Our Anniversary, You Chose Her – I Chose Divorce

”I’m not getting up! Mom, just leave me alone. It’s all my fault. I’ll apologize to my sister, I’ll kneel and beg her, as long as she forgives me, I’ll do anything...”

Sunny Reed pulled her hand away from Autumn Linton’s and said through her tears.

Sunny Reed cast herself in the lowliest role, kneeling on the floor with a tear-streaked face, the very picture of misery and helplessness.

”Hold her.”

Chloe Reed said calmly.

The bodyguards nearby stepped forward and pulled Autumn Linton away.

She immediately looked at Chloe Reed, her face a mask of terror. ”Chloe Reed, what do you think you’re doing?!”

Charles Reed also watched her warily. ”Chloe, don’t do anything foolish.”

Chloe Reed shot him a cool glance. ”You’d best stay out of this.”

Charles Reed’s expression soured.

Chloe Reed walked up to Sunny Reed step by step. She leaned down slightly, grabbed Sunny’s chin, and stared at her tear-streaked face.

”Did you really think that if you put on this little show and made them pity you, I’d fly into a rage? That I’d let you walk all over me?”

She sneered. ”The old me would have fallen for your act. You’d be the innocent victim, and they would punish me, force me to apologize.”

Chloe Reed tutted. ”Because I was a fool back then, desperate for their approval. But now, I don’t care what they think. And in that case...”

SLAP!

A sharp slap echoed through the room. Sunny Reed cried out as she was knocked to the floor.

Her cheek burned with a fiery sting!

”Since you’re so eager to repent, I’ll be happy to oblige.”

Chloe Reed grabbed a handful of her hair, and another slap landed squarely on her face.

”Stop! You monster, stop it right now!”

Autumn Linton, restrained by two bodyguards, shrieked, her eyes practically bulging from their sockets at the sight.

Chloe Reed whipped her head around, her clear eyes filled with a sharp, glacial chill. ”Do you want some too?”

”You... You! I’m your mother! If you dare hit me, you’ll be a disgrace to this family!”

Autumn Linton flinched, terrified by that single look, but she steeled herself and spoke.

”Hah...”

Chloe Reed let out a soft laugh and slapped Sunny Reed again. Only then did she slowly straighten up. ”I can’t hit you,” she said, ”but someone else can.”

She turned her head to look at Charles Reed.

”Dad, the Reed Group or my mother. Which will it be?”

She blinked, looking at Charles Reed with a perfectly innocent and harmless expression.

Charles Reed’s pupils constricted. ’He never imagined she would do something like this! Is this even the same daughter we knew?! She used to be spoiled, yes, but she was kind-hearted, soft, and easy to control! But now... she was a stranger, and she terrified them!’

”Hm?”

Seeing him remain silent, Chloe Reed tilted her head, her expression questioning.

Charles Reed took a deep breath, making an effort to soften his tone. ”Chloe, you’ve had your chance to let off some steam, haven’t you? Your mother isn’t well, she’s not thinking clearly. Don’t take anything she said to heart. I’ll take her away now. I’ll make sure she gets proper treatment at a psychiatric hospital. The family will be depending on you from now on.”

”Hah...”

Chloe Reed scoffed, crossing her arms and watching them with a cold expression.

Charles Reed walked over to Autumn Linton. ”Let’s go. We’re going home.”

Autumn Linton’s lips trembled several times, but she managed to restrain herself from speaking.

She shot Chloe Reed one last, complicated look filled with disappointment.