I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis novel Chapter 296

296 The Enemy Retreats

Chapter 296 The Enemy Retreats

I had been sitting on the Marchands‘ number for three days before I finally picked up the phone. My

palms were damp, my heart racing as if I was about to jump off a cliff.

Yvaine would probably have called it reckless. Ashton would have called it unnecessary. But I knew it

was the next move.

Françoise Marchand answered. Her voice was warm at first, polite, until I mentioned Lea Lopez. Then it

froze.

“Why are you calling me about her?” she said, sharp as a blade.

“I need to tell you something,” I said. “And I think you’ve suspected it for some time.”

Silence. Then, cautiously, “Go on.”

“I know what Lea did to Pierre. She made up the abuse claims. There was never any violence. She pushed

the divorce through with lies because she wanted out; she wanted to be with Ashton, and Pierre was in

the way.”

”

I heard Françoise’s breath catch–a faint sound, almost like a muffled sob–but then anger hardened it.

We always thought it was strange. Pierre never raised a hand to her. He adored her, that was the tragedy.

And she ruined him.”

Another voice broke in. Antoine Marchand had clearly taken the phone. His tone was thunder. “Do you have proof?”

“Not in the way a court might want,” I admitted. “But I know people who can back me up. Lea’s old allies,

men who saw the games she played, the manipulation, the way she used people. And I know she’s been

using the same tactics here in Skyline. She’s threatening city officials. She’s trying to take Ashton’s company piece by piece.” And claim Ashton as the trophy.

There was a long silence on the line. Then Antoine said, very low, “Tell me what you want from us.”

“I don’t want money, I don’t want favors,” I said quickly. “I want Lea out of Skyline. You still have

influence in Europe. If you put pressure on her businesses there, if you make noise, she’ll have to go back.

She can’t fight on two fronts.”

Françoise’s voice came back, stronger now, almost gleeful. “Oh, we can do more than make noise. She

has enemies. She thinks she buried them, but they’ll come crawling out once they smell blood. And if she

thinks she can keep bleeding us with lies, she’s mistaken.”

“We’ll see to it,” Antoine added. “In fact, we had already started before your call.”

When I hung up, I was shaking–but not with fear. With relief. It was the first real strike back.

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Chapter 296 The Enemy Retreats

+15 BONUS

Four days later, the ripple reached Skyline. Whispers at first, then louder, then exploding across business

circles. Titanova’s European arm was suddenly facing lawsuits in Paris. A supply partner in Milan cut

ties. Banks started “reviewing” credit lines.

By the end of the week, Lea’s name was mud in every financial paper worth printing.

And then the bombshell: Lea Lopez was spotted at Skyline International Airport, boarding a flight to

Eindhoven.

I almost didn’t believe it until I saw the photos.

I called Haldane straight away. He answered on the second ring, his tone clipped, wary. “Miss Vance.

This isn’t a good time.”

“It’s the perfect time,” I said. “Lea’s gone. She’s on her way back to Europe. You don’t have to carry water

for her anymore.”

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