Chapter 83:

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Melany shot Allison a glare, her expression brimming with self-righteous indignation. “Allison, even if you and Colton are no longer together, there was a time when you shared something meaningful. How can you be so heartless, taking pleasure in his misery like this? It makes you seem cruel! And really, you’ve moved on so quickly after the divorce? Looks like you didn’t just move on; you must’ve had this planned all along.”

Surprisingly, her words lacked the usual biting sarcasm. The reason was clear—she was extremely jealous now. Allison had lived in luxury for years—luxury that, in Melany’s eyes, should have been hers.

She had expected that after the divorce, Allison would crumble, maybe even end up in the gutter. Yet, despite everything, Melany and Colton hadn’t managed to gain the upper hand once. Instead, Melany had followed Colton through humiliation after humiliation—groveling for forgiveness, apologizing in front of crowds, even jumping into a river. It was one disaster after another.

“You’re just too frivolous, Allison,” Melany spat, her words laced with bitter envy. It enraged her that even the unpredictable Kellan had stepped in to defend Allison. Kellan’s eyes darkened, a dangerous glint flickering in them.

“If you’re that eager to meet your end, why not jump out of a window? It’ll be quicker than doing it here.” His deep voice held a magnetic quality, sending shivers through everyone present. “Miss Clarke is my niece’s pottery instructor,” he continued, his calm tone chilling. “Spread any more of these absurd rumors, and you might want to start counting how many limbs you have left to break.”

This wasn’t just about slander anymore. Kellan usually ignored baseless rumors, but this time, with Allison caught in the crossfire, it felt different. He didn’t tolerate people dragging her into such filth, and that alone was enough to warrant his warning.

Colton, who had never been humiliated like this in his life, felt his rage bubble over. “Allison? A pottery teacher?” he sneered. “Who knows if she’s teaching pottery or something else in bed? And you, Mr. Lloyd, stooping this low for a woman who’s already been through a divorce—what, are you that desperate? Back when she and I…”

Colton’s words trailed off, his eyes narrowing as something clicked. His gaze snapped toward Allison. “Oh, I see it now. When you went to the Lloyd Group for sponsorship, you were using your body as the bargaining chip, weren’t you?”

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Smack! Allison had had enough. Her hand flew through the air, landing a stinging slap across Colton’s face with all the force of her pent-up fury. His cheek immediately swelled and flushed red.

“All those years, I fought tirelessly for your family’s revival. You, worthless alcoholic, tried every technique in the book and still failed. The only reason your father urged me to help was that he couldn’t bear watching you anymore.”

Her icy eyes bored into him. “If I hadn’t spent hours waiting at the Lloyd Group to secure that deal, you, Mr. Stevens, would be out on the street by now.”

Melany opened her mouth to say something, but Allison’s chilling gaze stopped her in her tracks, freezing her where she stood. It felt like being plunged into an ice cave. Allison’s stare wasn’t just cold — it was lethal, as though she could cut them both down with a single look. Allison’s words were as sharp as knives.

“Instead of being grateful that I preserved your wealth and status, you repay me by spreading rumors and slandering me. It’s laughable. You really have no conscience, do you? And considering how easily you accuse others of ‘bargaining with their bodies,’ I’m guessing you’ve done it yourself, Mr. Stevens. That’s why you assume others would do the same.”

Colton, still dizzy from the slap, felt his ears ringing. The cool breeze did little to calm his fury, though his face remained livid. For a brief moment, reality settled in, and it dawned on him how wrong he had been. He knew, beyond a doubt, that he had crossed a line.

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