Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 555

**Keepsake 555**
**The Childhood Promise**

Abel sprang from his chair, tension coiling through his body like a tightly wound spring. “What photo are you talking about?” he demanded, his voice barely above a whisper yet laced with urgency.

His gaze flitted between Lachlan and Tess, a whirlwind of panic and anger swirling within him. In that moment, he resembled a young girl whose heart had been shattered by the very person she had trusted the most. “Tess, you need to say something!”

Tess, feeling the weight of the situation press down on her, rubbed her temples in frustration. The whole ordeal was draining her. “That was ages ago when we were just kids. I honestly don’t even recall any engagement. If that’s the reason you’ve been lurking around, I think it’s completely unnecessary.”

Lachlan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re trying to back out of it?”

The words hung in the air like a heavy fog. For a fleeting moment, it felt as if the remnants of Lachlan’s already fragmented heart were disintegrating into dust, scattering away from him.

Tess’s lips twitched slightly, a mix of annoyance and pity. “I don’t know anything about it, and I never agreed to any of this. Even if it was real back then, we’ve both grown up now. That promise shouldn’t hold any weight.”

“It does count!” Lachlan’s voice rose, desperate and pleading.

He could feel the finality in Tess’s tone, a wall he could not breach. Instantly, his eyes burned with frustration and hurt. He reached out, intent on grasping her wrist, but before he could make contact, Abel intervened, pushing Lachlan’s arm away with a forceful shove. “Didn’t you hear her? She said it doesn’t count!”

Abel’s glare was icy and sharp, a blade of warning that cut through the tension. The fury blazing in his eyes made it abundantly clear: one more misstep, and he wouldn’t hesitate to escalate the confrontation.

Truth be told, his heart raced with a mixture of fear and protectiveness.

Sensing the escalating hostility, Tess quickly stepped between the two men, her presence a barrier. Without uttering a single word, she lifted her foot and delivered a swift kick to Abel, sending him stumbling toward the door. “You too. Go back to your hotel.”

Abel blinked, momentarily stunned by her sudden assertiveness.

The door slammed shut behind him with a resounding bang, leaving him standing in the hallway, staring blankly at the closed door. His hair was slightly disheveled, but it was his pride that lay in tatters.

Inside, Lachlan’s expression flickered with renewed hope, as though he was about to voice something profound.

Bang!

In the blink of an eye, he found himself unceremoniously shoved out the door.

Raven peeked from behind Tess, a cheeky grin spreading across her face as she retracted her foot, looking half-apologetic yet undeniably pleased with herself. “You can’t waste time arguing with that guy.”

With a clap of her hands, she pulled Tess down to sit beside her, the air filled with a sense of camaraderie. “Steven’s already inside the factory. Everything’s going according to plan. And according to his roommate, Nicholas is working in Zone B.”

Raven reported her findings in one breath, then eagerly accepted the glass of water Tess handed her, gulping it down as if it were a refreshing elixir.

“Alright, we’ll wait for Steven to confirm everything,” Tess replied, nodding in agreement.

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