Chapter 216



Brent’s eyes widened in disbelief, his voice tinged with shock. “What absurdity is this?”

Sarah interpreted Brent’s reaction as nervousness since she had just exposed him.

Oblivious to the truth and Jake’s plan, Sarah couldn’t suppress a smug grin, feeling she had something on Brent and Kallie.

“According to the doctor, the baby Kallie’s carrying couldn’t possibly be Jake’s, not if we go by the dates,” Sarah declared with calculated poise. “During that time, you were the one she was seen with most. If you’re not the father, then who is? Seems like you’re trying to back away. Poor Kallie, caught in such a situation.”

Brent took several deep breaths, his mind racing as he processed the implications.

It dawned on Brent that the doctor must have been bought off. And Jake, that poor sap, was likely still in the dark, oblivious to the fact that Kallie’s unborn child was indeed his.

There was nothing between Brent and Kallie that went beyond friendship. Any romantic involvement between them was impossible, not to mention having an affair.

Brent was confident Kallie would never cheat on Jake and get entangled with other men, given the purity and sincerity of her love for Jake.

Yet, people like Sarah actually stooped so low as to fabricate scandalous tales to tarnish Kallie’s reputation. Even Jake, who should have been Kallie’s staunchest supporter, doubted her integrity, leaving Brent deeply indignant on Kallie’s behalf.

However, part of Brent saw a silver lining. With all these turbulent issues, Kallie might get the chance to divorce Jake and start anew with her child, unencumbered by the past.

It was just that Sarah’s self-satisfied, venomous smirk irked Brent profoundly.

Gathering his composure, Brent snapped, “Kallie is under the protection of the Hayes family. Any slight against her is an affront to me. Don’t fool yourself into thinking I’ll stand down just because Jake supports you. Your threats hold no weight here. If you dare slander Kallie again, you can only guess what I’ll do.”

Brent’s voice carried a chilling promise that instantly wiped the smugness off Sarah’s face.

Sarah met his unwavering gaze, understanding fully that he meant every word he said. He had the means and the will to act on his threats.

Amidst her fear and reluctance, envy gnawed at Sarah. What was it about Kallie that made her so protected? Why did everyone seem to be charmed by Kallie’s supposedly innocent and pure demeanor?

Not reconciled, Sarah retorted with a challenging tone, “If you want to make enemies of the Reeves family, then go ahead.”

galnσvє𝓵s.𝓬𝓸m – your update hub “Is that so?” Brent sneered in disdain.

At that moment, Jake’s voice interrupted them from behind. “Sarah tends to joke too much. Mr. Hayes, please, don’t take her words to heart.”

Turning, Brent and Sarah saw Jake approaching.

Sarah quickly crossed the space between them and threw her arms around Jake, her demeanor shifting dramatically.

No longer the aggressor, Sarah adopted a saccharine tone as she said, “Jake, I’m just upset on your behalf. I asked Mr. Hayes not to trouble you over Kallie’s issues, but he threatened me. I’m so frightened.”

Jake swiftly maneuvered Sarah behind him, seemingly assuming a protective posture. “Mr. Hayes, are you challenging me?” he asked, his voice tinged with hostility.

Brent observed the scene with a derisive snort. At times, he truly questioned Jake’s choice in partners. How could Jake have eyes for a woman like Sarah?

Yet, having just deduced the truth from Sarah’s accusations, Brent wasn’t furious anymore. He only felt a profound sense of pity as he regarded Jake. “You two seem to truly love each other. I sincerely wish you both a joyous marriage. After all, it’s rare to find another pair so remarkably devoid of principles and morals.”

Jake, recognizing Brent’s sarcasm, responded with a scowl, “When you seduced my wife, didn’t you realize you lacked morals and principles yourself?”

Brent couldn’t resist questioning, “Are you certain that the child Kallie is carrying is mine?”

Jake’s expression curdled into one of revulsion. “Mr. Hayes, do you take pride in these antics of yours?” he shot back bitterly.

Brent exhaled a weary sigh, deciding further dialogue was pointless. As he turned to leave, he dropped a final remark. “Jake, I just hope you don’t come to regret your choices.”

Watching Brent walk away, mixed feelings seized Jake.

Unbidden images flickered through Jake’s mind, visions of him tenderly holding Kallie’s hand, scenes that felt both foreign and unnervingly familiar. In those fragments of memories, he enveloped Kallie in his arms, his voice quivering as he offered apologies. He vowed to care for her and the child, committing himself to right his wrongs.

Yet, Jake doubted he had ever uttered such promises to Kallie. Why then did these memories haunt him? It was as though a portion of his memory had vanished, and despite his efforts, he was unable to retrieve any further details. These elusive memories felt more like fabrications or figments of his imagination rather than real events.

Although Jake had pinpointed the origin of the medicine he had been drugged with and had avoided being administered further dosage, the residual effects proved stubbornly persistent.

During a video consultation, his doctor had cautioned him, “If pharmacological treatments fail, we may need to consider surgical intervention.”

The doctor was en route to Avalon, though his exact time of arrival remained unclear.

Sarah stood by Jake, concern etching her features. “Jake, are you alright?”

Jake paused for a moment, his complexion returning to normal. “I’m fine,” he reassured her, gently pulling his hand away from hers.

Sarah, oblivious to his subtle withdrawal, remained lost in the sweetness of Jake defending her just moments earlier.

Sarah spoke softly, a hint of anticipation in her voice. “I’ve asked Edgar to handle the reservation at the restaurant. Are you free tonight?”

Jake nodded and said, “I’m available, though I have a meeting this afternoon. I’ll ask Edgar to take you somewhere you can relax.”

With that, Jake turned and walked away.

Sarah watched him go, her eyes shimmering with infatuation. As she contemplated her scheme, her excitement surged.

With Kallie temporarily out of the picture, Sarah was certain her plans would unfold without interruption.

Brent and Jerome departed soon after, leaving the venue quieter.

Jake hadn’t made any effort to conceal their visit.

News of Kallie’s plight spread rapidly among the local community and online, eliciting a wave of sympathy.

One netizen commented, “Honestly, even though I was never a fan, what the Reeves family is doing to her is just too harsh.”

Another chimed in, “Exactly, she’s Jake’s wife, not an enemy. It’s shocking how little concern there is for her well-being.”

“Frankly, it’s her own doing for clinging to the Reeves family. Why couldn’t she simply make use of the resources they provided and lead a normal life? This is just the fallout from her ambition for wealth and status.”

“That’s too harsh. She’s vanished now. We don’t even know if she’s alive. How about a little compassion?”

As the online debates intensified, Jake “reluctantly” ordered a search for Kallie.

Sarah, unable to tolerate the criticisms directed at Jake, shed her well-crafted persona to directly argue with the netizens.

Jake observed the online turmoil with detachment.

“Keep portraying Kallie as a sympathetic figure,” Jake instructed his team. “Also, stir up some conspiracy theories claiming she had a bad relationship with Dean’s family. That man had conspired with Dean, making it clear Dean was an accomplice, despite the uncertainty of Dean’s knowledge of these issues. As public scrutiny intensifies, let’s see if they start turning on each other. I’ll wait for the fallout.”

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