The President’s Mistake A Tale of Love and Regret novel Chapter 280

Nathaniel's voice was unsteady as he spoke. "Frey, you should calm down."

"Get out!" Frey snapped, her voice trembling with fury.

Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked out of the president's office.

Her steps faltered in the stairwell, her rapid breathing the only sound in her ears. She hurried into the nearby bathroom, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water on her face. The reflection staring back at her was pale and hollow.

Frey wasn’t sure if she was losing her mind or if Nathaniel was. The situation had spiraled far beyond her expectations and control.

After Frey left, Koen cautiously opened the office door. The silence was heavy. He hesitated before speaking, "Mr. Nathaniel, should we inform Ms. Frey that Mr. Jacob’s death was indeed an accident? It has nothing to do with us."

"I mean, you were prepared to let him go…" Koen added quietly.

Nathaniel closed his eyes, exhaustion and frustration evident on his face. "It’s useless. She won’t believe it."

"She’ll only hate me more."

Three days later, Jacob’s funeral was held at a cemetery on the outskirts of town.

Frey and Peyton attended. Peyton wore black sportswear, while Frey was dressed in a black dress with a white windbreaker jacket. She clutched a bouquet of white chrysanthemums and stood silently among the small gathering.

Few people came to pay their respects as the Rivera family's downfall had left them isolated. In a world where helping those in need was rare, any additional scorn was more likely than sympathy.

Frey stared at the cold tombstone. Jacob’s black-and-white photo showed a bright, sunny smile, an image that now felt painfully heart-wrenching.

Her feelings were tangled. Her relationship with Jacob had been fraught with both affection and animosity, since their childhood days amid tulips and ending with their complex, unspoken farewell.