The Colonel’s Claim: After the Divorce novel Chapter 7

Dominic told Stella to wait on a nearby bench while he headed toward a quieter section of the hallway.

The man's long legs meant every stride covered twice the distance of hers, and he moved swiftly.

Clara knew exactly why—he was terrified of anyone overhearing and gossiping about Scarlett behind her back.

How incredibly cautious of him!

She lowered her gaze and quickened her pace to keep up...

Reaching a deserted corner,

Dominic stopped. His elegant hand slipped into his pocket, pulling out a supplementary credit card and extending it to her. He spoke with cool detachment:

"Use this for now. Let me know if it's not enough."

Clara paused, staring at the card as a wave of bitter sorrow pricked her eyes.

Truthfully, this card represented the exact kind of basic decency she had begged for earlier.

But back then, he had cast her aside with brutal indifference.

And now, she no longer needed it.

Dominic added, "Certain matters have nothing to do with outsiders."

The words hit her like a physical blow. Clara froze, staring at him in sheer disbelief.

So, this card wasn't an olive branch to help her dying father—it was hush money.

He was terrified that before he could smoothly handle his exit, she would leak his affair with Scarlett and ruin his precious cousin's reputation.

What a responsible, protective man he was.

Heh...

Clara let out a tragic, hollow laugh.

Fighting the suffocating tightness in her chest, she swatted the card away, intending to tell him to finalize the divorce paperwork—

Suddenly, a ringtone shattered the silence.

Dominic pulled out his phone and answered, his voice dripping with a tender sweetness she hadn't heard in years.

"Yes, I'm on my way."

Hanging up, he cast a dismissive glance at Clara.

Suddenly, he noticed the missing ring on her right hand and paused.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He placed the black card on the windowsill beside her, gave her one last loaded look, and walked away.

Clara stood rooted to the spot, entirely paralyzed.

She looked at the card, then at his retreating figure.

An unprecedented wave of humiliation crashed over her.

"No need. She has mountains of toys at home. Return these and keep the money for yourselves."

Sarah tried to protest, but Clara's phone vibrated. It was a text from Stella:

[Mom, what gifts did Sarah prepare for me? Did you look at them?]

Clara's smile vanished entirely. She tossed the phone aside, ignoring the message.

...

Meanwhile.

Dominic returned to grab his daughter, finding her staring at her phone on the bench with a heavy pout. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong? Why the long face?"

Stella looked up, her small face radiating disappointment.

"Dad, Mom isn't texting me back. Is she mad at me?"

She was still a child, after all, and guilt had a way of creeping in when she knew she had misbehaved.

Dominic paused, completely unfazed by the word 'mad'.

In their five years of marriage, Clara had never once thrown a tantrum.

If she was actually throwing a fit now, that would be a first.

He patted her little head. "She's not. She'll text you back in a bit."