Chapter 209

Clifford drove her back to the Lambert family estate. He left her in the living room and went straight upstairs to the study, where Wallace Lambert was pacing so furiously he seemed intent on wearing a hole in the floor.

The moment the study door opened, Wallace snatched an ashtray from his desk and hurled it at the entrance.

Clifford tilted his head, easily dodging the projectile. It flew past his ear, smashed against the wall, and shattered with a deafening crash that startled everyone downstairs.

Latisha hadn't even had a chance to sit down when she heard Wallace's bellowing rage from upstairs. “I put the company in your hands, and this is how you run it?!"

Just then, Renata walked into the main hall, hearing the furious outburst. Her eyes immediately landed on Latisha. "Clifford's here?"

Latisha nodded.

Renata frowned. She was already in a foul mood, and seeing Latisha only made it worse. She started to head upstairs with her son, but hearing Wallace's continuing tirade, she thought better of it and retreated.

"Where's Santino? He's not here?"

The mention of his name sent an involuntary shiver down Latisha's spine. Images of his torment and humiliation flooded her mind. She couldn't bear to think what other depraved methods he would have devised if Clifford had given up on finding her. Seeing Latisha's reaction, Renata's suspicion deepened. Why would she have such a visceral response to Santino's name? If there was nothing between them, would hearing his name alone make her react that way? Santino had been gone for days, and Renata was already paranoid. Latisha's behavior sent her into high alert.

"Latisha, what's wrong?" Renata asked, walking over and sitting beside her. "Santino hasn't been home in days. Do you know where he is?”

Latisha's face grew paler, her fingers gripping the sofa cushion so tightly her knuckles turned white. She shook her head repeatedly, insisting she knew nothing.

The anger in Renata's heart swelled, twisting her features into a near-snarl. “Are you sure you don't know?"

Latisha just kept shaking her head.

Renata stared at Latisha's profile, but then a new thought occurred to her, and all her overt hostility vanished. She held the baby out for Latisha to see. "Look at Jaden, Latisha. Hasn't he gotten bigger?"

Latisha lowered her gaze. The baby in Renata's arms was cooing and gurgling at her, drool trickling from his lips, revealing the tiny nubs of teeth that were starting to emerge. Latisha t at the infant's smailing

face, her fingers unconsciously drifting to her own flat stomach. The emptiness there felt like a wound in her soul.

"I'm telling you, he's so mischievous now," Renata chattered on, oblivious or indifferent to Latisha's pale face “He kicks off his blankets when he sleeps and refuses to drink hig formula. He spits it all out. I thought something was wrong with him, but the doctor said he just doesn't want it. Can you believe it?"

Renata paused, then said with false sympathy, "You're lucky, you know. Not having to have children means you don't have troubles. I feel like I've aged ten years since he was born. Look, do I have wrinkles?"

Oto deal with all these

Latisha slowly lifted her gaze to Renata's face. Renata was smiling brightly, but her eyes were cold with undisguised provocation. She didn't have any wrinkles, only a mask of pure malevolence.

"What's wrong, Latisha?" Renata cooed. "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you like children? Oh, that's right, they are a lot of trouble. My brother doesn't like them either."

Latisha's hands clenched into fists. She stared at Renata's duplicitous, smiling face, a chill spreading through her body.

Renata then drew out her final words, her voice dripping with poison. “Latisha... can you even get pregnant anymore?"