Chapter 50 no one dared to question the new order.
Gabriel smiled, a polite expression that didn't reach his eyes.
"Exactly. While investigating Miss Jessica's interests, I stumbled upon her husband Carlos's hobbies.
He took out his cell phone, opened an image, and zoomed in generously before turning it toward Luana. In the photo, Carlos appeared in a moment of explicit intimacy, embracing a young woman while shopping in a luxury boutique.
Luana's face turned pale as a ghost. The air escaped from her lungs. Without saying a word, she grabbed her purse and ran out of the room, already dialing her husband's number in blind rage. Her confused bodyguards hurried after her, leaving the hallway in silence.
Gabriel let out a short laugh.
“Boss, knowing that woman's temperament, she'll be too busy destroying her husband's life over the next few days to worry about the company.
”It won't be enough,“ said Katherine, her voice cold. ”Release the photo to the media. And take the opportunity to make public the history of bullying Jessica suffered at her hands.
In fact...“ A slow, dangerous smile appeared on her lips. ”Reveal everything. Tell Luana's ‘good friends’ how many times she stabbed each of them in the back over the years. I want her to be left with no allies and no reputation." Gabriel nodded, feeling a twinge of pity for Luana Mendes.
She had made the fatal mistake of trying to use Katherine as a pawn, not knowing she was dealing with the queen of the chessboard.
Katherine walked to the edge of Jessica's bed. The girl was pale, but her eyes shone with a new determination. “You're not in bad shape,” Katherine commented.
Jessica let out a hoarse laugh, which quickly turned into a grimace of pain.
“I'm in agony, and you say it's not bad?”
“If you have the energy to respond sarcastically, you can be discharged today,” Katherine replied, raising her eyebrows.
Jessica took a deep breath, trying to stabilize her breathing. “As soon as I recover, I'll go to your lab. But I need you to recover the Mendes estate quickly. I'm afraid those vultures will transfer my family's assets to offshore accounts.”
“Don't worry,” Gabriel interjected. “Since you signed the contract, our team has already started working on freezing those assets. Just focus on your recovery.”
Jessica was silent for a moment, surprised by the efficiency and speed of that operation. “Thank you... both of you.”
Gabriel laughed, uncomfortable with the gratitude. “I never imagined that a rebellious girl like you would be capable of saying thank you.”
“I'm just being polite,” Jessica replied, before turning her gaze back to Katherine.
“Where did you put Professor Kawasisk's equipment?”
“In a safe place.”
Jessica nodded. “That represents more than a decade of research. My professor dedicated his life to an experiment to unlock the hidden potential of the human brain. He achieved successes that conventional science has yet to dream of. If he were alive, he would be willing to work with you.”
Katherine looked at her intently. “So, you want me to assign a team to continue this research?”
“Even if you don't help me, I'll find a way,” Jessica said stubbornly.
“That won't be necessary,” Katherine replied, her voice exuding supreme calm. “I've read Professor Kawasisk's reports. There are fundamental points of convergence with my current project. When you join the group, you will be the technical lead in this area. Don't worry about funding; I'll provide everything you need, as long as the results are useful.”
Jessica looked at Katherine, feeling a chill of admiration. How could an eighteen-year-old girl promise unlimited resources so naturally? Who was she, really, to have men like Gabriel treat her like a “boss” and move the gears of the corporate world with a simple snap of her fingers?
Jessica realized, in that moment, that she had allied herself with someone far more powerful—and perhaps far more dangerous—than anyone she had ever known.
Katherine and Adam left the hospital shortly before a nurse entered to perform routine procedures on Jessica. The silence of the VIP wing was quickly broken by a buzz of youthful voices and hurried footsteps.
A group of girls, dressed in school uniforms but with an attitude that exuded rebellion, entered the room.
“Jessica! Are you okay?” exclaimed the leader of the group, a girl with purple hair, her eyes filled with rage at the sight of the bandages. “Who dared to touch you? Tell us their name and we'll take care of the rest!”
“Find out who it was and kill her!” added another, gritting her teeth as she adjusted her jacket. “Without you at school, Jessica, our rivals think we're leaderless. Last night they came to provoke us. We're fed up!”
Jessica, ignoring the pain, continued to eat her porridge with icy calm. She looked up only to silence the commotion. “Don't spoil my appetite with this amateur talk.”
“Oh, and Jessica, we almost ran into Katherine in the hallway,” commented the girl in purple. “It was her, wasn't it? Last time she tried to humiliate you in public. Let's finish her off right now!”
The girls were already getting ready to leave, but Jessica dropped her spoon. The sound of metal against ceramic was like a gunshot. Her gaze was fierce, laden with an authority that brooked no argument.
“Listen carefully,” Jessica hissed. “From now on, when you see Katherine, treat her with the same respect you would treat me. She is untouchable. Understood?”
The silence that followed in the room was absolute. The subordinates looked at each other, confused, but no one dared to question the new order.