Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 378

Two men sat across from each other, both radiating a powerful presence—one dark and brooding, the other calm and unshakable. Their eyes met in midair, tension crackling between them.

James’s gaze grew colder, as deep and unreadable as an icy lake in winter. Dean stayed as composed as ever, his face unreadable except for a hint of frost in his eyes.

Just then, a few people hurried over and took the empty seats next to Dean. The moment they saw him, they lit up with eager, flattering smiles.

“Mr. Sparrow, I can’t believe you’re here! What a surprise!”

“Your instincts are something else, Mr. Sparrow. That last project—while the rest of us were still trying to figure it out, you’d already made a killing. Seriously impressive!”

“I mean it, there aren’t many young entrepreneurs with your guts and vision. You’re one of a kind.”

“Absolutely! That old Nelson Corporation way is ancient history. Everyone’s watching what you’ll do next—quick thinking, bold moves. The future’s yours!”

Compliments poured in nonstop.

Dean barely bothered to look up. He just gave a quiet “Mm” in response, his gaze drifting, almost absentmindedly, toward James.

The group immediately followed his line of sight. One of them, braver than the rest, leaned in and whispered, “Mr. Sparrow, who’s that? He seems… different.”

Dean looked away, and with a hint of disdain, said, “Just a firefighter.”

They all exchanged glances, instantly getting the message. Their voices dropped as they started gossiping.

“Oh, so that’s Ms. Lincoln’s husband, right? The one she married out of the blue?”

“No wonder. He is pretty good-looking, I’ll give her that.”

“Good looks won’t get you far. He’s just a working guy. Compared to you, Mr. Sparrow, he’s on a whole different level.”

The flattery kept going, filling the air.

Suddenly, the judge entered. The chatter died instantly.

“Wait, there’s still someone who hasn’t come in yet!”

Every head in the room turned toward the entrance.

A woman appeared in the doorway, steadying herself with a cane, her figure outlined by the light from the hall. She moved with slow, deliberate steps—graceful but determined.

Cooper’s triumphant grin froze on his face.

She wore a light beige skirt suit, her jet-black hair pulled back into a neat bun. Her skin was flawless, smooth and rosy, not a wrinkle to be seen. She had this gentle, elegant aura that made her impossible to ignore.

Even the cane in her hand—polished pale wood—did nothing to lessen her presence.

The moment she stepped into the courtroom, it was like someone pressed mute. Every whisper stopped, and all eyes were on her.

Cooper stared at her, as if he’d seen a ghost.