Chapter 99
Chapter 99:
Bella dropped her fork. It clattered loudly against the ceramic plate. “Gaston Collins? The guy who looked at you at the gala like he wanted to eat you alive? The guy who broke Kieran’s wrist for touching you p>
“It’s acting,” Jocelyn insisted. She felt desperate now — desperate to convince Bella so she could convince herself. “He’s brilliant at it. It’s PR. He has… preferences p>
Bella stared at her. “Joss, are you sure? That man has a reputation for being a shark, a killer in the boardroom — maybe a little kinky — but ‘gay’ isn’t the main rumor I hear p>
“The most effective secrets are the best-kept ones,” Jocelyn said. The lie tasted like ash in her mouth. “I’ve seen him with his… associate. And he’s hinted at it himself. It’s an open secret, in certain circles p>
Bella laughed nervously. She looked at Jocelyn with pity. “Okay. If you say so. But be careful. If he’s acting, he deserves an Oscar. And if you’re wrong… you’re playing with fire p>
“I’m not wrong,” Jocelyn said firmly. She picked up the menu, her hands shaking slightly. “I’m safe p>
Across the city, in the glass-walled office of Douglas Tech, the atmosphere was poisonous.
𝖲𝘵𝘰r𝗶е𝘴 уо𝘶 wo𝗻’𝘵 𝘱u𝘁 𝗱o𝘄ո o𝘯
Aspen Schneider barged in without knocking. She was wearing a pink Chanel suit that looked too bright for the gloomy weather outside.
“It’s confirmed!” she shrieked, waving her phone. “My contact in the hospital billing department couldn’t find a prenatal record, but she saw the admission for ‘severe dehydration and viral infection.’ And Kieran — she was vomiting on the highway p>
Kieran Douglas stood by the window, staring out at the Manhattan skyline. He looked haggard. His perfect hair was disheveled.
“If she has a child with him…” Kieran muttered, his voice hollow. “If she carries a Collins heir, she is untouchable. Elbert Collins will build a fortress around her p>
“We can use this!” Aspen suggested, her voice dripping with venom. She walked to his desk, eyes gleaming. “Say she trapped him! Say it’s not his! We can leak a story that she was sleeping with you right before the wedding. Cast doubt on the paternity p>
Kieran turned around. His face was a mask of cold fury. He slammed his hand down on the mahogany desk. The sound echoed like a gunshot.
“Shut up, Aspen p>
Aspen recoiled, clutching her pearls. “I’m trying to help! We need to destroy her reputation p>
“Don’t touch her reputation on this,” Kieran warned, pointing a finger at her. “If she is pregnant with a Collins, and we slander that child, Gaston won’t just sue us. He will bury us. He will dismantle this company brick by brick p>
He wasn’t protecting Jocelyn. He was fearing the Collins wrath. He knew, deep down, that he had awakened a sleeping giant. And beneath the fear was jealousy — a sick, twisting jealousy that Jocelyn was giving another man what she had never given him.
“Get out,” Kieran ordered.
Aspen’s face flushed red. She turned on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door.
In the hallway, she pulled out her phone. Her fingers flew across the screen.