Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 197

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20:40 Mon, Oct 6 N

Chapter 197 Like a Shield

Chapter 197 Like a Shield

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“Some people will do anything for attention. Like, it was her own sister’s party, and she still showed up in a fake designer dress just to steal the show. Seriously, how messed up do you have to be?”

The hate toward Tess just kept stacking up. Any comment trying to clear her name or defend her? It vanished before it could get traction.

Nadine’s cold eyes stayed locked on the very first post that kicked off the backlash. A shadow crossed her face.

It had only taken seconds for the internet to turn against Tess.

As the comment sections filled with venom, Nadine’s tense look slowly smoothed out again.

“Ms. Nadine?”

Seeing her calm down, Alfred finally spoke up, careful with his words. “Do you still want me to keep pushing the story?”

“No. Just make it look like you’re working to cool down the trending tags and online buzz.”

Alfred, now free of her grip, bobbed his head fast.

Nadine strutted off, pulling up her blog like she owned the place.

Her latest post about her daily life had already maxed out at 9999+ comments.

When she tapped. it open, her phone lagged for a beat.

A quick scan showed every single comment was people defending her, feeling bad for her.

She held back the smirk tugging at her mouth and typed, “Sorry for taking up public space like this, but I guess I should speak up since I’m part of this too. Tess and I might not be blood- related, but I’ve always treated her like my own sister. That party was for me, but I was happy to share that moment with Tess. I just hope everyone stays calm and respectful.”

On the surface, it sounded kind. In reality, it was a quiet stab aimed right at Tess.

The internet went wild.

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20:40 Mon, Oct 6

Chapter 197 Like a Shield

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It wasn’t just drama–watchers anymore–now everyone was rallying behind Nadine, calling her generous, while roasting Tess with the nastiest insults they could think of. Some even started digging for Tess’s private info,

Someone actually found her personal blog.

At that time, Tess was waiting for a ride to meet Bessie when her phone wouldn’t stop buzzing.

She opened it to find hundreds–maybe thousands–of new DMs.

Every random scroll showed the same thing–strangers calling her shameless for wearing fakes, accusing her of stealing her sister’s spotlight, even telling her to go to hell.

Her breath caught. The raw malice coming from people she didn’t even know hit her like a crashing wave,

Her hands shook, but she forced a slow inhale, trying to stay steady.

She searched the trending topics until she saw how it had all started. Her face went pale.

Her gaze stopped at Cavrielle’s official account, its comment section almost buried. For a second, she didn’t even know how to react.

She never thought Cavrielle themselves would step in–and the only person she could imagine making that happen was Marc.

But what hit her harder was seeing Marc’s kindness twisted into something ugly.

Confusion turned into rage.

But she didn’t have time to fully feel it–before her ride even got there, a group of locals who called themselves Nadine’s “face fans” and “career fans” spotted her.

“Is that Tess? It’s her!”

One loud call, and suddenly dozens of eyes swung her way, but none of them were friendly. Every look was like a predator sizing up its prey.

A chill shot through her before she could think. Her body just moved.

“Grab her! Make her say sorry to Nadine!”

“Let’s teach this shameless woman a lesson!”

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20:40 Mon, Oct 6 N

Chapter 197 Like a Shield

The shouts didn’t stop as Tess took off, sprinting 100 yards without thinking.

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Behind her, heavy footsteps pounded the ground. They were like a swarm of obsessed fans, all seeing her as nothing but an eyesore.

One glance back showed a wall of angry, locked–on angry mobs.

Adrenaline surged. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, loud enough to drown everything else out.

She hadn’t gotten far before a sharp sting flared in her heel.

She didn’t need to look–running in heels had ripped the skin raw.

The pain made her wince, but stopping wasn’t an option.

Her time in law had taught her just how ugly people could get. She wasn’t about to risk finding out how far they’d go.

Right then, shadows fell over her. She looked up, and a wave of hopelessness hit hard.

It was a dead end.

“She’s guilty for sure! Why else would she run? Let’s grab her and teach her a lesson!”

“She went into the alley!”

The footsteps got louder–first messy, then falling into a steady jog.

They were almost on her when a voice rang out.

“How dare you! This is Aetheris territory, and you’re out here making trouble?”

Zane’s voice cracked through the air, sharp and commanding. Tess spun toward the sound, eyes going wide. He stood at the alley’s entrance, completely blocking it.

Behind him, she could just make out the stacked shadows of the people he was holding back.

How did he end up here right now?

The question barely formed before a strong hand wrapped around her wrist.

Light spilled down from above before disappearing as his tall frame covered her, casting her in shadow like a shield.

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20:40 Mon, Oct 6 N