"What? What’s going on?"

Sean’s voice shattered the silence like a glass thrown to the floor. He stood in the doorway, his face pale, his eyes wide. Clearly, he wasn’t supposed to have overheard that conversation. It was a conversation neither Clara nor Sean was supposed to hear.

Mrs. Weasley spun around. Her breath caught in her throat. She covered her mouth in panic.

"Sean?! How long have you been standing there?" her voice trembled. For the first time, she felt like she was losing control.

Sean took a step inside. His gaze shifted from his mother to Mrs. Diana, then settled on Clara, who was still frozen on the bed.

"What did you just say?" he asked softly. "Clara’s father... didn’t die in a regular accident?"

"Yes!" Mrs. Diana confirmed.

Clara slowly turned toward Sean. Her face was blank, but her eyes were trembling violently. Then, she looked at her mother with a questioning gaze.

"Mom..." her voice barely came out. "What do you mean?"

Mrs. Diana let out a long sigh. It was as if she’d been holding onto that story for far too long, and now there was no reason left to keep it hidden.

"Your father was collaborating with your father-in-law. You know, John and Mr. Weasley were close friends. The difference is, Mr. Weasley was wealthy and your father wasn’t. They collaborated with different forms of capital. Your father had ideas as his capital, while your father-in-law had money," she said calmly, but her words cut deeply.

"They were involved in a new product development project. A product that wasn’t ready for testing. But they pushed it through anyway," the woman continued.

Sean shook his head quickly. "That’s impossible. My father always said that all procedures were always—"

"—manipulated," Mrs. Diana cut in sharply. "Reports were altered. Risks were hidden. And your father... was too selfish."

Mrs. Weasley stepped forward in panic. "Enough, Diana...!" she exclaimed. "That was a long time ago. The case is closed. Everything has—"

"—been paid for," Mrs. Diana added coldly.

Her words fell like a hammer.

Clara felt her chest tighten. Her hands clutched the blanket tightly.

"So this is why Papa Smith married me off to Sean? Because he felt sorry for me? Is that what this means? He always said he owed our family a debt of gratitude." Clara glared at her mother.

Mrs. Diana nodded slowly. "Yes!"

"Diana! We agreed not to discuss that in front of the children!" Mrs. Weasley looked flustered.

"But they need to know!" Mrs. Diana smirked.

Sean froze.

"No..." he muttered. "My father wouldn’t do that."

"Ask your conscience," Mrs. Diana replied coldly. "Or your mother."

All eyes turned to Mrs. Weasley.

The woman looked unsteady. Her lips trembled. For the first time, there were no smooth words. No elegant defense.

"It... was an accident," she said softly, almost inaudibly. "We didn’t mean to—"

"You only meant to save yourselves," Mrs. Diana cut in suddenly.

Everyone fell silent.

Clara stared at Mrs. Weasley. Her eyes were wet, but her voice was steady and cold.

"And now," she continued, "you want to save your family’s reputation again. By insisting on keeping my marriage to Sean?"

She gave a short laugh. A bitter one.

"Funny," she said.

"I thought my love for Sean was what finally softened Papa Smith’s heart and led him to arrange our marriage. I thought that debt of gratitude was just an ordinary one—about cooperation and business that now brings great profit to Papa Smith and his family. Turns out, I was just... a tool to cover up sin, a tool to erase the guilt over my father’s death." Clara laughed again.

"Clara—" Sean stepped closer.

"Don’t come near me!" Clara screamed. Her body shook violently. "You...? My heart is rotten."

Sean stopped. His face tensed.

"So... you think I married you because of that? Because of your father’s death?" he asked hoarsely. "I didn’t know anything about it either."

"But you’ve enjoyed the benefits," Clara replied flatly. "You’ve enjoyed your position, your power. And I... I’m just property you can hurt whenever you want."

Mrs. Diana stepped forward, standing between them.

"Enough," she said firmly. "There’s nothing more to discuss."

She glared at Mrs. Weasley with blazing eyes.

"Go! Take your child. And take all your lies home with you."

Mrs. Weasley slumped into a chair. All her plans had crumbled in the blink of an eye.

Sean looked at Clara—for a long time, his gaze turbulent.

"If we get divorced, you’ll be poor," he said softly, almost threateningly.

Clara looked at her husband. This time without fear.

"It’s okay, Sean," she said calmly. "I’m not afraid of being poor. I’m more afraid of having to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Clara...!" Sean clenched his fists.

Mrs. Diana immediately threw the door wide open. "Please, get out of this room."

********

The door to the hospital room closed with a soft click, yet the echo felt like a heavy thud in Sean’s chest.

He stood in the hospital hallway with his mother. There were no more words. No more excuses. Everything he had believed in crumbled away—not because of screams, but because of a truth spoken too calmly.

Mrs. Weasley walked ahead. Her steps were no longer graceful. The heels of her shoes clicked rapidly, erratically.

"Mom..." Sean finally spoke up. His voice was hoarse. "Why am I only finding out now?"

Mrs. Weasley stopped abruptly. Her hands clenched into fists.

"You don’t need to know," she said coldly. "That’s an adult’s business."

Sean gave a short, humorless laugh. "I’m Clara’s husband. I’m part of that ’business.’"

His mother turned around. Her eyes were red, but her gaze remained hard.

"You’re part of this family," she said firmly. "And this family is in danger."

Sean stared straight down the hallway. A few reporters were visible at the far end. Cameras. Microphones. Whispers that stopped the moment they saw him.

"Danger because of whom?" Sean asked softly. "Because of Clara... or because of our lies?"

The slap never came. But his mother’s words stung even more.

"Because of your weakness," Mrs. Weasley said. "Because you let your emotions get the better of you. Because you’re as reckless as your father."

Sean fell silent.

"Mom, I’m going to make Moana miscarry!" Sean suddenly spoke firmly.

"Hey! Don’t be crazy! Do you want to create a new problem?" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"If Moana has a miscarriage, the media will shut up on their own." Sean assured his mother.

"And you’re sure Moana wants to terminate her pregnancy?" Mrs. Weasley smiled bitterly.

"I’ll make her miscarry. Secretly or openly. With or without her consent!" Sean declared firmly.

"Sean! Don’t be stupid!" Mrs. Weasley snorted in exasperation.