Chapter 3

Caleb looked completely baffled as I recorded him.

Meanwhile, Chris was weeping like a child as he hid in Elena's embrace.

Elena patted his back and comforted him softly. She then grabbed a wine glass that was nearby and splashed it at Caleb, screaming, "Chris is my boyfriend! Please keep yourself in check, Mr. Batford!"

Caleb was drenched in wine. He was just about to retaliate when he looked up and spotted me. He was briefly stunned before he realized what I was doing.

In the next second, he snatched up the contract from the table and tore it to shreds, saying, "I'm guessing that you no longer need this contract since you have your eye-candy in your arms, Ms. Clifford."

He turned on his heel and left after he was done speaking, not even bothering to spare Elena and Chris another glance.

Elena's expression turned steely.

Chris continued huddling in her embrace. He wrapped his arms around her neck and whined, "I'm so scared, Elena. Kiss me to make me feel better!"

Elena didn't hesitate for even a second. The way she kissed him made it clear that they had kissed countless times in the past.

My heart was oddly calm as I watched them be intimate with each other. Perhaps I was already numbed after being disappointed one too many times.

Elena spotted me when she turned around. She subconsciously lifted her hand and wiped the corner of her mouth. She then immediately began to bark her orders at me as she always did. "Chris is still in shock. Send him home for me."

She helped Chris to his feet and tried to pass him to me.

I didn't hesitate at all before I kicked Chris to the floor. "Do you take me for a fool, Elena?" I demanded.

Elena shot a furious look at me as she hurriedly shielded Chris behind her. "I won't let you off the hook if anything happens to Chris, Thomas!"

I had run out of patience to entertain them. I waved my phone at Elena and said, "Sign the divorce papers as soon as possible if you don't want everyone to find out that the almighty Ms. Clifford is having an affair."

Clifford Corporation was busy preparing to become a public listed company. It couldn't afford to have even a hint of negative press, which was also why Elena kept dragging things out and refused to divorce me.

However, she had no right to keep me trapped in this marriage.

It was utterly preposterous that she was still expecting me to help her keep up a good image when she was cheating with another man right in front of my face.

I sent the recording to Maria. After all, she was the one who was truly in charge of the Clifford family.

Securing a business partnership with Gravity Tech was extremely important to Clifford Corporation's chances of becoming public listed.

It was almost guaranteed that Maria was going to throw a fit when she found out what had happened. After all, not only did Elena cheat on me while we were still married, but she also ruined the partnership between Clifford Corporation and Gravity Tech.

…

As expected, Maria and Elena appeared on my doorstep the next day.

Maria immediately tried to slap me when I opened the door, but fortunately, I was able to move out of the way in the nick of time. When she tried to slap me again, I caught her wrist and kept it in a death grip.

I took the opportunity to air out all the grievances that I had been suppressing within myself for the past few months.

"I dare you to try to hit me again, you old hag."

Maria had always looked down on me, believing that I was undeserving of Elena. She would always hit and scold me whenever she pleased.

Elena explained that Maria had a short temper and asked me to tolerate her behavior. I did as she asked at the time because I loved her.

However, at that moment, there was no reason for me to hold back any longer.

"How dare you lay a hand on Mom, Thomas?"

Elena never expected me to defend myself. She shoved me with all her might and turned around to help Maria back to her feet.

Maria pointed an accusing finger at me and exclaimed, "You damned loser! I only accepted you because you were decent-looking and were willing to take care of my daughter. I thought that you would make her happy!

"I never would have imagined that you would fail to fulfill a woman's most basic needs. Elena never would have looked for another man if you weren't so useless! Explain the situation to Mr. Batford right now! I don't care if you have to grovel at his feet to do it. I want you to secure that partnership for us!"

I was rendered speechless by her words.

I glanced at Elena as she stood next to Maria. The way that they were confronting me was as if I was the one who was in the wrong.

Although I had known Elena for many years, I was seeing her true colors for the first time at that moment. She was selfish, weak, and shameless.

Suppressing my disdain, I leaned against the door and said, "It's still light out. You should go back home if you want to have utterly unrealistic dreams."

Maria realized that I wasn't going to yield to her demands. She was terrified that I would leak the video to the public. Her panic spiked as she stuck her chin in the air and stretched out her neck.

"I never should have allowed you to marry Elena. Actors are heartless creatures, after all. We allowed you to live like a freeloader in our home for so many years. And how do you repay our kindness? By threatening us! Don't blame me for taking drastic measures if you don't hand over the video."

Although Maria was already an old woman, she was still trying to threaten me with violence.

Unfortunately for her, I wasn't frail and delicate like Chris.

I immediately turned around and retrieved a baseball bat from within the house. I intentionally knocked it against the door and said, "Come on, then. Show me what you've got."

Maria's anger deflated significantly as she discreetly took two steps backward.

Elena's eyes shone with disbelief as she supported Maria. She had never seen this side of me since I had always spoiled her in the past.

Her phone rang just before she began to panic.

Elena's eyes lit up after she glanced at the screen. She stood up and fixed her usual haughty expression on her face before saying, "I'll agree to your request to get a divorce, Thomas."