The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 263

Mark's face drained of color, yet he still tried to argue his way out of it.

"I didn't mean to! He wasn't listening to me, that's why I had to get physical! If he had just cooperated..."

"Ethan, call the cops," Quentin ordered without missing a beat.

"Yes, Boss." Ethan immediately pulled out his phone.

Mark panicked. "Why are you calling the cops?! The dog is fine now, isn't he? You have no right to do this!"

Quentin looked at Chloe's pale face and softened his voice. "Chloe, go back upstairs and rest. I'll handle things here."

"I promise, I'll bring Yuri back safely."

Chloe pushed past him, her body rigid as she marched forward. "I'm going to get him right now."

She couldn't even bear to think about how terrified Yuri must be right now.

Chloe stormed straight toward the grandest villa at the center of Oceanview Heights.

Inside the property, warm yellow lights glowed quietly. Over the sound of her own racing heartbeat, she could hear the faint, muffled sounds of a dog whining.

Chloe's knuckles turned white as she clenched her fists. She reached out and hammered the doorbell.

No answer.

She banged on the door, only to realize the courtyard gate wasn't even locked.

"Preston?"

Chloe pushed the gate open, navigated through the dim courtyard, and made a beeline for the illuminated main house.

Just then, a low male voice cut through the silence behind her.

"Who said you could come in?"

Chloe jumped, whipping around to meet Preston's dark, unreadable eyes in the shadows.

He was leaning casually against a magnolia tree. He stood tall, his hair slightly messy, yet he still possessed that effortless, untouchable arrogance.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Chloe snapped, recovering her wits.

Preston let out a dry chuckle. "You trespass into my home uninvited, and somehow you're blaming me?"

"Ms. Reed, there are cameras all over this courtyard. It would be perfectly reasonable for me to call the cops on you right now, wouldn't it?"

Chloe took a deep breath, forcing her rising panic down to keep her voice level.

"I apologize. I was too frantic earlier and misunderstood you. On behalf of Yuri, I'm here to thank you for what you did. I can compensate you for your trouble..."

"Compensate?"

"Chloe, why are you doing this to me? Are you just banking on the fact that I can never actually bring myself to blame you?"

Staring into Chloe's terrifyingly cold, indifferent eyes, Preston felt something inside him snap. He lunged forward and locked his grip around her wrist.

"It's my turn to ask. What exactly do you want? Can you just spit it out?"

"Let go!" Chloe flared up, yanking her arm back with all her might.

Preston only tightened his grip. With one forceful pull, he dragged her against him, trapping her completely in his embrace.

His arms wrapped around her back like a vice, holding her so tight it felt as though he was trying to fuse their bodies together.

"Chloe... let's end this game, okay?"

"I really know I was wrong..."

*Smack!*

Chloe swung her free hand and slapped Preston across the face with everything she had.

A stark red welt instantly bloomed across his pale, striking cheek.

The fleeting vulnerability and warmth that had just surfaced in his eyes were instantly extinguished.