Chapter 6

"What did you say?" Jerald couldn't believe what she had said. "Clara, don't be ridiculous..."

"I'm serious." Clara's eyes swept past Cecilia, who stood behind Jerald, and settled back on his face. "From today, whatever concerns you, your child, or Cecilia, none of all these have anything to do with me."

"This is outrageous!" Clara was interrupted by a deep and stern voice.

Brenton Lucas, Jerald's father, leaning on a cane and supported by someone, approached Clara with anger blazing in his cloudy eyes. "Clara! On what grounds are you demanding a divorce? What has our family done to wrong you?"

He paused, striking the ground with his cane emphatically, and spoke again in a domineering tone. "Our family needs a rightful heir. This is the foundation of our family business! You can't bear a child because of your weak health, so why couldn't someone else do it for him? Jerald has been treating you well. Don't be ungrateful!"

Clara looked at Brenton, as if she had forgotten who she had sacrificed her health for all those years ago.

She suddenly smiled. "You're right. I can't have a baby, so I won't hold onto the position of Jerald's wife. I should let someone who can take it."

She turned to Jerald. "I'll have the divorce papers sent over by my lawyer. Once you sign them, we're done."

Jerald took a step forward trying to reach for Clara. He said in a tone filled with guilt, "Clara, stop it. I know you've been wronged. We'll talk about it after we're home. As for the divorce... I can't agree to that."

Brenton struck the ground heavily with his cane when Jerald's words had barely left his mouth. "Jerald, look at her! She's bringing shame upon our family!"

Being rebuked by Brenton, Jerald looked at Clara, and realized she was truly hurt this time.

He turned to Brenton, and said in a firmer tone. "Dad! Can you please stop?"

Seeing Jerald's resolute stance, Brenton's anger grew even more intense.

"Father. Jerald. Please calm down."

Cecilia suddenly stepped forward, timidly placing herself in front of Clara with her hands protecting over her belly and her eyes red. She looked aggrieved yet sensible. "It's not Clara's fault. It's mine. I shouldn't have carried this child. But I did it for the Lucas family too. Jerald needs a child to stabilize the situation. Clara's health isn't good enough to bear one. I... I never wanted to take Clara's place... "

Her words painted Clara as selfish and capricious.

Hearing Cecilia's speech, the surrounding elites started whispering.

"So that's what happened? This Mrs. Lucas is so willful."

"Exactly, Jerald cares so much for her. He even found someone else to bear their child for them. The child would still be hers. And she's still not satisfied?"

"She's really short-sighted. How is she fit to be the mistress of the Lucas family?"

Those whispers pierced Clara's ears.

She looked at Cecilia's deceitful face. Her anger finally erupted.

Before anyone could react, Clara raised her hand and slapped Cecilia hard across the face.

The crisp sound of the slap silenced all the murmurs, leaving the deck in a stunned hush.

Cecilia was taken aback, holding her face as she looked at Clara, with tears streaming down her face. "Did you just hit me?"

"You've gone too far!" Brenton pointed at Clara, shaking with rage. "You're disgracing our family!"

He quickly turned to the butler, barking, "Arrange some people to catch her and lock her down in our disciplinary room! I'll show her what our family rules of are! I apologize for this mess, everyone! I'll deal with her later!"

The butler nodded and went to find some servants, but was interrupted by a loud rumbling.

Everyone looked up to see a helicopter descending slowly onto the cruise ship.

A tall, commanding man clapped his hands as he disembarked.

"So bustling here."

"Mr. Rernald?" It was Mathew, the head of the Rernald Group. His cooperation controlled half of the nation's economic resources.

The crowd whispered among themselves, wondering why such an influential figure was here.

"Mathew! What an honor to have you here," Brenton quickly approached and reached out to Mathew.

He gestured to the butler with his eyes and instructed Jerald, "We're disciplining our unruly daughter-in-law. I'll have my son escort you to the main hall."

Just as the butler was about to direct the servants to take Clara away, Clara walked straight to Mathew. "Mathew!"

Everyone fell silent seeing this scene.

Mathew smiled, draping a coat over her shoulders tenderly, like taking care of the most valuable treasure in the world. "Disciplining? You think the Lucas family could discipline the daughter of the Rernald family?"