No Divorce? The Billionaire's Love Chase! novel Chapter 88

Claudia just shook her head. It wasn't about who was right or wrong. It all just boiled down to whether there was love, or if there wasn't.

It wasn't that she hadn't fought or tried to hold on.

But everything had made it clear: York didn't love her, and he didn't belong to her.

Claudia said to Ann, "I've booked an expedited service. The renovation company will be here tomorrow morning. You should finalize the design plans as soon as possible so you can move in before York gets back from his trip."

Ann still seemed to be in disbelief. "Miss Watkins, are you sure?"

Claudia didn't answer.

She walked into the garden and stared at the pile of 'trash' before her, memories of her time with York flooding her mind. Memories from childhood, from their youth, from their marriage.

Slowly, Claudia knelt and used a lighter to set fire to a small teddy bear.

She couldn't even remember which year York had given it to her. Her mother had told her the story: one day, playing in the Ferguson's garden, she had asked a home-from-school York to push her on the swing. He ignored her. She had followed him, crying, all the way to the adults to tattle on him. To appease her, York had taken her to buy this very bear.

The flames spread quickly, consuming the small toy.

Claudia stood up and stepped back.

The fire crackled and roared as it devoured the pile of their past, the flames lighting up the night sky.

She watched silently, feeling as though her heart was being burned to ash along with it.

Ann stood behind her, a triumphant smile playing on her lips, impossible to suppress. She couldn't believe her luck. She had barely made a move, and this woman, Claudia, was leaving on her own accord.

It was an effortless victory. Once she moved in here, no one would ever be able to drive her out.

Ann's eyes were fixed on the diamond ring on Claudia's finger. If it hadn't been for those three old meddlers from the Ferguson family six years ago, that ring would have been hers. York's wife, the young mistress of the Ferguson family—that would have been her.

Seeing Claudia hesitate, Ann took a careful step forward.

"Miss Watkins," she said tentatively, "since York doesn't love you, this ring has no meaning for you anymore. Please, could you give it back to me?"

Claudia looked up and saw the raw excitement in Ann's eyes.

Without a word, she pulled the ring off her finger and slid it directly onto Ann's.

With red-rimmed eyes, she told Ann, "I'm giving York back to you."

"Don't tell him about this yet, Miss James," Claudia added. "Let him focus on his project abroad. When he comes back in three days, you and your son can give him a surprise."