She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 499

She was consumed by hatred.

And a crushing wave of regret.

If she had just backed off when she realized the man she conned with a fake rescue story was already engaged, would she be here now?

Her wails echoed through the barren halls of the detention center, a hollow symphony of defeat.

Quarevia.

The evening sky was ablaze with the brilliant hues of a fiery sunset.

The private pool at the exclusive country club had been entirely booked for the day. No one was allowed in except the host and her guest.

Gabriel changed into his swim trunks and strode out to the deck, his eyes widening in shock.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

A stunning woman in a pristine white bikini was lounging by the edge of the water.

She kicked her bare, slender legs in the crystal-clear pool, looking playful and carefree.

Gabriel frowned.

He was in Quarevia on a business trip.

Once his meetings wrapped up, a buddy had invited him here to unwind.

The absolute last person he expected to run into was Elara.

In his mind, she was the quintessential heiress of the Bennett family—elegant, poised, and aggressively modest in her styling.

But the woman lounging in front of him was wearing an incredibly revealing swimsuit.

Despite the scandalous cut, the stark white fabric gave off a dangerously innocent vibe.

She continued splashing her feet like a carefree child.

His gut told him this was a blatant trap.

"Miss Bennett... is this some crazy coincidence, or did you trick me into coming here?" he demanded, walking straight toward her without hesitation.

Splash!

Water flew everywhere as they both tumbled over the edge and plunged into the pool.

"Damn it!"

He broke the surface and wiped his face. "Are you psycho?!"

She stood waist-deep in the water right in front of him, her hair and skin glistening with droplets.

It was undeniably a breathtaking sight.

He wiped his eyes and quickly looked away.

"Gabriel, if your family hadn't suddenly found Preston, I would be the one marrying you right now. No matter how you spin it, I'm technically your ex-fiancée. Do you really have to be this cruel to me?"

Rolling his eyes at her dramatic accusation, he turned back to meet her gaze.

"Look, we were never close to begin with. You tried to screw over Melanie. The fact that I'm standing here talking to you without losing my temper is a massive favor to your family. Exactly how warm and fuzzy do you expect me to be?"