Chapter 56 A Humiliation in the Lobby
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Tess turned her head slightly, her eyes locking onto Zane, who had just stepped into the room. It was clear she was hoping he’d say something–anything–that would hint at Finn’s true intentions.
Zane was clearly thrown by the situation. Under Nadine’s sharp gaze, he finally gave a hesitant nod. “Mr. Lock did say that if Ms. Nadine agreed to let it go, he wouldn’t go after Mr. Jackman anymore. But … ” He paused, shifting uneasily. Mr. Lock never said anything about Ms. Ember having to bow. And tonight .. tonight wasn’t supposed to go down like this. If Mr. Lock finds out Ms. Nadine showed up unannounced and forced Ms. Ember to bow-
“Enough, Zane,” Nadine cut in smoothly before he could say more. She turned to Tess, her tone gleaming with false sweetness. “It’s up to you now, Tess. You wouldn’t want Charles to lose everything, would you?”
Zane’s words extinguished thest flicker of hope in Tess’s eyes. A bitter smile tugged <i>at </i>her lips.
Fine.
If this was how they wanted to y it, so be it.
After all, she’d already served time–lost her dignity, her freedom, and her reputation. What was left to lose?
If her sacrifice could spare Charles, she would do it.
Tess curled her fingers into her palms, sharp nails digging into her flesh as though her heart were bleeding from the inside out.
“Tess, you see-” Nadine bent down slightly, whispering close to Tess’s ear.
Her breath was warm, but it felt like a venomous serpent hissing with cruel delight.
Nadine’s words were cold and sinister,ced with a determination to drag Tess straight into the abyss.
“You betrayed thepany. You crossed a line he never forgives. You think he has a shred of pity left for you?”
Tess’s eyes flew open wide in shock.
Nadine’s hand pressed down on her shoulder, pinning the wave of emotion in her chest.
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Chapter 56 A Humiliation in the Lobby
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She chuckled softly, her eyes filled with venomous mockery. “Even if you tell him it was me, so what? Do you think he’ll believe you?”
With that, she straightened up.
Tess had always stood a bit taller than Nadine, but after prison, she hadn’t worn heels even
once.
Nadine, on the other hand, stood proudly in a pair of stilettos, her chin lifted like royalty looking down on a beggar.
A cold wave swept through Tess’s chest. A wave of regret washed over her.
A bitter smile tugged at her heart as a voice inside scolded her for her own foolishness.
She’d nearly said it. Nearly told the truth about what happened back then.
But who would believe her?
She swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth. The light in her eyes dimmed again–what little was left of it.
Then, in one smooth motion, she turned away.
Zane blinked in surprise, then rushed after her. Nadine hesitated, then followed.
The lobby was spacious, its marble floors gleaming under the overhead lights. Employees and visitors bustled in and out, the constant motion adding to the chill in the air.
In one swift motion-
Tess bent her back.
The lobby’s noise nearly drowned out the quiet defiance in her bow.
Zane froze, a cold shock shooting up his spine.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled out his phone to alert Finn.
People began to slow their steps, curiosity written all over their faces. Their curious nces turned invasive, scanning her like she was some bizarre spectacle.
The marble floor beneath her feet was freezing, the chill was sinking through the soles of her shoes, creeping into her bones.
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eyes-
What made it even more unbearable than the cold floor was the constant stream of curious, suspicious, unkind. Some were wide with excitement, lighting up as if they had just stumbled upon tomorrow’s headline.
A woman bowed in the lobby of Lock Group–what was she doing there?
The gossips couldn’t resist themselves. Eager to feed their thirst for drama, they began snapping photos of Tess’s face, inching closer and closer.
The shes burst in quick session, forcing Tess to duck her head. But it was no use. Phones were nearly jammed into her face, as if she were an animal in a zoo.
“What’s she doing here? Does she even know where she is?”
“Is she trying to pull some kind of stunt? Are we about to see some major drama unfold?”
“Wait a sec–that figure … Doesn’t she look like—”
The voice was quickly drowned in the growing buzz of spection.
“Zane,” Nadine called, a sly smile ying on her lips. Her eyes shimmered with a sinister kind of joy. “Have her take off the mask.”
She was positively glowing with satisfaction as she stared at Tess, who was now surrounded by a full–blown audience.
The memory of every p she had once dealt Tess came back to her crystal clear, and this was better than revenge.
Her teeth clenched tightly as she looked at the woman in the center of the crowd, as if Tess were some animal on public disy. The bitterness that had long been stuck in Nadine’s chest began to dissolve.<fn9c1a> Chapters first released on F?ndNovel</fn9c1a>
Anyone who dared to defy her–this was the ending they deserved.
Zane’s eyes flickered with hesitation, but Finn had made his orders clear. Tess was to apologize. And in his absence, no one–absolutely no one–was allowed to defy Nadine. So Zane took a breath, steeling himself under the weight of a hundred watching eyes, and stepped forward. “Mrs. Lock,” he said, his voice low but firm, “I’m going to have to ask you to remove your mask.”
The words hit Tess like a punch. Her back went rigid.
Ever since giving birth to La, she had barely cared about appearances. And the scar that ran across her cheek–deep, raw, and impossible to ignore–was now her greatest shame.
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Chapter 56 A Humiliation in the Lobby
“Please,” Zane added gently. “Let’s not drag this out.”
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The stares all around made his scalp prickle with difort.
Tess’s lips trembled as she bit down hard, tasting blood.
Not far off, Nadine stood with her arms crossed, looking utterly rxed–like she was enjoying the best seat at a twisted circus show.
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