Chapter 295
Chapter 295
The Taylor Group underground parking garage.
Adeline rubbed her neck, sore from staring at documents all day, and headed toward her car.
"Adeline."
A cold female voice called out from behind her.
Adeline turned around to see Diana standing not far away, shooting her daggers with those icy eyes.
"Ms. Williams?" Adeline raised an eyebrow. "What's this about?"
"I'm here to tell you to stay away from my brother." Diana clicked over in her heels, slowly closing the distance between them.
"Excuse me?" Adeline looked at Diana like she'd lost her mind. "Since when do you speak for the Williams family? If you're so concerned, why don't you take it up with Kelvin instead?"
"Kelvin's too much of a softie to say it himself, so I'm doing the dirty work." Diana looked down at Adeline like she was something stuck to her shoe.
"Really?" Adeline's lips curved into an amused smile.
Without missing a beat, she pulled out her phone and speed-dialed Kelvin.
"Hey, Kelvin, did you send your sister to tell me to back off?" Adeline kept her eyes locked on Diana's face.
"What? Hell no! What are you talking about? Diana came to see you? Where are you? I'm on my way."
On the other end of the phone, Kelvin's tone was somewhat anxious.
Diana's face went ghost-white. "You did that on purpose!"
Adeline shrugged. "You're the one who said he sent you. I was just fact-checking."
Kelvin materialized in the Taylor Group's underground garage faster than she'd expected.
The second he spotted Diana, who was obviously there to stir up drama, his expression went thunderous.
"Diana, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
Diana's eyes welled up with tears. "You're seriously yelling at me over her?"
"Diana, if you dare to trouble Adeline again, don't expect me to play nice." Kelvin's voice was ice-cold.
The farce ended with Diana bolting for the exit, sobbing into her hands.
The underground garage fell silent again.
Adeline looked at Kelvin with obvious amusement. "Diana seems to really like you."
Faced with Adeline's questioning, Kelvin was momentarily speechless. "Adeline, you have to believe me..."
Seeing him squirm, Adeline couldn't help but grin. "Relax, I'm just messing with you."
Meanwhile, in Riverton at the Miller Villa.
Howard was buried in paperwork in his study while Chloe sprawled across their bed, mindlessly scrolling through her phone.
Her screen lit up with a text from an unknown number.
[You there?]
Figuring it was spam, Chloe deleted it without a second thought.
Then another message popped up.
[Can we meet again?]
Chloe's brow furrowed as she hesitantly typed back: [Who is this?]
The unknown number immediately called her.
"Hello?"
"Chloe, it's me!" Arthur's voice made her stomach drop.
She hung up so fast she nearly dropped her phone.
The bedroom door creaked open and Howard walked in.
"Still up?" Howard gently pulled Chloe into his arms.
"I was waiting for you." Chloe nestled her head against Howard's shoulder.
She decided not to mention Arthur's call—no point in worrying Howard over nothing.
"Let's get some sleep. I'm beat." Howard buried his face in Chloe's neck like a clingy puppy.
Chloe couldn't help but smile. "You're such a big baby."
The next morning, at the breakfast table downstairs.
Howard said to Chloe over breakfast, "The wedding's coming up fast, and Ms. Jenkins still won't let you take time off early."
Chloe's lips curved into a small smile. "Ms. Jenkins wanted me to take a break, but I'd rather wrap up everything I'm working on first. That way I can actually relax without stressing about loose ends."
Seeing how serious she looked, Howard couldn't help but grin. "When did my wife turn into such a workaholic behind my back?"
"Stop teasing me!" Chloe swatted at him playfully.
Howard smoothly slipped his arm around Chloe's waist. "Okay, okay, don't pout. How about I give you a ride to the studio?"
"Deal!"
At the detention center.
Karen had an unexpected visitor.
Griffin smiled as he studied Karen through the glass partition. She looked like hell—dark circles, greasy hair, the works.
"Who are you?" Karen squinted at Griffin suspiciously.
"Griffin Martinez. Heir to the Martinez Group." Griffin's introduction was smooth as silk.
"I never heard of you." Karen's guard was up immediately.
Something about this guy gave her the creeps.
"Well, there's a first time for everything." Griffin's smile never wavered.
"I came here today because I have a question for Mrs. Scott." Griffin spoke slowly.
"What?" Karen's voice was sharp with suspicion.
"I'm curious—they're both your daughters, right? So why do you hate Chloe so much?"
"Why the hell should I tell you anything?"
"Because you don't want Avery finding out her parents are murderers, do you?" Griffin's threat was casual, almost conversational.
Karen went rigid.
This Griffin might be young, but he definitely knew how to twist the knife.
"Because... because I never loved Edward." Karen's words came out reluctantly.
"That's it?" Griffin's knowing smile made her skin crawl.
"Yes. That's all." Karen's jaw was clenched so tight it probably hurt.
"Not because Chloe isn't actually your biological daughter?"
"How do you—" Karen's composure cracked completely.
"So now you're ready to tell the truth?" Griffin leaned back, looking satisfied.
"Fine! Yes, I did it. I was jealous of Remy. I couldn't stand it—why was Edward still completely devoted to her even after they'd split up!"
"Wow. You really are a piece of work."
After leaving the detention center, Griffin immediately speed-dialed Remy. "Ms. Jenkins, got time to meet?"
Thirty minutes later, at a coffee shop near Remy's studio, Remy pushed open the door and saw Griffin sitting in the corner.
"Mr. Martinez, what was so urgent?" Remy slid into the seat across from him.
Her eyes kept flicking to her watch like she had somewhere else to be.
"I noticed you've been looking pretty rough lately. How's Mr. Ryder Jenkins doing?" Griffin took the initiative to ask.
"Thanks for asking. But you didn't drag me here just to make small talk, did you?" Remy was sharp—she'd dealt with Griffin's games before.
"I do love working with smart people." Griffin slid a contract across the coffee shop table.
"What's this supposed to be?" Remy glanced down at the papers.
"Take a look. You'll figure it out."
Remy flipped through the contract page by page, her frown getting deeper with each clause.
"Are you seriously trying to kick me while I'm down?" Remy looked at Griffin like he'd lost his mind. "What makes you think I'd agree to these ridiculous terms?"
"The Jenkins family is drowning right now. I'm not kicking you while you're down—I'm clearly helping you solve the problem." Griffin's smile stayed perfectly in place despite her accusation.