Reclaimed By My Billionaire Ex Husband

Chapter 4

The Scandal

Claudia's POV

Three days.

It's been three days now since that night with Sebastian and I had not told anyone about it. I had returned home that morning with my stepmother's money in my account and that day went on like every other day. However, today I stood in the living room with my stepmother and step sister who sat on the white couch opposite me.

“You'll be meeting with Adrian Wilson first thing tomorrow morning.” Claire, my stepmother said, her hands crossed over her chest.

“Mum, you forgot to warn her. This is our chance to make a major comeback. I don't want you to ruin it.” My stepsister, Chloe said, rolling her eyes.

Adrian Wilson.

Who was that? Did they come up with another plan that involved me all by themselves without including me?

“I'm sorry to ask….but who is this Adrian Wilson you speak of and why do I have to meet him.” I asked, my voice almost inaudible as I tried to speak in a calm tone.

Claire and Chloe exchanged puzzled glances as their gaze fell back on me. Laughter rippled through the air as I stood there, a monument of mockery.

“Mum, didn't you tell her?” Chloe asked her mother.

“I did but what were you expecting? She is just like her mother. They never listen.” Claire said as her gaze turned from Chloe to mine. “Now listen up, you're getting married to Adrian Wilson. It's part of a process for us to finalize a merger between the Wilson International Group and the Millers. You know ever since the death of my husband the company stocks have been plummeting however, your marriage with Adrian would save the company.”

I stood there dumbfounded. I was just another puppet in their world, it was tiring. I wanted to yell at them, I wanted to curse at them for making such an important decision that involved me with seeking my consent! I had no idea who Adrian Wilson was and now I'm expected to marry him all of a sudden.

“I..but I don't know him. I can't just marry a man I don't love.” I said, my voice trembling. This was my first time going against my stepmother and I had no idea what to expect from her.

“Claudia,” Claire said, her eyes locking with mine. I quickly removed my eyes from her piercing gaze staring at the shoes on my leg. “Look me in the eyes.” She commanded.

I slowly lifted my head, my gaze falling on her hazelnut eyes. If eyes could kill, her stares would have pierced through my skull.

“You've been living with us for a few years now and you've been nothing but a liability. Dr. Reginald is not around anymore to spoil you. You need to prove your usefulness to this family, we can't keep harbouring a liability.” Claire said, her eyes firmly fixed on mine.

I didn't know when tears streamed down my face. Dr. Reginald was the only one who cared about me, he had an affair with my mother and when my mother died during childbirth he was bold enough to take me in regardless of all the oppositions he faced. He was the only biological family I had in this house and his death left a deep hole in my heart.

“Claudia! Claudia!” Chloe called out, jogging me out of my thoughts.

“Yes…yes” I said, stuttering.

“Everything has already been arranged. You're to meet with Adrian first thing tomorrow at one of the family restaurants. Don't mess it up.” Chloe said, standing up and walking down the hallway to her bedroom.

“Mother…”

“Don't call me that.” Claire said, interrupting whatever I had to say.

“Mrs. Claire, I cannot marry Adrian Wilson. Marriage is a lifetime agreement and I don't want to spend it with a man I don't love.” I said, pleading. I fell on my knees as tears flowed down my cheek hoping she would reconsider.

“If you ruin this I'll see to your disownment. You were never my biological child in the first place.” Claire said, as she walked away.

I immediately regretted pleading. For a moment I had forgotten the kind of monster my stepmother was. I stood up dusting the gown I wore. I had no other choice but to comply with their demands. I walked down the hallway heading to my room, a little space that would pass as a cranny. I walked in throwing myself on the bed as I drowned myself in my tears with my pillow held against my face.

I didn't know how long I cried but I knew that I cried till I fell into a deep sleep as everything around me fell into a deep silence.

Ding! Ding!

My alarm on my bedside table rang out furiously. I turned on my bed grunting out loudly. I stretched out, my hands searching blindly for the alarm on my bedside table. I finally found it, my hands hitting the top as the loud sound of the alarm stopped throwing the room into a deep silence.

I rolled on the bed once again, my head throbbing from last night’s tears. Thoughts of the marriage tore through my mind, and the familiar ache twisted my heart like a cruel, relentless wrench. I sat upright resting my head on my bed’s headboard. I ran my finger through my hair trying to untangle tangled strands.

I dragged myself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. My fingers twisted the faucet, and icy water gushed out. I splashed it over my face, the cold biting into my skin, chasing away the remnants of sleep and tears. I stared at my reflection on the mirror positioned above the faucet. A stubborn strand of hair kept falling over my face, no matter how many times I tossed it behind my ear.

Ding! Ding!

My phone notification rang, breaking the still silence in the air. I walked out of the bathroom to my bedside table where my phone sat gently on. I picked it up and opened my phone. It was a text message from an unknown number. A blog post was also attached to the message. I was hesitant at first, my finger hovering before finally tapping on the notification.

“You're a w***e! A gold digger! What a slut!”

The message read. I was confused at first, why did this person insult me? Was there something I did wrong? I clicked on the blog post, and my heart crashed into my stomach. My hands slapped over my mouth, trapping the horrified gasp clawing its way out of my throat. The headlines stared back at me, blaring in their cruel, blood-red boldness, each word a knife aimed at my dignity.

“Billionaire’s New Toy: Claudia Miller’s Dirty Secret Exposed!”

“From Nobody to Gold Digger: Claudia Miller’s Climb to Luxury!”

“The Desperate Bride: Claudia Miller’s Shameless Chase for Fortune!”

I kept scrolling and scrolling, the number of blog posts seemed endless. I tapped on one of them while reading the content. Who was responsible for this? The writer painted me as a w***e and a prostitute! Words failed me. All I could do was stand there, my hands trembling over my mouth as I read the cruel, unfounded claims those writers had so carelessly spewed. Each sentence was a fresh wound, tearing me apart with ruthless precision.

My eyes darted towards the comments beneath the post. The comments were wild, very wild.

“Isn't she the daughter of the Millers? So sad she has brought great shame to her family name.” User2300456 commented.

“Look at her. I bet it runs in the Millers bloodline. I heard her mother was a w***e who got pregnant with Dr. Reginald's child after a one night stand. Like mother, like daughter.” Emily_bronke25383 commented.

“The Walters again? It's no news. Sebastian had always been known to be a reckless playboy. I've encountered him in one of the bars in New York City and he is a full time womanizer. I can't believe his father is leaving his company in his hands.” Caramel_2638494 commented.

“Ahhhhhh”

I screamed, the sound raw and broken, before throwing my phone onto the bed. My fingers clawed into my hair, tugging at the roots as frustration clawed viciously at my sanity. I fell on my knees as tears rolled down my face. I didn't know what to do, I sat at the corner of my bedside table crying heavily.

The notification sound on my phone didn't stop coming.

Ding! Ding!

The sound of my scream filled the room, echoing off the walls, each notification a cruel reminder of the hate-filled comments crafted to tear me apart. Lies upon lies, all stitched together to ruin me. I didn’t know what to do. I was lost, drowning in a sea of accusations I had no power to silence.

“Claudia!”

My stepmother, Claire, yelled my name from outside the hallway. Her voice grew louder, closing the distance between us until she barged into my room, her expression filled with anger as she stared at me with hate-filled eyes.

I was in trouble. Big trouble.