Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 547

**TITLE: Keepsake 547**
**Chapter 547: Pack Your Things**

The air in the room was thick with unspoken words when Lyra’s voice sliced through the silence. “We need to talk,” she said, her tone firm yet gentle.

Tess halted mid-thought, her gaze shifting to meet Lyra’s eyes, which shimmered with concern. There was something in that look that made Tess instinctively bite her lip, a habit she had developed over the years whenever anxiety crept in.

Raven, who had been smiling just moments before, suddenly became still, her expression morphing into one of seriousness. The mood in the car shifted palpably, as if they were all holding their breath, waiting for the next wave to crash.

Lyra reached out, her fingers brushing against Tess’s in a soft, reassuring gesture. “Look, I know Steven has been a huge help to us. It feels a bit selfish to say this, but he chose to be part of this too. If you let Jolie manipulate you, then she wins. And we can’t let that happen.”

Tess exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing just a fraction. “I’m okay,” she replied, though the uncertainty in her voice betrayed her. Her gaze drifted toward the window, her thoughts clearly elsewhere, lost in a haze of memories and regrets.

She continued, her voice barely above a whisper, “When I was a lawyer at Lock Group, Steven and I were close. He was my anchor. And when everything fell apart, he severed ties with Finn and left the country. I’ve always felt this heavy weight of guilt for what he sacrificed for me.”

Back then, Lock Group was a titan in Crorus, and Steven, a rising star in the tech department, had a promising future ahead of him. Yet, he had willingly tossed it all aside, venturing into the unknown just to be there for her. It was a testament to his character, one that Tess cherished and lamented in equal measure.

“Talent shines no matter where it lands,” she thought, a small flicker of pride igniting within her.

“We should throw him a proper farewell party when this project wraps up,” Lyra suggested, her fingers still gently rubbing Tess’s to soothe her frayed nerves.

Tess nodded, a small smile breaking through her earlier melancholy.

As they drove away, the trio remained blissfully unaware of the figure lurking in the shadows, watching their departure with a gaze that could cut glass.

Jolie stood there, her heart racing with a mix of envy and resentment, the cold wind biting at her skin as she felt fury simmering within her. She remained rooted in place until the chill seeped deep into her bones, finally forcing her to move toward Steven’s office, her steps slow and deliberate, each one heavy with the weight of her emotions.

Just as she had anticipated, the light in Steven’s office was still glowing warmly against the encroaching night.

With a cautious approach, she crept closer, allowing only a furtive glance into the room.

Inside, Steven was hunched over his desk, completely absorbed in his work, a sprawling map unfurled before him.

Jolie recognized that map instantly; it was the very one Lyra had handed to him earlier, detailing a factory located on the outskirts of Aetheris.

The audacity of it all struck her like a blow. They were actually asking Steven to infiltrate that place and track someone down? The thought sent a wave of indignation coursing through her veins.

How could they even consider putting him in such a dangerous position? Steven was a brilliant tech researcher, and she wouldn’t even trust him with trivial tasks, let alone something so reckless.

Yet here he was, diving headfirst into their unreasonable demands as if they were nothing more than a casual request.

The more she replayed the scene in her mind, the angrier she became, her arm trembling involuntarily with frustration.

Knock, knock!

This time, she struck the door firmly, her heart racing.

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