Chapter 49: Disastrous news from their end
The atmosphere inside the Pearl Mansion remained unusually heavy.
The truth about the Swan family had shattered decades of trust in a single afternoon.
No one had expected things to end this way.
For years, both families had shared countless dinners, celebrations, and business milestones. They had laughed together, traveled together, and even dreamed of becoming one family through Hannah and Eric’s marriage.
Now...
Everything had fallen apart.
The one most affected was Nicholas.
Dexter Swan had never been just a business associate.
He had been his brother in everything but blood.
They had built their friendship from nothing, believing that one day their children and grandchildren would continue that bond.
Instead...
Greed had replaced loyalty.
And trust had been exchanged for profit.
Even Eric...
The boy they had watched grow up...
Had turned out to be someone who manipulated Hannah’s feelings simply to strengthen the Swan family’s position.
Jonathan let out a long sigh before standing.
"Hannah still isn’t answering my calls."
His worry was evident.
"I’ll go look for her."
Although Hannah had remained composed before everyone, they all knew she had been devastated.
Grace gently stopped him.
"Don’t worry."
She smiled reassuringly.
"Our daughter isn’t so fragile that she’ll fall apart over a scumbag."
Then she added with complete confidence,
"Besides... Clara said she’d stay with her."
The living room instantly became quiet.
Every head slowly turned toward Grace.
Even Dominic looked at his mother in surprise.
"..."
Grace frowned.
"What?"
"Why is everyone looking at me like that?"
Jonathan blinked.
"You... trust Clara?"
Grace looked genuinely confused.
"Shouldn’t I?"
She folded her arms.
"Let’s not forget who exposed Eric."
"Who saved Hannah from marrying that liar?"
"Who stood there while everyone accused her and still proved herself right?"
She glanced at Dominic.
"That girl deserves a thank-you, not more suspicion."
Dominic rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"...Fair enough."
Nicholas nodded slowly.
"I think Grace is right."
There was no hesitation in his voice this time.
"If Clara hadn’t stepped in..."
He didn’t finish the sentence.
He didn’t have to.
Everyone already knew how disastrous the outcome could have been.
After a brief silence, Nicholas looked toward Dominic.
"There’s something I’ve been wondering."
"How did you find out about Eric in the first place?"
Jonathan immediately looked over too.
"That’s right."
"You didn’t exactly seem surprised by today’s recording."
Dominic leaned back against the sofa before letting out a helpless sigh.
"It started because of Clara."
Everyone listened attentively.
"One day she casually mentioned seeing Eric with another woman."
Jonathan frowned.
"Casually?"
Dominic nodded.
"As casually as someone commenting about the weather."
Jonathan nearly laughed.
"That sounds like Clara."
Dominic couldn’t deny it.
"She told me she saw Eric with a woman while he was supposedly away on a business trip."
Grace frowned. "But according to Hannah, Eric was overseas that week."
"Exactly."
Dominic nodded. "Which was why Clara found it suspicious."
Nicholas folded his arms.
"So you investigated."
"I ignored her."
Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
"You... what?"
Dominic looked completely unapologetic. They were supposed to know that their son despite being a slave to Clara would never let go of this one trait of his.
"I thought she’d misunderstood."
Jonathan burst into laughter.
"So your wife handed you a golden clue...and you threw it away?"
Dominic sighed. "For exactly twenty-four hours."
Grace looked amused.
"What changed?"
Dominic looked unusually embarrassed.
"Clara."
Jonathan grinned.
"What did she do?"
"Nothing," Dominic replied calmly. "She simply apologized."
He paused before adding,
"And that’s exactly what made it unusual."
Jonathan immediately burst into laughter.
"Exactly!"
The room fell silent.
Everyone slowly turned to look at him.
Jonathan’s smile instantly froze.
"..."
He looked from one face to another before clearing his throat awkwardly.
"I was... merely agreeing with my son."
No one said a word.
Jonathan straightened his posture and nodded seriously.
"After all, we all know how stubborn Clara can be."
He spoke with such confidence that it sounded like an undeniable law of nature.
"If Clara ever loses an argument..."
He paused dramatically.
"...it’s only because she decided the other person wasn’t worth arguing with anymore."
Dominic lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Grace sighed.
Nicholas quietly sipped his tea.
Jonathan blinked.
"...No?"
Still no response.
"I thought that one was funny."
Grace finally looked at him.
"It was."
Jonathan brightened.
"Really?"
"It just wasn’t the right time."
His shoulders slumped.
"I keep forgetting this family hates joy."
Nicholas looked at him without changing his expression.
"We don’t."
Jonathan’s eyes lit up.
"Oh?"
"We just don’t encourage yours."
Even Dominic let out a quiet chuckle.
Jonathan placed a hand over his heart.
"Dad... That hurt."
"You’ll recover."
Grace shook her head before returning to the topic.
"I actually agree with Dominic."
Everyone’s attention shifted toward her.
"Clara isn’t someone who gives up easily. We’ve all witnessed that firsthand."
She glanced around the room.
"She was stubborn enough to stand her ground against every single one of us."
Jonathan nodded.
"And she somehow survived."
Grace ignored him.
"So for someone like Clara to apologize..."
She frowned thoughtfully.
"...that actually says a lot."
Nicholas nodded in agreement.
"It means she truly believed something was wrong."
Everyone quietly nodded.
For once, no one questioned Clara’s intentions.
Jonathan suddenly raised his hand like a student in class.
"I have a concern."
Grace looked at him.
"I’m almost afraid to ask."
"I still think letting Clara stay alone with Hannah is a terrible idea."
That immediately caught everyone’s attention.
Jonathan continued,
"Let’s not forget something."
"Hannah dislikes Clara."
Dominic nodded.
"True."
"And Clara..."
Jonathan scratched his chin.
"...has a very unique way of comforting people."
Grace narrowed her eyes.
"What does that mean?"
Jonathan answered without hesitation.
"Imagine Hannah crying."
He sniffled dramatically, pretending to cry.
"’My heart is broken.’"
Then he switched to Clara’s cheerful voice.
"’Don’t worry! I’ll help you bury him.’"
Dominic looked away, trying not to smile.
Jonathan continued.
"’Emotionally... probably.’"
Grace covered her mouth to hide her laughter.
Nicholas coughed into his fist.
Even he was struggling not to smile.
Jonathan looked triumphantly at everyone.
"See? You all know I’m right."
Dominic sighed helplessly.
"...Unfortunately."
Jonathan nodded proudly.
"I know Clara means well. t somehow..."
He spread both hands.
"...she has the magical ability to comfort one person while giving everyone else high blood pressure."
Grace couldn’t deny it.
"That’s... surprisingly accurate."
Jonathan grinned.
"I’ve been saying it for months."
Dominic folded his arms.
"I trust Clara."
Jonathan looked at him in disbelief.
"You do?"
"I do."
Jonathan blinked.
"Then why do you sound like you’re preparing for a disaster?"
Dominic answered with a perfectly straight face.
"Because I trust Clara’s heart."
He paused.
"I don’t trust what comes out of her mouth."
Jonathan slapped the armrest and burst into laughter.
"There it is!"
"Exactly!"
Grace nodded thoughtfully.
"That’s actually a fair assessment."
There was nothing they could do now that Clara had already gone to Hannah. All they could do was wait to hear any disastrous news from their end.