Betrayed and Dumped She Rose Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 212

Sunlight poured in through the window, landing softly on Rebecca’s face. She sat quietly, her dark hair swept up neatly, the gentle glow making her look even more calm and graceful than usual.

Breaking the silence, Rebecca spoke up, her voice steady. “Someone’s been saying there’s something inappropriate going on between us.”

No one saw that coming. The whole room froze, eyes wide, caught completely off-guard by how blunt she was.

Stephen lounged back in his seat, looking impossibly relaxed. He arched an eyebrow. “Oh? And who said that?” His tone was easy, but there was a definite edge to it.

Rebecca lifted her gaze and looked straight at Sonja across the table.

Stephen caught the look and shifted his attention to Sonja too, a faint, almost mocking smile on his lips. “Sonja… fancy that.”

“I…” Sonja’s cheeks turned a deep shade of red. She hadn’t expected Stephen and Dr. Palmer to show up so early, and she really didn’t expect Rebecca to call her out so directly. She’d started the rumor herself, and now she was face-to-face with the fallout. Offending Stephen was the last thing she wanted.

Panic flashed in her eyes. “I… I just overheard it from someone else.”

Stephen’s mouth curled into a smile, but his eyes were emotionless. Anyone who knew him could tell he was on the verge of losing his patience. “So you just heard it? And that was enough for you to start spreading it around? That’s pretty careless. Is that how you handle your research too?”

Sonja’s hands started to tremble. There was a sting in his words, and she felt it.

Stephen reached for his phone and began to dial. At first, no one had any idea who he was calling, but then he spoke. “Is this the police? There’s something I’d like your advice on.”

You could hear a pin drop. The tension was suffocating. Stephen was actually calling the police.

Stephen’s legs were crossed, his tone almost lazy. “Is Sonja incapable of speaking for herself now? Why does she need you to apologize for her?”

Sonja flinched at the mention of her name. She’d always thought Stephen was all about self-control and professionalism, but right now his words were sharp as knives. Knowing he was using that edge to defend Rebecca made her want to scream, but fear kept her in check. She remembered the cut-off phone call to the police and knew she couldn’t afford to push him any further.

She looked down, her voice small and shaky. “I’m sorry, Mr. Duncan. Ms. Harper. I shouldn’t have believed the gossip or spread it around.”

Stephen suddenly turned to Rebecca. “What do you think?”

He was staring right at her, his dark eyes unwavering.

Rebecca felt her heart skip a beat and her cheeks heat up. She understood Stephen was standing up for her, but she really didn’t want to make a bigger scene. She could handle rumors about herself, but dragging Stephen into it made her feel awful.