Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 451

Chapter 451 Nadine’s Scheme

Chapter 451 Nadine’s Scheme

And seeing her like that only made Max more obsessed.

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His patience felt endless; he reached out and stroked her hair with exaggerated gentleness. “Mm, Tess, take the medicine. I will sleep with you tonight, you’ll feel better in the morning.”

Tess couldn’t make sense of much anymore–she stared blankly and, half–awake, nodded once. “Medicine… sleep… better. Grandma said the same.”

Her whisper was soft and sweet.

Max moved to remove her outer coat.

If an outsider saw the scene, they’d call him considerate–who’d guess the ugly, filthy intent under that handsome, gentle face?

He peeled the coat away, and Tess’s smooth, pale shoulder showed like a polished white pearl.

A dark light flickered in Max’s eyes. Facing her dazed gaze, he should have felt shame–but he felt only excitement.

He was going to have her.

Tess was stubborn to the point of recklessness and decisive. She’d loved Finn hard once, and after prison, she’d divorced him without looking back. By rights, she should have cut him off entirely–yet she still had ties to him now.

Jealousy fermented in Max’s chest; he kept narrowing it down to the same conclusion: she’d slept with Finn, maybe even had his child. If Tess wouldn’t accept him, then maybe–if Max did to her what Finn had …

The thought scattered his focus; the idea of standing beside Tess sent a thrilling shiver through him.

He closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss her.

Those cherry lips he’d imagined for so long–was he finally going to get them?

His heart hammered so loud he could feel it in his throat.

“Come on! Stop dawdling–Nadine said this is going to be the hot scoop in a day or two. She leaked it industry–wide herself. Whoever breaks it first wins!”

A skulk of people had appeared outside the hotel, craning their necks and peeking around.

They kept glancing down at their phones, like they were checking for updates.

When everyone confirmed what they’d seen, they slipped into the lobby together.

The desk was about to stop them, but a long line of people poured in, and the staff, worried about safety, stepped aside to call for

help.

“Nadine, what are you doing?”

A low–key luxury car idled nearby.

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Chapter 451 Nadine’s Scheme

Nadine squinted at the convoy outside; Henry frowned. “Nadine, what’s going on?”

Hiring that many reporters must cost a fortune.

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Times weren’t what they used to be–Kylie’s wedding dress didn’t sell, and the family’s lifestyle couldn’t go back to past extravagance. Henry’s old frugal habits were resurfacing.

“Dad, don’t worry. Tess keeps defying you–she needs a lesson,” Nadine said coolly, eyes fixed on the hotel lobby.

Tess–caught cheating in bed this time–what would she say then?

Nadine had planned to use Max and their theft of Lock Group secrets to drag Tess down. Instead, Tess had kept slipping out of every trap and somehow ended up as Cavrielle’s guest designer, celebrated by people like Abel and Connor.

Why her? She didn’t deserve it–not in Nadine’s book.

Jealousy and resentment swelled until Nadine wanted to rip Tess apart.

Even if she was born with less, Henry truly loved Shannon, and she had always been the favored one growing up–more spoiled than Tess. Besides, if Tess’s mother hadn’t butted in and blocked her parents back then, the rightful first daughter of the Embers would’ve been Nadine! Tess has been sitting in my place this whole time! If it weren’t for Tess, I wouldn’t carry the stain of having been detained!

The more Nadine thought about it, the wilder the anger churned in her chest, boiling and surging until she wanted to run upstairs and tear Tess to pieces.

But a scene she’d imagined flickered through her mind, and the heat in her throat slowly cooled; her mouth curved into a strange, tight smile.

It’s fine–just wait a little longer. Once my plan rolls out, Tess will be ruined; soon, the whole of Aetheris will be shouting for her head.

Out front, the crowd fell into a quiet choreography. Ten steps from the entrance, they slowed, tiptoed forward, huddled at the door, and kept checking their phones for the cue.

Max had no idea what was going on out there. Inside, he had been completely lost in the woman before him.

He leaned in closer to the person he’d been dreaming about.

But just as he was only a finger’s width away from Tess, something louder than his heartbeat pierced through the room.

8:31 pm P