Chapter 14 I Heard You’re Pregnant
+B Pearls
Jessica stood before Rhea, the weight of the crowd’s gaze pressing down upon her.Hugh lingered nearby, his scowl deepening, uncertainty flickering across his face.
He couldn’t guess what Rhea had in mind.
Rhea’s lips twisted into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, her gaze cold and calculating. “Before we go any further, you’ll answer one question. Answer wrong, and there will be consequences.
Jessica met her stare with an unblinking calm, her expression unreadable. Rhea hadn’t changed- still too spineless to acknowledge their past in front of all these people. “Ask away,” she replied, her voice steady.
Rhea’s eyes gleamed with malice, the corners of her mouth tightening. “What did you say to my husband outside?”
Jessica’s brow furrowed, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. She could already feel the trap being set.
“You’d do better asking Hugh, she said evenly. “He’s the one who dragged me out there.”
“I did ask him.” Rhea’s voice dripped with disdain, her words slicing through the air. “He said tried to flirt with him. Is that true?”
A murmur rippled through the crowd, whispers of disbelief and curiosity rising.
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Jessica’s eyes flashed, but she didn’t get the chance to defend herself before Rhea pointed at her, accusing her loudly. “This is Jessica Scott, the woman who betrayed Hugh five years ago. Her treason came to light on the day of their wedding!”
The room fell into a stunned silence, then erupted into whispers and mutters. Eyes turned to Jessica, some filled with judgment, others filled with curiosity.
Jessica’s face tightened. So, this was Rhea’s plan–to drag up the past, to paint her as the villain. She had expected this, prepared for it.
“And now, even after everything, she still tries to seduce my husband!” Rhea’s voice rang through the room, sharp and accusatory.
The crowd’s murmurs grew louder, their judgment clear.
A few voices called for Jessica to leave, their words cutting through the air like a blade.
Jessica’s fists clenched at her sides. Rhea had played her hand well, and Jessica could feel the heat of her own fury rising, smoldering just beneath the surface.
“I didn’t try anything with him,” Jessica snapped, her voice rising in defiance. “Bring him up here and let him tell everyone himself.”
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Chapter 141 Heard You’re Pregnant
+8 Pearls
Rhea’s lips curled into a cold smile, a laugh slipping past her teeth. “You’ve already lost. your chance.” Her voice was a razor’s edge. “I warned you. Answer wrong, and there’s a punishment.”
Before Jessica could respond, Rhea reached for a glass of wine with swift, practiced motions, and with a flick of her wrist, hurled it at Jessica’s face.
Jessica didn’t have time to react. The cold liquid splashed across her, soaking her from head to toe. Her eyes slammed shut instinctively as the chill crawled over her skin, shivers running down. her spine.
The room fell utterly still. No one dared move, their eyes locked on the two women. The silence. was thick, as if time itself had paused.
In the corner. Charles stood frozen, his eyes darkening. His gaze never left Jessica, who now stood soaked and stunned. Was this what she had come here for?
He didn’t move, his curiosity piqued. He wanted to see how she would handle this.
Jessica’s body trembled, but it wasn’t the cold that shook her. For a moment, she was back at that wedding–five years ago–where Rhea had humiliated her in front of everyone. The sting of it returned in full force.
Her anger flared, sudden and fierce. She opened her eyes, the fire of rage burning in her gaze, hot
and wild.
Rhea froze, taken aback by the intensity of Jessica’s response. For a brief, shocking moment, she stood still, caught off guard.
Jessica moved with purpose, each step deliberate, her eyes locked on Rhea.
Rhea was jolted from her daze only when Jessica stood before her, close enough to feel the weight of her words.
With a voice low and venomous, Jessica leaned in, her breath grazing Rhea’s ear. “I heard you’re pregnant. But the child in your womb isn’t Hugh’s.”
Rhea’s pupils expanded, then constricted, her face paling as if Jessica had shattered a carefully constructed illusion. A cold wave of panic surged through her, and without a second thought, she shoved Jessica away, her hands shaking with the force of her response.
“Get away from me!” she hissed, her voice trembling with fear.
Caught off guard, Jessica stumbled back, her balance lost. She crashed into the towering cake, sending it toppling with a sickening crash.
The thick, sticky frosting splattered across her face and gown, dragging her down with it.
A collective gasp rose from the crowd, the room suddenly tense. Guests recoiled, avoiding the mess in a flurry of movement.
Chapter 14 I Heard You’re Pregnant
Her words came out ragged, her desperation raw. Jessica’s revelation had struck a nerve.
+8 Pearls
Hugh, unable to remain detached any longer, shot a venomous glance at Jessica. Without hesitation, he stalked onto the stage, his broad frame moving protectively in front of Rhea.
Security surged forward, ready to haul Jessica away, but just before they could reach her, a voice -cold and commanding–halted them. “Wait.”
Everyone turned. A man stepped forward, his presence heavy, as though he carried the weight of the room with every stride.
The crowd parted instinctively, the guards faltering in their steps, unsure of how to proceed.
Jessica, still kneeling on the floor, looked up to see him standing over her. His gaze was sharp, piercing. A familiar chill ran through her. Charles.
She could stand strong just a moment ago, but seeing him seemed to have stripped away all her layers of protection. Now, she felt like an abandoned kitten.
She managed a smile, fragile and strained. “Mr. Hensley… I’m sorry. I’ve made a mess of things.”
Charles glanced at her briefly, his eyes unreadable, then turned his attention to Rhea. His voice, smooth and deliberate, sliced through the tension. “She’s with me. You should have asked before you acted.”
His words were measured, his tone neutral, but the icy edge in his voice made it clear. A warning.
The crowd shifted uncomfortably, sensing the subtle power in his words. Jessica wasn’t just anyone she was Charles‘ companion, and Rhea had made the mistake of humiliating her in front of him.
Rhea, suddenly aware of her blunder, felt a knot of fear tighten in her chest under Charles’s unwavering gaze. She hesitated, the ground beneath her feet feeling unstable.
“Uncle Charles… “she began, but her voice faltered.
Charles’s gaze turned even colder. “Don’t call me that. I can’t stand it.”
Rhea went pale, the words dying in her throat. She swallowed, her lips pressed tightly together, unable to respond.
Hugh, scrambling to salvage the situation, spoke quickly. “Uncle Charles, Rhea didn’t mean to-
Charles silenced him with a single glance–icy, dismissive. Without another word, he bent down, lifted Jessica effortlessly, and turned on his heel, walking away with her in his arms.
