Chapter 238

Renata cried out in pain and released her. Latisha scrambled away, putting some distance between them.

Renata clutched her head, her body trembling as she glared at Latisha with murderous intent. Latisha flexed her fingers. She had backed up to the coffee table, and her hand brushed against a ceramic platter.

As Renata advanced on her again, Latisha grabbed the heavy fruit platter. Just then, Clifford's voice cut through the tension from the doorway. "Stop!"

Both women froze and turned to look. He stood there, tall and imposing in a trench coat, holding a black umbrella. He pressed the button to collapse it, left it outside, and stepped into the house.

Like a drowning person spotting a rescuer, Renata rushed to him, grabbing his arm. “Clifford, it's bad, something terrible has happened.....”

Clifford's brow furrowed slightly, his downward glance a clear warning. Renata's words caught in her throat.

He then looked at Latisha. "Go to your room."

Latisha stood frozen, the platter still in her hand. Her eyes darted between the two of them before she pursed her lips, set the platter down, and turned to go upstairs.

Once she was gone, Clifford pulled his arm free and sat down on the sofa, lighting a cigarette. Renata followed, sitting beside him. “Clifford," she whispered, "they took Dad away."

Clifford's fingers, holding the cigarette, paused. "And?"

"They think... they think he kidnapped Yolanda's children to force her to sign the contract, and then killed them all to silence her..." Renata's voice trembled.

At the end of the day, she was just a pampered young woman who had grown up sheltered from the world. She had never dealt with anything like this. Now that Yolanda and her children were dead and Wallace had been arrested, she was terrified.

"That suspicion is perfectly reasonable. What are you so nervous about?" Clifford glanced at her coolly.

Renata pushed her damp hair away from her face, looking nothing like her usual self just a mess of guilt and fear.

"Clifford... I... I never wanted to kill her. But... why is she dead? And her children too..."

She'd had nightmares all night, dreaming that Yolanda and her two children had come back to haupt

her The terror had left her a wreck, and she'd been in a daze all day.

“Shouldn't you be asking yourself that?" Clifford's lips curved into a half-smile. “This is what you did."

Renata's eyes widened. "Clifford, I did this, but wasn't I just....."

“Renata,” he interrupted, his smile still in place. "Don't say it out loud. If you keep

acting like this, are you trying to tell everyone that you had her killed?"

Renata went limp, her face ashen as she stared at him blankly.

"So... so what do I do now?"

“It's already done. What can you do? Either you confess, or Dad takes the fall. Think

about it carefully. Once you've made a decision, come and find me."

Did she even need to think? Renata grabbed his arm again, her tone despassate buit, firm can't eonfess I do, what about Jaden? He's so little! And Santino... I... I can't leave them. You promised you would help me, Clifford. Please, help me!"

Clifford watched her, his gaze steady on her tear-filled eyes. Suddenly, he smiled. "Renata, in your current state, you're not fit to stay in the country. Perhaps you should go abroad for a while clear your head