Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 288

Chapter 288 This Is Not Her Fault

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She was too scared to open her eyes, trembling as she squeezed them shut, but the pain she expected never came.

After what felt like ages, Nadine finally cracked her eyes open. When she saw who had arrived, she almost burst into tears. “Finn!”

Tess’s brow furrowed tightly as she stared coldly at the unwelcome guest.

Finn had kicked the door open. When he saw the chaos inside, he strode straight in and grabbed Tess by the wrist.

Her wrist was slender but full of a dangerous strength.

Feeling just how delicate her wrist was, Finn’s brow furrowed sharply.

Tess had clearly been waiting for him, the smile on her lips mocking and cold.

“What are you doing?”

He asked with a frown.

“I’m treating her exactly how she treated Layla,” Tess said, her eyes dark and cold. “It’s only fair.”

Only then did Finn understand why she had gone to such lengths to do this, and his frown grew even deeper.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “This wasn’t Nadine’s fault. Joanna was bribed by someone who held a grudge against you, so she hurt Layla to get back at you.”

Tess stared straight at him for a long time before letting out a cold laugh. “Finn, I don’t need you to believe me, and you can stay out of this.”

She tried to yank her wrist free from his grip, but he wouldn’t budge.

Tess glared at him, but Finn pressed her hand down.

“Enough,” he said, his tone low and edged with impatience.

Tess’s back went rigid for a second. A chilling, defiant smile crept over her face, her eyes turning dark and dangerous. “Let go of me.”

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Chapter 288 This Is Not Her Fault

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Finn only tightened his grip, holding her even more firmly. “Come home with me. Layla is waiting for you at Evermount Villa.”

Tess finally stopped struggling. Instead, she fixed her gaze on Finn and drew out each word deliberately, “Let. Go. Of. Me.”

Hearing her words, Finn felt like something had slammed into his chest.

He had looked into her eyes countless times, but now they seemed more numb and hollow than ever, leaving his heart uneasy.

It was as if someone had gripped his heart and squeezed it tight.

Finn tried again, even bringing up Layla. “If you’re not satisfied, I’ll have Zane investigate again. But you need to come home with me first. Layla is still at Evermount Villa. Can you really bear to leave her there alone?”

Seeing Tess’s steely resolve, he instinctively softened his voice, a hint of pleading slipping in.

Tess shot him a sidelong glance, finding his words almost laughable.

A cold smile curled on her lips. “Once I teach everyone who wants to hurt Layla a lesson, she’ll be safer than ever.”

With that, Tess raised her hand and aimed the whip at Nadine.

Paralyzed by fear, Nadine crumpled to the floor again before she could even stand upright.

“Finn, help me!”

She scrambled toward Finn, eyes wide with terror.

“Zane, get Nadine out of here!”

Finn frowned, sidestepping her, and barked the order to Zane.

Zane immediately stepped in and pulled Nadine away, while Finn kept a tight hold on Tess’s

wrist.

With Nadine getting pulled away, Tess suddenly found a burst of strength and shoved Finn aside. She charged forward and grabbed Nadine by the hair, slapping her hard across the face over and over.

It all happened in an instant, and nobody in the room even had time to react.

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Chapter 288 This Is Not Her Fault

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Tess then lifted the whip and struck Nadine’s body several times, putting all her strength into each blow.

“Ah!”

Nadine’s shrill screams echoed through the room. After a few seconds, the others finally snapped out of their shock and rushed over to pull them apart.

Her face instantly swelled, turning red and puffy like an overripe tomato. Tears streamed down her cheeks relentlessly, leaving her looking utterly pitiful and miserable.

“Nadine!”

Kylie rushed over and scooped Nadine up, cupping her ruined face in trembling hands.

Heidi stepped in front of them protectively. She glared furiously at Tess. “Tess! Mr. Lock already said it wasn’t Nadine. Why are you still treating her like this?”

Tess barely registered the angry accusations. Instead, she fixed her gaze squarely on Nadine. “You know better than anyone what really happened. If you ever try this again, the pain will be ten or a hundred times worse than today.”

It might have sounded like any other threat, but when Nadine saw the cold fury in Tess’s eyes, she couldn’t help but shudder, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Finn felt a headache coming on, and Zane immediately swooped in to help Nadine up.

“Take her to Lock Group Private Hospital for a check–up.”

Finn barely spared Nadine a glance before turning to restrain Tess, holding her by both arms.

Finn’s distant attitude left Nadine devastated. The heartbreak was so intense, she felt like her body might collapse at any moment.

She looked at Finn, unwilling to accept it, but his attention was all on Tess. The slight furrow in his brow was the only sign that he remembered she was even there.

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