Chapter 243 Framing
Claire's face fell when she heard Alice's unborn baby was in trouble. "Doctor, how's she doing?"
Aria shook her head. "If she wasn't in good health, she would've lost the baby. Luckily, we saved the fetus just in time."
Claire's expression turned serious.
Alice, crying, pleaded, "No, doctor, please save my baby."
Renee joined in, "Ms. Cullen, someone as kind as you won't lose your child." She glanced at Alice. "It's all Natalie's fault. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be in this mess."
Claire frowned harder. "What's Natalie got to do with this?"
Renee, upset, said, "Mrs. Howard, you have to stand up for Ms. Cullen."
Alice pretended to stop her. "Renee, don't."
Renee insisted, "Ms. Cullen, you're too kind, even thinking about Natalie now!"
Alice looked troubled. "Renee, I promised Adrian; please stop."
Renee, frustrated, said, "Ms. Cullen, I can't stand seeing you suffer."
Claire was puzzled. "What happened? What's Natalie got to do with this?"
Alice started crying.
Claire sat by her, holding her hand. "Alice, tell me what happened."
Renee jumped in, "Mrs. Howard, if Ms. Cullen won't say it, I will. But please keep it a secret. I don't want her and Mr. Howard to fight over this."
Claire, even more confused, said, "Go ahead, Renee."
Renee lied, "Natalie pushed Ms. Cullen, hurting the baby. She was in the emergency room for hours before stabilizing. But Ms. Cullen promised Mr. Howard not to say anything."
"Natalie?" Claire thought of the gentle and beautiful Natalie. She thought, 'Natalie doesn't seem like the person Renee describes. Plus, Natalie has saved Ruben and Adrian. I'm even grateful to her.'
Renee continued, "Mrs. Howard, Natalie fooled you. You've only known her a few days. Ms. Cullen and I have known her for years. Natalie pretends to be innocent and kind. Even Mr. Murphy was fooled."
Claire looked at Alice and gently asked, "Alice, did Natalie really push you?"
Alice nodded, tears in her eyes.
Claire felt incredulous. Alice, seeing Claire's reaction, felt triumphant but kept crying. "Mrs. Howard, it's not really Natalie's fault. I went to thank her for saving Adrian in the forest, but she was hostile. Ever since I got with Adrian, Natalie has tried to get close to him. She wants to seduce him."
Claire's frown deepened.
Seeing Claire believe her, Alice held her hand, looking very upset. "Her father and brother died saving my dad. So, even though Natalie seems like a servant in our house, we've always treated her well. We paid her mom's hospital bills. When she skipped school, my dad smoothed things over. When she couldn't get her diploma and had no job, my mom found her one. Since childhood, Natalie has always tried to take what I liked."
Claire patted her hand. "Alice, you've been wronged."
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