Chapter 116 Dina’s Smug Triumph

Chapter 116 Dina’s Smug Triumph
Cora rested a hand on her stomach and smiled faintly. “Riley, you’ve probably already noticed—I’ve always kept a little distance from everything here. It’s easier to leave later if you never get too attached.”

Riley’s gaze tightened. “Yeah. I noticed. And I’m pretty sure Julian has too.”

Cora didn’t answer.
Whether Julian had realized it or not no longer mattered. He was back with Dina now. Dina had used her again and again, and she’d let her.
Fine. Let it all go.
This would be the last debt of their twenty-year friendship. After this, there’d be nothing left between them.

Still, thinking of how Dina had played her over and over filled her with disgust. If Riley hadn’t told her the truth, she would’ve kept being fooled like an idiot.

No more, she thought.
Once she left the Watsons, she’d take her mother far away. Her mother was finally free of the Devs—there was nothing holding them here anymore. As for the house Julian had bought her mother… that would just have to be left behind.

“Riley,” she said quietly, “I need you to do something for me.”

“Say it,” Riley replied without hesitation. “If I can help, I will.”

Cora held up her phone. “I’ll transfer all my money to you. I can’t go out right now. Please deposit it into my mom’s account for me—it’s her retirement fund.”

Riley frowned. “Keep some for yourself. You still have six months before the baby comes.”

“I’ll be fine,” Cora said with a soft smile. “The Watsons won’t let me starve. But I need to plan ahead. Julian’s unpredictable. I don’t want to risk him making things hard for you later, so it’s better to move the money now.”

Riley sighed. She didn’t care about the small sum, but Cora’s tone was so serious she couldn’t refuse.
Moments later, the transfer was done. Riley called one of her contacts, and soon after confirmed that the funds had been deposited safely under Zoe’s name.

At that exact moment, across town, Julian—mid-conversation with several heirs of other elite families—froze. His phone had buzzed.

The group of men stopped talking, confused.

Julian had set up an alert on Cora’s account; any financial activity pinged his phone instantly.
And now she’d just emptied it.

The air around him dropped several degrees.

Austin, standing at his side, noticed the shift immediately. He didn’t know what had triggered it, but it almost always had to do with her.

A full week had passed since the fight.
No reconciliation.
Too long, compared to every argument before.

Sensing trouble, Austin quietly stepped away to call the estate. When he heard that Riley had visited earlier, his gut sank.

He returned and bent to murmur the report in Julian’s ear.

Just then, Dina arrived, carrying an artfully arranged tea tray and her best smile. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Jule—”

She didn’t finish.
Julian stood, his face carved in ice, and strode off without a word.

Austin turned to the group of puzzled men. “Apologies, gentlemen. Mr. Watson has an urgent matter to handle. He’ll make it up to you another day.”

They exchanged baffled looks. Julian never walked out mid-meeting.

Dina hesitated, then hurried after him. “Jule—”

“Out of my sight,” he snapped, the word like a slap.

Dina flinched. Still, her mind raced. His anger had to be about Cora. If so… maybe this was her chance. “I just— I just miss her,” she blurted. “I was thinking maybe I could visit Cora…”

Julian stopped. Slowly, he turned his head, eyes so cold she physically shrank back.

She’d never seen him look like that—dangerous, lethal.

Then his gaze flickered, calculating. “Come with me,” he said flatly.

Dina blinked. “What?”

“Follow.”

And just like that, he was gone.

Relief and confusion hit her in equal measure. He wasn’t cutting her off? He was taking her with him? Maybe she wasn’t finished after all.

She grabbed her bag and hurried to keep up.

⸻

At the Watson estate, Cora had just walked Riley to the door when a roaring engine shattered the quiet. A matte-black Hummer stopped right at the steps.

Her breath caught when Julian stepped out.
But then she saw who was clinging to his arm—Dina.

Something sharp twisted in her chest. She turned her gaze away, forcing herself to breathe.

“Mrs. Watson,” Austin said carefully, stepping forward, “Mr. Watson heard that you’ve been bored at home, so he asked Miss Dina to stay here and keep you company.”

For a second, Cora thought she’d misheard. “Stay here?”

Her eyes flicked to Julian, disbelief plain on her face. He couldn’t be serious. He knew everything—every lie, every betrayal—and yet he was bringing Dina into their home?

I see.
He’s showing me who really belongs here.

Her face went pale, then blank.

Julian saw it—the flicker of pain—and something inside him cracked. But the image of those photos flashed again, fanning his fury back to life.

He pushed the sympathy down and said coldly, “There’s plenty of room in this house. You don’t mind, do you, Mrs. Watson?”

Then he turned away, heading inside without waiting for an answer.

Cora stood frozen, her ears ringing. The only question echoing in her head was why. Why twist the knife like this?

Dina handed her suitcase to the butler, all sugary smiles. “Cora, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. Don’t be mad at me, okay?”

She reached out, trying to pat Cora’s shoulder. Cora slapped her hand away.

Dina’s smile widened, triumphant. “You know how Jule is—he insisted I move in. I kept saying no, but he just wouldn’t hear it. He can be so forceful, can’t he?”

The words were honeyed poison.

And in that moment, Cora finally understood what it meant to feel cold clear through.

The butler, uncomfortable with the tension, stepped in. “Mrs. Watson, you’ve been standing too long. Why don’t you rest a bit? Madam Watson does still worry for you.”

Cora didn’t answer. Her heart was already miles away, bleeding in silence.