Chapter 831

She had the confession and the recording pen her mother had left from Patti Yale with her.

"No, it's fine. I'll be back soon," Gwyneth said, giving Leonie a reassuring look. "Besides, wandering around alone helps me clear my head and actually think about what I want to buy. If you come with me, we'll just end up chatting and I'll get distracted. They say pregnancy brain is a real thing, and I'm already starting to feel my memory slipping. You don't need to come."

After a bit of back and forth, she finally managed to send Leonie on her way. Leonie considered it and figured Gwyneth had a point, so she agreed.

Without trying to be discreet, Gwyneth hailed a taxi and went straight to the address Patti Yale had sent her.

It was a luxurious French restaurant. Patti was sitting at a window seat, her makeup exquisite, dressed in the latest designer fashion, with freshly manicured nails. When Gwyneth arrived, Patti had just gotten there herself.

Their eyes met. Gwyneth, dressed casually, had a noticeable baby bump, while Patti's stomach was completely flat. Gwyneth was slightly surprised, and a flash of vicious jealousy crossed Patti's eyes, though she quickly masked it with a beaming smile.

"You look like you're several months along."

"And your belly? Was it all for show? It seems to be shrinking by the day," Gwyneth replied coolly.

Patti had always thought of Gwyneth as quiet and reserved, so she was taken aback by the sharp retort and was momentarily speechless. After a long pause, she finally found her voice. "Hawthorne was worried I couldn't handle the pain, so we decided to terminate it."

Patti looked at Gwyneth with malicious intent. "I hear you're having twins. You wouldn't mind giving one to me, would you? I could be a mother without the pain. Hawthorne seems to like the idea too."

Patti didn't want to admit that the sight of Gwyneth's pregnant belly made her eyes burn with envy, but Gwyneth remained completely unfazed.

"You've been watching too much daytime TV, Miss Yale. Are you even sure that

baby was Hawthorne's? If it was, you should have held onto that pregnancy for dear

life and waited for your chance to take my place, not suddenly get rid of it."

Gwyneth sat down across from her. "What do you want? Just say it."

sure

"You're quite wealthy, aren't you, Mrs. Everhart? I know your family is even richer than Hawthorne's. I'm you don't want my affair with him to become public knowledge Yes terminated the pregnancy, but it was still his child. What happened, happened. If you don't want me spreading rumors after your babies are born, you can pay for my silence."

Now Gwyneth understood. Patti was here to blackmail her. She couldn't help but ask, "Doesn't Hawthorne give you an allowance? I can't believe you'd resort to extorting me."

Patti finally took a good look at Gwyneth, who was as composed as ever. Aside from that one time in the apartment and at the restaurant, she had never seen Gwyneth show any other emotion.

"Extort' is such a harsh word, isn't it, Miss Langford? My price is simple: one hundred million. Of course, your Mr. Everhart gave me living expenses. A check for five million. Would you like to see his signature? Patti slid the check over smugly, her face alight with triumph."It's just pocket money, really. A hundred

million isn't that much. You so-called

elites care about your reputation

more than anything. Wouldn't a

scandal like this tarnish the

Langford family's son-in-law?"

means

Gwyneth snatched the check with a speed that left Patti stunned. "It certainly has my husband's name on it. But Hawthorne and I have a marriage certificate, which means half of all his assets are mine You're flaunting our marital property in my face? Miss Yale, are you out of your mind? I'll be taking my money back now."