Mrs. Graves’ smile froze halfway across her face.
She had been expecting Claudine to back down. But ten million? That was not part of the plan.
For a few tense seconds, Mrs. Graves hesitated. Then, grinding her teeth, she gave a reluctant nod.
“Fine. I’ll agree to it. But only if you promise—swear on whatever you hold dear—that you’ll never show your face in front of my son again. You know exactly what’ll happen if you do.”
Her lips curled into a tight, smug smile. There was a threatening undertone behind her controlled voice, like she’d been expecting this moment all along.
Without missing a beat, she turned to her butler.
“Draw up the contract.”
Claudine didn’t flinch. Didn’t blink. She signed her name without hesitation.
“I’ll make sure you get every last cent,” Mrs. Graves said, her eyes flicking over the signature with thinly veiled contempt. “I’ll wire fifty million into your account today. The rest comes after you disappear for good.”
“I’ll have your exit arranged in a week. International flight, one-way.”
Her tone was dismissive, triumphant even. She didn’t hide the disgust in her eyes, nor the thrill she felt seeing Claudine finally step out of their lives.
Claudine knew. She had always known.
Mrs. Graves had never seen her as anything more than a nuisance. After Mr. Graves died, she pulled every string, used every trick in the book to force Elliot into a divorce. But back then, Elliot had stood in front of her like a fortress.
“She’s my wife. The only one I’ll ever have,” he’d declared in front of everyone. “If any of you bring this up again, I swear I’ll end my life right here.”
His threat had silenced them all.
After all, Claudine had no family. No legacy. Her only support had been the Pitts Family—until now.
Steadying herself, she met Mrs. Graves’s cold stare with calm defiance.
“No need to arrange anything. I’ll leave on my own in a week.”
Mrs. Graves smiled, smug and satisfied.
“Good. Smart girl. Now be a good dog and get out of my way.”
The words dripped with venom.
What none of them knew was that Claudine wasn’t even a blood relative of the Pitts Family. She’d been adopted. Three days ago, her biological brother had reached out, asking her to come home and reclaim her real name.
But everyone had been too preoccupied mourning Elliot’s brother to care. It was the most fragile moment in the Graves Family's history. She had planned to wait before telling anyone.
Now… what was the point?
“One more thing,” Claudine said coolly. “Don’t tell Elliot about this.”
Just as the words left her mouth, the door burst open and Elliot stormed in, his face a storm of rage and panic.
“Mom! Are you pressuring Claudine again? About having a child with Maeve? I’m warning you—I’ll never agree to something so sick and twisted!”
He positioned himself firmly between Claudine and his mother, shielding her with every ounce of righteous anger he could summon.
Claudine looked at his back, her heart hollow.
In another time, she might’ve cried from relief. But now? Now it just felt pathetic.
Disgusting.
Sick and twisted? And yet he’d spent the night making love to Maeve in the hospital room next to hers.
Mrs. Graves opened her mouth to speak, but met Claudine’s eyes and thought better of it.
“Someday, you’ll agree to it,” she muttered instead, before walking out with her usual air of superiority.
Elliot pulled Claudine into his arms, his voice trembling.
“Claudine, why didn’t you wait for me? I was so scared when you disappeared... I thought something happened to you.”
But Claudine’s face remained blank.
If she hadn’t left, was she supposed to stay and keep listening to his moans through a paper-thin curtain?
She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.
“Claudine,” Elliot said softly, “even if the doctors say you’ll never have children again, I don’t care. You’ll always be my wife. If it really comes to it, I’ll adopt. I don’t need—”
His voice buzzed in her ears. She couldn’t hear a word.
Then she cut him off coldly.
“Elliot, go ahead. Have a child with Maeve. The Graves Family needs an heir.”
Her words sliced through the air like a blade.
Elliot’s expression twisted in shock and fury.
“Did my mom put this idea in your head? I’m going to talk to her right now!”
