Daddy’s billionaire step-brother
Chapter 55: All is fair in love and business

Adrian turned toward Clara, his heart sinking as he saw the confusion and hurt etched across her face. He stepped forward, his voice softer now, but filled with urgency. "Clara, I just found out about the baby," he said, glancing briefly at Richard before locking eyes with her. "I didn't know. I swear I didn't."

Clara's expression wavered, her eyes darting between Adrian and her father. Her lips parted, but no words came out at first, as if she were struggling to process the whirlwind of emotions flooding her. "You didn't know?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Richard, standing behind Adrian, was fuming, but Adrian didn't care. All his focus was on Clara, on the look of vulnerability in her eyes.

"No, I didn't," Adrian insisted. "Richard kept it from me. I thought-Clara, I thought you wanted nothing to do with me. That's why I stayed away. That's why I left."

Clara took a shaky breath, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress tightly. "I-I didn't know how to tell you. Everything happened so fast... and then my father..." She trailed off, shooting a glance at Richard, whose face was a mask of fury. Richard stepped forward, his voice cold and commanding. "Clara, don't let him confuse you. He's trying to worm his way back in, just like before. You don't need him."

But Clara wasn't listening to her father anymore. Her eyes were locked on Adrian, the weight of all the secrets and lies pressing down on her shoulders. She had spent so long believing that Adrian had abandoned her, believing he had left her and their baby behind without a second thought. But now, the truth was unraveling, and it made her feel even more trapped.

Adrian reached out, taking her hand gently. "Clara, if I had known... I would have never left. I would have fought for you. For us. Please, let me do that now."

Clara's eyes welled with tears. "It's too late," she whispered. "It's too late for us, Adrian. I'm engaged to Henry. I'm tied to this life now... I can't—" "Forget about Henry!" Adrian interrupted, his voice fierce. "Forget about the Caldwells, forget about this whole charade. You don't have to live like this."

Richard stepped in, his voice booming. "Enough! Clara, this is exactly what I warned you about. Adrian is trying to destroy everything we've built. He doesn't care about you or the baby-he cares about himself. He's selfish, and you know it!" Adrian's eyes burned with fury, but he forced himself to stay calm. "I care about her more than you ever did, Richard. You've been using her to fix your mistakes from the start."

Clara felt as if she were suffocating, the walls closing in around her as both men hurled accusations. Her mind was spinning, torn between the love she once had for Adrian and the terrifying reality of her future with the Caldwells. "Stop!" she cried, her voice shaking as the tears spilled over. "Just... stop."

Both men fell silent, their eyes now fixed on Clara.

Clara stood there, trembling with anger, her face flushed as she stared down her father. The weight of the truth she had just revealed felt like a storm breaking loose, and there was no going back now. "You told me Adrian knew about the baby," Clara said, her voice sharp and accusing. "You told me he wanted nothing to do with me or the child, and it was all a lie. You lied to me, Dad!" Richard tried to maintain his composure, but the guilt flickered across his face. "Clara, I was just trying to protect you, to help you move on from this. Adrian would have complicated everything, and you needed to focus on building a future for yourself."

"Move on to what?" Clara's voice rose, filled with disbelief and frustration. "To this fake marriage with Henry? So I could be paraded around like a trophy while you drug me up to make me sleep with Mr. Caldwell? So I could pretend the baby is his?!"

Adrian, standing frozen in shock beside her, turned to Clara, his eyes wide. "What... what did you just say?" His voice was barely a whisper, but laced with confusion and growing fury. "What do you mean by Mr. Caldwell?"

Clara let out a bitter laugh, her eyes filled with pain as she pointed toward her father. "Go ahead, Dad. Tell him. Tell him how I signed a contract where I marry Henry on paper, but the real deal is that I have to sleep with his father instead. How you pushed me into this mess, claiming it would save us from bankruptcy."

Adrian's face contorted in disbelief, his fists clenching as he turned toward Richard. "Is that true? Is that part of your deal with Caldwell? You sold her off like that?" His voice was growing louder, filled with disgust and anger.

Richard flinched but quickly tried to recover. "I was doing what I thought was best for Clara, for our family! You have no idea what we're up against. This is the only way to secure our future. There are always sacrifices in life, Adrian. You, of all people, should know that."

"Are you insane?" Adrian spat, taking a step toward him. "This is your daughter, not some bargaining chip for your business deals! This isn't a sacrifice this is madness! And it ends today, right now."

Clara felt tears welling up again, but this time they weren't just for herself. They were for the life her father had thrust her into, for the lies and manipulation that had broken her spirit. And now, Adrian, the one person she thought had abandoned her, was standing there, ready to fight for her.

Adrian turned to Clara, his face softening, though the fire of his anger still simmered beneath the surface. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to marry Henry, and you sure as hell don't have to go along with any of this deal. We'll figure something out, but this stops now."

Clara's tears streamed down her face, her voice barely a whisper as she trembled in front of Adrian. "Adrian, you don't understand... I already signed the contract... I already..." She couldn't finish the sentence, the shame too heavy, the words caught in her throat. But Adrian didn't need her to finish. He knew exactly what she meant.

She had already slept with Caldwell.

Adrian's eyes darkened, his body tensing as the reality of what Clara had endured crashed over him. His blood boiled with rage, the urge to storm into Caldwell's room and tear him apart nearly overwhelming him. But in this moment, Clara's trembling figure in front of him was all that mattered.

"I don't care about any contract," Adrian said firmly, his voice low but filled with fury. His hand reached for hers, pulling her closer. "You're leaving with me, Clara."