Gianna screamed, broke down sobbing, and bolted for the stairs.
Pepper rushed after her, intent on soothing her, but Zane lifted his arm again and stopped her cold.
"Do you honestly have no clue where my girlfriend disappeared to?"
Pepper''s heart jolted. Has Zane already uncovered that I impersonated Mrs. Shayman to get close to Jessica?
If that''s true, then he must know about the pregnancy as well.
Still, Pepper wasn''t as easy to corner as Gianna. She steadied her expression, feigned shock, and met Zane''s eyes without flinching.
"Mr. Zane, I don''t even know who your girlfriend is, much less where she went. How could I possibly know? Are you using me of hiding her? That''s far too much credit to give me."
Zane studied her closely, searching for cracks, but her face remained unreadable. He gave a harsh, humorlessugh.
"You were the one who steered the Abbott family''s financialwsuit to me, weren''t you? You went out of your way to send me overseas-what was the real reason?"
The case that had taken him abroad belonged to the Abbott family.
Their current patriarch had already been negotiating with anotherwyer. Then Esme Grubbs, the patriarch''s mother, stepped in, contacted the Shaymans, and personally invited Zane to take over the case.
The Shaymans owed Esme a debt and couldn''t turn her down.
What bothered Zane was that Esme had met with Pepper before approaching the Shaymans.
Meanwhile, every trace of Jessica''s location had been deliberately erased.
After two full days of searching, Zane had found nothing. He didn''t believe in coincidences. Pepper had pushed him out of the country-there was no way she hadn''t interfered with Jessica''s disappearance.
Everything about this situation pointed back to her.
"Mr. Zane," Pepper said tightly, "I did suggest you to Madam Grubbs-but only because Gianna wanted to be engaged to you. Winning that case would''ve raised your profile and your earnings. I simply mentioned it. Nothing more."
She frowned, clearly irritated at being used when she believed she had done him a favor.
Zane knew she wouldn''t confess. He let out a cold chuckle.
Adrian suddenly struck the couch with his palm. "That''s enough. Zane, don''t go any further."
Zane finally dropped his arm and inclined his head slightly toward Adrian.
"Mr. Malone, you''ve spent years chasing your ex-wife without ever giving up, I''m sure you understand the fear of losing the woman you love, of not being able to find her. L apologize for causing trouble today. I''ll host dinner another time as an apology."
The words sounded polite, but they cut deep.
Adrian''s expression darkened. He spat out a singlemand.
"Leave!"
"Understood, Mr. Malone." Zane replied lightly, said nothing else, and walked straight out.
...
Upstairs, Pepper pushed open Gianna''s bedroom door, only for a vase to shatter on the floor right in front of her.
She let out a tired sigh, stepped over the broken pieces, and moved toward the bed.
Giannay buried in the nkets, sobbing. Pepper pulled the covers back. Gianna red at her with bloodshot eyes and snarled through clenched teeth.
"Mom, he''s cruel! How could he treat me like this over that sl*t? If he wants me to
suffer, I''ll make him suffer too. I want that b*tch dead!"
Pepper''s expression turned just as grim. She gently patted Gianna''s back and spoke in a low, icy tone.
"She''s hiding in Harborview right now. Don''t worry. I already have people watching
her. In a few days, she''ll face the consequences."
Ending a life without leaving a trail wasn''t simple.
But getting rid of a child that hadn''t even fully formed yet was easy.
All it took was one small "ident," and everything would be reduced to blood.
As for Jessica herself, acting too
soon would draw attention. Give it six months, or a year-alone in an unfamilia young woman could um into a thief, a predator, or fall into addiction. Any of it was possible.
In the end, if Gianna couldn''t have him, no other woman would be allowed to either.