No Divorce? The Billionaire's Love Chase! novel Chapter 224

Claudia glanced at him briefly before heading toward the dressing room.

York stood up. "You need to keep applying the scar cream."

She paused, and he walked over, gently guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed.

As York started to pull down the collar of her robe, Claudia instinctively clutched it shut.

His hand froze, and his expression darkened.

Ever since he had lost control and forced himself on her, she had reflexively put up a defensive guard whenever he initiated contact.

York forcibly suppressed his emotions, taking several deep breaths.

"I'll put the cream on for you," he said, his voice strained.

Claudia's tension slowly eased. She released her grip on her robe and pulled the comforter up to her chest.

As York lowered her robe, the whip marks were laid bare on her fair skin. Scabbed over, the lines were nonetheless a stark and jarring sight.

His movements were light and slow.

"About today in the hospital room..." he began tentatively.

"I have to go to my parents' this afternoon, so could you hurry up?" Claudia cut him off.

She knew she could never outmaneuver him in a conversation. The best defense was to say as little as possible.

Late that afternoon, after dropping Claudia off at the Watkins' family home, York drove to the modest apartment complex where Ann lived.

Seeing him at the door, Ann rushed to greet him, her face alight with excitement. "York, what are you doing here?"

York's grip tightened. "Ann, you're not clever enough to play games with me."

Sensing his suspicion, Ann burst into tears. "York, you know my situation! I have no family standing, I've been married, I can't have more children... Even if you beat me to death, I wouldn't dare dream of what I wanted six years ago!"

York's expression remained terrifyingly grim.

Ann's legs gave out, and she sank to her knees.

"I was just trying to get on your wife's good side so your family would leave me alone!" she cried. "I really didn't do anything!"

When he still didn't relent, Ann swore to the heavens. "York, I swear on my own son's life, if I have any ulterior motives towards you, may my son die without a proper burial!"

York's hand slowly relaxed. Ann scrambled away from him.

If it wasn't for the need to constantly remind York of the six years of hell she had endured for him, to keep him weighed down by guilt, she would have gotten rid of that little bastard long ago.