Chapter 452
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Chapter 452:
Chloe saw the panic flooding Isabelle’s eyes and recognized an opportunity. A dark, calculated idea formed in her mind. She still hated Jocelyn for humiliating her at the Core Club, and this was the perfect moment to use Isabelle as a weapon.
Chloe reached out and gripped Isabelle’s wrist.
“Listen to me,” Chloe said smoothly, her voice laced with venomous reassurance — every word a lie. “Their marriage is a contract. Under normal circumstances, Gaston Collins isn’t going to authorize a full-scale corporate war over a pet project. It’s bad for business. But he’s been unusually possessive of her lately, so you need to be careful. Keep your attack purely financial and strictly by the book. Don’t give him a personal reason to retaliate. The Collins Group board won’t allow him to burn capital out of pure emotion p>
Isabelle swallowed hard. The terror slowly receded, replaced by a toxic, arrogant relief. “Are you sure p>
“Positive,” Chloe smirked. “Crush her, Isabelle. Show her she’s nothing p>
That night, the Collins penthouse was dead silent.
The digital clock on the kitchen oven read 11:45 PM. Gaston sat on the dark velvet sofa in the living room, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, his jaw locked tight. On the coffee table before him, a plate of Michelin-starred dinner had gone completely cold. This was the third night in a row Jocelyn had worked past midnight.
The electronic lock on the front door finally beeped.
Jocelyn walked in looking like a ghost — shoulders slumped, hair disheveled, arms straining under a massive stack of financial binders. Gaston stood immediately and crossed the room, his large hands reaching out to take the load from her.
“You are exhausting yourself, Jocelyn,” he said, his voice a low rumble of disapproval.
𝗥еad 𝘧𝗿𝘰𝗺 𝘺o𝘶r 𝗉h𝗼ոe 𝘰𝗻
Jocelyn sidestepped him and dropped the binders onto the kitchen island with a loud thud. “I have to rebuild the valuation models by tomorrow morning,” she said, her voice tight and clipped, fingers pressing against her throbbing temples. “Isabelle Sterling is trying to kill my deal p>
Gaston’s eyes darkened instantly. The predator in him stirred.
“Give me the file,” he said, stepping toward her. “I will call the Sterling board right now. I will have that woman removed and the money wired to your account by 8:00 AM p>
Jocelyn’s head snapped up. Sheer exhaustion collided with her fierce, desperate need for independence, and a spark of irrational anger ignited behind her eyes.
“No!” she snapped, her voice echoing in the quiet kitchen. “I told you, Gaston — I don’t want your money. I don’t want you fighting my battles p>
Gaston went very still. The rejection struck him like a physical blow.
His eyes narrowed, every trace of warmth leaving his expression. “You are my wife. Protecting you is my right. Why are you choosing to suffer when I can fix this in five seconds p>
“Because if you fix it, it’s not mine!” Jocelyn cried, tears of frustration burning at the corners of her eyes. “If you bail me out, I’m just a trophy wife playing CEO with her husband’s allowance. I need to do this myself p>