The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 314

Her voice carries a sickly-sweet, tearful edge, designed to hook into his heart and pull at his protective instincts. She assumes that since Jake recently defended her, he is back under her spell, making it safe to play the damsel in distress.

"Ha."

Instead of a warm embrace, a dark, chilling laugh fills the room. The sheer coldness in the sound sends a shiver down Jade's spine. Before she can utter another word, a heavy hand clamps down on her throat.

"Jade, we are way past this. Drop the act," Jake snarls. His face is entirely devoid of warmth, replaced by a cold, penetrating glare of a man who finally sees the truth.

Jade's eyes widen in sheer terror. She instinctively claws at his wrist, but his grip is like an iron vise. Her breathing turns ragged as panic sets in.

"Jake... what... what are you talking about?" she rasps, forcing the words through her constricted airway.

"If you weren't an adopted member of the Dennis family, I would have destroyed you already. Don't ever try to play me again," Jake warns coldly.

He is consumed by a suffocating wave of regret. He must have been out of his mind to target Tara for the sake of this treacherous adopted sister. The realization is a bitter pill to swallow.

His heart aches with the knowledge that he has thoroughly alienated Tara. His cruel words and dismissive attitude severed the deepest bonds of their family. Worse yet, he wasn't the only one. The entire Dennis family is blind, practically shoving Tara out the door. Rebuilding that trust feels impossible now. Once shattered, their bond cannot simply be glued back together.