The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 328

"So let me make this incredibly clear. I will never allow anyone to use anything to manipulate or threaten me ever again."

"Threaten?" Preston let out a deranged, terrifying laugh. "Chloe, you think I'm threatening you? What possible reason would I have to threaten you?"

"You genuinely think I'm refusing to sign those divorce papers just because I want to stalk you?"

Staring at the condescending mockery burning in his eyes, Chloe dug her nails into her palms, but kept her voice eerily calm.

"Mr. Hayes, if there is nothing else, I'm going back to work."

"Mr. Pierce has missed his scheduled appointment window. If he still wishes to consult with us, he can go through the front desk and book another interpreter."

Without looking back, she marched straight out the door.

Preston stood completely frozen in the center of the lavish room, staring at her retreating back, feeling the situation was completely absurd.

He couldn't comprehend why she was acting this way.

If she wasn't still furious about the dog, then what the hell was she so vindictive about?

William's warning suddenly echoed like a gunshot in his mind.

"For some people, they can only endure a marriage if there's love..."

"The second that love dies, the marriage loses all meaning..."

Preston's vision blurred slightly as a wave of suffocating panic crashed over him, and he ruthlessly rubbed his temples, overwhelmed by a maddening surge of frustration.

...

The moment Chloe turned the corner down the hallway, she practically collided with Lydia.

Chloe instinctively tried to duck into an empty office, but Lydia was too fast.

She rushed forward and grabbed her arm. "Chloe!"

"Chloe, I texted you a dozen times last night, and you left me on read!"

Chloe stopped and offered an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Lydia. I crashed early last night and completely missed them."

"I call bullshit."

Lydia dragged her into a secluded alcove near the breakroom, her voice dropping to a frantic whisper.

"Tell me the truth right now. What exactly is going on between you and Mr. Hayes? You swore you didn't know him! But yesterday..."

Chloe lowered her eyes. "I promise I didn't mean to lie to you. He and I are..."

Lydia let out a horrified shriek as the memory of all her pathetic fangirling flashed before her eyes. She wanted to dig a hole through the floor and bury herself alive.

"No, no, no! I admit, his face belongs on a billboard, but I trust your judgment with my life! If you divorced him, that means he is a certified, toxic asshole!"

"This is so embarrassing! If I ever see him in the hallway again, I'm sprinting the other way!"

"I'm going to Monica right now to tell her to find a replacement for the event. I am definitely not going!"

Chloe quickly grabbed her arm to stop her. "Lydia, you have to go to that event. Just consider it a massive personal favor to me, please?"

She gave Lydia a brief rundown of her plan, explaining that she desperately needed to tag along as her assistant to bypass the venue's security and track someone down.

Lydia finally calmed down, though she still looked entirely mortified.

"Alright, Chloe. But seriously, I'm so sorry for constantly bringing him up and making things weird for you..."

"It's my fault for not just telling you the truth from the start," Chloe assured her. "It's all in the past anyway. He's just a man. Don't waste another second stressing over him."

All she cared about now was getting back on track and finding John.

Lydia aggressively patted her chest, her eyes blazing with determination. "You don't have to worry about a thing! Leave the logistics to me. I'll get you through those doors, and I will tear that venue apart until we find the guy you're looking for!"