Rift in the perfect picture

Chapter 0162

Frances’s eyes flickered. She didn’t look at me as she said, “It’s just a friend’s daughter. What’s the big deal?”

She sighed and continued, “Stop messing around with the pointless jobs of yours. Quit your job if you want to live at comfortable life with the Hawks. I can introduce you to other socialites in the upper crust so that you can make more friends your

age.

“Look at how much trouble you’ve brought upon the Hawk family! Daniel hasn’t been able to sleep well lately, and the doctor even said that his condition has worsened. Are you trying to drive him to his grave? And look at what happened to Claudia and Nicholas now.

“Ari, haven’t I treated you well? Why does it feel like you’re constantly making things difficult for us? Wives are meant to bring a family closer together, but look at what you’ve done!”

She was so awash in grief that tears trickled down her cheeks as she spoke.

I clenched my jaw. Initially, I didn’t want to argue with my mother–in- law in front of others, but since she no longer showed me any respect and shifted so much of the blame to me, I wouldn’t hold

back.

“Claudia stabbed Nicholas, and then she stabbed herself. This has nothing to do with me.”

My retort embarrassed her as Jasmine and the family’s hired bodyguards were still present.

Raising her voice, Frances shrieked, “Can’t you stop her?”

“Aren’t you worried that she might stab me? Am I not family too?”

“Claudia has depression! It’s normal for her emotions to be unstable. Can’t you just tolerate her?

She should visit a psychiatrist if she’s mentally unstable. Why should I bother with her condition?”

“Why, you!” Frances jutted a finger at me, her hand quivering..

What an excuse. I had known Claudia for so long, but how did I not. know that she had depression?

Conveniently, she was suddenly diagnosed with depression only after committing a crime and when she was about to go abroad. She really did have her next move planned out, didn’t she?

“What’s the commotion about? Don’t you know that you’re not supposed to make a scene in the hospital?”

A nurse rushed over when she heard the commotion, but she immediately lowered her voice once she saw the bodyguards lining the corridor. Her legs were still trembling as she fled the scene.

Looking surprised, Jasmine chimed in, “What are you guys waiting for? You should take Mrs. Hawk first. Frances and I can stay here.”

glared at them. “I’m not leaving!” Then, I turned to Jasmine and said, “Ms. Cooper, an outsider like you has no right to meddle with the Hawk family affairs.”

To be honest, I was genuinely exhausted. I didn’t even want to guess anymore. Apart from Claudia, I had never seen any other women around Nicholas.

But I really wanted to ask him why the rosary beads he usually wore

ended up on another woman. I wanted to ask if he had ever truly cared for me, or if it was all a show,

All the bodyguards snapped their heads toward Frances. Visibly resigned, she waved her hand weakly as if she was shooing away a stray dog.

The bodyguards quickly separated me from Frances, seemingly afraid that I might harm them.

“Frances, if anyone’s leaving, it should be her!” I protested.

Never once did I imagine that our four–year relationship would be outweighed by a mere outsider, no matter how much Frances and I argued. But Frances didn’t even spare me another glance.

The head of the bodyguards stepped forward and blocked my path. He began indifferently, “Mrs. Hawk, I’ll see you out.”

Seeing how agitated Frances was, Jasmine quickly sat next to her and comforted her. She seemed more like her daughter–in–law than

1. me.

“Don’t get worked up, Frances. There must be some sort of

misunderstanding. You should talk things over when there’s time…”

I clenched my fists, feeling my nails digging into my palms. Smiling, spun around and straightened up.

“I’ll leave on my own,” I said coldly.

I didn’t actually leave. Instead, I ran to the fire escape and ended up curling up in a dark corner for three hours.

I was stubborn, after all. Even if I knew the answer might not be

what i anticipated, I still wanted to ak him myself

it wasn’t hard to find out which room Nicholes was in Estimating the

headed to Flicholas’s ward

if his indulgence and affection toward me were just an act, 1 would no longer spare Claudia because of him