Melany glared at Allison, her expression brimming with self-righteous indignation.
âAllison, even though you and Colton are no longer together, there was a time when you shared something meaningful.
How can you be so heartless, taking such delight in his misery? It makes you sound cruel! And seriously, you moved on so quickly after the divorce? It sounds like you didnât just do it like that, but rather had it planned all along.
â
Surprisingly, her words were devoid of the usual biting sarcasm.
The reason was clear: she was very jealous now.
Allison had lived in luxury for years, luxuries that, in Melany's eyes, should have been hers.
She had expected that after the divorce, Allison would fall apart, maybe even end up in the gutter.
Yet, despite everything, Melany and Colton had not once managed to assert themselves.
Instead, Melany had followed Colton through humiliation after humiliation, begging for forgiveness, apologizing in front of crowds, even jumping into a river.
It was one disaster after another.
âYouâre too frivolous, Allison,â Melany snapped, her words laced with bitter envy.
It infuriated her that even the unpredictable Kellan had stepped in to defend Allison.
Kellanâs eyes darkened, a dangerous glint in them.
âIf you want to meet your end so badly, why donât you jump out of a window? Itâll be quicker than doing it here.
â His deep voice had a magnetism that sent shivers down everyoneâs spine.
âMiss Clarke is my nieceâs ceramics teacher,â he continued, his tone calm and chilling.
âIf you spread any more absurd rumors, you should start counting how many limbs you have left to break.
â
It wasnât just slander anymore.
Kellan usually ignored unfounded rumors, but this time, with Allison caught in the crossfire, he felt different.
He couldnât stand people dragging her into such filth, and that alone was enough to justify his warning.
Colton, who had never been humiliated like this in his life, felt his rage boil over.
âAllison? A pottery teacher?â he sneered.
âWho knows if sheâs teaching pottery or something else in bed? And you, Mr.
Lloyd, stooping so low for a woman whoâs already been through a divorce⦠what, are you that desperate? When she and Iâ¦â
Coltonâs words trailed off, his eyes narrowing as something clicked.
His gaze shifted to Allison.
âOh, I see it now.
When you went to the Lloyd Group for sponsorship, you were using your body as a bargaining chip, werenât you?â
A slap! Allison was fed up.
Her hand flew through the air, landing a stinging slap across Coltonâs face with all the force of her pent-up fury.
His cheek immediately swelled and turned red.
âAll these years I have fought tirelessly for your familyâs recovery.
You useless alcoholic tried every technique in the book and still failed.
The only reason your father urged me to help him was because he couldnât stand the sight of you anymore.
â
Her icy eyes bore into him.
âIf I hadnât spent hours waiting at the Lloyd Group to get that deal, you, Mr.
Stevens, would be out on the street by now.
â
Melany opened her mouth to say something, but Allison's chilling gaze stopped her in her tracks, freezing her where she stood.
She felt as if she had been plunged into an ice cave.
Allison's gaze wasn't just cold: it was deadly, as if she could cut them both with a single glance.
Allison's words were as sharp as knives.
âInstead of thanking me for preserving your wealth and status, you repay me by spreading rumors and slandering me.
Itâs laughable.
You really have no conscience, do you? And considering how easily you accuse others of âtrading with their bodies,â I assume you have done it yourself, Mr.
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Stevens.
So I assume others would do the same.
â
Colton, still dizzy from the slap, felt his ears ringing.
The cool breeze did little to calm his fury, though his face remained livid.
For a brief moment, reality set in and he realized how wrong he had been.
He knew, without a doubt, that he had crossed the line.