Betrayed I Upgraded to His Billionaire Brother novel Chapter 132

In an instant, his hand shot out and gripped my arm tightly.

“Are you absolutely sure?” His voice was taut, filled with a sharp intensity that made my skin prickle.

“Duh. What would I possibly gain by lying to you?” I replied, trying to keep my tone light despite the tension.

“It’s not that I think you’re lying…” He exhaled slowly, trying to rein in the sudden surge of emotion in his voice. “I just… I need to be certain. Clover necklaces can look very similar. Maybe you confused it with another one.”

Still defending her, even now. A soft, incredulous laugh escaped me. “Zane, what are you really trying to say?”

He hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the entrance of the clinic. His expression darkened before his eyes found me again. “Where did you see it? When you were a kid.”

“On a friend,” I answered simply, carefully omitting that friend was me.

Knowing how Zane always sided with Amelia, he’d probably assume I was just trying to get back at her for that whole drugging incident at the hotel.

His brow furrowed deeper, concern etched across his face. “Where exactly?”

“Emerald Valley.” The moment I spoke the town’s name, I felt his grip on my arm tremble.

His hold suddenly tightened, sharp and painful. I tried to pull away, but it was useless.

“Where in Emerald Valley?” he pressed, voice low and urgent.

“The orange house. The one up on the hill.” I’d had enough of this. “Can you please let go of me now?”

For a long moment, Zane stood frozen, as if carved from stone.

His eyes, usually so steady and calm, were distant—lost in some memory I couldn’t reach.

“Zane?” I prompted softly.

“…Sorry.” He seemed to snap back to the present, finally releasing my arm. His lips parted, voice barely above a whisper, trembling slightly. “Can you tell me your friend’s name?”

“Jesse.” The name hung between us, fragile and weighty.

And in that instant, something inside Zane shattered. A fierce, raw intensity ignited in his gaze, twisting his features.

He stared at me, his eyes boring into mine. “You’re absolutely sure? You’re not mistaken?”

I’d never seen him like this before. A cold shiver ran down my spine. Instinctively, I took a step back, my back pressing against the cool metal of the car door.

“Yes. I’m sure.”

The hand still braced against the car door tightened abruptly, knuckles whitening, veins bulging beneath his skin.

Zane struggled to steady his breath, his voice strained. “Then… are you still in touch with this friend?”

—

When Zane asked that, he didn’t expect much.

He’d been married to Ella for three years, and had known her even longer. Throughout all that time, he’d rarely seen her with any friends her own age—except Chloe.

But Chloe was a native New Yorker.

Ella didn’t understand what he was getting at, so she simply said, “No.”

With that, she tugged at the car door again. “I have things to do. Let go.”

“…Alright.”

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