Marriage Lies and a Dangerous Obsession novel Chapter 38

Chapter 38

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Andrea Sherman hadn’t expected Ian Hamilton have already thrown that paternity report in front of the Hamilton elders. Not only did the elders refuse to accept her and her son, but now Miranda Hamilton had threatened her outright.

She watched Miranda get into the car and drive off, then called Ian in tears.

By evening, Ian stopped by Hamilton Manor.

Miranda and her daughter Mia were arranging flowers in the living room.

Ian walked over. “Mom, why did you go see Andrea?”

Miranda kept working with the flowers. “And what else did she tell you?”

Ian hesitated, but said nothing.

Mia Hamilton chimed in with a mocking lilt. “Ian, did Andrea come to you sobbing again?”

Ian sat on the couch, eyes on the messy stems in the bucket, irritation rising for no clear reason. “Mom, I’ve made myself clear, I’ll handle my own affairs. Can you stop getting involved?”

Miranda wiped her hands, pulled a recorder from the coffee table drawer, and tossed it to him.

With a seriousness he’d never seen from her, she said, “Clear your ears and listen to what’s on that recorder before you speak.”

Before Ian could reply, she went on, “I’ve decided, if you truly want to divorce Chloe, I won’t stop you.”

Miranda turned, took a bank card from her bag, and tossed it to him.

“The debts you paid off for the Irvine family back then, I’ve repaid them for Chloe. The money came from my own dowry, not a cent from the Hamiltons. Sign the divorce papers and let her go.”

Ian set the card on the table, his face dark.

He only took the recorder. “Mom, what kind of mother supports her own son getting divorced?”

Mia said, “Ever since that woman and her kid came back, everything you have done was pushing Chloe to return the money and make room for that woman.”

Ian looked at his mother, then his sister, said nothing, and left the manor with a stormy face.

Late that night, Ian returned alone to the apartment he’d shared with Chloe.

The text he’d sent her that morning still had no reply.

They’d grown up together and known each other for over twenty years. Chloe’s first phone had been a gift

from him.

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Chapter 38

He still remembered her sheer joy as she looped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

While he complained and warned her off, she set his number to a special ringtone.

From then on, Chloe’s replies had been almost instant.

So this was what it felt like, waiting for someone to text back.

Ian patted his pocket and realized the recorder was still in the car.

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As he went downstairs to get it, Andrea’s call came, her son had a fever in the middle of the night. The clinic nearby wouldn’t take him, she needed him to get them to a big hospital.

lan didn’t hesitate. “Andrea, stay calm, I’m on my way.”

By the time Andrea’s son’s fever was gone, it was two or three in the morning.

In the ward, Andrea urged him to leave, guilt in her tone. “Ian, go home. I only called because I had no other choice tonight. Explain to your wife so she won’t misunderstand again.”

Ian didn’t tell her that Chloe had already moved back in with her family.

Back in his car, Ian searched for the recorder but couldn’t find it.

He looked up Andrea’s number on his phone, hesitated for a while, then set it down.

‘It had to have slipped away while I was helping earlier. Her kid was burning with fever and she was in tears, Andrea couldn’t have taken it.‘

In the ward, Andrea wasted no time deleting every file on the recorder.

She wrapped it carefully in a tissue and dropped it in the trash.

Ian clearly hadn’t heard the recording yet and learned about her taking Edward’s twenty million dollar six years ago. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed over and left without a word. Truly, the loudest barkers are the least dangerous. She had underestimated Miranda.

The next morning, Ian arrived at the hospital during Chloe’s shift, only to learn she’d gone to Seahaven for an exchange program and wouldn’t be back until next week.

A whole week away and she hadn’t even told him.

Something pressed in his chest.

After a pause, he stopped by Andrea’s ward.

He pushed the door open. The kid was still asleep. Andrea slumped over the bedside, holding his small hand.

Ian didn’t step inside.

Andrea came from modest means, without ambition or schemes. Everything she did was for her son. If Chloe

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Chapter 38

became a mother, she might understand how hard Andrea was.

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Walking away, lan called his assistant, Mitchell Garrison. “Cancel all the schedules for the next few days. Move my Seahaven trip up to this morning. Let me know when it’s ready.”

Inside, Andrea waited at the doorway until Ian was gone before she opened the door and stepped into the

hall.

Why had Ian suddenly cleared his schedule and moved up his Seahaven trip?

Lost in thought, she spotted one of Chloe’s colleagues.

The day she looking for Chloe, this girl had been with her.

Andrea stopped her. “Hi, is Dr. Irvine on duty today? I need to see her.”

“She’s in Seahaven for an exchange program and won’t be back until next week,” the girl said.

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