"You mean Dane?"
Claire never expected Latham would have the nerve to target Dane.
Let alone the fact that Dane's base of operations was in Cabinda, even if he wanted to expand into Apex, he probably wouldn't glance twice at the Westside Heights project.
The project had gone from a highly coveted prize to a toxic liability.
Between the James Group's financial freefall and Lance's accident, everyone considered the project cursed.
Some believed the mastermind pulling the strings behind the scenes was too ruthless, making it corporate suicide for anyone to take over now.
Others simply doomed the project from the start.
They thought the land was tainted-otherwise, why would the James family have a body count before breaking ground?
Even ignoring the fatal incident during the demolition, Latham's own son had nearly died in a car crash on the way there.
The current rumor was that Westside Heights sat squarely on The Potter's Field, and its doomed fate was sealed.
Anyone who tried to force the construction forward would pay the price.
A whole faction of people was actively fanning the flames of these rumors.
It left several superstitious billionaires absolutely convinced of the curse.
Even if Latham wanted to cut his losses and survive, finding a buyer was next to impossible.
He was truly desperate now.
So desperate that he was plotting against Vertex International in Cabinda.
As if Vertex International was a company he could just casually manipulate.
In the business world, everyone was a predator.
"Exactly. Doesn't Dane have some history with Pandora?"
"If you ask Pandora to pull some strings, our entire family would be eternally grateful."
Claire held onto her patience. "Latham, what makes you think my grandmother needs your gratitude?"
"You!" Latham hadn't expected Claire to refuse so blatantly after he'd tried to play nice.
His expression darkened. "Claire, we used to be a family. Are you really going to stand by and watch the James family go bankrupt?"
"I could just close my eyes. That way, won't have to watch at all"
Claire joked completely unalet
as
she watched Latham's temper flare.
Latham was furious, his chest heaving with indignation.
"Octavia was right. You really are an ungrateful brat. The James family wasted years raising you!"
Latham had never said anything like this before.
He had always wanted to weaponize his relationship with his adopted daughter for when he truly needed it.
Now that he realized she was entirely impervious to his guilt trips, he snapped.
"Latham, do need to remind you again? It wasn't that the James family benevolently chose to raise me. I was subjected to that hospital mix entirely because of your.
family's toxic drama."
"Speaking of which, you, Fallon, and Octavia all played your parts perfectly in ruining my life."
"I've already had my lawyers file a lawsuit against Fallon. I imagine she'll be served with a court summons very soon."
Claire hadn't planned on making her move this early.
But since Latham was escalating his emotional blackmail, she decided it was time to rip away his final shred of dignity.
He thought he could use the 'debt' of raising her to force her hand, but that depended on whether she'd let him.
Latham had always paraded himself around the business world as a model husband, a rare man of integrity.
Once his mistress Fallon surfaced, that pristine image would shatter into a million pieces.
It would be much harder for him to preach morality after that.
Public opinion would completely turn against him.
Sure enough, the moment Latham heard Claire was suing Fallon, he froze in sheer shock.
"Oh, and thanks for the reminder. I should probably call the police and have Fallon arrested first, just in case she tries to skip town."
Latham's face drastically paled.
He wasn't heartbroken for Fallon he didn't actually care for her much at all. He simply wanted to keep his dirty laundry hidden.
"Claire, we can absolutely settle this privately. If you're going after Fallon, you just want compensation, right There's no need to drag this to a courtroom." Śwnovels