Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
âJill!â
When Chantelle saw that her daughter had been slapped, she was so mad that she kept on thumping her chest and stomping her foot. âPeony, look at what your loser son-in-law has done.
âHeâs going to kill her!
âHeâs going to kill her! My poor daughter, you suffered through so many slaps. Boohoohoo...
âWhy is my life so miserable?â
Peony was infuriated. Every word her sister said cut through her like a knife. She glared at Clarence in rage. âClarence, youâve gone too far.
âSo what if we misunderstood you? Itâs not a big deal. How badly have you been wronged?
âIf you had explained yourself, would we not have believed you?â
Peony advanced toward Clarence. âWe all know you deliberately didnât explain yourself so you could frame it as a conflict. You wanted to use it to get Miranda to divorce you.
âAre you happy now that youâre divorced?
âDo you have any idea how upset Miranda was when she found out the truth about the Humanity Hall scam and Chadwickâs kidnapping?
âMiranda is at home grieving, yet youâre out shopping with another woman?! Has your conscience been thrown into the dumpster?â
Peony took a step forward. âNow, youâve slapped Jill to get back at Miranda.
âLook at how hard youâve slapped a good girl like her!
âYou violent freak, you pervert, you psycho!
âSince you like beating up people so much, you might as well beat me to death.â
With each sentence, Peony took another step toward Clarence.
By the time she finished her last sentence, Peony was standing in front of Clarence. Her eyes welled up with anger, while her breath smelled of garlic, nearly overwhelming him.
Clarence was stunned. âMirandaâs sad about the divorce?
âDoes she have feelings for me?â
Armstrong also added, âClarence, youâve really disappointed us.
âI thought you were just a loser and someone unpromising. I didnât expect you to like pulling off such petty tricks behind our backs.
âWe should be upright and honest!
âIf youâre upset about the divorce, you can argue with the Murphy family, but slapping Jill behind our backs is too much.
âWhatâs Jill got to do with this? Whatâs the point of taking your revenge out on her?â
Clarence ignored them.
He was still thinking about Miranda being sad about their divorce.
Suddenly, a startled voice rang out from behind Clarenceâs back, âMom, Dad, what are you doing here?â
Clarence stiffened.
When he looked back, it was Miranda.
She was wearing a baggy batwing blouse and culottes. She was carrying shopping bags and looking as aloof and beautiful as ever.
Clarence saw William beside Miranda. It looked like they had been out shopping and had just happened to be passing by.
âHaha, is that what you call grieving?â Clarence smiled sarcastically.
He had been worried about Miranda, but it turned out that he had just been overthinking.
Peony and Armstrong were a little embarrassed that their daughter had shown up just then.
âClarence, what are you doing here?â Miranda frowned as she looked at her family. âWhatâs going on?â
Peony explained, âHereâs the thing. Jill has just returned from abroad and was shopping at Walker Street with her best friends.
âBut Cecilia was careless, and I actually wonder if she knocked over Jillâs milk tea on purpose to get revenge.
âJill tried to get Cecilia to apologize, but Cecilia refused! Then, they argued.
âAs a man, Clarence even slapped Jill and forced her to apologize.
âJill got so mad she called all of us to come over.
âLook at how badly Jill was slapped.â
After listening to her motherâs explanation, Miranda looked at Jillâs swollen face.
Miranda was furious. âClarence, donât go too far. Come at me if you want revenge. Hurry up and apologize to Jill!â
âHaha, youâre as overbearing as ever. Unfortunately, Iâm not the old me anymore. Apologize? No way.â Clarence smiled playfully.
Miranda frowned. âShouldnât you apologize for what you did wrong?
âDo you not understand common sense?â
Clarence had a sneer on his face. âDo you believe your mother again?
âDo you think that thatâs the case and that itâs already my fault, without even needing to listen to my explanation?â
Clarence nodded non-stop. âI donât know common sense. You know common sense best. You know everything.â
Miranda was stunned. âYou can explain himself.â
Clarence did not bother to explain. âWhy should I?â
Cecilia walked over. âYeah, why should Clarence explain to you?â
Miranda snapped, âWhat does business between my husband and me have to do with you?â
Clarence fell into a temporary trance.
Cecilia shook her head in amusement. âYou and your husband? Thatâs funny. Youâre both divorced. Your husband?
âYou donât own Clarence anymore. You gave him up.â
Cecilia grabbed Clarenceâs arm and leaned her head on it. âYou donât want him, but I do.â
Miranda went pale and quivered. âClarence, you two...â
âYes, Iâve gotten together with Cecilia. Arenât you hooking up with William too?â Clarence laughed at himself. âYour mother just said you were upset and grieving at home because you found out that you had misunderstood me. I didnât know that this is how you grieve, thoughâyou hang out with someone who has tried to rape you before.â
Miranda felt a pang in her heart. It was as if she had been stabbed by a knife.
Clarence shook his head. âCecilia, letâs go. I donât want to shop anymore.â
âMe neither. Come on, letâs go home.â Cecilia took Clarence by the arm and turned to walk away.
Miranda watched their backs. Those words, and particularly that âgo homeâ, tore her heart out and left her with mixed feelings.
Miranda bit her lip and yelled at Clarence resentfully, âClarence, what are you doing? Youâre already hooking up with someone else after youâve just divorced me!â
âArenât you the same? Weâre just the same. Weâre both pigs, so letâs not get disgusted with each other.â Clarence left without looking back.
Peony walked over. âMiranda, donât get upset over that little loser. Williamâs a nice guy. Just spend time with him.â
Mirandaâs head was buzzing. She could not hear a thing.
Peony said nothing more. âYou guys go ahead and bond. This incident has nothing to do with you. Weâll deal with it.â
With that said, the Murphy family left in a hurry.
They left as hurriedly as they had come.
Onlookers dispersed.
William reached out to put his arm around Mirandaâs shoulder, but she jerked away from him. She ran ten feet away from William and glared at him in alarm. âWilliam, you disgust me.â
âHahahaha!â
William grinned sinisterly and glanced playfully at Miranda. âHave you just found out that Iâm disgusting? Have you read all the information?
âAny one piece of it could destroy the Murphy Property Development Group. Twenty or thirty years in jail would be a light sentence for your parents.
âHow you treat me will determine the Murphy familyâs fate.â
Miranda trembled with anger.
After she watched the video on Clarenceâs phone, she found out that William had actually tried to rape her. She had confronted William on the phone.
After he was exposed, instead of worrying, William had merely sent Miranda a stack of information about the Murphy Property Development Group breaking the law.
If William used the information to report Murphy Property Development Group, Mirandaâs family would be torn apart.
âMy parents didnât do that. That was all Kaysen and Georgeâs doing!â Mirandaâs hands and feet trembled slightly.
William moved closer, his face almost touching Mirandaâs pretty face. âWhatâs the use of telling me that? Go talk to the judge and see if they believe it.
âRemember, you have to do whatever I say from now on. Maybe Iâll burn these if you make me happy.
âIf not, they might show up in a judgeâs whistle-blower inbox.â
Miranda almost broke down. âWilliam, please.
âLet the Murphy family go.â
William smiled and nodded. âSure, 8 PM at First Birch Hotel tonight.
âThe same room. Iâll wait for you. Clarence ruined it for me in that room the last time.
âTonight, I want you to offer yourself to me.
âRemember, wear a ladyâs suit and hip-hugging skirt.. Donât forget those nude-colored stockings I like.â