The Billionaire's Insignificant Wife novel Chapter 158

Independent doctor.

“This is a big opportunity, ma’am,” Mrs. Helen whispered again while holding Alina’s hand tighter. “A chance for you to get out of here. This is your chance to be free. Mr. Richard, Ms. Emma, and a lawyer named Mr. Lawson- they’ve all been working hard to save you.”

Tears began to flow in Mrs. Helen’s eyes. It turned out Emma and her father had never given up. They were truly fighting to free her from Daniel’s grip.

“Please, ma’am. Hold on for three more days. Just three days. And after that… after that you can get out of this hell.

Álina stared at Mrs. Helen with eyes that slowly began to show hope, though thin and fragile.

“Three… days?” Alina whispered in a barely audible voice.

Mrs. Helen nodded with a tear-filled smile.

“Yes, ma’am. Three more days. You might be freed from all this.”

Meanwhile, at an upscale café in the city center, Clarissa sat at a corner table with three socialite women-friends from the same elite circle.

They were discussing next week’s charity event when one of them-Vivian, a middle-aged woman with conspicuous diamond jewelry-leaned forward with eyes sparkling with gossip.

“Clarissa,” she called in a low, excited voice. “I heard interesting news about Daniel and… well… his marital situation.”

Clarissa raised an eyebrow while sipping her cappuccino with an elegant gesture.

“What news?”

Vivian glanced left and right as if making sure no one was listening, then whispered in a tone full of drama.

“Alina’s father-Richard Hayes-filed a petition with the court. Some kind of… welfare check for Alina. I heard from my relative who works at the court. They said it’s quite serious.”

Clarissa froze.

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Her hand holding the cappuccino cup stopped in mid-air.

“Petition?” she repeated in a controlled voice though there was sudden tension in her jaw.

Vivian nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes! And what’s more shocking-the judge approved it! The welfare check will be conducted in a few days. A social worker and independent doctor will come to the mansion to interview Alina privately.”

The other woman at the table-Monica-chimed in with curious eyes.

“Does this mean Daniel and Alina’s relationship has deteriorated? I mean, didn’t Daniel just confirm Alina’s pregnancy a few weeks ago? Why would there suddenly be a petition like this?”

She looked at Clarissa with a probing gaze.

“Could it be… the crack in their relationship is because Daniel is coming back to you, Clarissa?”

Clarissa felt genuine shock for a moment.

She had never known about this petition.

Daniel had never told her.

And the fact that the judge had already approved it…

“Are you sure the judge already agreed?” Clarissa asked, her voice rising slightly-unable to fully hide her surprise.

Vivian nodded with certainty.

“My relative works as a clerk at that court. She just told me this morning. The examination is scheduled three days

from now.”

She leaned closer with eyes full of curiosity.

“So… what’s really going on, Clarissa? Could Daniel and Alina be getting divorced? Everyone in our circle is very

curious.”

Clarissa fell silent for a moment.

Her mind spun quickly-weighing options, calculating risks, looking for the best angle.

Then a malicious intent immediately occurred to her.

This was a golden opportunity.

An opportunity to manipulate the narrative before the welfare check happened. To plant seeds in everyone’s minds that Alina was the problem–not Daniel.

Clarissa put on a confused and slightly sad face-an expression perfectly calibrated for sympathy.

“Actually,” she said in a voice made to sound reluctant, “this isn’t something that should be discussed with outsiders. But you’re my friends. And I… I don’t know who else to talk to.”

She took a dramatic deep breath.

“Indeed, lately Alina and Daniel’s relationship has been strained. Very strained. Even though Alina is pregnant.”

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Monica and Vivian exchanged glances with wide eyes.

“Why?” Monica asked in a tone full of eager curiosity.

Clarissa shook her head slowly while looking at her cappuccino cup as if sad.

“Daniel… he’s been spending more time with me and Junior lately. And Alina… well… she’s not happy about that. She feels ignored. Feels Daniel cares more about us than about her.”

Clarissa looked at them with eyes made to look concerned.

“I think the petition filed by her father is just a bluff. Or a threat from Alina so Daniel will give her his full attention again. Sort of a… power play.”

“So you think Alina is playing tug-of-war?” Vivian asked in a tone that was already becoming condescending toward Alina.

Clarissa put on a face as if she didn’t want to accuse but was forced to be honest.

“Maybe,” she answered in a soft voice but with steel behind it. “Actually, the situation at home is no longer conducive. Alina is putting too much pressure on everyone-including Junior, who is now closer to me than to her. I feel sorry for Junior. When all he wants is to be close to his biological mother.”

She shook her head with a gesture that seemed concerned.

“Because of her attitude, Junior doesn’t even want to be near Alina anymore, He’s afraid of her. And that makes Alina even more… well… emotionally unstable.”

Monica stared with eyes already full of judgment.

“So Alina is jealous because Junior loves you more-his biological mother-than her?”

“I don’t want to say that,” Clarissa said in a perfectly humble tone. “But the fact is Junior is indeed more comfortable with me. And Alina… she can’t accept that well.”

Vivian shook her head with an expression that had changed from curious to disgusted.

“That’s very selfish,” she said in a harsh tone. “She’s just a stepmother. Of course the child will be closer to his. biological mother. Why should she force it?”

Clarissa didn’t answer-just smiled thinly as if reluctant to agree but can’t deny the truth.

The third woman at the table-Amanda-who had been silent now spoke up in an indignant tone.

“And she’s pregnant but still has time to play drama like that? Shouldn’t she be focusing on her pregnancy and not creating stress for everyone?”

“Exactly,” Vivian said while shaking her head. “I can’t imagine how stressed Daniel must be dealing with this situation. A demanding and manipulative wife, while he’s trying to keep his family intact.”

Monica added in a voice full of sympathy for Daniel.

“Poor Daniel. He must be so burdened. And poor Junior too-a little child who has to witness all this drama.”

Clarissa bowed her head with a humble gesture but in her heart she smiled with dark satisfaction.

Perfect.

Exactly what she wanted.

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Everyone now saw Alina as the villain-a selfish woman creating drama for attention.

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“Honestly,” Amanda said while looking at Clarissa with sympathetic eyes, “I think Junior would be much happier if you and Daniel got back together. At least he’d have a stable family with his own biological mother. Not a stepmother who’s… well… like Alina.”

Clarissa smiled slightly while bowing her head-a gesture as if touched but trying to be modest.

“That’s very sweet of you to say,” she said in a gentle voice. “But… it might be a bit difficult. Alina doesn’t want to give up her Mrs. Blackwood status even though Daniel and Junior clearly want me at home.”

Vivian snorted with a voice full of contempt.

“Of course she doesn’t want to let go. Status, money, mansion-all the privileges that come with being Mrs. Blackwood. She’s cunning.”

Monica nodded in agreement.

“It would be better if the baby wasn’t born than to have a cunning and manipulative mother like that. Poor child.”

Clarissa didn’t answer but the thin smile on her lips widened slightly.

Everyone at the table was now speaking in tones condemning Alina-criticizing her character, questioning her motives, sympathizing with Daniel who was “forced” to deal with an “unstable and demanding” wife.

Clarissa sat with an elegant posture, occasionally nodding or shaking her head with an expression perfectly calibrated to reinforce the narrative she had planted.

Secretly, her hand touched the bag in her lap.

A navy blue Hermès Birkin bag that was elegant and expensive.

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