Chapter 208: The web of deceit
"What?" Theodore was shocked, his anger flaring. He had not thought this was coming. "You know I don’t like Gina. This will be a disaster for both of us. Why do you want to do this?" He struggled to comprehend her twisted logic. "Gina is your favorite. Don’t you think she deserves someone who truly loves her? Tying her to a loveless marriage isn’t fair!"
Claudia regarded him with disdain, her expression unyielding. Love had never been a priority for her; she had married into the Reid family to secure a fortune. When Theodore married Gina and had his child, they would inherit everything he owned.
"It doesn’t matter whether you like her or not," she replied coldly. "Gina likes you and wants to marry you. Fulfilling her wish is my job. Love is irrelevant right now. You’ll grow to like each other eventually."
"That’s impossible," Theodore snarled dangerously. "Bella is the only one I love. No one can replace her in my heart."
Claudia crossed her arms, her expression triumphant. "I get it. Since you can’t get rid of her, I’ll hand the video to the cops. And..."
"Wait!" Theodore interrupted her, his fists trembling on his sides. Right now, he realized he had no choice but to play along. He needed time to figure out how to erase the threat looming over him. "I agree to divorce Bella," he said, suppressing the ache in his heart. "But I need some time before marrying Gina."
An uncanny glint appeared in Claudia’s eyes. She knew why he wanted time. She was okay with it. Once he was free of Bella, she would maneuver him into marrying Gina.
"No problem," she replied smoothly. "Just don’t try to be smart. You know I can ruin everything." With that final warning, she turned on her heel and strode out of the ward, leaving Theodore alone with his turmoil.
Theodore sagged on the chair as the door clicked shut, a wave of despair crashing over him. He felt trapped, caught in a web of manipulation and deceit. But deep down, he vowed to protect his family from this scheming Claudia at all costs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Theodore came to find Gary, who had just returned to his cabin after two long hours of surgery.
"Theodore!" Gary was surprised to find his friend waiting for him. "How long have you been here?"