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799 Words
Chloe roughly guessed what her mother was going to say.
It was just as well; she had been agonizing over how to break the news about Xavier Grayson.
Mrs. Bishop took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "Chloe, I’ve thought it over. If Arthur Bishop wants your father’s seat, let him have it. We’ll transfer the shares in your father's name to him. What you and I hold is enough to keep us comfortable for the rest of our lives."
"Did Arthur say something to you?"
A sharp glint flashed in Chloe's eyes. Since Lily had been returned safely, she knew Arthur’s first plan had failed, and a man like him would waste no time launching a second.
"He said... he said if we don't comply, the next person to be kidnapped will be you," Mrs. Bishop said, looking as if she had aged a decade in a single sentence. Her voice was a mix of fury and helpless terror. "He said he would utterly ruin you. Let him have the company, Chloe. Our family being safe is more important than any business."
"Mom, do you really think Arthur will stop there?"
Chloe didn't hold back. She told her mother everything that had happened at the Bishop mansion that night—how Arthur had tried to detain her and force her to spend the night with Felix.
"Arthur’s ambition covers everything the Bishops own. This villa, our assets... and me." Arthur clearly intended to use Chloe’s beauty as a bargaining chip to pave the way for his greater greeds.
Mrs. Bishop began to shake with rage, tears pouring down her face. "It’s all my fault... I’m so useless. What are the three of us going to do?"
In her desperation, Mrs. Bishop couldn't help but wish, however weakly, that Liam Martin would show some old sentiment and reach out to pull them from the abyss. She was terrified—her infant snatched, her husband nearly murdered in his hospital bed, and now Chloe’s life and dignity under threat. She was at her breaking point.
Chloe pulled her mother into a fierce embrace. "Mom, don't worry. Arthur won't be arrogant for much longer. Xavier Grayson is going to help us."
"Xavier Grayson?"
The name sent a shiver through Mrs. Bishop. "Why would Xavier Grayson help us?"
The Bishops and the Graysons had never had any dealings. Why would a man like that suddenly stick his neck out for them?
Before Chloe could explain, Mrs. Bishop’s expression shifted to one of horror. "Chloe, don't do anything foolish. Your father and I would rather have nothing than see you throw yourself away like that."
She thinks I’ve become Xavier’s mistress.
"Mom, it’s not like that—"
"Listen to me!" Mrs. Bishop interrupted, her voice rising with emotion. "Xavier Grayson might be the wealthiest and most powerful man in River City, but look at his reputation! He’s cold-blooded, ruthless, and shows no mercy to his own blood. There is no happy ending for a woman who follows him. I won't allow you to go near him!"
Mrs. Bishop’s maternal instincts were flaring. She was ready to fight. "Arthur is a monster, but we aren't completely without resources. I would rather burn every cent we have to the ground than let him win by sacrificing you!"
A woman is weak, but a mother is strong. At this moment, Mrs. Bishop was prepared to go down in flames with Arthur if it meant protecting Chloe.
Chloe’s eyes dimmed with a bittersweet sorrow. "Mom, it’s already too late."
"What do you mean? Have you... have you already slept with him?"
Mrs. Bishop gripped Chloe’s hands, her face a mask of heartbreak and anger. "You foolish child! Are you trying to kill me? Break it off. Now. You are not to contact him ever again, do you hear me? Stay far away from him!"
"I can't break it off." Chloe let out a silent, weary laugh in her heart.
"Chloe! He is not a good man!"
"I know."
Precisely because he wasn't a "good man," she had chosen him. Precisely because of his ruthless methods, he was the only one who could save the Bishop family from the vultures.
"He will never marry you, you silly girl! You’re just throwing your life away for nothing!"
Chloe didn't say a word. Instead, she reached into her bag, pulled out the small, scarlet marriage certificate, and opened it in front of her mother.
The gold-embossed characters and the official seal were unmistakable.
Mrs. Bishop stared at the photos of Chloe and Xavier—sitting side-by-side, legally bound. Her breath hitched, and for a long moment, the room was deathly silent.
"We registered this afternoon," Chloe said quietly. "As of four o'clock today, I am legally Mrs. Xavier Grayson."
- Writer
