Claire drove into the driveway, fuming with anger. She parked the car roughly, slammed the door, and stepped out, her eyes swollen from crying. The weight of her emotions pressed heavily on her as she stomped into the house. Her mother looked up from her seat, instantly recognizing something was wrong. She rushed to Claire, concern etched on her face.
"Claire! What happened? Have you been crying?" her mother asked, gently taking Claire's hands in hers.
Claire's eyes brimmed with tears, despite her efforts to conceal her feelings. Memories of Andrew's betrayal flooded her mind, and she struggled to keep her composure.
"Claire, please tell me what's wrong," her mother pressed, still holding her hands.
Claire sank onto the couch, her frustration boiling over. "I want to file for a divorce, Mom."
Her mother's eyes widened in shock. "Never! You cannot file for a divorce!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in anger.
Claire looked up defiantly. "Why not? I have every right to! Just because you found Chantel and the kids doesn't mean I have to stay in this miserable marriage!"
Her mother frowned, crossing her arms. "You should've asked me first instead of jumping to conclusions. I know you want to file because you think Henry is interested in Chantel. But this isn't just about you—it's about our family's reputation."
"Why do you always make it about you?" Claire shouted, feeling the heat of the argument rising. "You're more concerned with your image as a counselor and your political career than with my happiness!"
"Andrew called me barren," she added, the words spilling out in a rush. "I caught him cheating on me with his secretary, and he didn't even seem sorry! He just insulted me."
Her mother's expression turned from anger to disbelief. "Are you serious? He cheated on you?"
"Yes, I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked into his office," Claire continued, her voice trembling. "He doesn't love me, and I can't live with that anymore. I deserve better."
"Even so, I still can't agree with you, Claire. You're hurt right now, but you can't let that make your decisions. You need to focus on getting those kids back from Chantel," her mother insisted.
Claire shook her head vehemently. "Why should I? You expect me to stay with a man who cheated on me? It's a hell no from me! I'm filing for a divorce, and there's nothing you can do about it."
With that, Claire grabbed her bag and stormed upstairs to her room. Her mother was left fuming, determined to stop her daughter from making a huge mistake.
In her room, Claire pulled out her cellphone and called her lawyer. "I want to file for divorce," she stated firmly. "Please prepare the documents." After hanging up, she sat on her bed, a wave of determination washing over her. "Henry will be mine, and I will have kids of my own. I can't let Chantel win," she muttered to herself.
Meanwhile, Chantel was busy preparing for a special evening. She slipped into a stunning red high-low dress, paired with her expensive jewelry that Henry had given her. After slipping into her black platform heels, she styled her hair into a sleek ponytail and spritzed on her favorite perfume. Walking down the stairs, she caught Henry's eye, and he admired her, a romantic smile on his face.
"You look beautiful tonight," he said, approaching her. "Expensive, too."
Chantel smiled back, a warmth blossoming in her chest. "Thank you! But maybe we should let the nanny stay with the kids tonight."
"I want the kids to be part of this evening too," Henry replied, taking her hand gently. "I have a surprise for you." They both exchanged knowing smiles and walked into the living room, where the nanny was playing with the kids.
Andrew, on the other hand, rushed home, his heart pounding with anxiety. He found Claire already dressed for bed in a revealing red nightgown. The sight of her made his chest tighten.
"Where did you find Chantel?" he demanded, his eyes searching hers.
Claire stared at him, disbelief mixing with hurt. "That's all you care about? Don't you feel any guilt for what you did?" Her voice was soft but filled with pain. "You broke my heart, and you're worried about her?"
Andrew frowned, seemingly unfazed. "You still haven't answered my question."
Claire snapped. "You want to know about Chantel? Fine! I've already filed for divorce. You don't need to apologize, because I'm done with this marriage. Go find Chantel if you care so much about her."
"Is this what you think after everything we've been through? You want to just throw it all away?" Andrew's voice rose, filled with frustration. "We need to find Chantel to get our kids back!"
Just then, Claire's mother stepped into the room, overhearing their heated discussion. She quickly formulated a plan to defuse the situation. "If you want to know where Chantel is, go look for her at Henry's house," she interjected.
Claire's face went pale. "Henry? Who's Henry?" Andrew asked, confusion and anger blending in his voice.
"Henry's father owns the biggest oil company in the country," Claire's mother explained, watching Andrew's expression shift.
"Do you mean Henry Williams?" Andrew asked, realization dawning on him.
Claire nodded, frustration bubbling over. "How is that even relevant? Why should we care where she is?"
"You need to act quickly," her mother continued. "Henry wants to adopt the kids, and if he does, you'll lose all rights to them. You have to talk to Chantel now."
Andrew swallowed hard. "This is a huge battle. I can't just rush in. The Smiths and Williams? This could blow up in all of our faces."
Claire glared at Andrew, her anger palpable. "You're thinking about saving face? I want those kids, and I want Henry to be their father. Not you!"
"Look, if everyone finds out what happened between Claire and me, it'll be a disaster," Andrew said, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
"You have to tell the truth and fight for your rights," Claire's mother urged. "Once Henry finds out, he might throw Chantel out and give you the kids back."
Andrew finally nodded, understanding her logic. "I need to go now," he said, dashing out of the room.
Claire turned to her mother, furious. "Why did you barge in here without knocking?"
"I'm sorry, but I had to stop the argument," her mother replied defensively.
"Why did you have to tell him where Chantel is? I didn't want him to know!" Claire shouted.
"Because it's the only way to get you to change your mind. Andrew still loves you!" her mother insisted.
"You can't stop me from filing for divorce, Mom! I already did! Andrew doesn't care about me; he just wants his kids," Claire argued, pacing around the room.
"Don't you want to be a mother?" her mother asked softly.
"Of course I do, but not with Andrew as their father. I have my own plans!" Claire shot back, determination flooding her voice.
"What plans?" her mother asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You can't push Andrew away from his responsibility. This is your chance to be a mother!" her mother argued. "I'm sure Henry will throw Chantel out and give the kids to you and Andrew."
"Mom, my decision is final! I'm getting a divorce. I need some rest," Claire declared, walking to the door and opening it for her mother.
With a sigh, her mother left the room. Claire closed the door behind her and sank onto her bed, deep in thought. "If Henry kicks Chantel out, it'll be great for me. But if Andrew gets the kids first, that's going to hurt. I want to be a mother, and I won't let Chantel ruin that for me," she murmured to herself, a smirk creeping onto her face.
Meanwhile, Andrew drove to Henry's house, the tension building inside him. He parked and walked up to the gate. The security guard nodded, letting him know where Henry was.
At the same time, Henry and Chantel arrived at an upscale restaurant with the kids and their nanny. They were excited about the evening ahead. Henry carried Vivian, and Chantel had Vincent in her arms.
After ordering food and drinks, Henry slipped a beautiful ring into Chantel's glass of wine. When she discovered it, her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Henry! Is this—?" she stammered, tears forming in her eyes.
"Yes, it is," he said, kneeling before her. "I love you, and I want to marry you. Will you say yes?"
Chantel nodded, overwhelmed. "Yes, I will marry you!" she exclaimed, joy radiating from her.
As Henry slid the ring onto her finger, Andrew arrived at the restaurant, just in time to see the romantic moment unfold. The sight of Chantel and Henry together, smiling and surrounded by the kids, pierced Andrew's heart.
"Those kids are mine!" he shouted, shocking everyone in the restaurant.