The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 74

Blood immediately began to drip from Preston's hand, but he didn't even flinch. Taking advantage of Chloe's momentary shock, he wrested the sickle from her grip and tossed it far across the yard.

Without missing a beat, he pulled her into a crushing embrace, trying to envelop her stiff, shivering body with his own warmth.

"Chloe, don't be afraid. Just take a deep breath..." Preston's chest tightened with agony. He kept his voice soothing. "This is my fault. I got here too late. I will take you to pick out the most beautiful, peaceful cemetery in the city, and we'll lay your father to rest properly. Okay?"

"No!" Chloe shoved him away with all her strength. Her eyes were devoid of anything but bone-chilling disappointment.

"Preston, you found out he was Jenna's brother today, but did you conveniently forget everything he did yesterday? You had Ken run a full background check on him. Are you seriously going to stand there and pretend you don't know exactly what kind of scum he is?"

Preston looked genuinely exhausted. "That's a separate issue entirely. I just wanted to—"

"You just want to take their side. You want to pressure me into backing down, and then you'll offer me some grand, theatrical compensation to make yourself feel better."

Chloe let out a broken, cynical laugh, her eyes stinging. "But I never wanted your money."

She looked up, delivering her next words with crystal-clear finality. "Leave, Preston. You don't have to stand here and play mediator. I don't want your help."

Right at that moment, a sleek black sedan sped up the dirt road, slamming on the brakes. Two tall figures stepped out and marched briskly toward the yard.

Preston's face instantly darkened into a lethal scowl. "So you don't need my help because you already ran crying to him. Is that it?"

Quentin Shaw took one look at the chaotic, destroyed scene, and a terrifying, suppressed fury settled over his features. Bypassing everyone else, he walked straight to Chloe and draped a thick, warm parka over her trembling shoulders.

The surrounding crowd began to whisper, casting dirty looks at Jenna. The color drained from her face, her whole body shaking with rage.

Preston's expression was downright murderous. "Mr. Shaw, I suggest you remember your place. Professionally and personally, you have absolutely no right to intervene here."

Quentin let out a cold, mocking laugh. "At the very least, I don't spend my time sleeping with other women when my wife is at her most vulnerable. And I certainly don't help a bunch of corrupt outsiders bully her into submission."

Before Preston could fire back, Quentin pulled a thick file from his jacket and held it up for everyone to see. He stared Preston down, enunciating every word.

"Mr. Hayes. This is the official proposal for their so-called Green Mountain Tourism Project. If you actually bothered to read it, could you honestly look me in the eye and say you aren't covering for them? There is zero professional zoning, zero verified capital, and zero market research. The projections for foot traffic, revenue, and operational logistics are completely blank."

Quentin tossed the file onto the dirt. "You have more business acumen than I do, Mr. Hayes. This isn't a civic development project. It's a fraudulent land grab."