Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 150

Quennel turned back to Victoria. “Is there any proof? Any witnesses?”

“There are no witnesses. She wasn't going to hurt me in front of an audience.”

“But Stephanie called the ambulance right after it happened. She only did that out of guilt.”

“Victoria, I've never even been to your apartment complex. Have some decency.”

Stephanie laughed coldly. “Didn't you call me claiming you'd been stabbed? I called an ambulance out of basic human decency, and now you're twisting that into proof of my guilt?”

“Quennel, where is your brain? Aren't you supposed to be some kind of genius?”

“You're being completely played by this manipulative woman. What happened to the brilliant mind that aced every single exam?”

“Being with Victoria, did a zombie eat your brain or something?”

Quennel was taken aback. It was the first time Stephanie had ever spoken to him so harshly.

She had always been so gentle with him before.

But Quennel wasn't angry. Instead, he realized his Stephanie was just jealous.

He figured this whole incident was her lashing out because she was jealous Victoria was carrying his child.

For some reason, the thought made his heart flutter with excitement.

He had a feeling that the cold war between them, which had dragged on for over a month, was finally about to end.

Seeing Quennel lost in thought, Victoria quickly tugged on his sleeve.

“Quennel, you know how fragile my health is. This was my only chance to have a baby. Would I really risk my own child just to frame her?”

Quennel knew her health was poor and that without this baby, she might never have another chance to be a mother.

He fell silent for a moment, then said suddenly, “Stephanie, apologize to Victoria, and we’ll let this whole thing go. I won't press the issue.”

As soon as he spoke, both Victoria and Stephanie stared at him in disbelief.

Stephanie almost laughed. “Apologize to Victoria?”

Victoria was equally incredulous. “Quennel, our baby is gone, and you're just going to make her apologize? That's it?”

Quennel turned his head to face Victoria. “What more do you want? This child never should have existed!”

Victoria froze.

He, too, had reached his limit; he couldn't stand the distance between them any longer.

“Victoria, I'll give you a generous compensation. The apartment you're living in now—it's yours to keep.”

As he spoke, his gaze shifted back to Stephanie. “Stephanie, come back to me. We have too much history to let this go on. Stop fighting this. I know you still love me.”

She loved him enough to get rid of Victoria’s child, to get her own hands dirty.

It was time for him to make his position clear.

With that, Quennel started toward Stephanie, reaching out to pull her into his embrace.

On the bed, Victoria’s face went as white as a sheet.

She had assumed that losing the baby would obligate Quennel to take care of her for the rest of her life.

She had planned to live off his guilt for a long, long time.

She never imagined he would use this situation to his advantage, casting her aside like a burden he was finally free of.

A bitter, ridiculous feeling washed over Victoria. Terrified that Stephanie might actually agree, she cried out, “Quennel, you can't do this to me!”