The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 24

Preston didn't get angry; he simply held her tighter.

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me. I'm not leaving. I'm staying right here on the island with you."

Chloe shoved him hard. "Suit yourself."

A single day on a deserted island was likely pure torture for a billionaire who had been pampered his whole life, yet Preston maintained a pleasant smile, never uttering a single complaint.

But Chloe could feel the deliberate forced affection and the heavy words he was holding back.

Finally, as night fell, Preston couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Chloe, do you remember the first time we met?"

Chloe froze, the memories crashing over her like a tidal wave.

It was only her first few days of high school. Her mother had stormed into the building, flipping her desk over right in front of her homeroom teacher and the entire class.

She had dragged Chloe by the hair all the way to the track field.

"You ungrateful little brat! What's the point of you studying? You're stupid! Your cousin is the only one making something of himself. He's your only safety net for the future!"

"He only failed his exams because he had a bad day. If we scrape enough money together, he can still go to a private college! You're coming with your uncle tonight to find a factory job!"

A massive crowd had gathered. Her mother's screaming was shrill and vicious, clearly trying to break Chloe's spirit so thoroughly she'd never dare return to school.

But Chloe just bit her lip so hard it bled. Ignoring the humiliating stares and the crushing shame, she clung to a pillar and refused to let go.

Just then, a tall, lean figure stepped out of the crowd.

The teenage boy had pale skin and carried an innate, untouchable sense of privilege. He stepped right in front of her bruised, pathetic form, shielding her from the crowd.

The moment he intervened, the school administration, previously indifferent, rushed out in a frantic panic.

Ultimately, her mother spat on the ground and snarled,

"I'm not paying a single dime for you! Let's see how long you survive!"

The boy, clearly unaccustomed to such unhinged behavior, frowned deeply.

After a moment of silence, he pulled out a sticky note, wrote down his name and an address, and handed it to her.

His handwriting was bold and commanding.

Preston Hayes.

"Prove to her that you can survive on your own," he had said.

...

Brought up by Preston now, that deeply defining memory only made her feel suffocated and humiliated.

Chloe looked away, her lips pressed into a tight line. "Why bring that up now?"

Preston's voice was low, laced with a heavy desperation. "Chloe, I'm hoping you'll do this for me... Forgive Jenna."

Boom.

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