Two Times the Charm (Clara and Emmett) novel Chapter 499

"Look, don't worry about the details right now. Just run. I'll handle the butler!"

"What are you going to do to him?"

"Just leave that to me," Leah frowned, her tone urgent. "Emmett's found out you're carrying Elio's child, and he won't let you off the hook. You need to get out of here, and fast! I'll make it look like you made a break for it later."

She quickly fished out her Melendez family access card and thrust it into Clara's hand. "Take this and go, hurry up!"

In her panic, Clara could only nod, clutching the card, and bolted.

Behind her, Leah stared down at the butler lying on the ground. With a heavy heart, she picked up the stick and swung it down hard on his head.

No, she couldn't leave any loose ends. If he woke up, he would surely reveal that it was she who helped Clara escape.

But if she finished the butler off, she would be the only one left at the scene. Hesitating for a moment, she gripped the stick tighter.

...

Emmett stood motionless in the center of his bedroom, disbelief written all over his face.

He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that Clara was pregnant with Elio's child. It felt like a cruel joke played by fate.

How could this be?

He had treated Clara so well; how could she do this to him?

She seemed so happy with him, and he felt she cared for their children as if they were her own flesh and blood. But why had it come to this?

Ricardo had suggested that Clara might have been threatened, and Emmett had clung to that hope, thinking Ricardo's analysis couldn't be wrong. Someone must be blackmailing her. Could her pregnancy be under duress, too?

And just earlier, she had fought tooth and nail to protect the child. That desperation wasn't feigned!

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside.

And here he was, still holding on to some stupid hope for her. He was the biggest idiot of all!

...

Once Clara was outside, she realized that escaping the Melendez estate was one thing, but figuring out where to go was another problem entirely!

In her haste, all she had with her was a cell phone, not a penny to her name.

In this area, even with money, hailing a taxi was out of the question – her only option was to walk.

She glanced back nervously at the Melendez estate looming not far behind. If they sent out a search party for her, it wouldn't take more than ten minutes to be caught and dragged back.

Clara was torn; truth be told, she didn't want to hurt Emmett like this. But everything she was doing, she did for the sake of saving his life!

Elio was a man who could be reasonable or utterly intransigent, depending on the situation.