Dumped When Pregnant, Chased by Ex-Husband

"Why do you look so pale?"

Grandfather Harper lifted his eyelids and glanced over at his eldest grandson before saying, "You come too."

The two were led into Grandfather's study.

"What happened to your arm here?"

Grandfather had sharp eyes, he noticed the abrasion on Clara Knox's arm, which she got from being thrown to the ground by the two thugs yesterday.

Clara smiled obediently, lightly responding,

"Grandpa, it doesn't hurt."

Grandfather lifted his eyelids to question Edward Harper at his side,

"You tell me, how did Clara hurt her arm?"

Edward Harper's gaze turned to Clara, only then noticing the shocking abrasion on her pale right arm, which looked painful. Faced with his grandfather's questioning, he was at a loss for words at first.

His thoughts went back to last night when he had pinned her beneath him, bullying her, he had tightly gripped her arm without her making a sound. She truly had a high tolerance for pain.

Grandfather gave him a severe scolding,

"How can you not know when your wife is hurt? What kind of husband are you? Are you waiting for someone else to care for your wife?"

Clara helped explain,

"Grandpa, it really doesn't hurt, that's why I didn't tell him."

Grandfather harumphed,

"You two, when are you going to give me a great-grandchild?"

The air grew tense for a moment.

Edward Harper's phone rang, and he took out his mobile phone and left the study.

It was Liam Johnson calling,

"Director Harper, I have some findings from the investigation you requested. Your wife hasn't been in contact with anyone suspicious recently, except for a two-minute phone call with someone named Elijah Parker, and last night she went to a bar to deliver something to Miss Bella Harper, and on her way back she stopped by the police station. Afterwards, she was taken back to Brocade Garden in a policeman's private car."

Liam Johnson relayed the information quickly, then added, "Oh, that Elijah Parker is a middle school student; after your wife confirmed she didn't seek him out, they hadn't been in contact since."

Edward Harper asked with confusion, "What was she doing at the police station?"

Liam Johnson, holding his breath with apprehension, begrudgingly said after a pause,

"Your wife was nearly... assaulted last night."

Edward Harper's mind exploded like thunder at the information. Recollecting her abnormal behavior when she came back yesterday and the strange clothes she was wearing, he felt a knot in his stomach.

How could this woman not tell him anything—facing such a situation, she should have sought his help immediately; what did she take her husband for—decoration?

Who dares to touch Edward Harper's wife? They must be tired of living.

"I want the detailed account of the incident."

Liam Johnson, through the phone, could feel the towering rage from his boss,

"Director Harper, those two thugs have been arrested, and the story made the news. I will send you the link on WeChat."

After hanging up, Secretary Johnson sent a link.

When Clara Knox came out of the study, Edward Harper was sitting at one end of the sofa, staring at his cell phone, with a chilling aura around him.

Some additional people were in the living room,

"Dad, Mom, Uncle."

She greeted each of the elders in turn and obediently sat down beside Edward Harper, taking a pillow to hold in her arms.

She had been vomiting the entire car ride and then spent a long time chatting with Grandpa in the study; right now, she was forcibly keeping her spirits up just to put on an act with him.

Mother-in-law Chloe Thompson noticed Clara's listlessness and the red marks beneath her neck and asked with a smile,

"Clara, you're not looking well—is our Harper family expecting an addition? You must be extra careful in the first three months."

At her words, the servants in the room all stopped their work, and a dozen glances fixed on her at once.

Edward Harper put away his phone and stared intently at her.

Her vomiting throughout the ride had inevitably led to suspicion.

Suddenly the center of attention, Clara awkwardly curved her lips and explained with a blush,

"Mom, it's nothing, I just felt a bit carsick today. I'll be fine after some rest."

Chloe Thompson, not hearing the answer she'd hoped for, felt a bit of disappointment but still comforted her kindly,

"It's fine, you two are young and should have no trouble having children. If you're feeling unwell, just go back to your room and rest for a while. I'll have Edward come upstairs to call you when it's time to eat."

Clara shook her head,

"It's nothing serious, I'll be fine just sitting for a bit."

Unable to help himself, Edward Harper asked, "Are you sure you don't need to go back to your room?"

"No, I don't."

Bella Harper came down from upstairs, just in time to overhear the conversation in the living room, and couldn't help but let out a sneering noise,

"She is nothing but a chicken that can't lay eggs. She hasn't produced one in three years; it would be strange if she could now."

Chloe Thompson glanced toward the staircase and scolded,

"What kind of way is that to talk? So disrespectful. Come here and apologize to your sister-in-law, will you?"

Clara ignored Bella's remark.

Ever since she married Edward Harper, she had never heard a kind word from this younger sister-in-law. She would occasionally speak insolently on behalf of her friend, always picking the ugliest words, and was even more unrestrained when alone.

Clara had long grown accustomed to it.

Fortunately, her mother-in-law was protective of her. Out of respect for Chloe Thompson, she chose not to argue with Bella.

Bella was forced to come over and apologize, her nose up in the air, and without a trace of sincerity, she uttered an insincere "sorry".

Before Clara could speak, Edward Harper questioned,

"Is this the kind of manners you've learned as you grew up, to apologize like this?"

Clara felt quite surprised. It wasn't the first time Bella had been disrespectful to her, and he had always ignored it. Today, he unexpectedly took her side and stood up for her. She wondered what had gotten into him.

Bella, who was fearless of the sky and earth, only really feared her brother. Confronted with Edward Harper's stern poker face, she finally offered a respectful "sorry" to Clara.

Right after, Edward Harper dragged her by the back of her shirt collar to the storage room, as if carrying a little chicken.

Bella panicked and screamed for help,

"Mom, Mom, Mom, he's going to hit me again..."

Chloe Thompson looked at Clara with a polite smile and said, "This child indeed needs to be disciplined, and only Edward can handle her."

While they were talking, a few pained cries came from the storage room.

Chloe's eyes flickered with concern as she tentatively asked,

"Clara, why don't you go and see what's happening?"

Clara didn't want to meddle in their sibling squabble, but since her mother-in-law had asked, she felt obliged to check. She figured she'd just go through the motions of a feeble attempt at intervention. Surely Edward Harper wouldn't really hit his own sister, right?

As she reached the storage room door and was about to knock, she heard the conversation inside and slowly lowered her raised hand.

Edward Harper: "Is she your servant, for you to have her deliver things to you late at night?"

Bella Harper: "Isn't it because you give her so many jewels? What's wrong with borrowing one to show off a bit? If you gave those things to Aria, she'd be happy to lend me anything. Would you expect me to wait for her to deliver it?"

The conversation inside quieted down for a few seconds, then Edward Harper asked again,

"Were you and Aria at the bar last night?"

Bella, feeling pressured, nervously answered, "No, wasn't she with you last night?"

Edward Harper grunted affirmatively with a nasal sound, then warned, "Don't order her around anymore, got it?"

The door opened from the inside, and Edward Harper saw Clara, who appeared even paler than before as she stood frozen outside.

"Do you really not need to go upstairs and rest?"

He asked once more.

Clara didn't respond to his question and instead said flatly, "It's time to eat."

Bella stormed out of the storage room with a large red patch on her forehead, likely from being flicked. As she passed Clara, she deliberately bumped into her.

Clara stumbled and was about to fall backward, but suddenly a hand supported her around the waist and pulled her back. Once steady, she stepped away from him as if to avoid any impropriety.

Edward Harper, annoyed, pulled her back into his arms,

"Why are you avoiding me?"

As if to remind him, Clara noted, "Director Harper, we're divorced. We should keep our distance."