Chapter 135



After Dean finished speaking, he shot Jake a wary glance. “Let me guess. You’re stirring up trouble with the Hayes family using my name and planning to throw me under the bus, right?”

Jake couldn’t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Even Edgar, standing behind Jake, had a hard time suppressing his chuckles.

Jake’s reaction only infuriated Dean further, his gaze turning icy and hostile. He despised feeling this way more than anything. Was Jake really taunting him, suggesting he wasn’t smart?

As Dean’s anger reached a boiling point, Jake finally stopped smiling and exhaled a heavy sigh. “Why are you so quick to suspect me? If I were really behind something, do you think you’d still be standing here?”

Dean clamped his mouth shut, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, at a loss for words. Perhaps Jake had a valid point. What was Jake trying to say?

Jake tapped his fingers one by one on the table, as if tapping on Dean’s heart.

“Listen, you’ve been deceived by those closest to you. Instead of constantly doubting me, maybe consider if someone right beside you has crossed a line.” As Jake spoke, his eyes locked intently on Melinda, conveying a depth of meaning in his gaze.

Melinda, unnerved, trembled noticeably, her eyes widening in alarm and nearly causing her to drop the child in her arms.

Initially, Dean missed the subtext in Jake’s words. However, realization struck him like lightning. Turning to Melinda, his face darkened with barely controlled rage, and he hissed, “Idiot! What have you done?”

Melinda, defiant and unwilling to confess, shot back, “What are you suggesting? Just because he insinuates something, you suspect me? I’ve been with you for years, raising your child and caring for your mother. I’ve held up my end. Plus, I know nothing of business. Why point fingers at me?”

Her words broke off as tears began to flow. In her distress, she noticed Kallie.

A sudden accusation sharpened her voice as she pointed at Kallie. “Or perhaps it’s Kallie who’s meddling. She feels wronged and believes the Reeves family owes her something. Recently, she’s been cozying up to the Hayes family. She must be trying to sow discord. This was our problem to begin with!”

Dean’s expression darkened, his gaze shifting between Kallie and Melinda.

Abruptly, Kallie experienced a sharp pain in her thigh and instinctively bowed her head.

Then, Melinda’s little girl, previously cradled in Melinda’s arms, had scampered to the floor. In her tiny grasp was a sharp object, which she was now stabbing into Kallie’s thigh.

Shockingly, the sweet-faced little girl hurled insults. “Stupid mute, little slut.”

The words were few, yet she articulated them with chilling clarity, a testament to someone’s deliberate teaching.

Rage surged through Kallie. She was torn between her anger at the child’s premature exposure to such animosity and her fury toward Melinda for weaving her resentments into the child’s innocence.

Grimacing in pain, Kallie gently pushed the little girl away.

The little girl toppled to the floor and immediately began to cry, her wails loud and grating.

“Bitch!” Melinda’s shout echoed as she charged toward Kallie, her hand poised to strike.

But Jake intercepted, gripping Melinda’s wrist firmly. He shoved Melinda aside, and she tumbled to the floor. Despite the pain, she bit back a scream, cowed by the severe look on Jake’s face.

Jake’s gaze fell on Kallie’s reddened thigh, his expression growing even icier. He turned to confront Dean, whose face registered shock.

Jake’s voice was low and threatening as he issued a stark warning. “If you refuse to believe that your beloved wife orchestrated this, I’m ready to hand over the evidence right now.

And if you’re still blind to the truth, I’ll discuss with the Reeves family elders whether it’s wise to leave such a crucial international logistics company under your control.”

Without another word, Jake took Kallie by the hand and led her away.

Left alone with Melinda, Dean turned and delivered a resounding slap to her face. “They have the evidence, and you’re still trying to deceive me? You’re unwilling to talk? Fine. Let’s get a divorce!”

His words were like a cold splash of reality, and panic surged through Melinda.

Although the Brooks family was wealthy, they lacked the Reeves family’s illustrious prestige.

Ever since Melinda had married into the Reeves family, she had faced scorn and derision due to her family’s limited influence.

Shirley, her mother-in-law, had always been a thorn in her side. She found herself having to be exceedingly cautious around Shirley.

However, things improved when Kallie married Jake. At the very least, Melinda could talk while Kallie couldn’t due to her damaged vocal cords.

Gradually, Shirley, who looked down on Kallie, began to treat Melinda with a bit more kindness.

Now, Melinda and Dean had welcomed a daughter.

Though just a girl, Melinda had established her place firmly within the Reeves family. If they really got divorced, all the effort and scheming she had invested over the years would be in vain.

Melinda, tears streaming down her face, responded, “It was my irresponsible cousin. I only found out yesterday. There was an issue with that shipment. The fault lies with my cousin as he took his team out for drinks that day, confident that after years on the job, nothing could go awry. However, en route, the truck nearly overturned, and the goods were compromised.

The Hayes family, being long-standing clients, approved the shipment unchecked. It’s been kept secret, known to none. We just need to shift the blame to the Hayes family, and then it becomes their issue.”

Dean felt overwhelmed, still processing this revelation.

Back then, Dean was secretly relieved at Jake’s marriage with Kallie, seemingly a result forced by Roderick.

Dean had believed Kallie’s children with Jake would be mute, given her inability to talk. He had assumed this bolstered his prospects of becoming the Reeves family heir. A hint of smugness crept into his demeanor. By any measure, his wife surpassed Kallie.

Yet, upon reflecting, Dean grasped it was Jake who had the last laugh, since Melinda proved to be utterly foolish.

Dean found it hard to catch his breath in frustration. He jabbed a finger toward Melinda’s nose, his voice raised in accusation. “Why on earth didn’t you inform me of such a crucial matter? Did you really think you could get away with this? Did you believe it would remain hidden from everyone? Don’t be naive! Jake knows, and if he knows, how long until it becomes common knowledge?”

Melinda stood there, bewildered. “But I had it so well-hidden…”

Dean’s hand, initially poised to strike, fell limply. He issued his decree coldly. “I don’t want to see you for the next week.”

As Kallie walked out, she could still hear the faint sounds of Melinda’s sobs intertwined with Dean’s angry outbursts from the chamber.

Kallie contemplated asking Jake how he linked all this to Melinda, but one glance at his icy demeanor stopped her.

Once they were in the car, Jake shot Edgar a meaningful glance.

Understanding immediately, Edgar programmed the hospital’s address into the GPS.

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