Chapter 47: When were you planning to tell me about your other woman?

A faint glint flashed across Helena’s eyes.

She knew exactly which recording Clara was referring to.

For the first time since entering the Sterling Mansion, genuine panic crept into her heart.

Her gaze instinctively shifted toward Eric.

Eric swallowed hard.

His clenched fists and pale face were enough to tell Helena that Clara wasn’t bluffing.

Across the room, Jonathan and Grace exchanged puzzled glances.

Jonathan leaned closer and whispered, "Darling... what recording is Clara talking about?"

Grace subtly shook her head.

"I want to know too."

Ever since the incident at the boutique, she had learned one important thing about Clara.

Clara wasn’t someone who made empty accusations.

Every word she spoke was backed by confidence, as though she already knew the truth.

Grace slowly looked toward Clara.

"What recording are you talking about, Clara?"

The entire living room fell silent.

Every pair of eyes turned toward her.

Before Clara could answer, Helena hurriedly interrupted.

"Grace, you’re not actually going to believe her, are you?" she exclaimed, forcing out a laugh. "She’s clearly making things up. There is no recording. And even if there is, I’m sure she fabricated it."

Helena’s heartbeat quickened.

She couldn’t allow Clara to expose Eric.

If that recording was played...

Everything they had worked so hard to hide would collapse.

She discreetly glanced at Alaric.

Receiving her signal, Alaric immediately stepped forward.

"Helena is right, Uncle," he said, looking at Nicholas. "We all know what an illegitimate child is capable of."

His eyes shifted toward Clara with unconcealed contempt.

"Her mother seduced a married man and destroyed someone else’s family. Now the daughter is trying to frame Eric."

The atmosphere instantly turned heavy. The smile on Clara’s face disappeared.

Her expression hardened. Her eyes turned ice-cold.

Insulting her was one thing. Dragging her late mother into this... that crossed a line.

She slowly met Alaric’s gaze.

"My mother never seduced a married man."

Her calm voice echoed through the room.

"She was deceived."

"She was lied to."

"And she was abandoned after discovering the truth."

There wasn’t a trace of anger in her voice.

Only conviction.

"But I won’t allow the same thing to happen to Hannah."

Her eyes shifted toward Eric.

"Hannah deserves someone who truly cherishes her."

"Not someone who smiles in front of her while laughing behind her back."

"Not someone who treats her love as a joke."

Every word landed like a hammer.

Eric’s breathing became uneven.

Even Nicholas felt a chill run down his spine.

As the patriarch of the Sterling family, he had spent decades commanding respect with nothing more than his presence.

Very few people could stand before him without trembling.

Yet Clara... she wasn’t loud or hysterical. She simply stood her ground.

For the briefest moment, Nicholas saw a reflection of his younger self. Someone who refused to bow simply because others were powerful.

Helena noticed the subtle change in everyone’s expressions.

No... This couldn’t continue.

She quickly spoke again. "Uncle Nicholas, she’s lying!"

She pointed accusingly at Clara. "We all know how much Hannah and Eric love each other. There is no way Eric would ever hurt Hannah. He has always treated her well."

Nicholas remained silent. His sharp eyes lingered on Helena for a moment before moving to Eric.

The young man couldn’t even meet his gaze.

Finally, Nicholas looked at Clara.

Unlike the others, his voice remained calm and authoritative.

"Clara."

The room instantly quieted.

"You’ve made some serious accusations today."

"If what you’re saying is true, then the Sterling family will not ignore it."

He paused before continuing.

"But accusations alone aren’t enough. If you truly have evidence..." His gaze sharpened.

"...then stop speaking in riddles. Come clean. Show us exactly what you have."

Everyone unconsciously held their breath.

Helena’s nails dug into her palms.

Eric’s face turned ghostly white.

Clara smiled faintly.

"As you wish, Grandpa."

She reached into her handbag and calmly took out her phone.

Without another word, she unlocked it.

Helena’s pupils shrank.

"No!"

But she was too late as Eric’s unmistakable voice rang out, leaving everyone stunned.

Clara looked at Eric and smiled faintly.

At that moment, he looked like a man whose carefully crafted mask had just been ripped away in front of everyone.

"This is all a lie!" Eric shouted, his voice echoing through the living room. "I never said any of that!"

Although he tried to appear composed, the panic on his face betrayed him.

His breathing had become uneven, and his eyes darted around the room as though searching for someone—anyone—to believe him.

Then, as if grasping at his last chance, he pointed accusingly at Clara.

"She’s doing this on purpose because I caught her meeting another man!"

The accusation made the atmosphere tense once again.

Dominic, who had been standing quietly beside Clara, slowly turned his head toward Eric.

His expression remained calm.

Too calm.

Yet the darkness lurking in his eyes was enough to send a chill through everyone present.

"Then prove it."

His voice wasn’t loud.

It didn’t need to be.

Eric instinctively shrank under Dominic’s piercing gaze.

For a brief moment, he hesitated.

But instead of backing down, he doubled down on his lie.

"I... I don’t have proof," he admitted quickly. "But I’m not lying either! I saw her meeting another man. When I confronted her, she attacked me to keep me quiet."

He pointed at Clara again.

"You have to believe me!"

His voice grew louder with every sentence, as though volume alone could make his lie sound convincing.

Seeing her son cornered, Helena immediately stepped forward.

"Dominic, how can you believe this girl over Eric?" she demanded. "You’ve known Eric since he was a child. You practically grew up together, and yet you’re asking him for proof?"

She scoffed before glaring at Clara.

"Besides, don’t we already know your wife has a lover?"

Dominic’s jaw tightened.

The veins on the back of his hand became visible as he clenched his fists.

His patience was wearing dangerously thin.

Just as he was about to speak, another voice rang through the hall.

"Then how are you going to explain Eric’s affair, Aunt Helena?"

The entire living room fell silent. Everyone instinctively turned toward the entrance.

Standing at the doorway was Hannah.

She walked inside with measured, graceful steps. Her posture was elegant as always, but the warmth that had once filled her eyes whenever she looked at the Swan family had completely disappeared.

In its place was disappointment. And hurt.

Eric’s eyes widened.

"H-Hannah..."

He immediately rushed toward her.

"Hannah, what are you doing here? Listen to me, I can expl—"

Pak!

The sharp slap echoed throughout the mansion. The force of it turned Eric’s face to one side.

"..."

Eric slowly raised a trembling hand to his burning cheek, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Hannah..."

He stared at her as though he couldn’t recognise the woman standing before him.

Hannah lowered her hand. Her expression remained frighteningly calm.

"You wanted everyone to believe you?" she asked quietly.

"Then tell me..."

She looked him straight in the eye.

"When were you planning to tell me about your other woman?"