Chapter 140



Kallie was gripped by a sense of dread. Her first impulse was to run.

But as she retreated a few steps, several bodyguards converged behind her, blocking her path. Escape was clearly not an option now.

Melinda observed Kallie’s ashen expression with a hint of glee. She then turned her attention back to Shirley and resumed her story. “Dean is adamant about getting a divorce now. It’s terrifying for both me and our little one. What will I do if we go through with it? The media will crucify Dean. Shirley, my little girl calls you ‘Grandma’ and clings to you daily. You have to intervene! I can’t fathom what I’ve done to enrage Kallie to the point of ripping my family apart.”

As Melinda spoke, her eyes darted a vicious look toward Kallie.

Kallie immediately caught on. The last incident had driven a wedge between Dean and Melinda.

Kallie wasn’t sure how they had tried to resolve it, but clearly, it had escalated to the brink of divorce. Melinda, furious, pinned the blame on her.

Listening to Melinda, Shirley’s eyes grew colder as she stared at Kallie, her anger palpable. “Kallie, get over here!” she demanded, her voice harsh and strained.

Kallie’s anxiety eased as she neared the pair, typing with a steady hand. “I’m aware of the situation between them, though I’m not the instigator. As for why Dean is so furious, I’m certain Melinda understands the reason quite well.”

A fleeting look of guilt crossed Melinda’s face.

However, Shirley was indifferent to this. Rising in anger, she slapped Kallie.

Shirley hurled accusations. “How does their conflict concern you? Don’t pretend ignorance. With Jake wanting a divorce, you’re merely looking to cause trouble. True, Melinda made a mess of things, but she’s still part of the Reeves family. You’ve meddled in their marriage for the Hayes family’s benefit!

Kallie, this is disgraceful! Think I don’t know? You’ve got plenty of men outside, flirting around. You’re still legally Jake’s wife, and as long as that’s the case, I have every right to put you in your place.”

Clutching her reddened cheek, Kallie’s heart sank with Shirley’s words.

Footsteps echoed closer.

Turning, Kallie saw a bodyguard advancing, clutching a baton as thick as his forearm.

Her back slick with sweat, Kallie stared at Shirley, stunned. She attempted to defend herself, hastily typing down her message.

“Are you endorsing mob justice? That’s against the law! Don’t you fear I might call the police?”

“Call the police?” Shirley burst into laughter, as if the idea were the punchline to a great joke. “Let’s find out who they really support, me or you. Stop squirming. Even if Jake were to show up now, he wouldn’t lift a finger to help you. This is a family matter. If you can’t fall in line, I’ll have to force your hand!”

Shirley’s resentment toward Kallie had been simmering for years. Now, with her chance for payback within her grasp, she wasn’t about to let it slip through her fingers, despite knowing deep down it was wrong.

But morality no longer held sway over Shirley’s decisions.

Meanwhile, Melinda, having wiped her tears, allowed a triumphant smirk to form on her lips. She handed her daughter to a nearby servant. “Take my sweetheart outside to play. Things here might escalate, and I don’t want her innocence tainted.”

As Kallie observed the shifting expressions of those around her, a profound sense of despair washed over her.

Elsewhere, Jake reached the city hall at the scheduled time, waiting for Kallie at the entrance.

As the minutes ticked by, nearly an hour passed without a sign of Kallie, and Jake’s frustration boiled over.

It wasn’t that he had come early on purpose. His brewing anger had simply gotten the better of him. Kallie was desperate to get a divorce, so perhaps it was time he just gave her what she wanted.

Jake bombarded Kallie with messages, yet not a single one received a response.

Kallie hadn’t shown up either, which only deepened Jake’s frown, frustration mounting. What was she thinking? Did she believe she could dictate the terms of their relationship?

Was their marriage merely a game to her?

Seething, Jake dialed Kallie’s number again.

Just as he did, a ringtone emanated from Kallie’s phone, causing the bodyguards to pause.

Shirley quickly snatched Kallie’s phone, freezing as she recognized the caller ID. Jake was the last person she had expected.

From Shirley’s reaction, Kallie inferred who was calling. She wanted to make one last attempt to struggle, but she couldn’t speak, and they couldn’t understand sign language. Powerless, she watched as Melinda took her phone.

Melinda’s eyes sparkled with determination as she gestured to one of the bodyguards and whispered something to him.

The bodyguard looked uncertain. “Are we sure this is okay?”

Melinda scowled slightly. “With both Shirley and me here, what’s there to fear? If there’s any trouble, we’ll handle it.”

Reassured, the bodyguard stepped aside, clutching Kallie’s phone.

Jake clenched his teeth in irritation after finally getting through on the second call. “Kallie, are you kidding me?”

Unexpectedly, a man’s voice answered from the other end. “Sorry, Kallie can’t come today. She’s busy.”

For a brief moment, Jake was stunned. His expression didn’t change, but his fist tightened at his side. “And you are?” he asked, his voice icy.

The man on the phone seemed to enjoy this. “I’m a close friend of hers. We’re off to a resort today. She couldn’t make it and asked me to tell you she’s free tomorrow.”

The fury in Jake’s eyes lessened slightly, though his brows were still knitted together. “Tomorrow? Isn’t that supposed to be a day off?”

The man’s tone held a hint of impatience. “What does it matter if it’s a day off? She’s not coming today. That’s what matters. She doesn’t want to see you right now. Understood?”

Jake let out a mocking laugh, but his eyes were stormy. “A resort, you say? Which one?”

The man at the other end dropped the name nonchalantly before hanging up abruptly.

After the phone call, Jake’s anger had dissipated, yet his gaze remained frosty, and a chilling aura enveloped him. He shot a look at Edgar. “Drive over. We’re going back to the mansion.”

The resort mentioned by the caller was under the Reeves family’s ownership.

Somehow, Jake was gripped by a wave of unease. He wondered if Kallie had again gotten into trouble.

Meanwhile, as the bodyguard clutching her phone spouted gibberish to Jake and then disconnected, Kallie’s last flicker of hope extinguished.

For the first time, Kallie detested her inability to speak. Why was she mute? Why couldn’t she utter a single word? She couldn’t even defend herself and felt completely powerless.

Observing Kallie’s despairing look and her drooping head, Melinda experienced a perverse thrill.

Melinda had noted Jake’s protective demeanor toward Kallie in the chamber that day.

It was undeniable, yet Melinda couldn’t come to terms with it.

Her own marriage was meant to be a pinnacle of joy. How could Kallie, a woman she looked down upon, have a spouse better than hers?

“Let’s just get on with it,” Melinda snapped icily from the side.

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