When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese) novel Chapter 452

Chapter 452 He Refused Her

Chapter 452 He Refused Her

Zacharias didn’t even register Coral’s presence at first.

Then her cold laugh cut through the silence. “Mr. Shaw, done playing your little games.”

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His body stiffened, but in a blink, he pulled himself together. He lifted his head and locked eyes with her with a stare sharp enough to slice through steel.

Coral instinctively shrank back into the corner of the couch, clutching her neck like his gaze could reach through her skin.

She swallowed hard. “Anneliese already cleared herself of the academic fraud. Next, she’s going to spill everything about your little affair. Everyone online is already cheering her on. People will believe her. You really want to be nailed to the public’s pillar of shame as a cheating jerk?

“If Clauderias Tech’s stock drops any further, you’ll have a tough time explaining it to the shareholders. Compared to what the company might lose, my twenty million barely scratches the surface.

“All I need is the cash. I’ll go live immediately and set the record straight. I planned all of this to seduce you. You never played nicely with me. The abortion was someone else’s baby, not yours. Sure, some people might still doubt you, but it’ll save part of your reputation, and you know it.”

By now, Coral no longer cared about the online hate or threats. She wanted the money. Anneliese wouldn’t give it, and she wouldn’t fall for anything. Coral was determined to take it from Zacharias.

Twenty million would be her ticket out. She wouldn’t look back at her parents leeching off her or at Tonell. She’d disappear to a small, quiet place and start over.

She stared at him, confident he would agree.

But Zacharias just stood there, silent, studying her for a long moment. Then he got up. He walked toward the door and didn’t look back. “No.”

He refused her.

Coral couldn’t believe it. She watched Zacharias start to walk away without so much as a glance back, and something inside her snapped. She jumped to her feet and ran after him.

“Zacharias, what the hell are you thinking?” she yelled.

He didn’t struggle when she grabbed his arm. He turned to look at her, and his expression was tight. “I messed up, I admit it. But Coral, you don’t really know me at all.”

Coral’s pupils shrank. “You’re seriously gonna admit to cheating, Zacharias? Are you out of your mind? Don’t you even worry that I could post those nude photos online? The board would fire you in a heartbeat!

“You’d lose everything! You really think that groveling apology of yours would make Anneliese see you differently? Forget it. With Mr. Fullbuster as a shining example, you don’t even register. Anneliese isn’t gonna be moved, and there’s no way you’re getting back with her now. You’ve got nothing, and that means you don’t stand a chance against Mr. Fullbuster.”

Her voice went higher and sharper, frenzied as she yanked at him.

Zacharias didn’t answer. He shook her hand off and kept walking. All he knew was that Anneliese had given so much, and he had

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Chapter 452 He Refused Her

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failed her in return.

At this point, if he stooped to team up with Coral and get tangled in her schemes, he’d hate himself even more than anyone else could. Forget Anneliese–he wouldn’t even be able to stand himself. Even the public wasn’t as naive as she thought.

“Mr. Shaw! Zacharias, you can’t do this to me. We could have both won, I’m begging you, Zacharias.” Coral’s voice broke as she ran after him, tears streaking her cheek.

She couldn’t accept it. After everything she had done, carrying the weight of the whole world on her shoulders, it was ending like this. Like a clown. With nothing to show for it, and everyone online hating her.

But her cries didn’t stop him. He kept walking and finally spoke, his voice cold as ice. “Coral, we’re both getting exactly what we deserve.”

In the car outside the restaurant, Anneliese scrolled through her phone, checking the latest comments. The online chatter had mainly shifted in her favor–no one seemed hung up on her being dragged into the lab anymore. The focus had moved to her relationship with Zacharias.

‘Even if she was a genius girl who voluntarily donated her research to the country, that didn’t automatically make her morally spotless in matters of the heart. Why wasn’t anyone asking her to address the whole side–relationship thing or forcing Coral to have an abortion?‘

‘Poor Coral. Seriously, anyone would be trash for being a side chick.‘

‘I’m sure Anneliese, who gave away her research for free, wouldn’t ever meddle in someone else’s relationship. She’ll clarify eventually.‘

‘From looks to brains and talent, Coral doesn’t even come close. From a guy’s perspective, Anneliese is way more capable of being a side chick, unless Zacharias is blind.‘

Anneliese just sat there, quietly taking it all in. After reading through the comments, she handed Jonathan the statement she’d already prepared, complete with the marriage certificate and divorce papers.

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