Chapter 180
She didn’t catch it. Tilting her head closer, she asked softly, “What again?”
Across the table, Elise had just taken a sip of her coffee and promptly spit it out, forgetting how hot it was.
Ivan gave her a sidelong glance, then calmly repeated, “When can we
ego spar
with Yann again?”
“What, still not over the loss?” Audrey teased.
“It’s not that…” Ivan lowered his eyes and sipped his juice. “I just… thought I could use the training.”
He’d tried going back on his own, but the gym was members–only. They wouldn’t let him in. Still, he was determined. He wanted to grow stronger, sooner. So one day, he could protect her.
Audrey nodded. Letting him train more wasn’t a bad idea. If anything, it’d help drain some of Yann’s endless energy so he wouldn’t wear her out every time.
Last time, she’d been so focused on the match she forgot to snap a few decent photos. What a waste of a perfectly good face.
“We’ll wait for him to get back,” she said. “But you’re boarding at school. Are you even allowed out that easily?”
Ivan’s eyes darted, juice still in his mouth, and he gave a muffled nod. “Yeah.”
After dinner, Gabriel came to pick up his daughter.
It was his first time meeting Audrey. Introduced by Jessica, he immediately extended a hand. “Ms. Henderson, Jessica talks about you often. Thank you for looking after her.”
“Not at all. It’s what I should do,” Audrey said quickly, shaking his hand.
Gabriel wasn’t just anyone. He had recently taken over as John’s replacement in the election campaign and now held serious political weight. She didn’t dare take that lightly.
Besides, she’d only tutored Jessica once or twice, and the girl had always been a top student.
But to her surprise, Gabriel was even more courteous than expected, which left Audrey feeling a little awkward.
“Dad! You’re scaring her,” Jessica jumped in, lightening the mood.
He thanked Audrey again before leaving with his daughter and Elise.
“I’ll give you a ride?” she asked, turning to Ivan. Without hesitation, he hopped into her white Range Rover. “This car’s sick!”
“When you grow up, you’ll get something even cooler.” She started the engine and gestured for him to buckle up.
He clutched his backpack. “Is he treating you okay?”
“If he weren’t, you couldn’t take him,” she joked, casting him a glance. Hi
seriously. Remarkably decent guy.”
Ivan snorted and turned to stare out the window.
face instantly darkened, and she backtracked quickly, grinning. “He’s fine,
As they pulled into Greendie House, Audrey planned to drop him off at the building entrance. But Ivan insisted she find a wider spot to turn around first, otherwise she’d have to circle the entire complex to exit.
They were still mid–argument when familjar figures appeared near the parking lot.
1/3
Chapter 180
“Do I have to catch you in the act before you’ll admit you’re seeing someone?” Brooke’s voice was choked, trembling with both anger and we her hand was a bottle of perfume.
Miguel let out a frustrated breath and raked a hand through his hair. “Why are you always so paranoid?”
“Paranoid?” she snapped. “I asked you to go shopping with me, and you said you were busy. Turns out ‘busy‘ meant buying perfume?”
“You opened it?” His face darkened. He reached out for the box, but she quickly pulled it away.
That reflex, protective and instinctive, was all the confirmation she needed.
“Oh, I get it now,” she said, voice rising. “If I open it, you can’t give it to her, is that it? I gave up my job for this family. Raised your son. Ran the household. And now I’m not even worth a bottle of perfume?”
“When did I ever say that?” Miguel pressed his fingers to his temple, trying to rein in his temper. “The last time I bought you something, you returned it Said it was a waste!”
“And because I said that once, you just stopped trying?” Her voice shook with fury. “Every cent you spend on her now is our money. That’s community property!”
He shot her a glare, sharp and cold, but quickly looked away, jaw tightening.
“We’re not even having the same conversation anymore. Can you stop making this a scene?”
“Oh, now I’m the one making a scene?” Brooke grabbed the front of his shirt, her voice raw. “You think I enjoy this?”
In the car, Audrey glanced at Ivan in the passenger seat. His face was blank and expressionless, just a wall of practiced indifference, tinged with something darker.
He unbuckled his seatbelt. “Let them scream. They’ll get tired eventually. You should go.”
“I thought they worked things out?” Audrey asked, confused.
That issue with the secretary had been handled. Brooke had even promised to keep her cool next time. And yet here they were, back at the edge of
disaster.
Ivan let out a short, bitter laugh, then opened the door and stepped out.
The slam of the car door caught Brooke’s attention. She turned, eyes narrowing as she stared at the driver’s seat.
She couldn’t see who was inside because it was dark.
Audrey killed the engine and got out.
“Audrey!” Brooke’s voice cracked the moment she saw her. Her eyes, red and burning, immediately filled with tears.
“Let’s go inside,” Audrey said gently, reaching for her hand.
Brooke gave Miguel a final glare. “If it weren’t for Audrey, I’d drag all your dirty secrets into the street!”
Back at home, Ivan quietly poured Audrey a glass of water. “I’m heading to my room.”
Before he could leave, Brooke snapped. “Of course. Stand there and watch your father bully me, and say nothing. If I’d kno have had you. I gave everything up for this family, and none of you even care!”
“Yell at me if you want,” Miguel said, stepping in front of their son. “But leave the kid out of it.”
Ivan’s face went dark. He turned and slammed the door behind him without a word.
u’d be this cold, I’d never
Chapter 180
“You see?” Brooke turned to Audrey, grabbing her hand. “They’re all the same. Benefiting from everything I gave, but never seeing what it cost?
Then she turned to her husband, eyes blazing. “I’m not getting a divorce! I won’t make room for that homewrecker.”
Miguel’s hand trembled with fury as he pointed at her.
Audrey shot him a look, a silent reminder to calm down, and think Mr. Gomez is cheating?”
then turned back to Brooke. “Let’s take a step back. Can you tell me exactly what makes you
“That!” Brooke pointed at the perfume on the table. “He bought me that exact scent once. I returned it and said it was unnecessary.
“Then I asked him to go shopping with me. He said he had plans. So I went to his office, and you know what I found?” Her voice cracked again. “His ‘important meeting‘ was a shopping trip. And he came back with that!”
“So… you didn’t actually see anything happen?” Audrey asked, voice calm, even.
Brooke paused, then nodded reluctantly. “No. But that’s women’s perfume.”
Audrey gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and turned to Miguel.
He took a long drink from his glass before speaking. “The person from Ashbourne was in town today. She’s looking at a possible investment. Baldwin wanted to impress her. Thought a gift might help. Perfume seemed safe.”
“So it was meant for the investor?” Audrey asked.
He nodded.
Then, almost as an afterthought, he looked at her and said, “Baldwin met with her today. I think she also set up a meeting with Paul.”
Audrey’s gaze sharpened slightly.
Paul met with an investor today alongside Serena for their Series A funding. Coincidentally, the same investor had also scheduled a meeting with Baldwin at the same time and place.
Still, she had a hunch that the investor was really there for her.
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Chapter 180
“You see?” Brooke turned to Audrey, grabbing her hand. “They’re all the same. Benefiting from everything I gave, but never seeing what is con
Then she turned to her husband, eyes blazing. “I’m not getting a divorce! I won’t make room for that homewrecker”
Miguel’s hand trembled with fury as he pointed at her.
Audrey shot him a look, a silent reminder to calm down, and then turned back to Brooke. “Let’s take a step back. Can you tell me exactly what makes you think Mr. Gomez is cheating?”
“That!” Brooke pointed at the perfume on the table. “He bought me that exact scent once. I returned it and said it was unnecessary.
“Then I asked him to go shopping with me. He said he had plans. So I went to his office, and you know what I found?” Her voice cracked again. “His ‘important meeting‘ was a shopping trip. And he came back with that!”
“So… you didn’t actually see anything happen?” Audrey asked, voice calm, even.
Brooke paused, then nodded reluctantly. “No. But that’s women’s perfume.”
Audrey gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and turned to Miguel.
He took a long drink from his glass before speaking. “The person from Ashbourne was in town today. She’s looking at a possible investment. Baldwin wanted to impress her. Thought a gift might help. Perfume seemed safe.”
“So it was meant for the investor?” Audrey asked.
He nodded.
Then, almost as an afterthought, he looked at her and said, “Baldwin met with her today. I think she also set up a meeting with Paul.”
Audrey’s gaze sharpened slightly.
Paul met with an investor today alongside Serena for their Series A funding. Coincidentally, the same investor had also scheduled a meeting with Baldwin at the same time and place.
Still, she had a hunch that the investor was really there for her.
