Pursuing My Billionaire Ex-wife

A searing pain shot through her arm. It was unbearable.

Claire Williams licked her chapped lips and tried to open her eyes but couldn't.

Her eyelids felt hot and heavy. She heard a muffled voice as she stirred on the bed. Sometimes the voice sounded loud and clear and at times it softened, confusing her.

"Gosh, poor thing! The girl's family refused to give her anesthesia. I wonder why they hate her so much."

"Yes. She has thirty stitches on her arm. I feel the pain just by looking at it."

After a long while, Claire slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying in a hospital bed. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw the IV drip pinching her skin. She soon realized what had happened.

Sierra Brooks had asked her to go shopping with her. But she had brought her only to carry the shopping bags for her.

Sierra often ordered Claire to do her chores, and the latter always obeyed her. That was the case even now.

On the way back, Sierra drove the car and Claire was sitting in the back seat. The next moment, the car crashed.

The car accident flashed in her mind. Claire's heart was drumming in her chest. She broke into a cold sweat. The fear wracked her nerves.

Her body trembled. She frantically looked around and realized no one else was in the ward.

Just as she was about to sit up, she heard sound of footsteps outside the ward.

Claire turned around and saw a tall figure. Her heart fluttered as she realized it was the person whom she had missed a lot.

"Darren!" she cried with joy.

Darren Sampson was her husband. They had been married for three years. She liked him even though they barely saw each other.

Claire thought he had come to visit her after knowing about the car accident. She knew it. He cared about her.

But the next second, the man hurried away, not bothering to even look at her.

Claire's smile vanished in an instant.

She immediately pulled the needle out of her arm and ran after him.

"Darren..."

Thinking he hadn't heard her, Claire shouted his name and ran after him all the way to the next ward.

However, she stopped short the next moment.

Sierra, the woman who always pretended to be weak in front of Darren, was lying on the bed. Her left wrist was wrapped with gauze; tears streamed down her face. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot; she looked pitiful.

Darren's elder sister, Bonita Sampson, and his mother Elora Sampson were also present in the ward. The three of them surrounded Sierra and looked after her, ignoring Claire.

Claire was visibly startled when she saw them.

She had stupidly believed Darren was here to visit her.

The four of them unanimously turned to look at Claire. Her well-dressed mother-in-law stood up first. "Claire, you're just in time," she said haughtily. "Turn yourself in to the police and tell them you caused the accident."

"That's right. Take the blame for Sierra," Bonita chimed in.

"What?" Claire recoiled in shock.

Anger surged through her veins.

She took a deep breath and pointed at Sierra. "She hit someone! She caused the accident! Why should I take the blame?"

The Sampson family always treated her as a maid, and she had been used to it.

Sierra always made things difficult for Claire by joining hands with the Sampson family.

However, Claire endured all the pain and suffering to retain her marriage with Darren. After all, she had married into the Sampson family to win Darren's heart.

But these people had crossed all their limits today. She couldn't believe they would ask her to take the blame for the pretentious woman.

"I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I didn't expect to cause such an accident." Sierra covered her face and burst into tears. "I'm willing to go to jail to atone for my sins. If the victim's family members don't forgive me, I'm ready to pay for it with my life. But..."

She sniffed loudly and stroked her belly. "I... I'm pregnant with Darren's child," she said, looking at him tenderly. "I can't let my child suffer because of me."

Claire's heart leaped to her throat.

Sierra's words were like a bolt from the blue.

Claire couldn't believe it. How could she be pregnant with Darren's child?

Claire's body froze. Sierra's words continued to echo in her ears. She turned and stared at Darren's handsome face.

In the past three years, the man had only looked cold and aloof in front of her. In fact, the two seldom met each other. Darren seldom stayed at home. Claire cherished her moments with him, even if it meant a couple of hours.

Claire hoped and prayed to win his heart. She believed Darren would realize her love and persistence and truly fall for her. That was solely why she endured all the hardship and humiliation in the Sampson family.

Her evil mother-in-law, Elora, ordered her around every day. Bonita also made things difficult for her and Sierra was no exception. But Claire endured everything just for Darren.

She had been a dutiful wife for the past three years, doing whatever she was told.

Claire naively believed she would soon be able to move the Sampson family and make them accept her.

However, her life of the past three years had been a joke.

She looked at Darren helplessly. "Darren, Sierra caused the accident. Do you also want me to take the blame for her?"

Darren's eyelids twitched a bit. He quickly avoided her inquiring gaze.

His silence was an unspoken answer. It sent a shiver down Claire's spine.

"That person is dead now. Compensation won't be a big deal, but someone must take responsibility."

Elora snorted.

"The surveillance camera hasn't captured a clear picture. Only you and Sierra were in the car, so you better take the blame for her," Bonita chimed in.

Claire stared at them blankly. She couldn't believe her ears. How could they expect her to do such a thing for them?

Her head began to spin as the reality of the situation began to slowly sink in. Her husband had not only cheated on her, but was asking her to go to jail for his mistress.

"You and my son have been married for three years but you haven't managed to conceive. I want to have a grandchild soon so that Darren's father would rest in peace. The Sampson family has built a business empire. We need a grandchild to inherit all the property in the future."

Elora cast a knowing glance at Claire's stomach.

"We don't need a woman who can't conceive in our family,"

Bonita added.

Claire's jaw tightened. She was seething with rage. Darren hadn't once touched her in these three years. How could she get pregnant with his child? It was all too ridiculous.

"Anyway, Sierra is pregnant now. She is carrying our Sampson family's heir. Besides, she felt so guilty she attempted suicide by slitting her wrist. If the doctor hadn't saved her in time, she and the baby would have died. Can't you do this small favor for her?"

Elora walked up to Sierra and stroked her hair dotingly.

"Claire, you must endure a little pain for her," Bonita said coldly. "We have treated you well since you married Darren, haven't we?"

Claire couldn't believe her ears.

She had suffered enough during the past three years. Now, they were planning to send her to jail.

Claire was disgusted by their behavior.

She gritted her teeth as the pain in her arm intensified. But it was nothing compared to the wound in her heart.

Claire looked at Darren, hoping he would speak for her.

She was his wife, after all. How could he let her go to jail for another woman?

However, to Claire's utter dismay, Darren lowered his eyes, took a check from his pocket, and handed it to Claire.

"I will give you five hundred million dollars as compensation for taking the blame for Sierra."

The blood on Claire's face drained in an instant. She took the check with a trembling hand.

Did Darren think she would compromise for money?

"Five hundred million. Wow! You are so generous."

Claire laughed bitterly as tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt excruciating pain in her chest as if someone had stabbed her heart and plucked it out of her chest.

Claire felt a tightness in her chest. Endless resentment and pain surged in her heart. She bit her lip to control her anger.

The strong taste of blood snapped her back to her senses. She didn't want to put up with the torture anymore.

Claire walked up to Sierra and slapped the check on her face.

"Ah!"

Sierra let out a piercing scream and curled up on the bed like a frightened kitten. Elora and Bonita immediately rushed up to Sierra and protectively stood before her.

"What are you doing?" Darren quickly stepped forward and grabbed Claire's wrist.

"You gave me five hundred million as compensation.

I'm exchanging it for slapping her. What? Do you feel sorry for her?" Claire glared at the man she had loved with all her heart.

He said he would give her five hundred million as compensation. However, she couldn't be humiliated like that, so she slapped the check on Sierra's face in response.

"Are you out of your mind?" Darren snapped viciously. "Sierra is injured. Don't hurt her more."

"You crazy woman!" Bonita shouted. "Sierra felt so guilty that she cut her wrist. Don't you have a heart? How could you treat her this way?"

Claire ignored Bonita and turned to look at Darren.

"What about me? Am I not injured? Who is your wife? Me or her?"

Claire felt dizzy. It was perhaps because of the car accident. Her feeble voice lost its authority.

The weight in her chest seemed to intensify. She could barely breathe.

Claire regretted falling in love with Darren.

He had always been cold and mean to her. She had been naive and stupid for so long. Perhaps love had blinded her. It was time to wake up.

She struggled to free herself from Darren's hold. As much as she loved him in the past, she hated him now.

Her love for him disappeared in an instant.

"Oh really? She felt so guilty that she attempted suicide, huh?" Claire sneered at Sierra.

The woman had always treated her as a maid, but she pretended to be weak and innocent around Darren. Sierra's face broke into a triumphant smile, but her back was to Darren, and he didn't notice her smile.

Claire couldn't believe she would ever attempt suicide.

She didn't believe a hypocritical woman like her would ever do such a thing.

Claire strode forward and tore off the gauze wrapped on Sierra's wrist. There was only a mild cut on Sierra's wrist. It was barely a scrape.

Sierra screamed in shock and hurriedly covered her wrist. The blood on her face drained; she didn't expect Claire to expose her lies.

"Is this what you call a suicide attempt?" Claire threw away the gauze and looked at the people in the ward.

Silence fell in the ward.

"I know you cherish your life, so why would you attempt to take your life? No wonder you are a successful actress in the entertainment industry. Gosh, this is disgusting!"

Sierra was indeed a popular star, but she possessed no acting skills. She gained fame and success only because she was hyped so much.

Elora and Bonita exchanged glances. Their faces darkened in an instant.

Claire was satisfied to see their reaction.

"You..."

Sierra's face turned red. She tried defending herself but suddenly realized Darren was still watching her. Sierra's face quickly turned from embarrassment to sadness.

Claire sneered at her.

Darren looked at Sierra and back at Claire. His jaw clenched, and his brows furrowed. "Claire..."

However, before he could finish his words, Claire spoke.

"Darren, let's divorce."