Betrayed and Dumped She Rose Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 255

Before Sonja’s hand could land, someone grabbed her wrist with a grip so strong she nearly lost her balance.

“Sonja, better think twice before you hit my people,” a deep voice said.

Stephen was suddenly there, standing behind Rebecca, holding Sonja back. The shock of it made Sonja snap out of her anger, and a wave of unease crept over her. No matter how bitter she felt, there was no way she’d go up against the heir of Duncan Corporation. She shot Rebecca a glare that could have cut glass, then spun around, gathered her dress, and stalked off.

“Are you okay?” Stephen turned to Rebecca, his expression gentle now.

Rebecca took a shaky breath, her lashes trembling. “I’m fine. Thank you, Mr. Duncan.” She kept her gaze low and hurried away, making a beeline for the bathroom at the end of the hall.

Inside, she splashed cold water on her face, gripping the edge of the chilly sink as she tried to steady herself. Her heart was pounding, but as the minutes ticked by, she slowly began to calm down. With her eyes closed, Stephen’s words kept echoing in her mind. “Better think twice before you hit my people.” He called her his people… Did he really mean that?

Rebecca stared at her own reflection, messy hair and all, and gave her cheeks a quick pat. “Get a grip. He just thinks of you as an employee, nothing more.” She said it out loud, as if the words might make it true.

By the time she returned to the ballroom, ten minutes had passed. Sonja and Bruce were gone, probably having left in a huff. The mood was ruined anyway, and Rebecca couldn’t find it in herself to enjoy the party anymore. People kept coming over with drinks, offering toasts, and Rebecca accepted every single one. At first, she just took little sips, but pretty soon she was drinking whole glasses at a time, barely tasting a thing.

From his spot in the corner, Liam watched her for a while, then headed over to Stephen. “Mr. Duncan, if Ms. Harper keeps this up, she’s going to be wasted in no time. Want me to take over and stop her?”

Liam was used to running interference at these events, but Stephen only glanced over at Rebecca, his eyes unreadable. He looked away and gave the smallest shrug. “Let her be. She’s having a rough night.”

Stephen pressed his fingers to his forehead and told Liam to lock the doors. He leaned in, his voice soft and reassuring. “Don’t worry. Someone will take care of it for you.”

Rebecca’s mind seemed to slow down, her eyes drifting over to him as she leaned forward, half sprawled over the center console. “You look really familiar,” she mumbled, staring at him. “And you’re… kind of ridiculously good-looking.”

Liam’s eyes went wide from the front seat. Was she actually flirting with Stephen? He never would’ve guessed that the calm, polished Ms. Harper could be this cute when she was drunk.

He shook his head in disbelief. Just as he was about to listen in, the privacy screen started to rise, blocking the back seat from view. Liam sighed, disappointed that the show was over.

Meanwhile, in the back, Rebecca was still mumbling to herself, practically draped across the console. Stephen glanced down, and for a split second, his breath caught as his eyes landed on a spot he definitely shouldn’t be looking at.