Queen of Wild Cards novel Chapter 104

Stella couldn't help but laugh. "They really have no shame. Let me guess, Chloe went with them, right? Did Miranda have her call you? After you agreed to her dinner invitation last time, she probably thinks you have a thing for Chloe."

Julius was entirely honest. "She did. I had three missed calls from unknown numbers, all right around the same time. One of them was definitely Chloe. But let me be perfectly clear—I have absolutely zero interest in her, so don't even start. I still have no idea how she got my number."

Stella thought about it for a second. It really was strange. She had never given Frederick her own number, so how did he get it?

And now Frederick had both her number and Julius's.

Wait. The mall?

That was the only time Chloe had ever been close enough to touch her phone.

No wonder she had been so weirdly compliant back then. She had an ulterior motive the whole time!

"I think I know how they got your number. I'll tell you when I get home. And don't worry, I know you don't care about her. So what are you going to do about them?"

"Nothing. The receptionists won't believe a word they say, and if they make a scene, they'll just get thrown out. Since I'm not seeing them, Frederick will inevitably circle back to you. Start thinking about how you want to interrogate him."

"Got it."

After hanging up, Julius scrolled through his call log, found the first unknown number, and called it back.

Down in the lobby, Frederick was at his wit's end, frantically trying to pull Miranda away before she caused a scene.

He froze in his tracks, his hands shaking as he hit accept. "Hello? Mr. Blackwood?"

Julius's voice came through, ice-cold and merciless. "The person you've wronged is Stella. The person you need to beg is Stella. Do not ever come to my company looking for me again. I will not see you."

Before Frederick could utter a single word, the line went dead.

Frederick stood there staring at his screen as if it might magically conjure the man himself.

Miranda, however, looked thrilled. "Well? What did he say? Is he going to see us?"