Hello, Ex! I Finally Found My Worth! - Chapter 98

Chapter 98: I Didn’t Know

Claire’s knuckles tightened on the steering wheel as she drove to Margaret’s house, her jaw clenched so tightly it ached.

Anger coursed through her veins, but beneath the fiery rage was an undercurrent of bitter disappointment.

She replayed Alex’s conversation with the kidnappers in her head, their cruel, heartless demands replaying like a broken record.

They’d taken Emma—Emma, who had done nothing to deserve such hatred. All this to force Alex to release Jake? The depths to which Margaret had sunk were staggering.

How could she do this? How could she involve innocent people, spill innocent blood, just to save her son? Did she even know that the kidnappers had murdered two innocent people?

Claire’s chest tightened, and she felt a pang of sadness mixed with her anger.

She’d known Margaret since she was a child. She had thought her sister would be a better person with her scolding. She had thought helping her set Jake right would make Margaret realize just how bitter and sad she had become.

She had thought Margaret had hope to change but now, all Claire could see was a woman who had become unrecognizable, consumed by desperation and selfishness.

Her grip on the wheel tightened further as she thought of Emma—sweet, kind Emma, who had been through so much already.

First Jake’s betrayal, then losing her baby, and now this. Claire’s stomach churned with guilt and fury. Margaret had taken it too far. How could she possibly justify kidnapping and murder?

Tears pricked at the corners of Claire’s eyes as her mind swirled with frustration. She shook her head to clear the fog.

“This isn’t just about Jake anymore, Maggie,” she muttered under her breath. “This is about the kind of person you’ve chosen to become.”

The woman she was about to confront wasn’t the sister she once knew. But a different person entirely. Were they even sisters?

Claire had hoped—prayed—that Jake’s imprisonment might bring Margaret some humility, some clarity and perhaps make her see what she and Alex were doing for the family. But instead, it seemed to have pushed her to new depths of depravity.

Claire’s heart clenched as she thought of Alex. How had Margaret become so blinded by her own pain and pride that she couldn’t see the damage she was causing?

Alex had trusted her once, had cared enough to help Jake when no one else would. And this was her repayment?

Taking away the one thing Alex was starting to care about just because she wanted her son out of jail. This was unacceptable.

Bile rose in her throat as she pulled into Margaret’s driveway and slammed the car into park. Claire sat there for a moment, gripping the wheel, trying to calm her raging emotions.

She stared at the familiar house, her mind racing with memories—birthday parties, shared cups of coffee, evenings spent laughing. And now, this was where it had come to.

With a deep breath, Claire stepped out of the car and marched toward the door, her steps resolute. Whatever happened next, Margaret needed to understand the gravity of what she’d done.

And Claire wasn’t leaving until she made sure of it.

Margaret opened the door before Claire could knock, a smug smile curling on her lips.

“Ah, Claire,” she said, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. “So, you’ve finally come. I knew you would. Ready to beg for mercy?”

“What?” Claire blurted out, shocked and surprised that Margaret didn’t even had any iota regret for what she had done.

“I’m sure you’re here to tell me you’ll release Jake now, aren’t you?” Margaret asked again.

Hearing her repeat what she had said, Claire didn’t hesitate as she raised her hand and connected her palm with Margare’s cheeks.

The sting of her slap echoed in the quiet air as Margaret stumbled back in shock, her smile vanishing instantly.

“What the hell is wrong with you…..”

“How could you?” Claire hissed, cutting off whatever Margaret was saying, her voice trembling with rage. “How could you do this to an innocent girl and still have the audacity to stand here and gloat? When did you become such an heartless person, Margaret?”

Margaret, holding her cheek, stared at Claire in confusion. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice losing its usual confidence.

What was Claire talking about and why was she looking so angry? Although Vanessa had told her Claire and Alex would soon come begging her when they spoke that morning, she had no idea what Vanessa had done.

She had even tried asking her what she did but Vanessa had merely waved it off saying she didn’t need to concern herself with such irrelevant matters.

What could she have done to anger Claire so much? True, she didn’t like all Claire had done especially taking Emma’s side but she also didn’t like that Vanessa must’ve done something to upset Claire enough to slap her.

Claire never slapped her. What could it be? Margaret mused, looking at Claire with eyes seeking for answers and clarity.

“Don’t you dare play dumb with me!” Claire snapped, her eyes blazing. “I’m talking about Emma! I’m talking about the men you sent to kidnap her and murder her bodyguards, you heartless fellow! Are you even my sister? Jeez!”

Margaret’s eyes widened, the color draining from her face the moment she heard ‘murder.’

“Kidnap? Murder?” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper.

How was it murder? She never told Vanessa she wanted to kill anyone. How could Vanessa had done that?

Margaret had thought Vanessa loved Jake but right now, after hearing this, she doubted it. Wouldn’t murdering people be connected to Jake? Wouldn’t that make his crimes bigger and his sentence worse? What was she going to do now?

This can’t be. Vanessa wasn’t that stupid or heartless. She couldn’t put Jake in such a situation. Margaret mused, finding it difficult to believe any of it.

“This can’t be,” she muttered under her breath albeit loud enough for Claire to hear.

Claire leaned closer, her voice cold and sharp. “Yes, Margaret. You did it. Your people. Your orders. Or didn’t you order for them to kidnap Emma and kill her bodyguards? If you didn’t then explain how they’re demanding Alex and I to drop the charges against Jake in exchange for her life! How could you do this?”

Margaret stumbled back a step, her expression shifting from disbelief to horror. “No,” she murmured, shaking her head. “I—I didn’t…”

Claire paused, studying Margaret’s reaction. The sheer shock on her face gave her pause. This wasn’t the calculated, smug Margaret she’d been expecting.

Did she not know? Wasn’t she the one behind the kidnap? Or she didn’t give the orders to kill those people? Why was she surprised by all she was saying?

“Margaret!” she called but Margaret merely shook her head, still in a daze about what she had just heard.

She really doesn’t know, Claire realized, her anger dimming slightly.

“So you don’t know?” Claire said, her voice quieter now but still laced with accusation. “Then why were you so sure I came here to beg? Who gave the orders? Do you know them? Even though you didn’t give the orders, you know all about Emma being kidnapped, didn’t you?”

Margaret didn’t answer, her lips trembling as she tried to process the information. “I don’t know anything about this,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “I swear, Claire, I had no idea. I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t do that.”

Claire’s jaw clenched as she stepped back, disgust etched across her face. “You expect me to believe that? After all the stunts you’ve pulled? Maybe you didn’t give the order, but your actions and hatred for Emma have led to this mess. Who gave the orders? Who asked for Emma to be kidnapped?”

Even though what Vanessa did was way too much, there was no way she would give out Vanessa’s name without having to speak with Jake first.

She needed to know what to do now since it was Jake who had asked her to contact Vanessa. Could he be in cohorts with Vanessa on this?

She mused and then pushed the thought out of her mind. She would think about it later. What she needed to do now was make Claire believe she didn’t know about the kidnap or anything.

Deciding this, Margaret shook her head vehemently. “No, no, I didn’t… I don’t know anything about this. I wouldn’t—”

Claire cut her off, her voice icy. “You had better pray that’s true, Margaret. Because if I find out you had any part in this, even indirectly, I’ll make sure you join your son in prison. Do you hear me?”

Margaret didn’t respond, her hands trembling as she sank to the ground, still muttering, “I didn’t know…”

Claire shook her head in disgust and turned to leave. As she walked back to her car, she felt a pang of doubt.

Could she really not know? But she quickly shoved the thought aside. Whether she knew or not, she’s still responsible in some way.

With that resolve, Claire started the engine and drove off, her mind already racing with what she needed to do next that it seemed like they were at a crossroad.