The butler knew better; something had shifted. He couldn’t help but smile even brighter.
One was offering a necklace, while the other was refusing it. If there was something brewing between them, it was their affair to manage.
“Why share this with me, sir? I understand. We’ve all navigated these waters.” The butler gave him a knowing glance, as if he genuinely comprehended the situation. “Your taste is impeccable, but Ms. Clarke seems wary when it comes to matters of the heart. If you wish to win her over, it may take some extra effort.”
Kellan’s tone grew serious. “We are really just friends at this moment.” Yet, as he spoke, memories of that night flooded his mind. They had been intertwined in a way that was both intoxicating and addictive.
Even he struggled to define what he felt for Allison at this point.
All he knew was that whenever her name crossed his mind, his heart raced like a runaway train.
The moment Allison stepped out of Kellan’s house, her expression turned as cold as ice. She slammed her foot on the gas pedal, racing toward the genetic testing center.
“The DNA results are in,” Dr. Preston Evans said, handing her the paternity report before stepping out to give her some privacy. Allison clutched the thin sheet of paper, feeling as though it weighed a ton.
Taking a steadying breath, she opened the report and read the conclusion at the bottom. “No biological relationship!” A whirlwind of emotions swirled within her. While the lead she had hoped would provide answers abruptly stopped here, a sense of unexpected relief washed over her.
At least she wasn’t tied to Kellan by blood.
The testing center was professional and discreet. There were no cameras lurking in the office, and the soundproofing was impeccable, ensuring complete confidentiality. After a moment of contemplation, Allison folded the report and pulled out her phone to call Gordon.
“Help me investigate Kellan’s mother. I need everything you can dig up, no matter how deep,” she instructed.
Gordon hesitated for a moment but quickly recognized her voice. A hint of unhappiness laced his response. “Boss, you finally remembered I exist. I thought you had forgotten about me again.”
He had expected her return to Cobweb, but she had been nowhere to be found.
Allison had no time for banter. She spoke firmly. “This is serious, Gordon. I trust you.”
“Don’t worry, I’m on it!” Gordon replied with a laugh. “I knew something was brewing when you called out of the blue. But seriously, when are you coming back to see us? The team’s been waiting, and now they’re so excited to see you, they aren’t even in the mood to work. They barely listen to me anymore!”
“Soon.” Allison had been overwhelmed lately, struggling to carve out time for anything.
After hanging up, she tucked the test results into her bag and was about to leave the center when a familiar voice broke through. “Allison!”
Colton and Melany had been waiting for her, having spotted her car parked outside.
The sight of them made Allison scowl in disgust. “What do you two want now? You’ve really sunk low, following me?”
Her glare was filled with contempt, making Colton squirm. Still, pushed by Lindy, Colton reluctantly forced out an apology, though his words stumbled awkwardly.
“I’ve been reflecting on what happened,” he said, his voice strained. “I was wrong, and I’m here to apologize on Melany’s behalf too. She shouldn’t have copied your perfume; it was all just a misunderstanding.”
Colton’s expression was conflicted as he met her gaze. “My mother talks about you a lot, and my grandfather misses you too. If you have a moment, they’d love to see you. Just because we’re divorced doesn’t mean we have to be enemies.”
Allison listened to his lengthy speech, realizing he still hadn’t gotten to the point.
Crossing her arms, she asked coldly, “So you came all this way to ramble on? What do you really want?”
Colton faltered, caught off guard by her demeanor. But Melany interjected, her voice pleading, “It’s all on me. You can hit me or yell at me; I’ll take it. But I did it all for Colton. You, of all people, should understand how I feel. You used to love him deeply, didn’t you? Even if that love turned to hate, we don’t need to make a scene here.”
Their words seemed aimed at reconciliation.
Allison’s reply was indifferent. “Love turned to hate? You mean nothing to me. Why would I waste my time on that?”
She pressed the button on her car keys, unlocking the door, preparing to leave.
Listening to their nonsense was draining her energy.
“Wait!” Colton’s anxiety spiked as he saw her about to drive away. His brow furrowed in hesitation before he blurted out, “You’ve already secured the collaboration with the Everett Group.”
He tried to tug at her emotions. “But Allison, the Stevens Group needs this deal more than you do. Whatever it takes, we’ll pay. After all, the business is my grandfather’s legacy. You wouldn’t want the Stevens Group to miss out on such an important opportunity, right?”
Allison let out a genuine laugh, amused by his blatant self-interest.
“Not my problem.”
“You!” Colton bellowed, disbelief clear in his voice. Allison had become utterly unmanageable! In their three years of marriage, no matter what outrageous demands he or his mother made-no matter how absurd-they never met with resistance. Allison always complied. But now, it seemed like he would have to pay a far steeper price to get his way.
“If you agree to this request, not only will we give you a sum of money, but we’ll throw in 5% of Stevens Group shares. And let’s face it, you never know when you might need something from the Stevens family down the line,” Colton proposed, certain that his offer was generous.
After all, the entire Stevens family would owe Allison a favor if she accepted the offer. What else could she possibly want?
Allison responded with a laugh-cold, distant, and full of ambiguity.
Colton thought he could reel her in with emotional manipulation. It was obvious, though, he had no intention of ever handing over those shares. He believed that a few flattering words would be enough to string her along. What a farce.
The partnership with Everett Group was worth far more than the 5% he was dangling. When he had gone crawling to Kellan, practically on his knees, he had promised 10%-and that was just for an introduction. Now, he expected her to serve up an opportunity on a silver platter for a mere fraction of that?
“I don’t recall this place giving out IQ tests. Maybe you should take a detour to the mental hospital next door,” Allison retorted sharply. “I’ve met shameless people before, Colton, but you? You’re truly in a class of your own. Do you even understand what the word ‘divorce’ means?” She took a deliberate step forward, her eyes sharp and unyielding. “It means you make me sick.”
It had been years since Allison had spoken so directly.
Subtlety was usually her weapon of choice, but this time, Colton had pushed her too far.
“Well, Allison, if you’re not willing to help, there’s no need to insult him,” came a voice from behind.
It was Melany, entering at just the right moment, positioning herself between Colton and Allison. Her very presence made it impossible for Colton to back down now.
“I know you’ve just come from the Lloyd Mansion, Allison,” Melany said, her tone gentle yet dripping with poison. “But just because you’ve managed to climb the social…”
Melany’s words were sharp, her tone laced with hidden satisfaction. “Climbing the ladder doesn’t mean you should treat the people you once knew so heartlessly. Kellan might like you now, and maybe he welcomes you into his home, but you know how much these high-society families value status. It wouldn’t hurt to leave yourself an exit strategy, Allison.”
Her words appeared to defend Colton, but deep down, Melany was enjoying the tension between him and Allison. That one comment Allison had made about Lindy had been like opening Pandora’s box, setting off a chain of chaos. Ever since, Melany had been the target of constant mockery from Lindy.
Allison, however, simply smiled, indifferent to Melany’s words. “Yes, I was at the Lloyd Mansion. What exactly does that have to do with either of you?” Her tone was detached, as though she couldn’t understand why her personal life was being dragged into this argument. Were Colton and Melany still thinking in such outdated terms? Were they still trapped in the past?
Colton, already frustrated with how much he had to lower himself, was now seething with rage. Oddly, it hadn’t bothered him when Allison had mentioned spending time with a male escort. But the thought of her being with Kellan, however, was unbearable. The idea filled him with a deep sense of humiliation.
He couldn’t even pinpoint exactly what angered him more: that she had walked out on him, or that she had found her way into Kellan’s life.
“You’re absolutely shameless!” Colton roared, his hand raised, as if ready to strike Allison.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.