Even if Cloudia didn''t say why she was looking for Ste, L probably already knew. She was still trying to protect Urs.


    Cloudia, fueled by frustration, closed her eyes briefly and then reopened them, marching over to L. "Transfer Jaxon''s money to me."


    L looked baffled. "Excuse me?"


    Spitting out the nuts she had been munching on, L red at Cloudia with disbelief. "What are you talking about?"


    Cloudia repeated, "I said, transfer Jaxon''s money back to me, exactly as it was. Do you understand? That''s our family''s money, and you have no right to it."


    Thinking about how this woman had taken all of her son''s money, Cloudia was in no mood to be polite. L tossed the remaining shells onto the floor. "I have no right? And you do? Or maybe Urs does?" Cloudia retorted, "Who has the right isn''t up to you to decide. Now, give me the money."


    It always came back to money. She was fuming, looking at L with pure disdain and anger.


    L let out a sarcasticugh. "Am I seeing things?"


    What a waste of time dealing with this lot. These people never seemed to grasp reality.


    "Once the money is in my pocket, there''s no chance of giving it out. And as for this family..." Speaking of the Larkin family, L took a deep breath.


    "Say whatever you want, but if you think you can dictate terms to me, you''re wrong."


    With that, L headed to the kitchen, poured the medicine, and carried it upstairs.


    Cloudia watched her, seething as she realized L was giving Jaxon that medicine again.


    "I told you not to give him that stuff! Don''t you understand?"


    She was practically screaming, but L ignored her and went straight to Jaxon''s room.


    Jaxon was asleep, having spent most of his time in bed without a doctor and unable to go to the hospital. L ced the medicine on the nightstand with a thud, waking Jaxon up.


    He nced at L with annoyance. "What are you doing?"


    17.


    L replied, "This is thest medicine I''m giving you. Drink it if you want. If not, that''s fine, too


    Whether your hand improve


    because of it is up to fate."


    With that, L turned to leave.


    Jaxon furrowed his brow, sensing something was off. "Where are you going?"


    L didn''t hesitate. "I''m leaving with our son."


    Why stick around with the Larkin family? There was nothing worth staying for except money.


    It wasn''t like Jaxon had ever


    intended to marry her. And even if he


    had, life with him and his family.


    would be miserable, especially with a mother-inw like Cloudia.


    She wanted to live a little longer and didn''t want to be driven to an early grave here.


    Jaxon''s face darkened, suddenly wide awake. "You''re leaving?"


    L nced back at him, smirking. "What did you expect? For me to stay here and waste away? Sorry, that''s not me."


    Why stay in a toxic situation? She wasn''t about to let herself get dragged down.


    Upon hearing the word "waste," Jaxon went red with fury. "And what about the money I transferred to you?"


    What waste? Was the Larkin family really as hopeless as she made it sound?


    She had been living herefortably, and she talked about waste.


    What nonsense!


    L shrugged. "The money? It''s for raising our child. You weren''t thinking of taking it back, were you?"


    Jaxon was speechless. That money was all they had left. He hadn''t been to the office but kept in touch with his team He knew thepany was in dire straits, and to top it off, his father had siphoned what little money was left in the business.


    Thepany was bankrupt.


    The Larkin family had nothing.


    And L was nning to take hisst bit of money and their child and leave?