Chapter 191
Chapter 191 A House Divided
Finished
As she spoke, Freya caught the heavy scent of liquor on him. Her expression soured even further. “You’re completely wasted! You stormed out of here like you were on a mission–I thought you were finally going to track down Arabella for our daughter! But no, you just went to get plastered! You’re pathetic, Carter! You reek! Go take a shower right now before you make
me sick!”
In that moment, Freya’s contempt for Carter was bottomless. She couldn’t stand the sight of him for another second.
Carter, already seething, hadn’t even gotten a word out before she laid into him. His temper exploded.
“Freya! You’ve got some nerve! You’ve lived off me for years, eaten my food, spent my money- and you’ve been stealing from me the whole time!
“Don’t think I don’t know! It was you and that leech brother of yours who bled my company dry! And now you have the audacity to look down on me? Who the hell do
you think
you are!”
With a roar, he lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Freya’s hair.
She let out a sharp shriek. “Ah! Carter, have you lost your mind?! Let go
of me!”
away. “Dad, stop it!
Harper, terrified, rushed to her mother’s side and tried to pry Carter’s hand away. What are you doing? Let Mom go!”
With everything gone, Harper knew her remaining stability depended on Freya. She had to defend her immediately.
Blinded by rage, Carter barely registered his daughter’s presence. He shoved her away with a rough sweep of his arm.
“Ah!” Harper cried out as she hit the floor, a sharp pain shooting through her knees. Since returning home, she’d been treated with kid gloves. She never imagined Carter would snap and turn on her, too.
Too frightened to move, Harper could only watch.
Freya, trapped by her hair, was powerless. Before she could struggle further, Carter raised his other hand, yelling in her face, “Tell me! How much did you siphon off from the company?!”
“Slap!”
A hard crack echoed through the room as his palm connected with her cheek.
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Chapter 191 A House Divided
Freya screamed, a raw, guttural sound. “You’re crazy! Carter, let me go! I never took a dime from your precious company! Don’t you dare accuse me!”
She denied it vehemently, but her heart hammered against her ribs. How did he find out? He was supposed to be drowning his sorrows at some bar. Who could have told him?
Carter didn’t believe a word. “Liar! You thieving bitch! I’ll beat it out of you! Give me back my company! Give me back my life!”
Another slap landed, making her head spin. The side of her face felt hot and swollen, throbbing with pain.
A pained whimper escaped her. “I didn’t… You’re wrong, Carter. After more than twenty years together, you dare hit me… You’re trying to kill me! I’ll kill you first!”
Summoning every ounce of strength and using her considerable weight to her advantage, Freya wrapped her arms around Carter in a bear hug. They lost their balance and tumbled off the sofa onto the floor with a heavy thud.
Carter grunted from the impact.
In the scramble, Freya ended up on top, instantly reversing their positions. She raked her nails down his arms, shrieking, “How dare you hit me, you ungrateful bastard! I’ll scratch your eyes out!”
Bright red welts bloomed on Carter’s skin.
He howled in pain and fury, fighting back. “You crazy witch! You’ve lost it!”
He tried to block her flailing arms, but couldn’t fend off the frenzied attack. In moments, his arms and face were crisscrossed with bloody scratches.
Harper, cowering in the corner, was stunned. She’d never seen her mother unleash such feral rage. She was too scared to intervene.
The household staff hovered near the doorway, equally horrified, not daring to step into the fray.
The fight only subsided when Freya, exhausted, finally stopped clawing and Carter fell silent beneath her. She collapsed to the side, gasping for air.
Carter was a mess of wounds, but Freya wasn’t much better off. Her face was swollen and purpling, one eye nearly shut, a frightening sight.
Seeing her strength wane, Carter pushed her off him. The stinging pain from the scratches on his arms and face made him wince. He dragged himself back, leaning against the sofa leg to catch his breath.
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Chapter 191 A House Divided
Only then did Harper dare to approach, creeping to her mother’s side. “Mom… are you okay? Your face… It’s so swollen I can barely see your eye. He really hurt you.”
Carter watched Harper fawn over Freya. It was clear who she sided with now–the one who still had resources. His own daughter was just as mercenary as her mother. Any last shred of affection he felt for Harper curdled and died inside him.
Freya, her voice thick and angry, yelled at the paralyzed staff. “What are you all gawking at?! Get me an ice pack and the first–aid kit, now!”
“Yes!” the servants replied, scattering to fetch the supplies.
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