The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 646

Latham was an old hand at navigating crises—steady as ever, even in the face of disaster. “Claire, I’m sure you’ve heard about what’s going on with the company.”

“Actually, I wanted you to come home for dinner tonight because of that. There’s something I’d like your help with.”

“I don’t think there’s much I can do,” Claire replied, a hint of skepticism in her voice. She thought Latham was grasping at straws.

How was she supposed to help? Did he really think a few million dollars thrown at the problem would bring the company back from the brink? Maybe at the very start, that would have helped—when it was just about comforting the grieving family of that employee who’d died. But now? At this point, that kind of money would barely make a dent.

“Just come home. We’ll talk it over in person—it’s not something I can explain on the phone.” Latham had clearly taken Odom’s advice to heart and was determined to rope Claire in. He saw it as his last hope. After all these years raising her, he couldn’t believe Claire would really abandon the James family when they needed her most.

“Alright,” Claire agreed. There was no point in refusing—Latham would have just shown up on her doorstep if she said no.

She hadn’t expected, though, that someone else would beat him to it. That afternoon, as she got home from the lab and was in the middle of changing clothes, there was a knock at the door. Cindy.

“Claire!” Cindy’s voice rang out as she stood outside the doorway.

Claire didn’t invite her in; she already had her car keys in hand, ready to head to the James family home anyway.

“You here to pick me up?” Claire asked, eyebrow raised.

Cindy looked puzzled. “Pick you up? For what?”

“Didn’t your dad invite me to dinner tonight?” Claire answered with a small, knowing smile. It wasn’t like Cindy to come by on her own—what was she really after?

Cindy froze, clearly caught off guard. No one at home had told her about this. But if Dad had called Claire, then it must be about the same thing.

“I didn’t know Dad already called you. I guess it’s about… you know… the company problems.”

Cindy faltered. “I, uh, I just came to talk to Claire. The family’s in trouble, and she’s one of us. I wanted to see if she had any ideas…”

“And you, Mom?” Cindy shot back—a skill she’d only recently picked up.

Octavia sighed, resigned. “You, honestly… This isn’t something you ought to worry about. Let’s go—let me buy you both a coffee, Claire and I need to talk.”

Octavia had arrived early, completely in the dark about Latham’s dinner invitation to Claire.

“That’s alright, Claire said Dad’s already asked her over for dinner,” Cindy piped up on Claire’s behalf.

Octavia’s shock was plain to see. Latham hated to ask Claire for help unless he was truly desperate. Otherwise, Octavia wouldn’t have shown up in person. As for their son, she’d already guessed that path was a dead end—which was why she’d hurried over to see Claire herself.