Betrayed and Dumped She Rose Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 356

Three days later, Rebecca’s phone lit up with another call from Leah.

“Alan says the money’s ready. He has time today. Can you meet him?” Leah’s voice came through the phone.

“I can,” Rebecca answered.

After hanging up, she arched a brow. Honestly, she hadn’t expected Alan to pull off five million so fast. But where did he even get that kind of money? If it wasn’t clean, would she get dragged into something shady?

Just to be safe, Rebecca called Leah back. Turns out, Leah was already ahead of her. “Don’t worry, Ms. Harper. I’ll make sure the agreement clearly states you’re not responsible for any risks with the funds.”

That put Rebecca’s mind at ease. She grabbed her purse and headed down to the parking garage.

The last thing she expected was to run into Stephen and Liam. It had been several days since she’d seen them. The last time was also in the garage, when Stephen had been in her car and… well.

Rebecca looked down, avoiding his eyes, and said quietly, “Mr. Duncan.”

Stephen answered with a low hum, his gaze soft and steady on her. Electricity seemed to flicker between them.

Liam caught on right away. His boss’ love life was on the line, and he knew when to make himself scarce. “Mr. Duncan, I’ll wait in the car,” he said, slipping away.

Rebecca clutched her car keys, her lashes fluttering. “I have something to take care of. Please excuse me.”

As she tried to walk past, Stephen gently caught her arm. His voice was deep and warm. “Have you thought about what I said last time?”

Rebecca froze. For a second, she didn’t get what he meant. Then it clicked. She bit her lip. “I’ve been really busy lately.”

She didn’t have to say more. She hadn’t figured things out yet.

Stephen’s mouth quirked in a small smile, but his hand at his side curled into a fist. “There’s no rush. Take your time.”

Stephen got in the car and caught Liam smiling like he’d just won the lottery.

“What’s so funny?” Stephen asked, straight-faced. “Drive.”

Liam wiped the smile off his face, but curiosity got the better of him. “Mr. Duncan, was that red mark on your lip the other day from Ms. Harper?”

The look Stephen gave him was cold enough to freeze the air. Liam shrank back, barely daring to breathe.

Just when he thought Stephen wouldn’t answer, Stephen spoke, his voice low. “Keep it to yourself. I don’t want any trouble for her.”

A boss and a female subordinate always made for juicy gossip. For Stephen, any woman he was linked to who wasn’t his equal would get labeled a gold digger. Until he could protect Rebecca completely, keeping things private was the best way to keep her safe.

Thinking about that, Stephen’s eyes grew somber. From now on, he’d have to hold back. No matter how much he wanted her, he couldn’t let it show in front of anyone else.