Chapter 286 Unfaithful Wife
Amelia stormed into her apartment. Her frustration was visible on her face.
"Claire, you know I don't have time for this," she snapped, slamming the door behind her. Claire was already sitting on the couch, her posture slumped, anxiety and fear etched on her face. "I have enough on my plate without having to clean up the mess you've created." Her tone was sharp, laced with annoyance and disgust.
Amelia's anger wasn't just about the situation; it was about what Claire had done to Adam. He wasn't just her boss-he was her idol. He was in fact an idol for many and Claire had betrayed him. And right now, the world was turning against Claire. It felt like everyone, everywhere, was yelling her name with hatred.
Claire barely looked up as Amelia's words hit her. Her voice was small, thick with the pain and exhaustion from the hours of crying. "Amelia... I... I have nowhere to go," she murmured, her words breaking. "Please, I need your help."
Amelia stared at her, frustration mixing with disbelief. "Claire... why did you do this to Adam?" she asked, the question that everyone seemed to be asking.
"Amelia," Claire murmured, her voice trembling but filled with a desperate plea, "if I tell you I'm a victim too and that Daniel did this intentionally to take revenge... will you believe me?"
Amelia's harsh expression softened slightly as she saw the raw vulnerability in her friend's eyes. She let out a sigh, her frustration giving way to reluctant empathy. "Claire, even if I believe you, the damage to Adam's image is already done. We have to find a way to fix it," she said and her tone was softer this time.
Claire nodded slowly, understanding the weight of the situation. A spark of determination lit up her tear-streaked face as she met Amelia's gaze.
"What if I accept responsibility for the infidelity and file for divorce from Adam? Would that be enough to save him from this chaos?" she asked, her voice steady for the first time.
Amelia blinked, taken aback by the boldness of Claire's suggestion.
She studied her friend for a moment, torn between admiration and worry and hesitated for a moment before replying, "Yes, it would. Your confession would shift public sympathy toward Adam and make him look like the hero... but Claire, are you sure? You know how things work. Adam's fans, the media-they'll hate you. This scandal will leave your name tarnished forever."
Claire gave a bitter smile, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I don't care about that. Right now, the priority is to get Adam out of this mess. It happened because of me, so I'll take responsibility. I'll bear the consequences," she said, her voice steady and resolute. However, she had already thought it through. If she tried to defend herself publicly, the truth about her and Adam's marriage that it was a contract, not real-would come to light: That revelation would only make things worse. The damage would be irreparable. It was better this way-better for her to take the fall alone.This is from Nôdaisynovel.com.
"Talk to Adam. I'm sure you two can sort this out," Amelia suggested gently.
"No, Amelia. It's too late to fix any of this, and there's no way I can face him," Claire replied, her voice heavy with pain.
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it took to protect the man she loved with all her heart and soul. She couldn't let the vultures circling them take advantage of the chaos. No matter the cost to herself, she would shield him from further harm.
"Call a press conference," Claire said finally, her tone carrying a mixture of determination and quiet resignation. Her hands trembled slightly, but her resolve was unshaken. Her eyes were hollow, her heart pounding nervously in her chest, but she had made her decision. Adam's grip tightened around the glass of scotch, his knuckles whitening as his eyes burned with uncontained anger. He stood frozen in the grand living area of his mansion, his gaze locked on the massive television mounted on the wall. The breaking news blared, a dagger twisting in his chest with every word.
"See, Adam? You picked the wrong woman again," Linda said, her voice dripping with disappointment. Adam's family-parents and siblings-were all there, watching in stunned silence.
Adam's jaw clenched as the glass trembled in his hand. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
On the screen, Claire faced a sea of reporters, her face deceptively calm as she delivered her statement in her indifferent voice. "I accept I am wrong and I shouldn't have gone to see Daniel while married to Adam," she admitted, her tone almost casual. "But I can't stay with him. I don't love my husband anymore. I'm bored of that life, and I want a divorce."
Adam's heart thundered in his chest as her words echoed in his mind. His disbelieving eyes fixated on her innocent face on the screen. Was this the same woman whose smile once lit up his world?
The questions clawed at his mind, each more painful than the last. Had she been in love with Daniel the entire time? Was he never enough for her? What could that bastard possibly give her that he couldn't?
A searing rage consumed him, burning away the last vestiges of reason. His grip on the glass tightened further, and before he could stop himself, it shattered in his hand with a sickening crunch. Shards of glass pierced his palm, and blood began to trickle down his fingers, staining the floor beneath him.
But Adam didn't flinch. He didn't even notice the pain. His fury was too blinding, his thoughts consumed. by betrayal. He wanted to destroy everything-burn the world if that's what it took to silence the storm. raging inside him.
"What have you done, Adam?" Linda cried, rushing to her son. She grabbed his injured hand, her voice breaking with worry, and yelled to the household staff, "Get the first aid kit! Now!"
"Adam," Andrew sighed heavily, stepping forward with a stern expression. "Don't hurt yourself over this. Look at her! She's shameless-causing this scandal without even batting an eye," he spat, his tone laced with disgust. "She's nothing but an embarrassment. Sign the papers, give her the divorce, and throw her out of your life."
Andrew tossed a set of divorce papers onto the table, the pages already signed by Claire. Amelia delivered it.
"Look at what she's done to you after everything you've done for her," Adam's older brother, Carter, interjected. "This filthy scandal could have wrecked your reputation, and if the truth about the contract marriage comes out, your career will be over."
"I don't care about the scandals and the career!" Adam growled, his glare cutting through his family. "They don't affect me?
His words came out in a low, guttural tone, but the pain in his voice was unmistakable.
Then why was his chest burning with anger and betrayal? No one in the room could possibly understand how he felt at that moment. It wasn't about the scandal, the press, or even the contract marriage being exposed.
What he couldn't bear what consumed him-was the fact that Claire had chosen Daniel over him. It wasn't the lies or the betrayal of their agreement. It was the realization that, in her heart, he had never been enough.