Sham Marriage Quit Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 275

Chapter 275 Playing With Fire

130

Finished

With the public backlash spiraling this far, Elena still hadn’t released any definitive proof.

At this point, even Landon’s side began to wonder if they had overestimated her.

After all, Nicole had always been easy to manipulate. A few sweet words from Landon had been enough to make her lose all sense of direction back then.

“If she really had something solid, she wouldn’t have held onto it this long,” someone muttered.

Landon lit another cigarette, the flame briefly illuminating the sharp angles of his face before fading into shadow. His expression remained unreadable, cold and distant.

“Let her make noise,” he said slowly, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. “At this point, I want to see how long she can keep it up.”

The assistant hesitated before bringing up another issue. “And the child? Mrs. Hawke mentioned bringing him back to the Hawke family.”

After all, the boy carried their blood.

Landon let out a short, mocking laugh, his tone dripping with disdain. “A child born to a woman like that? You think he deserves to step into the Hawke family?”

There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in his voice.

To him, that child meant nothing.

Less than nothing.

If anything, the only thing Landon regretted was not getting rid of the problem sooner.

He had told Nicole more than once to terminate the pregnancy. She had done it before, more than once, and he had already planned to cut ties with her after she got rid of this one.

But this time, she refused.

She claimed the doctor had warned her that another abortion might leave her unable to have children again.

What did that have to do with him?

He was never going to marry her.

Still, even he hadn’t expected her to go as far as attempting suicide by jumping off a building,

15:22 Wed, May 20

Chapter 275 Playing With Fire

only to be saved by Elena.

At the thought of Elena, Landon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

That debt… I’ll settle it with her.

160

Finished

He flicked ash into the tray and looked up. “The people I told you to find, have you located them?”

The assistant nodded, though uncertainty lingered in his voice. “Yes, but… are you sure about this? If Mr. Hawke finds out…”

Landon’s gaze turned sharp instantly. “Just do it. Stop asking questions.”

The assistant fell silent.

At Velmora Media, Elena had just finished watching the livestream from Nicole’s parents and brother.

Disgust lingered in her chest long after the video ended.

Compared to someone like Landon, who hid his cruelty behind charm, Nicole’s family was even worse. They had taken everything they could from her, and when it mattered most, they turned around and bit her like strangers.

Elena closed her eyes briefly, steadying her breathing, then motioned for Sophia and Hannah to continue monitoring online trends. She walked to the window and dialed Nicole’s number.

“Are you okay?” Elena asked.

Nicole’s voice came through, calm and steady. “I saw it. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Right now, all I care about is the surgery. Nothing else matters.”

Her tone was surprisingly composed.

Elena let out a quiet breath.

Good. She’s finally letting go.

At this point, Nicole’s entire world had narrowed down to one thing.

The child still lying in neonatal care.

As for the people who were supposed to be her family, they meant less than strangers now.

“Stay off the internet for now,” Elena said gently. “And don’t meet anyone you don’t trust. Got it?”

15:22 Wed, May 20

Chapter 275 Playing With Fire

AGE

Finished

Nicole let out a small laugh. “I will. Don’t worry. Declan’s outside the room, and only the regular doctors and nurses can get in.”

Elena had arranged for protection, just in case Landon decided to do something desperate.

“Good. Get some rest,” Elena said before ending the call.

She returned to her desk.

The moment she sat down, Hannah handed her a tablet. “Elena, Aetherline Media just jumped in too.”

The screen showed Aetherline’s official account.

Five minutes ago, they had posted a statement.

It talked about media ethics, about how journalists shouldn’t fabricate stories just for traffic, about responsibility and credibility.

The person on camera was Camille.

The video had already drawn a wave of support, with comments praising her integrity and professionalism, as if everyone had conveniently forgotten her careless handling of the Hawthorne Group factory fire.

“People really switch sides fast,” Hannah said, half amused, half frustrated.

They had practically laid out solid evidence, yet it still couldn’t compete with blind loyalty.

On the screen, Camille’s smile was bright and confident.

“Elena’s definitely going to get dragged for this,” someone in the office said. “Going after the Hawke family and the Sterlings based on a few statements from a nobody actress? That’s reckless.”

“Exactly. Everyone knows what kind of person Landon is, but nobody dares to go up against him. She’s probably getting fired for this.”

Another voice lowered conspiratorially. “I heard she’s married to Alexander.”

The room fell silent.

Very few people outside Pinnacle Group knew about Elena’s marriage.

That one sentence shifted the atmosphere instantly.

15:22 Wed, May 20

Sham Marriage Quit, Real Heiress Strikes Back