Chapter 83



Earlier, Jerome had promised to notify Kallie when the house was ready so she could move in. Kallie figured it might take a month or so. She was astonished when it only took a few hours.

As Jake watched Kallie intently, the keys felt like burning coals in her hand. She hesitated to take them, but Jerome grasped her arm and pressed the keys into her palm forcefully.

“Don’t worry. From now on, I’ve got your back.” Jerome’s words were clearly meant for Jake, who couldn’t ignore the implication. Jake’s face tightened, his jaw clenched as if resisting an urge to argue.

“Be assured. I’ll take great care of Kallie,” Jake asserted under Jerome’s scrutinizing gaze.

Once they were in the car, with Jake behind the wheel, he drove away from the Hayes estate. A short while later, he pulled over to the side of the road.

Kallie felt a wave of nervousness as she noticed Jake’s eyes on her.

“What does Jerome know?” Jake demanded. “Have you told him?”

Kallie couldn’t admit to Jake that Jerome knew about her wish for a divorce and even supported it. She simply shook her head, avoiding his probing gaze.

“He’s backing you up?” Jake continued, his voice growing tense. “Haven’t I been good to you? Why would you need support from anyone else?”

Kallie faced Jake, her expression complicated. He had indeed been generous, providing her with an unlimited black credit card, the latest fashion, jewelry, and luxury items each season.

But the situation was more complicated than just material gifts. Jake had provided her with everything she could use—except for affection. He refused to spend time with her and openly flaunted his affairs and public mistresses. Was this considered treating her well?

Kallie preferred to avoid discussing these issues.

Suddenly, she blinked as another memory from earlier in the day emerged, prompting her to gesture to Jake about her gratitude for gathering the evidence and forwarding it to Jerome.

Kallie’s gaze was genuine, filled solely with gratitude. There was no hint of the feelings a wife might typically hold for her husband.

Suddenly, Jake felt a wave of anger swell within him. He unfastened his seatbelt, leaned forward abruptly, and grasped Kallie’s chin, pressing his lips against hers.

Initially, Kallie resisted, which made him press harder.

However, after a moment, Kallie ceased resisting.

The kiss intensified, and Kallie shut her eyes, her mind empty.

Find your favorite stories at g Ɐ ln σ ν𝒆 𝓁s., conn At that moment, she was uncertain of her feelings for Jake. She had resolved to leave him and stop loving him, aware of his lack of affection and the mistreatment he had caused. Yet, when he kissed her, she found herself yielding to him.

Abruptly, Jake pulled away, pinching Kallie’s chin and peering into her eyes.

Caught off guard by his sudden stop, Kallie didn’t want to show her embarrassment and tried to manage her emotions.

Jake saw clarity in her eyes, a calmness that seemed unaffected by his kiss. And the reason she hadn’t resisted… It dawned on him that it might be due to the gratitude she had shown earlier. His help had led her not to resist his advance. It felt like an exchange, a transaction of favors and gains.

Filled with renewed anger, Jake released her, resettled into his seat, and refastened his seatbelt. He asked in a cold, somewhat mocking tone, “Where to? Back home with me, or to the new place Jerome has gifted you?”

Feeling the waves of anger radiating from him, Kallie dared not react.

Jake ignited the car’s engine, his forceful press on the accelerator betraying his foul mood.

Kallie found herself passively carried back to their home.

As they halted at the mansion’s grand entrance, Kallie lingered in her seat even after unbuckling her seatbelt. She hesitated, wary of further provoking Jake.

Jake, still facing forward, broke the silence with a deep, firm invitation. “Join me at my mom’s birthday celebration.”

Just days before, Kallie had vowed to avoid the menial tasks that came with it. She prepared to decline, but Jake cut her off. “This time, no one will mistreat you. I’ve spoken to my mom. I’m aware of her past actions.”

It emerged that Jake had recently visited the mansion and learned from Mateo about how Shirley had mistreated Kallie.

Kallie blinked, her disbelief evident. Tentatively, she gestured to ask him why.

“Why what?” Jake looked puzzled.

Kallie gestured with a raised eyebrow, asking why he was being so kind to her now and the reason for the sudden change.

Kallie just couldn’t fathom his motives.

Jake chuckled, seemingly amused by her confusion. “Kind? Because you’re my wife. Isn’t it normal for me to treat you well?”

Kallie had a strong urge to point out how bizarre the situation was. She found it hard to believe that Jake had spoken to Shirley on her behalf. Yet, she held her tongue and merely nodded in silence.

After Jerome had openly named Kallie as his god-granddaughter, her status within the Hayes Group had significantly shifted. Where respect was once the norm, she now received looks of near reverence. Several members of the Hayes family began appearing on Kallie’s regular route to work, eager to introduce themselves and forge a connection.

This newfound attention made Kallie uncomfortable. She felt they held her in high regard for her title rather than her talent.

Resolved to earn genuine respect for her capabilities, Kallie vowed to redouble her efforts at work.

One particular day at the office, just as the elevator doors were beginning to close, a woman hurriedly entered, catching Kallie off guard.

It was the same woman who had staunchly supported Stella at the recent Hayes family banquet.

“Hello, Kallie,” the woman said, catching her breath. “I’m Leah Vance. My mother’s aunt married into the Hayes family, so I’m sort of related.”

Kallie looked at Leah blankly. The tenuous family tie did not impress her, and Leah’s earnest manner bore an uncomfortable resemblance to Stella’s.

“I need to apologize,” Leah continued earnestly, “Not just for myself, but also on behalf of Stella. Could you possibly forgive us?”

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