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Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Chapter 5 Beating the Unhappy Couple
“I understand, I understand!”
Robert laughed and patted Xander’s shoulder again, quite satisfied with this
son-in-law.
As they walked out from backstage, they realized that things had already gone awry outside.
Although Xander had pulled out the computer’s power cord, the intended footage had already been played. The guests were left shocked and bewildered by the news of Robert selling his daughter.
“My god! There’s actually such an evil father in this world. For the sake of his own interests, he actually sold his elder daughter to Mr. Anderson, that old man!”
“Alice claimed that Claire had eloped with another man. However, Claire immediately slapped her across the face with this video. I could almost feel the sting of the slap myself.”
“And then there’s Clarissa. I actually thought she was a decent person earlier, but she joined her mother in scheming against her own sister. Such a malicious heart!”
“I believe that Clarissa may have had a romantic relationship with Xander in the past. After all, her mother stole Claire’s mother’s husband, so it’s not surprising that Clarissa would steal Claire’s man. Xander is not a good guy either!”
Robert’s face flushed red as he saw the guests pointing fingers and whispering.
He couldn’t hold his composure any longer. “It’s not what you think. Let me explain …”
Claire walked over with a smile, affectionately linking her arm with Robert’s. “Dad, don’t worry. Take your time to explain to them.”
Robert, “…”
How could he not worry?
How could he not be in a hurry?
The engagement banquet tonight is definitely not going to continue, given how things have turned out. Robert knows that he will be ridiculed and scolded by others in the future, and he is so anxious that his stomach is churning.
At this moment, he truly wished he could slap Claire to death for being such/ an unfilial daughter!
Claire watched Robert and Alice tirelessly trying to explain to the guests, but after so long, they hadn’t clarified anything. She found this scene quite satisfying.
Claire sighed in disappointment. “Dad, I actually have a lot more to say to you, but I can see that you’re busy and don’t have time to listen to me right now.”
Robert really wanted to use a piece of tape to shut Claire’s mouth. He was so anxious, yet she was still pretending to be innocent on the side!
Claire shrugged her shoulders, then turned to Xander and winked. “Xander, same old rule. Tomorrow evening at 5 o’clock, at your place.”
After saying that, Claire playfully waved at Xander, smiled, and turned to
leave.
Xander watched her proud figure and suddenly felt as if he had never truly known her.
Was this still the same Claire who used to be docile, never fighting back or talking back?
Rather than saying Xander grew up with Claire, it would be more accurate to say that he grew up with Clarissa.
When Claire was very young, her mother passed away. After Alice married her father, she began to groom Clarissa to be Xander’s wife. Every time Xander came over, Alice would make sure that Clarissa was by his side, while Claire was often left out.
And even when she did see him, Claire was relegated to serving tea and water, acting like a servant.
So in Xander’s eyes, he looked down on Claire.
But today’s Claire seemed different …
“Xander …” Clarissa jealously grabbed Xander’s hand, forcefully diverting his attention away from Claire. “Since when did you become so close with Claire? Still sticking to old rules … you two …”
Xander brought his focus back and affectionately patted Clarissa’s hand. “Clarissa, don’t you already know the relationship between me and her? There’s nothing going on. Her words just now were meant to provoke us, don’t
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“I …” Clarissa pouted, words on the tip of her tongue but swallowed back. She raised her chin, looking at Xander with a coquettish smile. “Of course, I won’t be fooled. Xander, you’re mine, and no one can take you away!”
Xander chuckled, then turned his head again to find Claire’s figure. However,
Claire had already left, and he couldn’t see anything.
Clarissa, with her sharp eyes, noticed this. Her eyes flashed with a hint of cruelty.
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As soon as Claire got into the car, Julia’s excitement couldn’t be contained. Without waiting for Claire to fasten her seatbelt, she eagerly asked, “Claire! How was it? Did your dad like the gift you gave him?”
Thinking of Robert’s explosive reaction, Claire chuckled softly. “It seems like he quite liked it.”
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“Hahaha …” Julia tossed her notebook onto the back seat, raised both hands and vigorously rubbed her fingers together at Claire. “Since he liked it so much, should you show a little appreciation to me?”
Seeing her counting money with her fingers, Claire fastened her seatbelt and said, “Before I give you today’s payment, why don’t you pay your tuition first?”
“Huh?”
Julia’s little face immediately fell, her mouth almost reaching the sky.
“Claire, even though you taught me IT skills, I put in a lot of effort just
now, you know? Without me, who would have hacked their computers to play the video?”
And not just any video. It hit Alice and Robert, where it hurt the most.
“Alright.” Claire started the car. “I’ll give you a bonus this month that will satisfy you.”
“I knew you were the best, Claire!”
Julia was so elated that she wanted to dance. If not for Claire driving, she would have wanted to pull Claire’s face over and give her a big kiss.
Thinking about tomorrow… she swallowed nervously. “Claire, how about… | go with you tomorrow? Who knows, maybe I can be of help.”
Claire gave her a sidelong glance. “Getting addicted to earning money, huh?”
“No, no.” Julia waved her hands repeatedly. “I’m genuinely worried about you. Think about it, going alone to face those two families. They might tear you
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apart. If you take me along, at least I can wait outside to give you a signal.”
Claire stared straight ahead at the road, her lips curved in a half-smile. “Hehe… if I need a signal, I’d rather bring a dog.”
Didn’t she know Julia’s little obsession with money?
Nonetheless, she was only speaking jokingly. She didn’t want to involve Julia in the unpleasant matters that might occur.
Robert was ruthless and cunning. Claire was worried that if he felt cornered, he would go after those around her.
Claire wasn’t always with Julia, and for Julia’s safety, it was best not to let Robert and his associates know about Julia’s existence.
The next afternoon at five o’clock, Claire arrived at Xander’s house on time, driving her car.
After parking, she keenly noticed a black Bentley Mulsanne parked about twenty meters away. There were people inside the car. Although Claire couldn’t see their faces clearly, she could sense a pair of deep, unwavering eyes fixed on her.
She furrowed her brows slightly, not dwelling on it too much, and lifted her hand to ring the doorbell.
The housekeeper from the Morgans opened the door, and upon seeing her, she
spoke expressionlessly, “Mr. Xander is waiting for you inside. Follow me.”
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Claire followed the housekeeper inside. As she walked in, suddenly, an unidentified object flew straight towards her face. Her deep hazel eyes squinted slightly, and she casually tilted her head, easily avoiding it.
The one who had thrown the object was Robert. Seeing that he hadn’t harmed Claire, he slapped the coffee table in frustration. “You truly are a good daughter that I’ve raised, huh? You’ve ruined me and the Donovans. What benefits do you get from this?”
Alice chimed in, following his lead. “Claire, you’re an ungrateful wretch! Even if you don’t like me, Robert is at least your biological father. Is this how you show filial piety to your own father?”
After Claire left yesterday, both Robert and Alice were left without a way to vent their frustrations, causing their anger to fester.
Today, they felt that people were looking at them differently as they walked outside, and they were constantly being whispered about behind their backs.
Now that Claire had appeared, they could no longer suppress their inner rage. They wished they could tear Claire apart right then and there.
Claire remained unfazed by their reactions, as she had anticipated this.
Xander’s expression also wasn’t too pleasant. “Claire, there’s no one else here. Let’s be straightforward. I’ve never had any feelings for you. You ruined my engagement with Clarissa yesterday. I won’t hold you accountable for that, but please don’t come to pester or harass me anymore.”
“We are all rational and intelligent individuals.” Claire sat down on the sofa without hesitation, her smile revealing her sharp wit. She adopted a businesslike tone and said, “I’m not enjoying beating the unhappy couple, but
since you’ve made it clear what you want, let’s talk about it. Let’s break
off the engagement and discuss the compensation from the Morgans and m
mother’s will.”
“You scoundrel!”
Upon hearing the mention of the will, Robert’s anger flared up. He stood up marched over to Claire, and scolded her from above. “Claire, you’ve brought me to this point, and you have the nerve to bring up the will with me?”
Xander also frowned in displeasure. “We just cancelled the engagement. Wh compensation do you need?”
Robert and Xander looked at Claire with predatory eyes as if they were ready to pounce on her at any moment. Even though Claire had trained herself to b strong and unyielding, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease in the presence of her father, who was a powerful and ruthless man.
It was an instinctive fear stemming from the strict treatment she had received since childhood.
Just then, the doorbell rang suddenly. The housekeeper hurried over to answe the door. Upon seeing who it was, the housekeeper froze, turned around, and shouted to the people in the room, “M-Mr. … Mr. Sean Vanderbilt has arrived
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