I Divorced the Don and Took His EmpireChapter 2

I had barely walked into the villa when I heard lively chatter coming from inside.

"Clara, this is your fiance's house? It's insane!"

"No wonder Clara gave up her job in London to come back. Who wouldn't want to marry into the Moretti family?"

My chest tightened. I reached for the door, but the lock let out an error tone.

I tried again. This time, the door opened from the inside.

The girl standing in front of me had long golden hair and was dressed head to toe in expensive pieces—even the tiny clip in her hair was worth a small fortune.

A woman raised on Adrian's money and affection did have a certain kind of beauty—the kind that came from being thoroughly protected.

One of Clara's friends frowned first.

"Clara, is this your maid? She looks awful."

"And she reeks of disinfectant. I'm going to be sick."

Clara didn't correct her. She just covered her mouth and laughed softly.

My voice came out cold.

"Adrian and I haven't even finalized the divorce yet, and you're already here playing lady of the house?"

"Get out. Now. Or I'm calling the police."

The second I pulled out my phone, Clara clapped her hands.

A bodyguard immediately snatched the phone from my grip. Another grabbed my shoulders and pinned me in place.

Some of them were even the same men I'd once hired to investigate and tail Adrian.

"Elena, you're so funny."

Her voice was sweet enough to make my teeth ache.

"Didn't the door lock already give you your answer?"

Clara walked up to me, took my hand, and pressed it against the fingerprint scanner again.

The shrill error tone rang through the entire house.

"Whoever can get in—that's the one who belongs here."

I clenched my fists.

"Adrian and I bought this villa together. My name is still on the deed."

"You think deleting my fingerprint means you can take my home?"

The moment the words left my mouth, Clara's smile only deepened.

She had the housekeeper bring over the property documents and held them open for me to see.

The name listed under the owner had been changed to Clara Hale.

"I told Adrian I liked this house, so he transferred it to me."

"Elena, you're actually the one trespassing now."

My heart seized.

Six months ago, Adrian had brought me a stack of company filing documents with a few blank signature pages mixed in.

I hadn't thought twice about it. I just signed.

So even back then, he'd already decided to erase me from his world completely.

The people around Clara piled on.

"Maids these days are really something. Claiming the house is hers."

"Of all people to mess with, she picks Don Moretti's fiancee. How embarrassing."

I looked around. Every piece of furniture in the house had been replaced.

I wrenched free of the bodyguard's grip and bolted upstairs to the master bedroom.

The moment I pushed the door open, a searing pain shot through my foot.

Shards of glass had driven into the sole of my foot.

The ultrasound photo had been ripped to pieces. All that remained was broken glass scattered across the floor.

Clara strolled in behind me.

"I didn't really like that piece of paper, so I had the housekeeper take care of it."

"Though judging by the date, the baby was only about two months along?"

She let out a delicate, lilting laugh.

"What a shame. The very last trace your baby left in this world—gone."

My eyes burned. I raised my hand to slap her.

But a squad of uniformed officers appeared in the doorway.

"Ms. Hayes, someone has reported you for unlawful entry into a private residence. You'll need to come with us."

Before I could even process what was happening, Adrian was already striding forward, pulling Clara behind him.

His eyes were bloodshot. He shoved me back with one hand.

The look on his face could have swallowed me whole.

"Elena Hayes, did I not tell you—don't touch anyone you're not supposed to touch."