Chapter 918



Jake dismissed the suspicion with a wave of his hand. “It might not be Lacey. If she had any harmful intentions, she could have acted much sooner.”

“There’s no reason for her to wait until now. Maybe it’s just because I saw that woman today…” His voice trailed off, tinged with a hint of sadness. Leo missed the nuance in his tone. With a puzzled look, he inquired, “Saw who?” Jake cleared his throat, deciding against further explanation. “Never mind. Just drive me back home.”

Lacey hovered by the door, her fingers gripping the edge of the frame. As Jake’s car finally pulled away from the bar, she exhaled a long, shaky breath of relief. With a calculated move, Lacey left a conspicuous mark on her neck, snapped a photograph, and sent it to Kallie. “Miss Nixon, I trust the message is clear. Please, stay out of my life with Jake. We’re managing just fine. Despite the day’s events, I won’t be questioning him. He’s lost interest in you. If he touched you, it was surely because he was drunk and mistook you for me.”

Kallie arrived home just in time to catch this message. A slight frown marred her features. She was tired of feeling down. Without a flicker of emotion, she promptly erased the message. After a moment of contemplation, Kallie decisively removed every trace of Lacey’s contact information from her phone.

Lacey, bombarding Kallie with messages, quickly noticed Kallie’s stony silence. A smug grin spread slowly across Lacey’s face, her irritation fading into a wave of malicious satisfaction. Kallie was probably furious, proof that her feelings were far from detached. Kallie’s calm exterior was a facade. Beneath it, she seemed anything but composed.

Lacey wished that the distance between Kallie and Jake deepened day by day. Even if Jake harbored any hopes of mending their bond, Kallie was resolute in her refusal. If this continued, Jake’s pride would only harden, making it impossible for him to reach out to Kallie again.

Lacey acknowledged a bitter truth about herself. She had evolved into the very kind of woman she once loathed. Despite this, she harbored no regrets, believing firmly in the righteousness of her transformation. She believed that Kallie hadn’t truly appreciated Jake’s affection in the past and had no right to act as if she couldn’t let go of him. Lacey figured Kallie only aimed to exploit Jake’s social standing, all while her heart was divided, secretly entangled with another.

As for her own actions, Lacey justified them by telling herself she couldn’t bear to let Jake fall prey to any snares. She believed there was nothing wrong with what she had done.

Upon returning home, Kallie wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, including her three children. After escaping into the solitude of a hot shower, she collapsed onto her bed. The room was dark, the silence thick, yet her mind replayed vivid scenes of her embraces with Jake, each image piercing her heart with renewed pain. She felt an overwhelming urge to flee and find solace away from these torments.

Her thoughts drifted to Brysen, whom she hadn’t visited in two years. The chaos of her life had kept her away. A couple of years ago, Neal had kept Kallie connected to Brysen through photos showing her recovery, each one showcasing Brysen’s beaming smile, which deepened Kallie’s trust in Neal. But the truth was less optimistic. Brysen’s condition had largely remained unchanged. She was still trapped in her own world, barely responsive but slightly more aware of her surroundings.

All Kallie wanted was for Brysen to find peace and live without burdens.

Kallie’s lips curved into a sly smile as she resolved to surprise Brysen by showing up without any prior notice.

The following morning, Kallie had already set off. She chose not to take the children with her, as they were all deeply engaged in their studies. Besides, they had grown, and although they remained close, they were no longer as dependent on her as they once had been. Moreover, Neal’s hometown was somewhat secluded, making the journey there long and exhausting, not ideal for the children.

Kallie had kept her travel plans a secret from Clayton. By now, only her loyalists remained in the Nixon Group. Those Clayton had appointed were subtly removed by her under various pretexts. She harbored no ill intentions; she merely sought to avoid any complications with Clayton concerning her professional affairs.

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