Chapter 181 A Gift
Chapter 181 A Gift
944
10 Free Coins
She had read enough online crime reports to know–stories of drivers taking revenge on passengers were everywhere.
A chill crawled up her spine. Tess swallowed hard, forcing herself to lookposed even as fear gripped her.
“What do you think you’re doing? This is a gatedmunity. Every corner here is under surveince.”
Her voice trembled despite her effort to keep it steady.
The driver’s eyes widened as he fixed his gaze on hers. “You really think I’m an idiot? Those security cameras at the gate are useless–just for show. Just like you–dressing in fancy clothes and thinking you can fool me?”
Tess froze. Her mind shed to the extra security camera Finn had installed for her.
When Finn first installed them, the tiny red light felt like a pair of watchful eyes. Now, to her horror, that light was gone–the eye had closed.
Her chest tightened, a mix of dread and something harder to name.
She had no time to dwell on <i>it</i>–the driver’s grip tightened, forcing her back toward the car.
Panic jolted through her. She tried to cry out, but he caught on instantly, mping a rough hand over her mouth.
“Mmph-!”
Her pupils widened in shock as she fought against him, but the difference in strength between them was hopeless.
The more she struggled, the more agitated he became. A quick nce around assured him no one was nearby, and his hands grew rougher, as if venting some twisted resentment over their difference in status.
In seconds, angry red marks bloomed across her pale cheek, her face draining of color.
Her muffled cries filled the air, but the driver’s muttered curses only grew louder.
Then–a ck Maybach rolled to a stop not far away.
15:52 <b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>3 </b>
Chapter 181 A Gift
+10 Free Colos
Tess’s eyes flew open in desperation. But the man’s hand stayed firmly over her mouth, blocking her only chance to call out.
She could only watch, helpless, as Finn and Nadine stepped out of the car. Side by side, they walked into the vi.
“Looks like the rumors were true–your husband’s got another woman.”
The driver’s sneer slid over her face, dripping with contempt. “Even if you vanished, your husband wouldn’t lift a finger to find you.”
His cruel smile deepened as he raised the tinted window, sealing her inside.
Through the tea–brown ss, herst glimpse was of Nadine’s light, flowing skirt–and Finn’s tall, elegant figure, slowly blurring from view.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
An unlicensed ride pulled away from the curb.
Back at the gates, Nadine and Finn had no idea what had just happened.
Nadine lowered her gaze, feigning shyness.
She had assumed that after Tess’s recent public scandal, Finn would be too busy dealing with the fallout to see her. Yet here he was.
“Finn,” she murmured softly, “Tess’s situation seems urgent. How did you find the time to … meet with me?”
Her tone was quiet, her head tilted in modest hesitation, but her eyes lifted now and then, clearly fishing for a certain answer.
Finn’s lips pressed into a thin line as he looked down the long stone path. “The staff is handling it. Tess is still sick, and I don’t like leaving La in someone else’s care.”
The response caught Nadine off guard.
After a pause, he added, “And I didn’t get the chance to give you your gift after the celebration party.”
At that, Nadine’s lips curved in a smile, though she tried to temper it with feigned restraint. “Tess’s crisis should be your top priority, Finn. How can you still think about bringing me gifts?” she said with a yful scold, her hand brushing her lips as she cast him a sidelong nce.
<b>15:52 </b>Fri, Oct 3
Chapter 181 A Gift
200
+10 Free Coins
Finn’s brows moved slightly, but he said nothing, letting his lowered eyes shield the shadowed thoughts in his eyes.
He led Nadine to Tess’s bedroom.
The gift box was still sitting unopened at the door.
“I had a gown made for you,” he said, pausing beside it. “I nned to give it to you after the party, but since you’d already changed, I thought I’d bring itter.”
He nudged the box toward her with the tip of his shoc, signaling her to open it.
“Oh!” Nadine was startled. The thrill at hearing the word “gown” was doused like a bucket of cold water, and a spark of anger red beneath her polite smile.
The box matched almost exactly the one Sydney had described earlier, and the sight of it made her chest tighten.
“Finn, why was my gift left outside Tess’s room?”
“I ordered a custom piece straight from the fashion house–one of a kind. I wasn’t sure how <i>it </i>would look, and your sister knows the industry, so I asked her to check if it would suit you.”
Nadine crouched to open the box–and froze. It was empty.
Her face darkened instantly. The hand holding the box tightened until the veins stood out.
“What’s going on?” Finn asked.
Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.