Chapter 48

Kenya.

Claudine closed the door behind us as we entered her apartment. The air was cool, smelling of expensive lilies and floor wax. As we sat across from each other, we touched on mundane topics, the light chatter of a maid serving coffee providing a thin veil of normalcy.

Claudine could barely hide her excitement. Since my marriage to Levi, she had been eager to hear about my new life, bombarding me with questions that I answered with practiced, indulgent smiles.

While we sat, a man around Claudine’s age emerged from the hallway. He was dressed casually in a white T-shirt and black sweatpants, but his presence was striking.

“Tad, darling, this is my friend and partner, Mrs. Ruthford. I told you she’d be stopping by,” Claudine said, her voice dropping into a softer, more intimate tone. I caught the way they looked at each other—a shared understanding that made me feel like an intruder on a very private, newly blooming connection.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Ruthford. And congratulations on your recent nuptials,” Tad said with a respectful nod before heading to the kitchen. His presence added a layer of warmth to the room that made what I had to do feel even more like a betrayal.

“Sorry about that,” Claudine said, turning her focus back to me.

“No, please. I should be the one apologizing for dropping by unannounced,” I replied, trying to steady my racing heart.

“Kenya, honey, relax,” Claudine said, reaching out to take my hands. “Tad and I are... well, we’re exploring something new. It’s early days, and I’m taking my time with it. No need for rushing.” She gave me a sly, happy smile.

Seeing that spark of hope in her eyes made my mission feel like a heavy weight. I knew Claudine had been through a difficult divorce and years of temporary distractions. Tad seemed different, and it pained me to know that the news I brought might extinguish the very light I was seeing in her now.

"So, what was it you wanted to see me about?" Claudine asked, her expression turning more curious.

“Did you see the progress at J'aime? It’s remarkable,” she continued, not waiting for my answer. “Levi is turning the entire building into a state-of-the-art facility. It’s all because of you, darling. You’re the reason he gave us this chance.”

I felt my body grow rigid. The 'opportunity' felt more like a trap with every passing second.

“That is exactly why I’m here,” I blurted out, my eyes locking onto hers. Claudine’s gaze sharpened, the atmosphere in the room shifting instantly from warmth to a guarded chill.

“The authorities—or rather, Levi’s investigators—have evidence regarding the financial discrepancies from your past,” I started, my voice trembling but gaining strength. “They know how the funds were handled between you, your ex-husband, and the insurance claims.”

Claudine pulled her hands away, her face pale with shock. “How did he...”

“The 'how' doesn't matter,” I whispered, the weight of the last few days finally surfacing. “What matters is that if I don’t act now, everyone at J'aime will suffer. The staff will lose their jobs, and you... you would face severe legal consequences. This evidence is a guillotine hanging over our heads, waiting for one of us to make a mistake.”

Claudine studied me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and realization. “Is it Levi? Is he using this against you, Kenya?”

She drew closer, offering a comforting arm, and for a moment, my resolve broke. I leaned into her, the tears I had been holding back finally spilling over.

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry,” she soothed. “This was the reason for the rushed wedding, the sudden renovation... all of it.”

I shuddered, wondering just how much she had deduced. She had seen my anxiety at the reception, my reluctance to celebrate.

“Is he... is he hurting you?” she asked suspiciously.

“No, it’s not that,” I replied, pulling back and wiping my eyes. I needed strength, not sympathy. I had come too far to let weakness ruin the plan.

“I’ve spoken to a lawyer, and she’s prepared the paperwork,” I said, standing and walking toward the window. Outside, the rain was pouring, blurring the city lights.

“These documents will transfer all liabilities and ownership of J'aime to me. The operational side will stay the same, but the legal shield will be mine. I want to buy the school from you.”

Claudine looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that as long as you own it, Levi has a target. But if I own it, he can’t touch it without destroying his own name and his own wife’s interests,” I said sternly, turning to face her.

“You’ve mentioned you have a home in Switzerland. I want you to go there. Move there permanently. I’ve arranged for an offshore account so your share of the profits will reach you monthly. Levi will never know your whereabouts because you’ll be out of his reach. I won’t speak of where you are, if you don't.”

The silence that followed was heavy with the realization that I was offering her a gilded escape—and taking the burden of the storm upon myself.