Chapter 220
Briony paced around her room, wringing her hands before finally gathering up the courage to call her mother, Belinda
“Mom, I really don’t want to end up behind bars, and I sure as hell don’t want this baby. The Rosenbergs are bankrupt now, and there’s no way they can give me or the kid a decent life.”
She wouldn’t let Milford drag her down with his failures! She had set her sights on the Rosenberg fortune and now that it was gone, she wanted nothing to do with them.
Belinda was silent for a moment before soothing her. “Don’t you worry, honey, I’ve got you.”
Brieny continued, desperation in her voice. “Mom, if it comes down to it, can’t you reach out to my real dad? Vincent’s practically on his deathbed. Are you really gonna stick with him?”
The mere mention of Vincent got Belinda’s blood boiling.
That damn fool Vincent, always crying poor when he had slyly transferred all his assets to his bastard son!
“I won’t divorce him until I get back every penny of our marital assets. I’ll be damned if I let Vincent get away with this!”
As for Briony’s biological father…
Well, Belinda wasn’t exactly sure herself. She’d had a string of boyfriends before marrying Vincent, and pinning down which one fathered Briony wasn’t straightforward.
With no clear answer, she decided to choose the most suitable candidate for now.
Belinda pondered a moment, then replied, “Your dad…he’s in the gemstone business. He mentioned something about mining nephrite, and that stuff’s worth a fortune. If we can find him, you won’t have to worry about a thing. I’ll find you a sharp lawyer first. Once you’re in the clear, we’ll take care of the baby. The Rosenbergs are broke as a joke now; we can’t have their child.”
Briony quickly agreed!
If she found her real father, she was sure her future would be bright. Then, whether it was Milford or Noella, they would have to bow
down to her.
“Mom, you’ve got to get back what Vincent took from us, or how are we supposed to live? I heard from Milford’s mom that Noella’s rolling in dough. Now that we’re down on our luck, she can’t just ignore us, right?”
The words left a sour taste in her mouth.
Why was Noella so damn lucky, finding a rich guy to latch onto in times like these?
“Noella? That little brat? Forget it. She doesn’t see us as family. Briony, do not go to her.”
Belinda still felt the pain from the last time Noella had given her what for, and it made her skin crawl. If Briony went to Noella, she might end up getting a beating too.
Briony dismissed her mother’s concerns, suspecting Belinda wanted to go after Noella’s money herself and would abandon her if she got it.
After hanging up, Briony eyed the guards outside her room.
She needed to find a way out the thought of jail or having Milford’s child and then prison was
just terrifying!
Meanwhile, Noella dined leisurely, listening to Yasbel’s animated recount of the afternoon’s spectacle.
“Boss, you should have seen it! Milford at the hospital, a complete mess. And then, a bunch of girls calling him, claiming they’re pregnant, and he’s denying all of them. I was there for a shoot and witnessed this whole circus.”
The onlookers, including the doctors, all turned their gaze on Milford, expressions souring.
Noella knew Milford’s true colors and wasn’t surprised by the news.
“It’s none of my business.”
She never took people like Milford seriously.
Yasbel whistled, glancing at Palmer who was busy grilling steaks for Noella.
“True that. You’ve got yourself a real man now. Milford’s just trash.”
Palmer’s smile didn’t waver, taking the comments as compliments from Noella’s crew.
Yasbel had stopped by to drop off some documents and snagged a dinner invite. Watching Palmer pamper Noella, a hint of envy crept
- in.
Even with an injured hand, Palmer was grilling steaks and serving her like royalty. Yasbel couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.
10:32
Outside the restaurant Milford, arm–in–arm with a couple of models he’d just met, was off to a hotel. However, his gaze caught Noella standing by the entrance of the grill house, bathed in the warm glow of the streetlight. She looked ethereal in her dress, like a modern–day goddess. Milford’s thoughts raced, fueled by Linsey’s earlier words, and his heart raced with desire.
He approached Noella. “Noella, are you here waiting for me?”
Noella glanced back at Yasbel and ordered coldly, “Turn off the cameras”
“Got it!”
Milford, clueless, thought Noella wanted privacy for a date, but before his smile could bloom, he was on the receiving end of a solid punch!
The fierce blows came without mercy, leaving Milford crying out in shock.
Noella massaged her wrist and took a wet wipe from Palmer to clean her hands.
“What filth. Even restrooms are cleaner than you.”
Milford, in feat backed away, staring at Noella and Palmer. “You… you dare hit me?”
“I didn’t want to bother with you, but you insisted on parading in front of me, disgusting.”
“Noella, you can’t touch me! You think your pretty boy will stand up for you? I’m not afraid of you! If you lay a hand on me, I won’t let you off the hook!”
Noella shook her head in disdain. “Yasbel, take care of him, then dump him at the police station.”
“Right on it!”
They were pros at playing host, promising to give Milford the warmest welcome he’d never want to head back to his own digs again.
Noella retracted her gaze, her expression serene. “Don’t go overboard; just make sure he crosses the street whenever he sees me coming.”
Yasbel chuckled mischievously. “We’ve got a bunch of new tasers in the lab that haven’t been tested yet. Using him would be perfect and, hey, it might even contribute to science. Just hope he doesn’t end up like a roast on the BBQ…”
The thought of the BBQ they had just had for dinner made Yasbel hastily shake the gruesome image from her mind.
Seeing the tide turning against him, Milford blurted out in panic, “Noella, you’re nothing but trash. Me taking a shine to you was a blessing you ungrateful…”
“If it weren’t for the fact that you just wet yourself, I might’ve believed that bluster.”
Milford’s pants were indeed soaked, a testament to Noella’s intimidation tactics that had him literally pissing his pants!
Yasbel and a few others from the Obelisk Organization clamped a hand over Milford’s mouth and disappeared around the corner of the alley. The up–and–coming model waiting for Milford caught the commotion and bolted without a trace.
“After you’re done with your business, can you hand him off to me?” Palmer’s voice floated over.
Noella looked up to see him standing where the moonlight and streetlamp light intersected, draping him in an aura of prestige and brilliance.
“What do you have in mind for him?”
“Probably something more entertaining than sending him to the slammer.”
Noella nodded. ‘Be my guest. I’ve lost all interest in him.”
Palmer suddenly stepped closer and took Noella’s hand in his own, squinting slightly as he admired the formidable beauty before him. “Under the streetlight, there are two shadows. One is mine, and the other, well, that’s still mine.”
