Chapter 24 Can’t You Cut Ties With Them?
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Once she had the upper hand, Clarissa felt content. She asked cheerfully, “Alright, so what’s this all about? If it’s not about Jerry, why did you call me here?”
Why did I call you here? Chandler cast a sideways glance at her. “With all the fuss online, you can’t really expect Grandpa, Dad, and Mum to be unaware, can you?”
Clarissa’s smile stiffened in an instant.
How could she overlook that?
Even if Chandler’s parents and Grandpa aren’t active online, there were plenty of busybodies in their social circles who were eager to pass the news along.
But then she shrugged dismissively. “It doesn’t matter; we’re getting divorced anyway.”
“Until the asset settlement is finalized, you still need to fulfill your duties as Mrs. Moreno. Chandler frowned, clearly displeased. “Do you want Grandpa to worry about you?”
Clarissa’s carefree attitude shifted slightly. “So…”
“Mom wants us to return to Moreno Estate for dinner tonight!”
Clarissa was speechless at the declaration.
After leaving Moreno Group Tower, Clarissa seemed completely drained, as if all her vitality had been sapped.
Emily glanced at her while driving, “Why did meeting Chandler leave you completely deflated?”
“I’m fine,” Clarissa waved dismissively.
She had no desire to bring up what had just occurred in the Moreno Group Tower!
Just as Emily was about to ask more questions, Clarissa’s phone suddenly rang.
It was almost noon, and the sunlight was bright and warm, but seeing that number made Clarissa feel like she had plunged into an ice cave.
Noticing Clarissa’s strange expression, Emily glanced at her phone and stepped on the brakes hard. Clarissa couldn’t brace herself in time and almost got thrown off her seat.
Her head hit the glove box with a thud.
“Emily…” Clarissa groaned, clutching her forehead in pain..
Ignoring Clarissa’s pitiful groan, Emily grabbed her phone, hung up the call, and quickly turned it off.
She initially planned to help Clarissa block their numbers but decided against it. It would be pointless to block them now, considering that Clarissa would surely unblock them later, especially since they had supported her for eighteen years.
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Chapter 24 Can’t You Cut Ties With Them?
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She also knew that such actions would only lead to more exploitation of Clarissa by the Stephensons. They would definitely use this as an excuse to chastise her and demand more from her, causing her to suffer. Thus, she refrained from blocking them.
The thought left Emily feeling breathless and angry,
“Clarissa, can’t you cut ties with those parasites from the Stephensons?”
Emily used to think that the Stephensons spoiled Clarissa and that Hugh was an exemplary father.
She had believed Hugh was at least better than her own father, because Hugh never demanded too much of Clarissa, always letting her do whatever she wanted. He was nothing like her own father, who never supported any of her endeavors. As a result, she grew up to be someone with no exceptional talent.
But after it was revealed that Clarissa wasn’t the daughter of the Stephensons, Emily saw the truth behind their façade.
It later dawned on her that Hugh’s affection for Clarissa was driven by the potential he saw in her. He aimed to leverage her future to secure a top–tier son–in–law for the Stephensons.
After it was revealed that Clarissa was not the daughter of the Stephensons, Hugh’s dreams of having a wealthy son–in–law crumbled.
Consequently, he abandoned Clarissa without hesitation, much like throwing away a useless rag.
Eventually, Clarissa caught the eye of the Morenos and quickly became the wife of Chandler, the CEO of Moreno Group.
Seeing this, Hugh abandoned his dignity and immediately resorted to moral coercion, using the eighteen/ years of parenting and support as leverage to control and manipulate Clarissa.
During Clarissa’s five years of marriage to Chandler, the Stephensons had leveraged her connections to gain countless advantages from the Morenos, effectively stripping her of self–esteem.
Emily hadn’t seen the confident, carefree, and vibrant Clarissa she once knew for a long time.
This was why she truly hated Hugh and despised the Stephensons!
Upon hearing Emily’s words, Clarissa stopped rubbing her forehead, and her vitality visibly dwindled.
Cut ties with the Stephensons? That’s never been my choice to make.
Every time I have that thought, Dad reminds me of the eighteen years they dedicated to raising me. It feels like no matter what I try, I can never repay them.
Emily tousled her hair in frustration.
If she could, she’d like to take out the Stephensons with a gun.
Just look at what they’ve done to my stunning and bold Clarissa! What a bunch of jerks!
Emily… Clarissa suddenly called out to her. “If I divorce Chandler and give my half of the divorce settlement to the Stephensons, do you think they will spare me?”
Emily paused upon hearing her words, her breath hitching as her heart ached. “Hugh only cares about
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Chapter 24 Can’t You Cut Ties With Them?
money; if you give him money, he should let you off. But Gillian …”
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Gillian was the epitome of a hypocrite–she may have looked delicate and harmless, but in reality, she was a wicked woman.
Clarissa had trended on Facebook and Twitter twice recently and Emily was convinced that Gillian had a hand in it.
I would definitely ask Uncle Jerry to investigate her!
“What Gillian cares about the most is Chandler. If I’m divorced from him, I can’t get in her way anymore, right?”
Emily rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Seriously? You think you can reason with a hypocrite?”
Clarissa was speechless at her retort.
Alright, she might have oversimplified things and been too naive about the whole situation.
Alright, it’s still too early to think about what’s happening in three months. Let’s figure out what to have for lunch first, Emily said as she restarted the car. She casually slipped Clarissa’s phone into her own pocket without returning it to her.
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