report that Frederick stirred from his thoughts.

“Everything’s been taken care of, General Hawthorne.”

“Well, let’s go back to the Halfmoon Manor,” Frederick responded flatly. Richard nodded and prepared the car for their return. By the time Frederick arrived back at the manor, it was nearly nine in the evening. The servants, sensing his arrival, immediately began preparing dinner.

Meanwhile, Claire was on the phone, speaking animatedly to Antony. Frederick had just slipped into his house slippers and was about to head upstairs to change when he heard her mention Antony. Knowing Claire’s return to the Halfmoon Manor, Antony was afraid that Frederick and Caroline would harm Claire. His voice rose in a tense, almost desperate shout.

Claire’s voice escalated as well. Just as Frederick approached the doorway, he caught the tail end of her impassioned shout. Frederick halted in his tracks. At that very moment, Diana burst through the door. “Frederick! Frederick!” she called out.

Frederick frowned, responding, “What are you doing here? Did you come all this way just to cause trouble?” He was aware that Diana had returned home, but the last thing he anticipated was her immediate dash to the Halfmoon Manor. To his knowledge, Diana had only just touched down on home soil that very day.

Subconsciously, his mind drifted back to Elizabeth’s birthday celebration, an event that doubled as his engagement party, where Diana had made quite an unforgettable impression.

Diana exclaimed, “Frederick, what’s all this talk about? You think I’m here to stir up trouble the moment I’m back? Looks like Claire’s got you thoroughly brainwashed while I was gone. Have you all forgotten about Anna’s death? Claire was the real deal, but now that I’m back, she won’t last long. Take a good look at this!” Diana whipped out her cell phone, thrusting it into his hands after playing a video.