Chapter 42
Jackson looked at Tristian’s pitiful face and shut his eyes hard in frustration.
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The study was dim, the only light spilling in from the neon glow outside the floor–to–ceiling window. Reflections shimmered against the rims of Jackson’s gold glasses. Suddenly, he grabbed the thick file on his desk and slammed it into Tristian’s knee.
His voice cracked with disappointment. “You think I hit you because you let Ariel slander Kayla?”
Tristian forgot the sting on his cheek. He blinked, confused, and asked cautiously, “Wait, wasn’t it because of that?”
Jackson shook his head. He sat back down behind the desk, his dark eyes sharp as they pinned his son in place. “You think I don’t know what kind of person Kayla is? That girl’s entire heart belongs to Davon.
“There’s no way she’s sneaking around with other boys. You really thought I couldn’t see you and Ariel plotting this nonsense to frame her?”
Tristian pressed his lips together, guilt flickering across his face. “So, you knew all along?”
But then something seemed to click in his mind. His eyes lit up briefly, only to dim again with doubt. “Then why didn’t you expose me earlier? Why wait until now to hit me?”
Outside the door, Kayla listened to the whole conversation. The flicker of surprise she’d felt vanished instantly. She mused, ‘So that’s it. I thought maybe Jackson cared for me, even a little.
‘How foolish of me to expect that. Luckily, I stopped hoping a long time ago. It saves me heartbreak.
Still, she couldn’t help but wonder, ‘If he already knew Tristian was behind it, why is he punishing him now?‘
The answer came quickly.
Jackson’s voice dropped low, heavy with contempt. “I hit you because you’re an idiot. If you’re going to move against Kayla, you gotta plan it step by step and leave no cracks.
“Instead, you pull crap like this–leaving the school cameras untouched, no clean chain of evidence, and Ariel with that pathetic fake wound that even a child could see through. Kayla turned it all back on you. You embarrassed yourself, you
know?”
His tone dripped with disappointment, like a teacher scolding a hopeless student. He loosened his tie, the sapphire face of his Patek flashing cold in the dim light.
Jackson continued, “Remember the acquisition last month? What did I tell you? Either sit still and wait, or strike once and draw blood. You forgot everything?”
Jackson’s face darkened to a stormy gray. His son, the so–called family heir, wasn’t just incompetent. He’d let himself get cornered by his younger sister.
Jackson’s mind slipped back for a moment. He had built his empire from nothing, clawed his way to the top through brilliance and grit, never bowing to fate.
But now, looking at his son’s weak performance, he couldn’t help but think, ‘If only back then…
He drifted for a heartbeat, lost in thought.
Tristian didn’t notice the change in his father’s expression, but he did catch the meaning of his words. It wasn’t about
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7:36 pm
Chapter 42
protecting Kayla at all.
Realizing that, Tristian didn’t fear anything. His body loosened, and confidence crept back in.
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He chuckled and flopped onto the sofa, brushing a finger across his obsidian bracelet. “Dad, this isn’t all on me. It’s that idiot Ariel.
“I told him to make the wound look worse, but who knew he’d fake it so badly and get caught? Kayla only noticed because of his screw–up.”
Then his face twisted with sudden inspiration, and he rushed to add, “Dad, Kayla fooled you and Mom. That wound on her shoulder was made by herself. It had nothing to do with me. And she lied about the money too.
“I never took her money. She jabbed Ariel with a pen. That’s true. She’s vicious when she wants to be.
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AD
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