Chapter 245: About Adelyn Grace?
At Scott Villa—
"Mom, you might regret this later. You didn’t have to do that," Clara said softly, her eyes falling on the phone in Charlotte’s hand before lifting her gaze up to meet her mother’s.
Charlotte stared at the unanswered text on her screen. Her expression tightened, and her fingers curled around the edge of the device before she switched it off.
"Why would I regret it?" she asked coldly. "I only sent her a message asking what she wanted. Since she has already decided to sever all ties with us, it’s only right that she gets it done as soon as possible."
Clara felt a sense of satisfaction rise within her, but she carefully kept it hidden behind a worried expression.
Holding Charlotte’s hand between her own, she said gently, "But Mom, you’re the one who raised her for fifteen years."
"You watched her grow up. You celebrated her birthdays, comforted her when she cried, and stood beside her through every important moment of her life. Cutting her off from the family will hurt you the same way as gouging your heart out."
Her voice softened further.
"Will you really be able to bear that pain?"
Charlotte’s fingers tightened.
Even though the severance had not happened yet, the mere thought of it felt like someone was tearing her heart apart.
Clara wasn’t wrong.
It would hurt.
It already hurt.
But Adelyn ...
Adelyn had gone too far this time —far enough that Charlotte no longer wanted to continue caring.
"So what if she’s the daughter I raised?" Charlotte said through gritted teeth, resisting the ache in her chest. "So what if she’s the daughter I once loved and cherished as my own?"
Her eyes reddened, but she held her tears, not letting it show at all "Since she doesn’t care about the bond we shared, then I won’t care either. Since she wants to end everything completely, I won’t keep her tied to us."
Every word she spoke went against her heart ...
Against her emotions ...
Against everything she truly felt.
Yet Charlotte forced herself to say them.
Only by repeating them could she convince herself that this was the right decision.
"But Mom—"
"Clara." Charlotte interrupted her firmly. She withdrew one hand from Clara’s grasp and placed it over her daughter’s. "Don’t try to change my mind."
Her voice trembled slightly before steadying. "I, Charlotte Benjamin Scott, have only one daughter now."
She looked directly into Clara’s eyes.
"And that’s you, Clara Scott."
"Loving you, and caring for you is enough. I don’t need to divide my affection between you and Adelyn anymore when you deserve all of it."
Clara couldn’t even describe what she felt hearing those words.
The whole of Charlotte’s love.
The whole of her attention.
The whole of her affection.
Everything she had wanted from the beginning.
And because of that, the moment those words left Charlotte’s mouth, Clara’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
Leaning forward, she buried herself in Charlotte’s embrace.
"Mom ..." Her voice shook emotionally. "I—I won’t ever let you down as Adelyn did."
Charlotte wrapped her arms around her daughter and gently stroked her back.
Though there remained a hollow ache inside her chest, she still chose to believe Clara.
Clara would never disappoint her. She was her biological daughter. Her own flesh and blood. She would never humiliate her. Never reject her affection. Never treat her the way Adelyn had.
"Silly girl ..." Charlotte forced out a smile. "You could never be like Adelyn."
Her hand continued patting Clara’s back.
"You’ve always been far more sensible than her."
Clara smiled against her shoulder and nodded obediently.
Just then—
Maria entered the room.
Her footsteps were hurried, and her expression suggested she had rushed over with something important to report.
"Ms Scott, that —"
She stopped halfway her words when she noticed Charlotte sitting there.
Immediately, she shifted her gaze from Clara to Charlotte before lowering her head respectfully.
"Good morning, Madam Scott."
Charlotte acknowledged her with a slight nod.
Meanwhile, Clara pulled away from her mother’s embrace and turned to look at her assistant properly.
Her brows furrowed. "Why are you here, Maria?" she asked. "I don’t remember having anything scheduled for today."
Maria immediately looked toward her.
Her lips parted as though she wanted to speak, but after glancing at Charlotte, she pressed them together again.
The hesitation was obvious. Anyone could tell she was holding something back.
Charlotte noticed it too.
Turning toward Clara, she briefly met her gaze.
Clara understood it, and turned to look back at Maria.
"Maria, what is it?" she asked patiently. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
"That ..." Maria hesitated. Her brows knitted together —making her look visibly conflicted. "Ms. Scott, that ..."
"What is it, Maria?" Clara repeated. "Speak up. Don’t just stand there."
Maria still appeared uncertain about it, but eventually she spoke,
"Ms Scott, it’s regarding The Empress’s Grief and ... Adelyn Grace."
"Adelyn Grace?"
Charlotte repeated instinctively, her brows drawing together.
Maria nodded. But before she could continue, Clara interrupted her.
"That’s enough."
Her voice carried deliberate hesitation.
"I already told you not to bring any updates about that production to me." She lowered her eyes slightly. "I’m no longer interested in it, and I don’t need to keep track of what’s happening there."
"But Ms. Scott, it’s—"
Clara’s gaze immediately sharpened.
"You heard me, Maria." Her voice remained gentle, yet the authority behind it was unmistakable.
She briefly glanced toward Charlotte before continuing. "I said I don’t want to hear anything about it. Don’t bring it up again."
In truth, Clara was dying to know what information Maria had brought. But with Charlotte present there, she couldn’t afford to let her mask slip off.
So ... she maintained her act flawlessly.
After all, she could always question Maria later in private.
Maria immediately lowered her head.
"Yes, Ms Scott."
She nodded and prepared to leave ...
However —
Charlotte stopped her.
"Stop!"
Maria froze and turned around.
Charlotte looked directly at her. "What were you about to say?"
The moment those words fell, Clara immediately grabbed Charlotte’s hand. "Mom, we don’t need to know." Her expression looked genuinely troubled. "I already told you. I don’t want anything to do with that script anymore."
She then shook her head lightly and added more firmly. "Let Adelyn have it. It isn’t important. Not anymore."
However, Charlotte simply looked at her before slowly shaking her head. Her voice came firm. "I want to know."
Something dark flickered within her eyes.
Ever since yesterday, every mention of Adelyn seemed capable of provoking emotions she couldn’t control. Whether anger ... disappointment ... or resentment —she wanted to know.
Turning back toward Maria, Charlotte asked again, "What were you saying?" Her gaze sharpened. "About Adelyn Grace?"
