The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 211

The snow fell without warning.

It had been raining since morning, but a sudden drop in temperature turned the wet roads into thick sheets of ice.

By the time Chloe Reed escorted Belle Evans out of the pharmacy, the streets were completely deserted.

The two of them stood at the bus stop, shivering as they waited for a rideshare back to Sterling Bay.

"Ouch, that hurts. Jenna Cameron hits like a total psycho!"

Belle rubbed her swollen, reddened cheek, shrinking her neck against the biting wind.

She looked at Chloe. "She's so arrogant. Has she ever hit you?"

Chloe handed her the heat pack she had just bought, her tone nonchalant. "Next time there's a chance, I'll help you hit her back."

Belle's eyes widened in sheer disbelief, too stunned to speak.

"What is it?" Chloe asked, glancing at her.

Belle suddenly hooked her arms tightly around Chloe's, her voice thick with emotion. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when such words would come out of the mouth of our straight-A ice queen! Chloe, I don't know why, but I feel so touched, yet so incredibly sad at the same time!"

Chloe offered a self-deprecating smile. "Violence doesn't solve problems, but it solves Jenna."

When dealing with a woman like her, it was the only method that worked.

They waited for another twenty minutes.

The snowfall grew heavier, mixed with sleet that battered the frozen ground.

Finally, Chloe's phone rang. She answered it with numb, freezing fingers, but before she could speak, the driver's voice came through.

"Could you cancel the ride on your end? The forecast says this snowstorm isn't letting up anytime soon, and the roads are completely iced over. Sterling Bay is too far, I can't make it!"

Chloe frowned, but faintly, over the line, she heard a little girl's voice.

"Daddy, it's so cold outside. Please don't go out. I'm worried about you..."

"Don't worry, sweetie. Daddy's not going anywhere. I'll stay right here and we'll have pizza together."

After coaxing his daughter, the driver spoke to Chloe again. "Please do me a favor. If I cancel on my end, they'll dock my pay."

"..."

Chloe hung up, her face devoid of emotion as she canceled the order and immediately called for another ride with a massive tip attached.

Chloe stared quietly at the fine snow clinging to his long eyelashes. Suddenly, she found it all so laughable—a kind of humor that left her feeling deeply exhausted.

"Mr. Hayes, shouldn't you be busy comforting your precious friend right now?"

"After all, she just hurt her hand slapping someone. She must be terrified, right? Don't you need to rush her to the hospital to make sure she's okay? What puts you in the mood to come pick us up?"

Preston's gaze turned somber. "Sorry. Jenna was out of line today."

He pulled out a sleek business card and handed it to Belle. "Whatever compensation you need, you'll be fully covered."

Belle took a step back, standing firmly beside Chloe. "I don't need your money!"

"Preston, don't you think you're taking your favoritism for Jenna a bit too far? When you act like this—"

"Get in," Preston interrupted smoothly. "The snow is only going to get heavier. No driver is going to take your order tonight."

"If you don't want to catch a cold freezing on the street corner, get in the car."

Chloe knew him too well.

She knew him so completely that even the slightest shift in his expression was enough for her to catch his underlying mood.