The next morning, Chantel stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the tight-fitting bodycon dress that hugged her curves. She smoothed her hair to the side, making sure it looked just right. Downstairs, Henry was already dressed for work, his shirt pressed and shoes polished. He grabbed his briefcase and headed toward the door but suddenly stopped. "Wait, I forgot some files," he muttered to himself. He hurried back inside, and as he entered the living room, he saw Chantel walking down the staircase.
"Where are you going?" he asked, surprised to see her all dressed up.
"I'm going to Claire Smith's house," she replied, holding her handbag tightly.
"You didn't tell me you were going there," Henry said, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, Henry, but I know if I had told you, you would never let me go. I need to find out why she did this without my consent. I need answers," she explained, her voice tinged with determination.
Henry paused, contemplating his next move. He had been planning to go to the office, but this was more important. "I'll come with you then," he declared.
"You're supposed to go to the office," she pointed out.
"Yes, I know, but I don't have anything urgent today. I can call my secretary to handle minor things. I didn't expect you to go behind my back to Claire's house," he said, feeling a mix of protectiveness and concern.
Chantel's guilt washed over her. "I'm really sorry, Henry."
"It's fine. I thought we would confront them in court because I've already spoken to my lawyer about this case," he said.
Chantel looked at him in shock. "You want to sue them?"
"Of course! They need to pay for what they've done. You and the kids deserve to be free, and I want to adopt them legally," he said firmly.
Chantel considered this. "That's a good idea, but I still want to see her before we send a letter about court."
"Alright, anything for you, but I'm definitely coming with you," Henry said, and she nodded in agreement.
"Yes, let's go. I already told the nanny to take care of the kids," Chantel said as they walked out of the house together.
Meanwhile, Andrew was getting ready to leave for work. Just as he was about to step outside, Claire's mother stopped him. "You're all dressed up for the office, aren't you?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
"Yes," he replied, feeling a bit impatient.
"What are you going to do about the kids and Claire?" she pressed.
Just then, Claire walked down the stairs, dressed in a stylish lace-up dress, holding her handbag. "He won't do anything about it, Mum. I've made my decision," she said confidently.
"Where are you going dressed like that?" her mother asked, bewildered.
"I'm going to find a new house for myself. I'm leaving this place for good," Claire said, her voice firm.
Her mother frowned. "You can't do this, Claire. I'm sure Andrew still loves you. What happened was just a mistake. You should fight to get the kids back from Chantel and be their mother," she urged.
Andrew interjected, "I can't force her to stay. If she's not interested in the marriage anymore, it's better for us to get a divorce and go our separate ways."
Claire smiled at his words. "Mum, don't worry. I'll still be a mother to my kids," she reassured her.
"Maybe you'll just adopt kids. I can't wait to divorce a barren wife like you," Andrew shot back, anger rising in his voice.
Claire's temper flared. "Stop it! Both of you need to settle your differences," her mother said, trying to calm the situation.
"Fine! You can either come with me to my new house or go back to Washington," Claire said defiantly, staring Andrew down. She was determined to win back her children and make sure Andrew didn't get away with anything.
Just then, the doorbell rang. "I need to leave for the office now," Andrew said, moving toward the door. The maid opened it, and to his surprise, he found Chantel and Henry standing there. He stepped back, confused.
Claire noticed Andrew's reaction. "What's going on?" she asked.
Chantel's eyes locked onto her stepmother, and suddenly everything clicked. "Mum!" she called out, her voice filled with realization.
Henry's eyes widened. "Wait, you two know each other?" he asked, astonished.
"Of course! Claire is my stepsister, and I didn't realize it until now," Chantel said, walking closer to them.
Andrew stood there, lost in confusion. "How did you not recognize each other?" he asked, bewildered. "And Claire, did you know she was your stepsister?"
"No, I only found out a few days ago because I've been away from the country since I was young," Claire replied.
Andrew's brow furrowed. "How did she end up on the streets if your dad is rich?" he probed.
"That's none of your business, Andrew!" Claire yelled, frustrated.
"Are you afraid to tell everyone what your mother did to me years ago? You shouldn't be, because you and your mother are shameless," Chantel said, her voice rising in anger.
"Shut up!" Claire shouted back.
"I should have known when you were being so nice to me that you had a plan," Chantel said, her tone bitter.
"You wouldn't have known because you're just a fool," Claire sneered.
Chantel stepped closer, her fist clenched, and suddenly, she struck Claire across the face. "That's for making a fool out of me!" she exclaimed, breathing heavily.
Claire gasped in shock. "How dare you hit me like that?" she shouted, her face turning red with anger.
"Wait a minute! This is my house, and if you two have issues to settle, you need to do it elsewhere. We're getting a divorce soon," Andrew interjected, trying to take control of the situation.
"Chantel, you're already stressed out from last night, and now you've discovered your stepsister's betrayal and what your stepmother did to you in the past. I think we need to meet in court soon," Henry said, his tone serious. Chantel's eyes met his, and she felt a surge of support.
Claire's heart raced at the thought of a court battle. Andrew looked worried, realizing that this could all lead to trouble for him and Claire's mother, especially with her political ambitions on the line.
"Where's my dad?" Chantel asked, her voice filled with urgency as she faced Claire's mother.
"You don't need to worry, Chantel. You'll find out where he is soon. They can't hide it forever because he will be present in court," Henry assured her.
Chantel felt a mix of emotions, anger at Claire and her mother but also a sense of determination to uncover the truth. Henry took her hand and led her away from the tense scene, leaving Andrew and Claire to grapple with the fallout.
Claire, feeling the heat of the situation, didn't want things to escalate further. "We can't let this go to court," she said, glancing nervously at Andrew, who was still seething with anger.
"Maybe we should have just kept quiet," Andrew muttered, feeling trapped in a whirlwind of emotions. He stepped outside, slamming the door behind him, leaving Claire and her mother in a heated silence.
Chantel and Henry walked away from the house, determined to face whatever came next together. The morning had taken a turn they never expected, but they were ready to confront the challenges ahead, knowing they had each other's backs.