Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 283

Chapter 283 This Is the Last Time I’ll Help You

Chapter 283 This Is the Last Time I’ll Help You

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With Steven and Zack’s case back on the docket, Nadine knew her title as “the top attorney” was about to be shredded–and mocked.

What terrified her more was Tess’s safe return. What she’d done to that “little bastard” Layla wouldn’t stay hidden. What would Finn think once he knew?

Her chest tightened until she could barely breathe. Just imagining it left her panicked.

“Finn’s already digging into the nanny at Evermount Villa.”

On the other end, Max stayed silent long enough that Nadine thought he’d hung up. voice came back, calm and glacial.

The nanny …

Nadine’s fingers shook against her phone.

Once Finn uncovered the nanny, wouldn’t she be next?

Then his

“Tell me this. That night–besides the three of you and the kid–was there a fifth person there?”

Max probed her.

The reminder lit a spark in her.

Right–besides Tess and the brat, no one else had been there. How could Finn just take Tess’s word for it? As long as she denied everything and shoved the blame onto the nanny, who could touch her?

Her hopelessness flipped into adrenaline.

Her nerves finally started to relax. She slowly stood up.

As for Zack’s case, she’d simply deny knowledge–then pay him off to take the fall.

The gleam in her eyes came roaring back. A far cry from her earlier despair.

She remembered, too, the way she’d snapped at Max just minutes ago. She couldn’t afford to alienate him–not when she needed him more than ever. They’d been in the same boat for a long time.

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Chapter 283 This Is the Last Time I’ll Help You

“Mr. Hunt… about earlier-” she began, trying for sweet.

But Max wasn’t buying it.

“You’ve gotten this far on my back, Nadine, and you’re still this useless.”

She clenched her jaw, swallowing the sting, not daring to talk back.

“This is the last time I’ll help you.

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“You know what I want. Tess. I want her back with me–willingly. Don’t you dare forget what you promised.”

His voice was low, raw, and aching with a love that had gone unanswered far too long.

Max cut her off, his tone final.

After he gave the ruthless ultimatum, the line went dead.

Nadine froze, phone pressed against her ear, before rage twisted her face. She flung it aside.

Still, if Max was handling the storm, she could breathe again. But caution gnawed at her. She dialed the nanny.

The moment she heard the call connect, a man’s icy voice shot back, “Who is this?”

Nadine jerked, panic slamming through her. She hung up.

The nanny, quick on her feet, erased the record and forced herself to meet Finn’s stare. Sweat beaded at her brow.

Then, she remembered what had been whispered to her before. She forced a servile smile. “Spam call.”

She rubbed her hands together nervously. “Mr. Lock, was there something you needed from

me?”

Finn’s eyes flicked over the phone clenched in her palm, then locked on her instead.

Zane held out a tablet with the footage pulled up–her standing in view of a security camera, whispering with a shadowy figure who kept checking over his shoulder.

“Do you recognize him?”

Zane tapped the screen, tone neutral.

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Chapter 283 This Is the Last Time I’ll Help You

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The nanny flinched, snapping her gaze away. She shook her head hard. “I do. I do recognize him.”

Finn’s eyes narrowed. Zane shot him a look, surprised. They’d both expected her to hold out longer.

“Fine. Then, tell me what you were meeting about. What was discussed?”

Two pairs of sharp eyes bore down on her. She cracked, collapsing to her knees with a thud.

“Mr. Lock, punish me if you must! Mrs. Lock scolded me earlier–I held a grudge, so I contacted outsiders to get back at Miss Layla.”

“What did they give you?”

Finn’s eyes and voice both turned icy.

“A–a pouch of salt. Just a pinch would’ve been enough for the child to …

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Her voice trailed off when she saw his expression darken like a storm front. She hunched, trembling.

The next second, Zane hauled her up by the arm, veins standing out with fury. “You were hired to care for Miss Layla. And you’d stoop to harming her over your petty spite?”

She blanched, lips working without sound.

He flung her down in disgust.

She couldn’t stop trembling in fear.

Just as she was secretly relieved to have survived, a pair of leather shoes appeared in her sight and echoed in her ears.

The nanny froze, trembling as she looked up. Finn stood above her, his face carved in shadow, yet she thought she saw the weight of a storm gathering behind his gaze.