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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11:51 Thu, 6 Mar MO.

Chapter 88

How many secrets was Stephanie Giovanni hiding?

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

to the window, looking

like ants, too small to care about.

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wicked. “So what’s the plan now?

broke and homeless, begging Olivia for forgiveness? Maybe cry a little, so you’ll turn my cards back

dripped

Chris’s face twisted.

they’d been trying to do. But hearing her say it out loud, made him

into this,” he snapped.

tilted her head. “My mess? What exactly

mouth opened, but nothing came out. Stephanie’s smile didn’t waver.

when this all started, I hadn’t done

Chris’s chest tightened.

but relentless. “At the time, you didn’t know I owned

that made you all decide I had

furious–no surprise

to Stephanie? That anger was

And none of

all over the

leaned back, arms crossed, cool as ever. “Oh? Sure. Then why

Chris’s chest tightened.

Why was he

a second, he completely

woman had a talent–pissing him off so bad, his brain straight–up

curled up at the edges.

said it, Chris felt his chest

exactly why he came. He promised Olivia they’d

painted her this whole picture–waking up to the sunrise over

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Chapter 88

outside their

already day three, and they still

thought alone left Chris struggling to breathe.

you’ve been staying there this whole time?”

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

both he and Kevin saw her at

no question. That

a slow shrug. “Yeah. What about it?”

Chris’s chest tightened.

it felt like getting

and Stephanie was just living there

“Who owns it?”

a complete mess, he could barely even hear his own

“Why ask me? Didn’t your amazing investigation already

always threw back at

Just

away from losing it

Mr. Ashford admitting

Chris saw red.

and her mouth could drive a man straight into cardiac arrest.

real hard. “Say you couldn’t dig up the truth,

Chris’s chest tightened.

do it–that was straight–up humiliation,

His

at Stephanie turned colder with every

else, you know

“I know. Now

you wait,” Stephanie beat him to

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Chapter 88

Harbor had ever dared talk to Chris Adord Wire Gut

dare the practically pen on the welcome

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