No Divorce? The Billionaire's Love Chase! novel Chapter 42

The housekeeper, who had no idea what was going on, stepped in front of Ann. "How can you speak so horribly, miss? Mr. Ferguson cherishes Miss James. If he finds out what you've done, you won't have a place left in this city!"

Peter was speechless.

"You old hag, you've got more nerve than I do!" Darleen yelled, and swung her hand.

After two sharp slaps, the middle-aged housekeeper stumbled back against Ann.

Darleen scanned the living room, her eyes finally landing back on Ann. "Since everything you have is paid for with my brother's money, that means half of it belongs to my sister-in-law. It's only fair that I take her half back, right?"

Ann clutched her stinging cheek, her voice trembling but resigned as she backed against the wall. "Do whatever you want, Miss Ferguson."

Darleen started smashing things. Anything she saw, she destroyed.

Peter noticed Ann hiding to the side, recording with her phone, and went over to stop her. "Miss James, stabbing people in the back isn't a good look."

Ann quickly turned off her phone. "Mr. Peter, I was just scared. I wasn't trying to do anything."

When Ann saw Darleen heading for the bedroom, she rushed to block her path.

Darleen shoved her aside without a second thought and hurled a metal hourglass at the crystal chandelier in the center of the room.

A deafening crash echoed through the apartment.

Peter shielded Darleen from the falling debris. Ann screamed and collapsed to the floor, injured.

The housekeeper shrieked and fumbled for her phone to call the police.

Seeing how badly things had escalated, Peter quickly sent a message to York.

Then, after a moment's thought, he sent one to Claudia as well.

--

Late that night, Claudia's emotions came crashing back, and she couldn't control them.

Her husband, the man she had loved since they were children, had told her with such calm indifference that her suicide would have no effect on him.

She lay in bed feeling half-dead for what felt like forever.

She was no longer the seventeen-year-old girl who trailed after York, begging him to buy her hair ties. She was no longer the clingy girl who wore her love on her sleeve and waited eagerly for him to come home from work.

From now on, she was just herself.

Dr. Moore had told her yesterday that a very special patient would be coming in today, and she needed to be on top of her game.

After getting everything ready for Dr. Moore's morning clinic, Claudia finally turned her phone on.

A flood of missed calls and message notifications overwhelmed the screen.

Most of the calls were from the early hours of the morning—from York, from Darleen, and from Peter.

Reading Peter's message, Claudia learned that Darleen had gone to confront Ann last night.

But healing was something she had to do on her own. No one could help her but herself.

Feeling a pang of worry, Claudia called Darleen.