No Divorce? The Billionaire's Love Chase! novel Chapter 87

After parting with Wendy and Darleen, Claudia returned to the home she had shared with York.

She had hired a moving company and, over the course of the afternoon, had the house gutted, stripping it down to a blank shell.

The salvaged items piled up, covering more than half the garden, but Claudia gave no instructions to have the 'trash' hauled away.

That evening, Ann arrived at the house with her son, Ethan.

Looking at the empty, stripped-down rooms, Ann eyed Claudia cautiously. "Mrs. Ferguson, why did you call us here?"

She had deliberately provoked this woman in front of York the other day. Was this some kind of revenge plot?

Claudia stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out at the mountain of 'trash' in the garden. Her voice was calm. "Miss James, I am setting you and York free."

Ann's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "Mrs. Ferguson, if you were really willing to do that, you would have done it long ago. You wouldn't have waited until now."

Ann was at a loss.

Claudia turned and surveyed the empty house. "York and I grew up together. I admit I love him very much. But unfortunately, you are the one he loves."

Ann hid a flash of excitement, testing the waters. "Miss Watkins, are you really willing to let us be?"

Claudia nodded with certainty. "I've known York for over twenty years. He never lies. But for you, he lied to me, stayed away from home for a month, and offered no explanation."

Ann masked her guilt. "I'm sorry, Miss Watkins. I tried to convince York to come back then, but it had been so long since he'd seen me, he just..."

Ann let her sentence trail off, making the implication even more painful.

"And for your child," Claudia added, "I cleared out the piano room on the second floor. I've asked the designer to create a children's room. Think of it as a gift for him."

Ann excitedly pulled her son over to Claudia. "Ethan, thank Ms. Watkins!"

The boy, with a child's innocence, said crisply, "Thank you, Ms. Watkins."

Claudia patted the boy's head, a pang of envy in her heart. "Such an adorable child. No wonder he protects you both as if his life depended on it."

Ann's eyes darted away, and she quickly sent the boy off to play.

She spoke carefully. "Miss Watkins, this is all my fault. York and I have wronged you. York has been so torn and pained because of us lately. I didn't know how to help him. Thank you for setting us free."