Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Chapter 1 She’s Gone

“Mrs. Lamont, you’ve been waiting for hours. I’m afraid that Mr. Lamont won’t come back tonight.”

“It’s OK. I’ll wait for a little longer.”

Claudia Lloyd had married Edmond Lamont for three years. Yet they never celebrated their wedding

anniversaries. On the night of their third wedding anniversary, she wanted to celebrate it at least once.

However, on the exact same day, her husband and another woman hit the headlines.

“Edmond Lamont picked Rosalie Clayton up at the airport! What a lovely couple!”

Rosalie was Edmond’s first love.

Everyone suggested that he should try to win her back.

Yet they had no idea that he was married.

No matter how many times Claudia called Edmond, she only heard cold beeps.

In the end, she got a call from a caregiver in the hospital instead of that from Edmond.

“Ms. Lloyd, your grandmother is in critical condition. You’d better come here now.”

The news said in an anxious voice came as a bolt from the blue.

Claudia put on a coat, took the car keys, and rushed out.

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After running several red lights, she finally arrived at the hospital with shaking hands,

Her grandmother, Eleanor Lloyd, found her in a dump when she was a baby. For Claudia, Eleanor was

her only family.

While Eleanor was in the O.R., Claudia asked the caregiver in a panic, “What happened? She was

perfectly fine yesterday,”

“I… don’t know,” the caregiver explained. “Ms. Lloyd, you know I’ve been taking good care of Eleanor,”

“Anything happened before her disease attacked?”

“Oh, a lady called Ms. Clayton came for a visit.”

Ms. Clayton?

Rosalie Clayton!

The nurse’s words gave Claudia a heavy blow. She felt her mind went blank as a trace of cold spread

over her body.

Rosalie was not close to Claudia. So it didn’t make sense for her to

come here.

Claudia forced herself to stay calm and asked, “Do you know what she said to my grandma?”

“The door was closed. I only heard she told Eleanor that she was about to marry someone. Then

Eleanor quarreled with her. By the time I checked on Eleanor after Ms. Clayton came out, she had

fainted…”

Claudia clenched her fists by the wall, shaking all over in rage.

She had never complained in front of Eleanor for fear that Eleanor would know the relationship

between Rosalie and Edmond.

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But Rosalie actually came to Eleanor behind her back!

The red light on the sign at the door of the O.R. was turned off, and then the doctor walked out.

Claudia’s heart raced.

The doctor took off his facial mask and said tiredly, “She had acute cerebral congestion. She must have

been too emotional. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Claudia braced herself for everything but her grandmother’s death.

The doctor’s words were overwhelming. Heartbroken, she sta ggered to the bed.

The only person who cared about her was covered by a white cloth, leaving her alone in the world.

Engulfed by grief, Claudia couldn’t even cry out loud. As she held Eleanor’s cold hand, she recalled

their warm memories. Everything turned into heavy blows, almost suffocating her.

Claudia moaned, covered her mouth, and squatted down by the wall.

After a long time, a familiar voice brought her back to her senses.

“Claudia.”

Claudia raised her head slowly.

It was a dominant and handsome man.

“It’s you…”

She murmured with dull eyes, “She’s gone…”

Her only family was gone.

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Hiding in the corner with thin pajamas on her body, Claudia looked like an abandoned child.

A lump in his throat, Edmond squatted slowly. “I’m sure she didn’t want to see you like this.”

Claudia’s heart wrenched.

Though breathing hard, she couldn’t get rid of the overwhelming anxiety.

She watched numbly as Edmond dealt with everything. When they arrived at the funeral home, she

finally recovered a bit.

On the first night of her grandmother’s death, there was an unexpected

visitor.

Rosalie walked in with flowers in a black suit.

It was Claudia’s first time meeting her.

Rosalie looked even prettier than she did on TV. Her silky hair hung down, her features refined, her

watery eyes appearing innocent and charming.

She walked to Claudia and said crisply, “Ms. Lloyd, I’m sorry for your

loss.”

Claudia thought of the caregiver’s words.

It was impossible that Rosalie had nothing to do with her grandmother’s death.

When Rosalie turned around, Claudia stopped her in a h oa rse voice, “Ms. Clayton.

“The caregiver told me you visited my grandma before she died.”

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Rosalie froze.

Claudia’s voice remained calm. “You don’t know her. Why did you visit her?”

Rosalie turned around with an innocent face. “What are you trying to suggest?”

“I want to know what you said to her.”

“I asked my foreign friend to make a video call with her to learn more about her disease. That’s all.”

Rosalie pouted, looking aggrieved. “I was just trying to help.”

“Help?” Claudia sneered, “You don’t even know her. After you left, her disease attacked. You were

trying to get her killed!”

“I asked her to visit your grandmother.”

Edmond walked over, his voice deep, his eyes frosty. “Rosalie’s friend is a famous oncologist

overseas.”

“It’s OK, Edmond. She just lost her family. I can understand why she got emotional.” Rosalie leaned

against Edmond, tears in her eyes. “I’ll apologize if it could make her feel better.”

“It was just a coincidence,” Edmond comforted Rosalie. “I told Rosalie to do it. It’s my fault,” he said to

Claudia.

Face paled, Claudia struggled to stand still.

She clenched her fists, biting her lower lip.

Edmond, the man she loved for years, was defending another woman.

“Your fault? How could it be your fault…” Claudia smiled bitterly and shook her head with bloodshot

eyes.

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Seeing her sorry state, Edmond frowned. “You must be tired. I’ll have someone take you home.”

“No need.” Claudia managed to maintain her balance with colorless lips.

Rosalie said in a clear voice, “If you think I caused your grandmother’s death, you can call the police

and ask them to investigate.”

Investigate?

Claudia had told the police about it, yet they refused to register the case for there was not enough

evidence after the surveillance video was damaged. After hearing Rosalie’s name, they even

suggested Claudia give up.

It made her confirm that Rosalie was the culprit.

The surveillance didn’t break down until her grandmother’s death. What a “coincidence”!

Claudia knew that the Clayton family was powerful, and it would be impossible for her to find evidence

on her own.

But she would never give up. Sooner or later, she would find out the truth.

“Rosalie, one day, I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done.”

“Claudia!” Edmond hissed, his eyes sharp and cold. “That’s rude!”