The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 316

"Are... are you Mr. Hayes from Vantage Corp?"

"Vantage wasn't on the guest list! What brings you to the summit?"

A sea of camera lenses pivoted instantly, locking onto Preston.

Preston ignored every single one of them, his gaze shifting coolly to Ken.

Ken understood immediately.

Within moments, the reporters were aggressively ushered away.

Back at the booth, the atmosphere was suffocating.

Isabella gave Preston a polite nod. "Mr. Hayes."

She stood up. "I'll leave you to it. I have matters to attend to."

With that, she turned on her heel and strode off.

Lucian was standing a short distance away. He had been waiting for Isabella and quickly noticed the thick tension.

"What happened?"

"Just some of Chloe's personal mess," Isabella replied smoothly.

"Personal mess?" Lucian frowned. "Looks like she's in trouble."

Isabella looped her arm through his, pulling him toward the dining area.

"Since when do you care about a stranger's drama, Lucian? Like I said, it's her own mess. If trouble found her, she clearly invited it."

"Ugh, I had to bail her out mid-speech and my throat is entirely parched. Come get me a drink and some food. Rookies are so unreliable. I have to carry the whole second half now."

Lucian didn't press the issue. Smiling affectionately at his sister, he let her lead him away.

Chloe grabbed her bag and practically bolted toward the heart of the estate.

She deliberately wove through the most crowded areas.

Preston followed her.

He was infinitely patient, trailing her at a perfectly measured distance—not too close, not too far.

But the terrifying darkness in his eyes betrayed just how little sanity he was clinging to.

Chloe's mind was racing.

She didn't even know what she was running from, or why she was so terrified.

She only knew that her blood was turning to ice, a paralyzing dread crawling up her spine.

Being locked in his vice-like grip made her feel like she was suffocating, trapped in a cage with the walls closing in, nowhere left to run.

But Preston only tightened his arms, holding her with such terrifying force it felt like he was trying to snap her ribs and absorb her into his own body.

He had lost an alarming amount of weight. His sharpened jawline dug painfully into her collarbone, the rough stubble scratching her skin.

"Let me go!"

Mustering every ounce of her strength, Chloe brought her heel down hard on his foot.

He flinched, stumbling back a few steps, but the disturbing smile never left his face.

"Still so fierce?"

"You've definitely gotten stronger. Seems like you're living a great life over here."

Preston just kept smiling at her—a carbon copy of the gentle, loving smile etched into her memories.

Chloe's stomach violently churned. A wave of visceral, uncontrollable disgust washed over her.

She clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.

"Why did you track me down? What do you want?"