In Clayton’s eyes, Audrey breaking Valerie’s fingers was just her way of venting. After all, if it weren’t for Valerie, Audrey wouldn’t have ended up getting abused at Ashwood Mental Hospital.
He thought as long as Audrey gave a proper apology to Valerie, he’d make it up to Valerie. It wasn’t anything worth blowing up a marriage over. Marriage was always full of conflicts, and they didn’t have to get divorced over one bad moment.
He admitted he was at fault too. He never should’ve sent Audrey to Ashwood. But if Audrey hadn’t slashed Valerie with a knife in the first place, none of it would’ve happened.
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Clayton thought they were both in the wrong. Each could take a step back, and the whole thing would be water under the bridge.
At that time, Valerie pushed the door open and walked in. Her left hand was wrapped in bandages, and her right held Luna’s tiny fingers. “Clay, I heard you all pulled an all–nighter, so I brought you guys some coffee.”
Clayton quickly slipped the divorce papers under a stack of case files and looked at her injured hand with concern. “You should stay at home resting. Why bother delivering coffee for us?”
Valerie settled into the sofa, tucking Luna into her lap protectively. “I thought about it all night. I think it’s better if I take Luna back. I really don’t want to come between you and Audrey.
“I mean, even if I can never draw again, even if my dreams are dead and buried, life’s like that sometimes, right? I should take the hits and keep moving.”
Clayton glanced at her bandaged hand, and all he could think about was the hell she’d lived through after her marriage. His chest felt tight.
Clayton said, “Audrey’s from a small town. She’s a little rough around the
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Chapter 18
edges. She shouldn’t have hurt you. I’ll make sure she apologizes face–to- face, okay?”
To him, Audrey had her faults, and so did he. Valerie, though, was just collateral damage. Both he and Audrey owed Valerie.
“No, please.” Valerie’s tears started falling before she could stop them.
She had initially believed Audrey sent people to attack her and break her fingers. But after watching Ashwood’s scandal, she called one of the staff there and found out Clayton had learned the truth and was mad.
Valerie once showed off her ring to Leo, hinting that she and Clayton were close to tying the knot. Valerie guessed that those people who broke her fingers were sent by Leo.
“I watched the Ashwood news. I had no idea it was that kind of place. If only I’d talked to Audrey myself. I didn’t think Mr. Sanchez would twist my words like that.
“I just hope Audrey didn’t suffer too much in there. I really feel awful,” she said, her face buried in Luna’s shoulder while glancing up and watching Clayton’s reaction.
Clayton handed her a box of tissues. “What happened at Ashwood isn’t your fault. If she hadn’t slashed you with a knife, no matter how bad Ashwood is, she wouldn’t have ended up there.”
Clayton didn’t check the security footage from Ashwood. He didn’t see the point. He thought he knew Valerie, who was always gentle, kind, and soft-
hearted.
She was someone who would give her food to a stray cat and would walk a lost, senile old man to the police station.
He believed that even if Valerie had told Leo about their relationship, it was probably because Leo had a mistress of his own. He would’ve assumed everyone was cheating just like him.
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Clayton didn’t think Valerie had anything to do with the hell Audrey went through.
As Valerie dabbed her tears, Clayton called Luna over. He thought, ‘This kid’s way too small for her age. She’s extremely timid too. She needs a better home, a stable one. Maybe then she’ll heal a little inside.
The office blinds were tilted just enough to let light in. Outside, after the lawyers sipped coffee and had snacks Valerie brought, they went back to work.
Through that window, they could see Luna perched on Clayton’s lap, and Valerie leaned in to talk to Clayton with her hand on his shoulder. The three of them looked like a picture–perfect family.
Clayton didn’t think there was anything strange about it. He played with Luna and said casually, “Let me take you to the hospital to get the bandages changed.”
In his mind, paying Valerie’s medical bills was the least he could do.
Valerie shook her head. “You’ve got your hands full with all the Ashwood fallout. I’ve always taken Luna to the hospital on my own. I can handle it. Don’t treat me like a kid.”
As Valerie spoke, she gave Clayton a light pat on the back, playful and just a little flirtatious.
Clayton was swamped, and that was true. He took out a bank card and handed it to her. “Here, use this for now. If the new place is missing anything, feel free to get it.”
“Clay, once I get back on my feet, I’ll pay you back,” Valerie said as she took the card. When she looked up, she happened to catch Jade’s eye through the window. Valerie smiled and nodded at Jade.
Jade winked back, her thoughts already spinning. ‘Mr. Patel gave her his payroll card? That’s basically official. I need to talk to Valerie sometime
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and tell her where I stand. Maybe she can put in a good word for me with
him.‘
Jade lowered her head and got back to work, but a flicker of disdain flashed across her eyes. She mused, ‘Valerie plays it so righteous, saying she supports Mr. Patel and Audrey. But look at her, dragging her kid here like she’s telling everyone she’s Mr. Patel’s wife.
Jade scoffed under her breath. Behind her, Emilia glanced up and caught a glimpse of the cozy scene inside the office.
Across the desk, two interns were whispering.
A girl said, “Guess Mr. Patel only keeps his distance from Mrs. Patel. Valerie’s practically glued to him.”
Another girl replied, “Don’t get fooled by the facade. Just because someone’s good at their job doesn’t mean they’ve got a good heart.”
Emilia cleared her throat, and the interns stopped whispering. Their eyes dropped to their keyboards, pretending to be busy again.
The room fell silent, but no one could stop their minds from racing.
Everyone still remembered that night Clayton took them all to Audrey’s birthday party. They all saw Audrey holding a knife, and Valerie’s hand was bleeding.
At the time, they were convinced Audrey had violent tendencies, and that she’d misjudged Clayton and Valerie’s friendship.
But now, with the dust settling and new truths surfacing, Valerie and Clayton’s relationship didn’t seem so innocent anymore. Plus, no one had actually seen Audrey cut Valerie. Legally speaking, if there was doubt, Audrey should be innocent.
However, Clayton never gave Audrey a chance to explain. He directly sent her into Ashwood without hesitation. Now due to Ashwood’s scandal,
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everyone felt even sorrier for Audrey.
After Valerie left with Luna, Clayton buried himself in work. Yet soon after that, the spending alerts rolled in. He received almost eight transactions from women’s boutiques, shoe stores, and salons, each one several thousand dollars. But not a single charge from a hospital.
Just then, Audrey popped into Clayton’s mind.
After they got married, he once bought her a dress. It cost just over a thousand. Audrey was so touched, and she gave him a braided chain bracelet with “lucky forever” engraved on it.
He remembered that dress hanging untouched in her closet for weeks. When he asked her why she never wore it, she smiled and said, “It’s too flashy for the office. People might talk. Better to stay low–key.”
That was Audrey–simple and grounded. She never bought luxury heels and never stepped foot in a beauty salon.
Clayton took off his glasses and set them down. He couldn’t say exactly
what he felt.
Emilia knocked and stepped in to drop off some files. She’d never been on board with whatever was going on between him and Valerie.
On her way out, she paused and said, “Mr. Patel, that bracelet you’re wearing is from Mrs. Patel, right? Ever since you started wearing it, our firm’s been thriving, hasn’t it?”
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Chapter 19
Chapter 19
