164: The Plot

Claudia and Mason met in the back room of a high-end restaurant, a place where the wealthy and powerful conducted their most secretive business.

The clinking of glasses and the murmur of patrons created a deceptive veil of normalcy, but their conversation was anything but.

Claudia leaned back in her chair, a predatory smile playing on her lips. Her eyes glittered with a mix of resentment and determination. "So, Mason, it appears we've had a change of plans since learning that Eric is the infamous Mr. Radcliffe," she began, her tone cool and calculated.

Mason leaned forward, his expression mirroring hers. "Indeed, Claudia. It's time to separate Eric and Emily for good," he said, his voice laced with malice. "But remember, my aim is to make Eric pay for everything he did to my family. He made me lose my brother, put my father in jail, and turned my life into a nightmare."

Claudia's smile widened, but there was a hint of skepticism in her eyes. "And you think kidnapping Emily will achie