Karma Doesn’t Sleep: The Revenge Queen Rises novel Chapter 282

“Will, are you mad at me?” Kristen’s voice was small and shaky as she looked up at him, eyes red and shining with tears. “If I did something wrong, just tell me, okay?”

A single tear slipped down her cheek.

“You’ve always been like the sweetest big brother to me. I don’t want you to hate me.”

Will didn’t say a word.

He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t upset with Kristen. Back when they were working together, she was the one who’d convinced him that the R&D manager—Clive’s wife—was just some entitled woman who only got her job thanks to connections, always making life miserable for others.

But now he knew the truth. That manager was Amelia.

Amelia would never do something like that.

He didn’t even want to argue with Kristen about it. He still couldn’t help seeing her as the girl he remembered from their younger days.

Will’s mind was made up. This meeting was just to close the chapter. He’d help Kristen one last time. It was his way of paying back the girl who once ran through a thunderstorm to the funeral home, just to give him her piggy bank.

Now Kristen was in tears. Makeup-free, her bare face made her look even younger, and for a second, he could almost see the girl she used to be.

Will’s resolve softened. He handed her a tissue.

“Did you already know the Amelia I was looking for is the R&D manager—Clive’s wife?” He met her eyes, his stare heavy and serious. “Back at West Medicine, you heard me call her name. You slammed on the brakes on purpose, didn’t you?”

“No, Will, that’s not it!” Kristen shook her head frantically. “I’d never do that!”

“Yes, you would.” Will cut her off, his voice quiet but certain.

Kristen froze, lips parted, unable to speak.

He looked down, took a slow sip of his coffee, and then glanced up at her again, eyes sharp as glass.

“You want West Medicine’s contract, but your skills don’t match your ambition. That’s why you need my help. And Amelia…”

The second he said that name, his whole expression softened.

Kristen’s hands curled into fists in her lap as she listened.

“As long as Amelia’s around, no one else stands a chance.” His voice was warm, almost admiring—like he was completely taken with her.

Kristen felt like she could scream.

She’d always been Will’s special person. She didn’t love him, but being his exception, the one girl who mattered, always made her feel good about herself.

Why should someone like Amelia get to take that spot?

That was exactly what Kristen wanted to hear.

She’d glanced at Will’s phone before and knew he had connections to top-secret projects, the kind backed by the White House and military. S+ was the highest level, but even S-level meant elite. Getting on a project like this was just as good as working with West Medicine.

Kristen tried to act modest. “Will, I don’t want you to feel like you owe me anything…”

“You don’t. I know what you can do, and Cloudcrest is not some small company. You’re ready for a government partnership.”

As he spoke, Will called Dr. Wade, the head of Green Wall, and recommended Kristen and Cloudcrest for the project.

After a quick conversation, he turned back to her. “I’ll send you Dr. Wade’s contact info and the research base address. Just head over there tomorrow morning.”

“Will, are you sure I can do this?”

He nodded. “It’s only challenging at the core tech level. The rest is pretty manageable. You’ll be fine.”

Will checked his watch. “I have to go. Take care.”

“Bye, Will.”

Kristen watched him walk away, her face wiping clean of tears. Her expression cold, she grabbed her phone and stared at Clive’s two missed calls.