Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 456

James raised an eyebrow, so subtly it was barely noticeable.

Sure, the military had plenty on Claudia, but that woman was slippery. She always covered her tracks, never left a loose end, and somehow managed to dump the blame on someone else every single time. Real evidence that could actually put her away was almost non-existent.

James kept his face neutral, but he let just a hint of sarcasm slip into his voice, testing the waters.

“Claudia? She’s just a woman. What kind of dirty secrets could she possibly have?”

Dean let out a laugh, the kind that said, You’re really not as clever as you think. He looked James straight in the eye, slowly running his tongue along his back teeth before smirking.

“You want to know? Take me to see Emmy, and maybe I’ll spill.”

James’s expression turned icy in an instant.

He stood up, towering over Dean, every inch the intimidating officer in his perfectly pressed uniform.

“I’ve said all I’m going to say today.”

He adjusted his already flawless sleeve, voice cold as steel.

“You’ve got three days to think it over.”

He picked up his tablet and headed for the door.

He barely made it a few steps before Dean’s voice called out, tight with barely controlled anger.

“Don’t bother. I’ve already made up my mind.”

James stopped, but didn’t look back.

“I’ll cooperate.”

Dean’s voice was hard. “But listen to me, this isn’t because you’ve got some ridiculous evidence on me.”

“As an American, fighting drug dealers is everyone’s job. Not just yours, James.”

“And besides—They hurt the person I care about most.”

“Every last one of those bastards deserves what’s coming to them.”

James turned his head, meeting Dean’s eyes.

“Thank you for cooperating.”

His tone was calm, almost emotionless, which just made Dean more pissed off.

“But let’s get one thing straight,” Dean’s voice was ice. “I’m still going to get Emmy back.”

James stared him down, those deep black eyes unreadable, lips pressed into a hard line. For a long moment, he was silent, then finally he asked the question that had clearly been eating at him.

“Last night…

You ran toward my wife. You said you’d die with her—said you’d do it all over again if you had the chance.

What did you mean?”

Dean froze.

He hadn’t expected James to catch that. One half-shouted sentence in all that chaos, and the guy remembered every word.

Then Dean’s lips curled into a sly, almost triumphant smile.

“Oh, that?”

He dropped his fist, stuffed his hands into his pockets, and shrugged, playing it casual.

“That’s between me and Emmy. It’s our secret. The kind of secret that’ll always tie us together. Why would I ever tell you?”

James’s eyes darkened even more, a storm brewing there, but he didn’t push. He just turned, opened the door, and walked out without another word.