After Divorce I Married a Tycoon-Chapter 31: Putting on an Act

「The day after the banquet.」

Early the next morning, Claire Mercer was still asleep when a call came from Judith Caldwell.

"What time is it? You’re still sleeping? Get yourself together and come to the Mercer residence right now."

Her tone was as cold and sharp as ever, thick with impatience.

Claire Mercer knew they would summon her back today.

’Setting aside the sudden return of Scarlett Jewel, the true heiress, they wouldn’t be able to sit still over her plans to divorce Gavin Sinclair alone.’

After getting up and quickly freshening up, Claire Mercer hailed a cab to the Mercer residence.

The living room was empty, but she could hear the intermittent sound of conversation coming from the dining room.

She walked quietly toward the dining room. Inside, a family of three was enjoying a cozy breakfast.

The table was laden not only with a rich spread of Chinese-style breakfast dishes but also a wide selection of Western ones.

Julian Mercer and Judith Caldwell both had smiles on their faces.

Their eyes, as they gazed at Scarlett Jewel, were overflowing with affection.

"We had all of this made just the way you like it. Go on, try some."

As she spoke, Judith Caldwell quickly pushed a bowl of nourishing congee in front of Scarlett Jewel.

Scarlett Jewel gave her a gentle, demure smile. "Thank you, Mom."

Julian Mercer was also beaming with paternal affection.

"Your mother got up before dawn to make this for you herself. Even I don’t get this kind of treatment."

"You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble, Mom," Scarlett Jewel said, looking touched.

"It was no trouble at all," Judith Caldwell said with a smile. "Anything for my daughter."

"I’ve already had Uncle Shaw start preparing the ingredients for lunch."

"I’ll be in the kitchen myself later to make you a delicious meal."

"I’ll help you, Mom," Scarlett Jewel said excitedly.

"I started learning to cook for myself when I was very young, and I’m not a bad cook, you know."

"Later, I’ll let you and Dad try some of my cooking too."

As she said this, a hint of pride and self-satisfaction showed on her face.

’As if learning to cook from a young age was some incredible accomplishment.’

But in the eyes of Julian Mercer and Judith Caldwell, it was a symbol of the hardships she had endured out in the world.

The thought of her own precious, biological daughter having to learn to cook from such a young age immediately made Judith Caldwell’s eyes well up.

’Her precious daughter... who knew how much she must have suffered all these years.’

"My poor girl, you’ve suffered so much. Look at this little face, you’re so thin."

"I’m not suffering, Mom," Scarlett Jewel said, shaking her head understandingly.

"Just being able to survive was lucky enough, don’t you think?"

"Besides, I’m intentionally keeping my figure slim. It’s not because of malnutrition."

Seeing her put on such a brave, sunny face despite obviously having suffered, Judith Caldwell’s heart ached even more.

"Every time I think about how much my daughter has suffered all these years, my heart feels like it’s being sliced with a knife."

"And yet that good-for-nothing Claire Mercer has been living a pampered life in our home, waited on hand and foot..."

"See? She’s still not back. She gets more insolent by the day."

The moment Claire Mercer was mentioned, Judith Caldwell’s expression instantly turned vicious.

Scarlett Jewel gloated inwardly but was quick to soothe her on the surface.

"Claire is pitiful, really. Even her own parents abandoned her."

"It was the one piece of good luck in her unfortunate life that she got to meet you and Dad."

"I wasn’t as fortunate as she was, but now that I’ve finally found you and Dad, it’s as if all my hardships are finally over."

’The meaning behind her words was unmistakable: while Claire had been enjoying a life of luxury in the Mercer family, she herself had been suffering with another.’

’She didn’t say it outright, but her meaning was crystal clear.’

Just as expected, her words provoked another wave of pity from Judith Caldwell.

Claire Mercer stood outside the doorway, her gaze calm as she watched the family of three inside.

The sight of Scarlett Jewel’s pretentious act made her sick to her stomach.

Then she looked at Judith Caldwell, whose heart and eyes were filled with pity for Scarlett Jewel, and contrasted it with the attitude she herself had endured for years...

A cold laugh escaped Claire Mercer’s lips.

’She had lived a pampered life in the Mercer Family?’

’Waited on hand and foot...’

’How could the woman she had called "Mother" for over twenty years even say such a thing?’

Steeling herself, Claire Mercer walked into the dining room.

The moment she entered, the faces of Judith Caldwell and Julian Mercer darkened.

Julian Mercer was slightly more restrained.

Although he also disliked Claire Mercer, he usually just wore a sour expression.

He didn’t resort to the constant, cutting remarks Judith Caldwell used to put Claire Mercer down.

"Claire Mercer, you’re getting more and more audacious."

"Do I have to beg and plead just to get you to come home?"

Claire Mercer stared coldly at Judith Caldwell’s irate face.

Facing Judith Caldwell now, she felt none of her former submissiveness or forbearance.

’She had endured the insults and oppression before purely because she believed Judith was her biological mother.’

’The mother who had carried her for ten months, given birth to her, and raised her.’

’She had just assumed Judith was so harsh because she favored sons over daughters.’

’As a daughter, she could choose to endure it.’

’She just had to endure until she was married, and then she could escape this suffocating home.’

’Her decision to marry the then-crippled Gavin Sinclair was partly because he had once saved her, but also because she couldn’t bear the family’s indifference any longer.’

’But now that she knew the truth of her birth, she understood why they had been so cruel to her.’

A moment later, Claire Mercer spoke, her voice cold.

"Is this all you called me back for?"

Seeing her icy tone and attitude, Judith Caldwell shot to her feet.

The abrupt movement sent her chair scraping sharply against the floor.

But the sound was nothing compared to the shrillness of Judith Caldwell’s voice.

"Claire Mercer, what is this attitude? Is that any way to speak to your elders?"

"Look at you—so rude and uncultured."

"We gave you the best of everything growing up, yet you still carry yourself with such a crude, petty air."

"Then look at Scarlett. She suffered so much growing up, yet she has better manners and is more well-bred than you will ever be."

Claire Mercer remained perfectly calm and spoke lightly.

"Perhaps her adoptive parents just raised her well."

At that, Judith Caldwell shot her a fierce glare.

"Are you implying that we, the Mercer Family, didn’t raise you properly?"

"Wasn’t that what you were just implying?" Claire Mercer retorted with a sneer.

"Then again, maybe she’s just a good actress."

Judith Caldwell raged, "I’m warning you, don’t you dare slander Scarlett."

"She is the true heiress of the Mercer Family. She has no need to pretend in front of us."

"That’s enough. Let’s get to the point." Julian Mercer cut in impatiently, then turned his gaze to Claire Mercer. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Your mother tells me you want to divorce Gavin Sinclair?"

Claire Mercer glanced at Scarlett Jewel before nodding.

"I have no choice. I was in a sexless marriage with Gavin Sinclair for two years."

"But the moment his leg healed, he cheated on me. I think his mistress is pregnant, too."

"He’s already insulted the Mercer Family this badly. For the sake of the Mercer Family’s reputation, my only option is divorce."