Beyond the Divorce by Third Blossom

Clark continued, "I sensed something was wrong. She didn't trust me anymore, so I secretly took my son out and kept him close to me. After all, he was still young, and I was afraid that Celine might harm him. Her usual tactic was to use him to control me."

I tilted my head, murmuring, "What a perfect scheme."

Clark looked at Atlas and said, "I knew that if I handed him over, she would have no use for me. So, I tested the waters..."

Atlas looked at him expressionlessly, his gaze icy. "Go on."

Clark turned to my father. "I told Celine you had escaped. That was when you constantly wanted to flee. When I tried that, I found out that she really wanted me dead.

"I had no other choice and nowhere to run. She sent her spies out everywhere to hunt me down. In the end, I had to seek refuge with Navi.

"I didn't know anyone else at the time. But even if I did, no one would have dared to shelter me. But Navi was different. I knew what he was capable of. He was ruthless and he wasn't afraid of anything. Plus, I figured that you must have had some value since Celine wanted to keep you.

"I took advantage of the situation. I made you sound valuable to Navi and negotiated with him. My condition was that he had to protect me and my son. So, I handed you over to Navi.

"But that was also the best way to keep you safe, Rory. Would you still be alive now if you had fallen into Celine's hands? It's hard to say."

Clark was slick indeed.

"So, you think you deserve some credit?" I scoffed angrily. "You and your son crippled my father, and you think you still have a right to negotiate with us?"

"Who asked him to keep trying to run away?" Jarvis yelled.

One of Atlas's subordinates suddenly kicked him hard in the back, sending him flying.

Clark immediately bowed to us. "Mr. Rory, this is all my fault. Forgive him. He's still young, it's all my fault, I made him turn out like this..."

Their audacity enraged me. "How dare you try to bargain with us? You're an ungrateful scoundrel. You killed my mother and crippled my father! Do you think you deserve forgiveness?"

Clark looked at me in despair, then suddenly turned to my father and shouted, "Is this what I deserve? We were classmates. You managed to curry favor with Louis and acted like a savior. Why did you hog the limelight when you brought me to Louis? Why didn't you let me get close to him? Why did he only like you?"

His words left me speechless. How narrow-minded could someone be? I didn't think someone like this existed in this world. I hadn't expected Byron, Melanie, and Michelle to turn out the way they did either

Clark kept ranting, "He made you shine and tower above everyone else while I could only do menial tasks. We had the same education, family background, and upbringing..."

"You're wrong. What set us apart

was our hearts." My father looked at him disdainfully, his tone remarkably calm. "Louis saw who you really were a long time ago, so he didn't favor you. I gave you a chance by making you my assistant."

My father paused for a moment, adjusting his emotions. "But when I see how things ended, I'm glad I listened to Louis and didn't tell you our core secrets. That's the best decision I've ever made." Clark knelt on the ground, looking at my father. "Do you really have core secrets?"