Chapter 1345
[ 625 words ]
Cindy’s forced smile shattered. “What kind of safety net could my mother possibly leave me?”
She desperately wanted to play the sympathy card, but she needed Claire to actually buy it.
There was zero chance Claire believed Octavia had left Cindy stranded.
Even though Cindy was the product of an affair, it was obvious Octavia harbored immense guilt toward her. She would have undoubtedly established a secret fund. Setting up an escape route for Cindy was effectively securing one for herself.
Even if Octavia didn’t prioritize Cindy, she would have absolutely hidden assets for her own survival.
Otherwise, all her years scheming in high society would have been a complete joke.
“Like cash, or maybe real estate. You aren’t actually wandering the streets, are you?”
Claire smirked, her gaze piercing right through the lie.
Naturally, Cindy wasn’t about to confess that Octavia had, in fact, deeded a property to her.
“I just want to wish Pandora a happy holiday. Are you blocking me because you’re terrified she’ll take pity on me?”
Cindy convinced herself that if Pandora saw her current pathetic state, the old woman’s maternal instincts would kick in.
Even if Pandora didn’t hand over Hearth & Kettle, just being allowed to live there would be a massive victory.
Residing in such a prestigious estate would make landing a wealthy husband incredibly easy.
Cindy knew her grip on York was slipping rapidly.
His affection for her had been thoroughly drained.
If she didn’t walk away gracefully soon, she would obliterate whatever lingering goodwill he had left.
At that point, she would mean absolutely nothing to him.
She planned to pack her bags and play the martyr, claiming she didn’t want to ruin York’s life. That performance was guaranteed to keep him pining for her.
In the meantime, moving into Hearth & Kettle would serve as the perfect launchpad to snag an even better fiancé.
“What happened to your face?” Claire asked, completely ignoring Cindy’s delusional rant as she noticed something highly entertaining.
Someone had clearly slapped Cindy. Half of her face was inflamed and slightly swollen.
The heavy layer of foundation almost masked it, but Claire’s gaze was far too sharp to miss it.
She saw right through the makeup.
She wasn’t fooled for a second!
“It’s nothing,” Cindy mumbled, her eyes darting away in panic as she aggressively shook her head.
The fact that Cindy wasn’t using the injury to farm sympathy made Claire intensely curious.
Whoever delivered that slap must have been entirely justified.
Otherwise, Cindy would be screaming about it from the rooftops.
Had Cindy hooked up with another engaged man, fully embracing her identity as a home-wrecker?
Surely not!
Cindy might not be a genius, but Pandora had raised her. Claire
couldn’t imagine ber moral com
being completely shattered. belongs to sŵnovel
Then again, her actual role model was Fallon.
As a notorious mistress herself, Fallon had probably brainwashed Cindy with garbage logic like, “the woman who isn’t loved is the real third wheel.”
Claire was just dying to know exactly what disaster Cindy had orchestrated to earn that slap.
“Claire, please stop torturing me. Just let me see Pandora,” Cindy begged.
“I swear I’m not trying to steal her from you. I just want to wish her well.”
Cindy’s voice trembled with such
pathetic desperation that, had Claire
not known her true fiature sher
it
might have actually fallen fo
“Pandora doesn’t want to see you.”
“But if you want to humiliate yourself, I won’t stop you.”
Claire wanted Cindy to face reality.
Just because her former family was in ruins didn’t mean she could come crawling back to Pandora for a bailout.
The whole ‘prodigal daughter returning home’ narrative absolutely did not apply to a snake like Cindy.
Predictably, Claire’s warning only fueled Cindy’s erratic desperation.
She shoved past Claire and sprinted into Hearth & Kettle, just in time to spot
Pandora stepping out of a private dining room.
“Pandora!” Cindy shrieked, sprinting toward her.
Hearing the frantic scream, Pandora didn’t even flinch, completely ignoring the girl’s existence.
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