The Billion-Dollar Divorce (Ian and Chloe) novel Chapter 206

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Chapter 206

Chapter 206

The birthday party was eerily quiet.

Everyone could clearly hear Chloe and Andrea Sherman’s conversation.

Chloe: “Andrea, did you really get mugged for Edward’s check six years ago?”

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Andrea: “I’ve never seen that kind of money before. There’s no way I’d let anyone snatch it from me.”

Chloe: “Who is Clint’s father?”

Andrea: “Don’t even mention that bastard Leonard. If I’d known his family was going to go bankrupt, I never would’ve gone to such lengths to get into his bed.”

Chloe asked, “Andrea, Chris has never done anything to you. Why did you try to kill him?”

Andrea: “Blame that old geezer from the Hamilton family. He threatened Ian, saying if he ever got together with me, he’d just hand everything over to that illegitimate kid. Who gave him the right?”

Chloe: “So that’s why you turned to murder?”

Andrea: “Oh please, I didn’t kill anyone. All I did was pay Wade Smith a hundred and fifty grand to move the warning signs on the ski slope, so that bastard would have an ‘accident‘ out there. That’s really all I did.”

The recording pen was still playing Chloe and Andrea’s conversation, but the whole place erupted into chaos.

Andrea’s mother, Laura Terry, hurriedly pulled her son and daughter–in–law away from the crowd, glancing around with obvious guilt as they huddled together, whispering and plotting who knows what.

Arthur just smacked his lips. “Never thought that nasty piece of work could be so cold–blooded. That’s honestly terrifying.”

Patrick gave Mia a meaningful look.

Mia quietly comforted Miranda.

Across the crowd, Jan and Chloe’s eyes met for a moment, then they both looked away at the same time.

Andrea felt like her head was about to explode. For a moment, she was frozen in shock, totally unable to react.

‘What the hell–how is this possible?‘ she thought, her heart pounding wildly.

She couldn’t remember ever saying any of that to Chloe, that bitch.

‘Where the hell did this recording come from?‘ Andrea thought, panic welling up inside her.

Once Andrea snapped out of it, she lunged forward, trying to snatch the recording pen.

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Chapter 206

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But Mitchell was quicker. He grabbed it and rushed into the crowd, cranking up the volume and letting the recording loop over and over.

Andrea’s eyes darted between Ian and Chloe, disbelief written all over her face.

Then, she suddenly pointed at Chloe and charged over. “You bitch! You set me up!”

Before Ian could get to Chloe, Patrick and Arthur stepped in front of her at the same time, blocking Andrea and standing guard.

Patrick said, “Andrea, you know exactly what kind of person you are. Everyone here is fed up with your crap, so why don’t you quit pretending?”

Andrea yelled at Patrick, “Don’t make things up! Chloe, that bitch, is out to frame me! That recording is fake!”

Arthur loosened up his wrists and ankles, then jabbed a finger at Andrea, warning, “I don’t normally hit women, but I sure as hell don’t mind smacking a beast. Keep flapping your mouth and I’ll make you regret it.”

Chloe stepped out from between Patrick and Arthur, facing Andrea head–on. “Andrea, you can’t outrun fate. What goes around comes around, and after everything you’ve done, you really think you’ll walk away unscathed?”

That day, after Chloe hypnotized Andrea, it was supposed to be Ian who got her to talk first.

But no matter how many times he tried, Andrea’s subconscious dug in its heels–she just clammed right up.

Left with no other choice, Chloe took over and started prompting her, coaxing Andrea until she finally spilled the truth.

Andrea completely lost control and was about to launch herself at Chloe, but two bodyguards quickly stepped in and physically restrained her.

Realizing she couldn’t get to Chloe, Andrea whipped around and desperately tried to reach Ian.

She jabbed a finger at Chloe, her voice trembling with fury. “Ian, it has to be your ex–wife! She’s got it out for me and faked that whole recording just to mess with us. Don’t trust a word she says!”

Andrea’s mother, Laura, jumped in, desperately trying to defend her. “Mr. Hamilton, my daughter is the kindest person you’ll ever meet. She wouldn’t even hurt a fly, let alone kill someone. There must be some kind of mistake.”

When her eyes met Ian’s cold, unforgiving glare, guilt slammed into her so hard that her mind reeled.

She tore her gaze away, stabbing a finger at Chloe and shrieking, “I knew you were scheming, you bitch! If you want fan back, just spit it out! Why do you have to try and destroy me?”

Chloe walked up to Andrea, taking her sweet time.

She glanced at Jan, then faced Andrea directly. “Andrea, you admitted every bit of it to me yourself, and lan was right there to record it all. If anyone really knows whether I framed you or not, it’s lan”

She couldn’t risk anyone finding out she’d helped lan hypnotize Andrea.

Vivian looked ready to explode, her face flushing with anger.

Chapter 206

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She marched right up and slapped Andrea so hard her ears rang. “Unbelievable–you screwed me over too, you scheming bitch! Give me my money, now!”

Andrea reeled from the blow, legs turning to jelly as she dropped to the floor in a heap.

Sobbing, Andrea crawled to Ian, voice trembling with desperation. “Ian, I swear, you have to trust me! That recording’s a total lie–none of it’s true, I would never do that!”

Ian looked down at her, his expression cold as he kicked her hand away. “You still refuse to face the truth until it’s staring you in the face.”

As soon as Ian finished speaking, two bodyguards hauled a man straight up to Andrea and made her face him head–on.

When Andrea caught sight of Wade, she turned absolutely white as a ghost.

Wade pointed straight at her, voice full of fury. “You bitch! Get them to let me go–or I swear I’ll spill everything you’ve done!”

Andrea shook her head furiously, her voice trembling. “Ian, I’m telling you, I don’t know him! I swear!”

Wade blew up on the spot. “Andrea, you scheming bitch! We had a deal–you said you’d get rid of Chris, and once you came back and snagged a rich heir for yourself, you’d give me half a million! You never paid up, and now you want to pretend you don’t even know me? No way, I’m spilling everything!”

Still shaking uncontrollably, Andrea crawled to Ian’s feet. “Ian, I promise, I’ve never seen him before–just get him out of here!”

Ian signaled, and another person entered from outside.

Ian’s voice was icy as he looked at Andrea. “So you don’t know Wade, huh? But you’re not going to tell me you don’t know this guy too, are you?”