Building Her Throne Burying My Heart (Claire) novel Chapter 120

“And now he’s out there, doing some humiliating job, all for a stranger. It makes no sense. Who even are his real parents? Us or her?”

Halley still couldn’t let go of the fifty million. It ate away at him.

Back then, the only reason he came looking for me was because he needed a kidney and couldn’t find a match. The Gates family was falling apart at the time. I didn’t even get a chance to tell Claire what was going on before everything blew up with the Charles family.

I asked Halley to help the Gates family out, but he refused. I was desperate, so I gave him an ultimatum. If he wanted my kidney, he had to give me fifty million. He wouldn’t have agreed unless he had no other choice. He definitely wouldn’t have let me come back to the Charles family, either.

But that fifty million was a turning point. Halley made me choose. Either I cut all ties with the family or give up my right to the inheritance. That money didn’t just separate me from the Charles family, it ruined the rest of my life.

Watching Halley’s anger bubble up, Garrison felt secretly pleased.

“Dad, Lambert won’t come back, but he also won’t sign the agreement. Do you think he’s got something else planned? Maybe he’s just stalling, hoping you’ll give in?”

Halley’s temper snapped. “Something else? He wouldn’t dare! All I wanted was for him to save my life, and he actually had the nerve to ask for money. He doesn’t respect me at all. If he ever comes back, I won’t talk to him like before. I’m done with him as my son.”

Alice walked in just then, taking the opportunity to comfort him. “Don’t get so upset. Garrison picked out some really nice tea for you. You should try it.”

“I know, Mom. The Charles family fortune is supposed to be mine anyway. He’s already given up his inheritance. It’s got nothing to do with him anymore. I’ve got Dad’s blood in my veins. If I don’t inherit, who will?”

Alice’s heart skipped a beat hearing him talk like that. She hoped the truth would stay buried. But even if it didn’t, once Garrison married Claire and controlled the Gates family’s wealth, she wouldn’t have to worry about anything. As for the mistakes she made when she was young, those could stay buried forever.

“You’re smart, just remember to stay close to Claire. Try to get that wedding done soon. If she keeps dragging things out, you’ll have to find another way to get close to her.”

Garrison understood what his mom meant. But Claire wasn’t like the other soft, easy-to-handle girls. She wasn’t going to be manipulated that easily. If he wanted to marry her quickly, he’d have to come up with a better plan.