Divorcing My Husband Over His Stepsister's Secret novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Anna’s POV:

Blake was such a dutiful son, I could see the flash of anger in his eyes after I said those words. He opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. The family butler entered the room, and the atmosphere in the Wright Estate living room instantly shifted.

It seemed the Wright family had already heard about Claire’s incident at the Dawnlight Theatre.

The news of her getting into a physical altercation with another dancer had spread quickly through their social circles.

Caroline turned to Blake with a mixture of worry and frustration. “I told you not to spoil Claire so much! Look what she’s doing now–fighting at the theater! She’s so young and impressionable!”

William shook his head in disappointment. “She’s been living with our Anna for so long and hasn’t picked up any of her good qualities!”

Blake’s eyes slid over to me, his gaze cold and calculating. “Anna’s too presumptuous. At least Claire hasn’t learned that particular trait.”

I froze. The audacity of his accusation made my blood boil.

“Actually,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady despite the anger churning inside me, “I should

probably mention that someone slapped me yesterday.”

“What?” Caroline gasped, immediately rushing to my side. She gently turned my face to examine my cheek. “Oh my god, it’s swollen! Who did this to you?”

William’s reaction was immediate and explosive. “You useless son! You can’t even protect your own

wife!”

“What kind of husband are you? How are you handling this?” Caroline demanded.

Blake stood there silently, his eyes fixed on me with undisguised resentment. The weight of his stare made me uncomfortable, but I refused to look away.

“Anna, dear, tell us what happened,” William urged, his voice gentler when addressing me.

I shifted in my seat. “I think Blake is handling the aftermath. I don’t know all the details.”

“But what about Claire?” Caroline pressed. “Why was she fighting?”

Blake finally spoke, his voice controlled and smooth. “Her coworkers think she hasn’t been performing well lately and isn’t fit for the role in the upcoming show. But I know it’s because the

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Chapter 27

fight with Anna and me has messed with her head.”

He’s blaming all of this on me again, I thought, but kept my expression neutral.

William sighed and said, “Your fight isn’t just affecting Claire; it’s been making the rounds. There are a lot of rumors out there saying you two are on the brink of a divorce. We need to address these rumors immediately.”

He stood up with newfound purpose. “Tomorrow night, we’ll host a dinner at the Crown Club. We’ll show everyone that the Wright family is as united as ever.”

The next evening, I stood in the dressing room at Seaside Manor, staring at my reflection. The sea- blue gown the stylist had selected felt constricting.

“Maybe we should try something else,” I suggested to the stylist.

“Isn’t this the one you chose?” Blake’s voice came from behind me, startling me.

I hadn’t heard him enter. In the mirror, I could see him approaching, his tall figure imposing in a tailored suit that complemented my dress perfectly–a matching set, as if we were truly the harmonious couple we pretended to be.

The stylist quietly excused herself, closing the door behind her. Blake stepped closer and reached for my dress’s zipper, his fingers brushing against my bare skin as he pulled it up.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice low.

The compliment caught me off guard, especially after last night when we’d slept in the same bed yet maintained a wall of silence between us. I met his gaze in the mirror, trying to decipher his intent.

“Blake,” I said carefully, “if you leave this room with me right now, Claire will see us together. If you don’t want her to get the wrong idea, you can make up an excuse and leave. Just promise me a divorce, and I won’t tell your parents anything.”

A small, cold smile played on his lips. “How generous of you.”

“Not as generous as you, spending a fortune to cover up that brawl,” I countered.

His expression hardened instantly. “If you hadn’t provoked her and said things you shouldn’t have, she wouldn’t have been in such rough shape and gotten into a fight. I don’t want to keep reminding you of your mistakes.”

The sudden shift in his demeanor was jarring but not surprising.

“You’re partly to blame for what happened,” he added, his voice flat.

Chapter 27

A knock on the door interrupted our tense exchange. Blake opened it to reveal my mom, Lillian. standing there in an elegant black dress.

“Lilian,” Blake greeted her with practiced politeness. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”

After that, he walked away to make a phone call. My mom scanned the room with a discerning eye

before turning her attention to me.

“Your husband is such a good man,” she said, smoothing an invisible wrinkle from her dress. “Hosting this special event just for you. All those society wives are jealous that I have such a

wonderful son–in–law.”