Claudia came to meet Keith, hoping he would find a way to bring their son out. She stumbled into the study, her face pale and drawn.
"Keith!" When she saw him sitting behind the desk, she cried out desperately as she approached him. "Are you still working here? Why aren’t you doing anything to take Franklin out?"
Keith looked up at her, his expression cold. His nerves were already frayed, but Claudia’s sharp voice only added to his fury. He closed the file he had been checking.
"Do you think I haven’t tried?" Keith shot back, his tone brittle with frustration. "Every call, every favor—it’s all worthless with the amount of evidence stacked against him. He is badly trapped. We can do nothing."
Claudia’s face crumpled, tears welling as she sank into the nearest chair. "How can you say that?" she whispered, her usual steely resolve slipping. "He is our son. Are you really going to let him rot in jail without lifting a finger?"
Keith’s face twisted, his anger spilling over. "That scumbag is useless," he growled. "I warned him several times to stay focused and concentrate on work. But he had to cross the line, and now, here we are. I told him to be careful, but he didn’t listen. And now we’re left with this disaster."
He snorted, his nostrils flaring in anger. "I can do nothing. His driver and the office he had bribed had taken his name. The case is quite strong. It’s almost impossible to take him out."
Claudia slumped further, her hands gripping the armrest tightly, knuckles white as her last shred of hope crumbled. Every plan she’d woven over the years, every calculated step she’d taken, all seemed futile now. What good was the Reid fortune if her son couldn’t be there to revel in it?
Desperation clawed at her. "We can’t give up, Keith," she insisted. "There must be something—anything—we can do."
Keith exhaled, rubbing his temples as if her words only deepened his frustration. "I am trying," he snarled. "Give me some time. I’ll figure out something."
Claudia was restless, but she knew she had to wait. The wheels of her mind spun with a mix of resentment and suspicion. Amidst the despair, a pang of doubt flickered in her mind. "Do you think Theodore can be behind this?" she asked skeptically.
Keith rubbed his brow, sighing. "Maybe, maybe not. Right now, I don’t know anything. But if I find out he is behind this, I won’t spare him."
Keith’s ambiguous response only added to her unrest, stoking a glimmer of paranoia that had already begun to fester. Claudia’s expression darkened. "Seems like I have to talk to him." She pushed herself up from the chair. "I’ll call you later." She turned on her heels and left the study, her movements stiff and deliberate.
Walking down the hallway, she encountered Gina, who had just entered the house with shopping bags in both hands.
"Aunt! When did you come?" Gina was a bit surprised to see her there unexpectedly.
Claudia blinked her tears back and pulled a smile over her face. "I came to talk to your father. "But you seem to be enjoying yourself with all this shopping."
Gina looked down at the shopping bags in her hands. "Yes, Theodore and I are planning our engagement. So, I’ve been preparing for it." She paused, noticing the subtle change in Claudia’s demeanor, the way her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. "What’s wrong, Aunt? You look troubled."
Claudia’s chest tightened as she fought back the overwhelming urge to unload the burden she carried, but she couldn’t bring herself to share that with Gina. She wanted to shield her from it, let her enjoy this moment of happiness.
"It’s nothing," Claudia replied quickly, brushing off her concern. "I just came to drop off some important documents to your father."
The lie felt heavy on her tongue, but she held her ground, her eyes briefly flicking away as if to avoid Gina’s gaze. She didn’t want to show how much she was struggling.
"Important documents?" Gina’s eyes widened in surprise. "You keep important documents with Dad!" she blurted out, unable to hide her suspicion and curiosity.
Claudia hesitated but nodded in the end. "Yes. Keith is my cousin. I trust him. He helps me whenever I am in trouble."
"Yes, of course." Gina faked a smile, her mind racing. She couldn’t stop thinking that Claudia might have kept the video footage with Keith. ’I need to search the study,’ she thought.
Feigning a look of empathy, Gina placed her hand lightly on Claudia’s arm. "I heard about Franklin. You must be so worried. But I’m sure my father will manage to bring him home soon."
Gina fluttered her eyelashes, pretending to be innocent. But her heart danced with satisfaction, though she kept her expression steady. Franklin deserved to be punished. He had planned to kill Theodore. ’He should rot in jail,’ she muttered to herself, ’and don’t worry. You’ll soon join him.’
"Yes, I spoke with your father," Claudia replied quietly. "He promised to help, and I trust he’ll do everything he can." She paused, her gaze distant before returning her focus to Gina with a forced smile. "I’m glad you’re concerned about Franklin. But don’t let this worry overshadow your happiness. This engagement is something you should be enjoying."
Her heart thumped with mixed emotions. She caressed her hair. "I’ll leave now. Take care of yourself."
"You too." Gina returned her smile. As she waved goodbye at her and watched her leave, her pleasant smile slipped, replaced by a sharp, cold expression.
’You will pay for every one of your sins, Claudia,’ she seethed silently. ’How can Dad still be so blind? He is still helping her.’
Her mouth turned bitter as she doubted that Claudia had been manipulating Keith and keeping him in the dark. "I won’t let you use my dad anymore. First, I’ll find the footage and then expose you."
She lifted her chin haughtily and sauntered into her room.
Claudia didn’t go home. Instead, she went to find Theodore, intending to confront him. She believed Theodore was behind it. If not, why would Franklin’s driver and the officer turn against him all of a sudden?
By the time she arrived at Theodore’s villa, it was already dusk. She stormed into the house, her heels echoing on the marble floors with each determined step. Her voice cut through the quiet like a blade, sharp and demanding. "Theodore! Where are you? Come out and answer my questions!"
Theodore, who had just arrived home, froze in the middle of changing his clothes. His brow creased as he heard Claudia’s sharp tone. The next minute, his lips curled slowly into a calculative grin.
He had already expected Claudia’s fury. ’Since you are here, let’s talk,’ he mumbled in his mind as he walked out of his room.
Theodore saw her fuming in the hall. The sight of her troubled look gave him a twisted sense of satisfaction. He stood at the top of the sweeping staircase as he watched her, his figure calm and composed. He took his time descending, each step deliberate. As he walked down the stairs, his eyes met with hers.
"Why are you shouting?" he asked coldly, his face void of any surprise at her sudden intrusion.
"Don’t play games with me!" she snapped, striding toward him. "You think you’re clever, don’t you? I know you’re behind Franklin’s arrest. You’ve manipulated his driver, the officer—all of them. This has your handiwork all over it."
Theodore merely raised an eyebrow, his expression one of calculated indifference. "Franklin’s arrest is his own doing," he replied smoothly, descending the last few steps until he stood just a few feet away from her. "If he made enemies or took the wrong risks, you should ask him why, not me." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
Her fists clenched as his cold, unflappable demeanor hit her like a wall. "Enough of your lies!" she hissed. "I came here to warn you—whatever game you think you’re playing, remember that I still have the evidence to ruin you."
"Stop threatening me," Theodore growled, his demeanor stiff. "If Franklin’s in jail, it’s because of his own recklessness, not mine. I have nothing to do with it."
He crossed the room and lowered himself onto the sofa as he picked up a folder from the table and opened it, ignoring her presence entirely. Inside, however, Theodore could feel the excitement roiling—a thrill he concealed expertly as he pretended to read.
"Don’t lie to me," Claudia shot back, not believing in his words. "You’re the one who forced the driver and the officer to testify against Franklin. They wouldn’t have turned on him otherwise."
Theodore looked at her, arching his eyebrows. "You really think so? I didn’t even know Lionel’s suicide wasn’t actually a suicide until recently. How could I have possibly coerced anyone?" He leaned back into the sofa. "I think you need to rest, Claudia. You’re letting your emotions cloud your judgment. Go get some sleep and clear your mind."
Claudia recoiled, her frustration bubbling over. "This isn’t a joke, Theodore! My son is in jail, and you expect me to just sleep? How dare you!"
Her voice shook with raw emotion, her face flushed with indignation. She clenched her fists, fighting to keep herself steady. "I know your tricks all too well. This is your doing, and you won’t get away with it. Remember that footage I have? I’ll hand it over to the authorities, and watch you suffer the consequences."
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