She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 998

If Bryant started a brawl with Shawn without proof, Bryant would be the one facing the consequences.

To avoid that disaster, Melanie called in Gabriel.

Gabriel was charismatic, playful, and surprisingly good with kids.

With him watching Elina, Melanie felt perfectly safe.

Plus, regardless of his playboy reputation, Gabriel was the Vice President of Stellaris PharmaTech. He represented the sheer power of the Whitmore family.

Even if Shawn wanted to pull something sinister with Elina, Gabriel's presence was a massive deterrent.

"Ah! It's the magic trick guy!"

Elina recognized Shawn instantly. She pointed a tiny finger at him and squealed with excitement.

Melanie noticed that Shawn didn't pretend to be clueless.

"Hello again, little one."

Shawn offered a smile, but to Melanie's trained eye, it was entirely synthetic.

"You know Elina, Mr. Sterling?" Melanie asked casually.

"I wouldn't say I know her... We just crossed paths briefly at Vanessa Ellington's birthday gala."

"He did magic tricks for me!"

Elina grabbed a piece of mango cheesecake off the table and dramatically hid it behind her back.

"He went whoosh... and ta-da!"

Suddenly, she whipped the cake back out and shoved it toward Melanie.

"Here, Auntie Melanie! This makes the cake taste super yummy!"

"Oh?"

Melanie's voice hummed with thinly veiled implication.

"I had no idea Mr. Sterling was capable of such... sleight of hand."

"Oh, I have plenty of tricks you've never seen, Angel. Why don't you come over to my place sometime, and I'll give you a private showcase?"

Shawn leaned forward, closing the distance across the table, his eyes gleaming with blatant seduction.

"Hey, back off from Ms. Royce."

Gabriel's large hand suddenly chopped through the space between them, creating a physical barrier.

"Your Ms. Royce?"

Shawn raised an eyebrow, shifting his predatory gaze to Gabriel.

Melanie certainly wasn't going to stop him.

In fact, this was exactly what she wanted.

Shawn retreating in frustration was the best possible outcome.

The second Shawn was out of earshot, Gabriel dropped the polite act and started viciously trash-talking him.

"Who does that albino punk think he is? Trying to steal my brother's woman?"

"Don't worry. If that freak ever harasses you again, I'll personally beat him until he's drinking his meals through a straw!"

Seeing Gabriel aggressively flex his fists, Melanie didn't know whether to laugh or wince.

Her instincts told her that if Gabriel actually threw a punch at Shawn, Gabriel would be the one leaving in an ambulance.

Outside The Novarison Grand Hotel, Shawn slid into the back of his two-tone Obsidian Black and Desert Gold Maybach.

Caleb was in the driver's seat, not Linda.

He had come to see Melanie tonight; having his obsessively jealous mistress drive him would have ruined the mood.

Sitting in the shadows of the backseat, Shawn's expression was deadly silent.

After a long time, he slowly reached into his tailored slacks and pulled out the velvet box.