Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Chris’s mind went completely blank.

He stared at Stephanie, eyes blazing with anger, lips parting like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out,

Stephanie glanced at him, then at the box in her hand, with a giant diamond ring was sitting right there.

For a second, she thought maybe she was seeing things. But nope—it was real.

Wait a minute… What’s wrong with Jackson?

This was supposed to be an apology gift. Who the hell uses an engagement ring to say sorry?

Was Jackson seriously that clueless? Did he not know what a ring like this even meant?

Of…?

No. No way.

No halfway functional human being would have thought giving a ring like that was normal.

So the only explanation left was–Jackson was so out of touch, he didn’t even know what a proposal ring symbolized.

“Stephanie Giovanni!”

Chris’s roar shook the room.

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Stephanie shot him a look, totally unimpressed. “Are you okay? Why are you yelling at me? So what if he proposed? What’s it to you?”

Her cars were still ringing.

“This man was completely unhinged.’

He knew damn well she barely even knew Jackson.

Somehow, his brain still connected those imaginary dots and jumped straight to a proposal. Incredible.

Chris’s chest rose and fell, trying to catch his breath. “Well, isn’t that nice. No wonder you had the guts to break off our engagement and cut ties with the Hart family. Guess you’ve got some serious backup now.”

“Damn right I do. Got a problem with that? What, mad you can’t screw me over anymore?”

Honestly, that’s exactly what was eating him, and the rest of the Harts, too.

They’d been waiting for her to hit rock bottom, to crawl back begging for their mercy.

But instead?

She didn’t just survive, she thrived.

And now, standing right behind her, was power they couldn’t touch.

For weeks, Chris had been digging into her life, trying to figure out how she kept landing on her feet. And every time, something–or someone–blocked his way.

On top of that, there was always some guys hovering around her.

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Chapter 88

How many secrets was Stephanie Giovanni hiding?

Right then, it finally hit Chris–he had never understood Stephanie, not even once.

the window, looking down at the street

like ants, too small to

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into something almost wicked. “So what’s the plan now?

Maybe cry

word dripped with mockery.

Chris’s face twisted.

trying to do. But hearing her say it out

Olivia into this,” he snapped. “This

tilted her head. “My mess?

mouth opened, but nothing came out. Stephanie’s smile

all started, I

Chris’s chest tightened.

but relentless. “At the time, you didn’t know I owned my place at Cloudridge

crime did I commit that made you all decide I had

was furious–no surprise

That anger was just the same old

whole damn book at her. And

was all over the place. “Cut the

why don’t you tell me, what exactly are you

Chris’s chest tightened.

was he

a second, he

it. This woman had a talent–pissing him off so bad, his brain

at the

she said it, Chris felt

Olivia they’d move in within a week after

this whole picture–waking up to the sunrise over the water, falling

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Chapter 88

right outside their window,

day three, and they still didn’t

left Chris struggling to

staying there this

checked–Stephanie hadn’t been back to Cloudridge Valley at

he and Kevin saw her at Whispering Bay.

question. That was her

shrug.

Chris’s chest tightened.

like getting punched in the

Olivia wanted more than anything, and Stephanie was just living there like it was

“Who owns it?”

mess, he could barely even hear his own

mischief. “Why ask me? Didn’t your amazing investigation already tell you

same line she always threw back at him.

“Enough. Just tell me the

was one breath away from losing it

sharpened. “What’s this? Mr. Ashford admitting he couldn’t figure it

Chris saw red.

woman and her mouth could drive a

like she was thinking real hard. “Say you couldn’t dig up the truth, and I’ll give you the answer right now.”

Chris’s chest tightened.

he couldn’t do it–that was straight–up humiliation, and she didn’t even try to hide

another. Didn’t help. His chest

Stephanie turned

else, you

still crossed. “I know. Now go ahead, bring whatever you’ve

you wait,” Stephanie

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Chapter 88

ever dared talk to Chris Adord Wire Gut

the practically pen on the welcome ma

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