Chapter 566: Claire Still Dares to Kill
Jasmine was floored for a hot minute before she snapped back. Annabelle bit the dust in a car crash?
"Just bailed from the Douglas fam and bam, car crash? Looks like Annabelle outlived her usefulness and knew too much," Ethan said, getting the same news that Annabelle got mowed down by a car.
Annabelle had some smarts, but it was just small-time stuff. She thought she could stir the pot between Claire and Howard. Sure, she did that, but Claire got what she wanted and wasn't about to let her walk away.
Claire was cold as ice. Offing people was like a bad habit for her; once she started, she couldn't stop. She dodged the law once and went full rogue.
She figured she had a million ways to make it look clean. A car accident? Perfect cover.
After hanging up, Jasmine looked at Ethan. "Annabelle had schemed for ages, and this is where it got her."
"Messing with shady folks and teaming up with the dangerous ones, she should've seen this coming the day she decided to play dirty," Ethan said, shaking his head, not even a bit shocked.
Annabelle just didn't have the chops to go up against heavyweights like Howard and Claire.
She was green, no street smarts.
Jasmine nodded. Regular folks couldn't hang with Claire and Howard. "Their game is too cutthroat."
Back in the day, Claire was half the reason Jasmine ended up behind bars.
"To take down people like them, you gotta be even more ruthless," Ethan said, dishing out some porridge for Jasmine. "We need to hit 'em where it hurts."
It was a timeless truth: To kill a snake, you had to nail it right, or it would bite back.
So, you had to stay cool, endured the crap, and striked when it counted.
Jasmine always got that.
Those five years in the slammer, she had no will to live, but Connor gave her a reason to keep going.
Protect Justin, Richard, and everything she cared about.
She had to be strong to protect her people. Back then, she had no family backing and a sketchy rep. To get strong, she had to lean on others.
And Ethan was the protector Connor had picked for her ages ago.
Jasmine looked at Ethan, her feelings all tangled up. Sometimes, life was a gamble; win or lose, it was all or nothing.
Annabelle chose wrong and lost, but if Jasmine hadn’t shown up, and Annabelle kept pretending to be her and stayed with Ethan, would Ethan have fallen for Annabelle?
"Don’t waste your tears on the unworthy. Everyone picks their path. We can’t mess with others, and they can’t mess with us," Ethan said, pulling Jasmine close.
After a beat, he added, "Jasmine, everyone’s got their own life and choices. You gotta be tougher."
Ethan thought, 'You gotta be able to stand on your own.'
Claire offing Annabelle meant no turning back.
Howard and Claire were in it together. If one went down, the other was toast.
In the final showdown, they’d throw everything they had, no holds barred.
Ethan worried something might happen to him, and Jasmine wouldn’t handle the truth.
Jasmine lowered her eyes, holding Ethan tight.
She’d be strong and learn to watch her own back.
But she wasn't sweating over herself; she was more freaked out about something happening to her loved ones.
"Let's have Justin and Joe crash at Mom's place for a bit. The Cunningham family's got better security. I'll have Liam and Tom keep an eye on you. It's time to throw down," Ethan said, heading back to the Douglas family.
To take back the Douglas family, he had to go head-to-head with Howard.
No way around it.
"Don't sweat it. I won't be your Achilles' heel. I'll handle myself." Jasmine nodded.
Jasmine knew if Howard couldn't get to Ethan, he'd come after her and the kids.
The kids were safe with the Cunningham family. Howard wasn't nuts enough to mess with them, so he'd definitely target Jasmine.
Last time in the parking lot, thank God Tom was there.
But now they were on Howard's radar. Jasmine was super careful when she went out and stuck to the office as much as possible.
"You've never been my weak spot." Ethan smiled.
He calmed Jasmine down. She wasn't a liability; liabilities were for the weak. He had none and would protect his people his way.
Jasmine nodded, leaning on Ethan's shoulder.
Early in the morning, the Douglas Group's boardroom was packed.
Everyone was waiting for Ethan to reclaim his shares and make his comeback.
Claire and Daniel were there too.
Claire sat there, smug as a cat that got the cream.
She knew Ethan could snag William's shares, but she wanted Howard's shares. She wanted Howard to hand everything over to Daniel.
So Daniel would have enough firepower to go toe-to-toe with Ethan.
Once Daniel could compete with Ethan, she'd use her secret intel to help Daniel build connections, score resources, and land projects, step by step outshining Ethan, crushing him, and standing taller than Ethan ever did.
She wanted her son to be the star of the show.
"Today's the day, folks. Everyone's here," Claire said, sipping her coffee with a grin. "Today, after Ethan gets William's shares, your dad will announce he's giving his shares to you."
Daniel stayed quiet, staring at his hands like he was lost in thought.
"I'm talking to you," Claire snapped, glaring at Daniel.
Daniel snapped out of it, looking at Claire, and after a long pause, he said, "Mom, did you hear Annabelle died in a car crash?"
Claire looked annoyed. "So what if she died? Why bring her up on such a good day? It's bad luck."
Daniel stared at Claire, not saying a word for a long time.
He thought his mom had lost it and couldn't recognize her anymore.
Annabelle's death didn't seem like an accident to him.
But he couldn't wrap his head around his mom being a killer.
Back in the day, Ethan's friends all said his mom was a murderer, responsible for Ethan's mom's death. He didn't buy it.
At most, he was embarrassed that his mom was a homewrecker, but he didn't think she'd kill anyone.
But Annabelle got locked up, tortured, and then had a "car accident."
All these signs freaked Daniel out more and more. He felt Claire was way too cocky.
She'd get what was coming to her.
"Mom, even if we don't get the shares, I can find a job to support you. With the Douglas family's trust fund and our savings, we can move abroad and live the good life," Daniel said urgently.
Claire frowned, looking at Daniel like he was nuts. "Are you out of your mind?"
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