The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 21

The frantic click-clack of high heels echoed sharply through the air. Jenna Cameron burst onto the scene, panting heavily. "Preston, what happened? Why did you leave so suddenly without waiting for..."

Her words died in her throat the moment she took in the chaotic scene. She spun around, desperate to flee, but it was too late. The battered man in the suit, his face bruised and swollen, sprang up as if he had just found a lifeline. He lunged toward her.

"It's her! This is the woman who hired us—"

Absolute panic washed over Jenna, a cold sweat instantly soaking through her clothes. "Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting? I don't even know you!"

She glared at him, her eyes wide with a frantic warning. But under the crushing, predatory gaze of Preston Hayes, the thug couldn't care less about any secret agreement. He pointed a shaking finger right at her.

"It's you! You paid us to take care of those poor losers! I even kept the evidence..."

He reached into his pocket for his phone.

Realizing her scheme was about to be exposed, Jenna's face drained of all color. She instinctively looked toward Preston.

Preston was already watching her.

His somber, unreadable expression made her heart hammer wildly against her ribs.

"Preston, I... I was just worried the victims' families would get emotional and hurt someone. I hired them to mediate and apologize! I never thought things would escalate like this..."

"Bullshit!" the suited man roared, his face turning a furious red at her blatant lie. He held his phone high.

Just as he was about to hit play on the audio recording, a chilling voice cut through the tension.

"Enough."

Preston's eyes darkened, his expression turning thunderous.

The thug froze. In the next second, Ken snatched the phone right out of his hand.

"Mr. Hayes, she's the one who ordered us to... Mmph! Let me go! Where are you taking me?"

The previously chaotic night plunged into a dead, suffocating silence.

Jenna, still visibly shaken, looked up with tearful gratitude. "Preston, thank you for trusting me!"

Chloe Reed stared at Preston's sharp profile, taking in the coldness beneath his long lashes and his eyes that were now bloodshot with anger. She couldn't stop trembling.

What was she even hoping for?!

Even with the brutal truth and hard evidence staring him right in the face, Preston still chose to protect his precious female friend!

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify