Chapter 12
“What?”
Renee froze, piecing it together. Claire lost the baby?
Her shock melted into something darker, a fleeting smile barely noticeable. No baby meant no ties. Perfect. She’d been wracking her brain, trying to figure out how to push Finley into divorcing Claire. Now Finley had no reason to stay tethered to Claire.
“That night at the bar…” Finley’s voice cracked, his grip on her arm tightening. “If it weren’t for you getting hurt, I wouldn’t
have lost it. I wouldn’t have pushed Claire. Our baby would still be alive!”
Renee winced. “Finley, stop! That wasn’t your fault. It was Claire’s! She’s the one who deliberately spilled hot tea on me. Didn’t
you say it yourself? She’s always pulling these stunts. Honestly… maybe it’s just karma.”
“What did you just say?”
ing so cruel.
Finley’s face darkened. He never imagined the sweet, innocent Renee would say something
Sensing things were spiraling. Megan jumped between them, yanking them apart. “Mr. Lloyd, please! Renee’s still a kid. You’ve
always been so close–don’t turn on her now!”
Finley let out a bitter laugh, his voice dripping with self–loathing. “That’s the problem. I have treated her like a kid, spoiled her so
much she thinks this is okay. And now Claire’s done with me. She wants a divorce.”
“Wait–really?” Renee’s eyes sparkled, completely ignoring the pain etched across his face. “Did you agree? When are you
signing the papers?”
“Renee!” Megan tugged her arm, trying to stop her, but Renee brushed her off.
“Finley, you don’t even like her, do you? You’ve always loved me, right? I love you too. Divorce Claire, and we can get married right away!”
It hit Finley then–Renee had it all wrong. She actually thought he still loved her, that he’d leave Claire for her.
“No wonder,” he muttered, laughing bitterly. “No wonder Claire thought there was something between us. I made it so easy to
believe.”
