Chapter 20 Holding Her Like That and Still Claim There’s Nothing Between You Two?
Everyone was stunned.
They tollowed the voice toward the doorway.
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There stood a woman, drenched from head to toe, pale as a ghost, with scratches on her forehead and cheeks. She looked battered and weak, yet still beautiful enough to take one’s breath away.
Candice!
It was Candice!
Everyone from the company and the factory recognized her–the breathtakingly graceful Miss Hale.
Charlie shot to his feet and strode quickly over to support her, his eyes gleaming like stars in the night sky.
“Candice, you’re okay.”
Relief flooded through him like a crashing wave, overwhelming his heart and triggering a near–irresistible urge to pull her into his arms.
Candice managed a faint smile.
“I got lucky. Didn’t die.”
Her grandmother’s house was by the sea, and before elementary school, she had grown up in a fishing village. She was a strong swimmer and knew how to navigate when the waves hit.
She was also fortunate that when she jumped, she hit the reef with her leg–not her head.
Nick’s face turned ashen.
No. No way. How could she have survived–let alone made it back to the factory?
Candice certainly hadn’t walked all the way on her own. Her leg had been gashed open by the reef–every step was agony.
She didn’t know the island well and had no idea how to get back.
A kind girl on an electric scooter had passed by and brought her here.
She knew Charlie would be at the factory right now, and no matter what, she had to return–to expose Edward and Nick’s crimes!
“You’re hurt. I’ll take you to the hospital first,” Charlie said, noticing the towel wrapped around her thigh, soaked with blood- stark and jarring against the white fabric.
“Handle this first. I can hold on.”
Candice’s eyes locked onto Nick. Her face and lips were colorless, but the fire in her eyes was unmistakable.
Charlie knew better than to argue.
This woman looked delicate on the outside but was iron–willed. Even if her leg were broken, she’d crawl her way back to seek
justice.
“Walk slowly.” He slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently into his embrace.
After only a few steps, she was drenched in cold sweat, teeth clenched from the pain. Charlie could bear it no longer–ignoring everyone’s gaze, he swept her into his arms and carried her to his seat.
The room fell into stunned silence.
And they still claimed there was nothing going on between them?
Chapter 40 Holding Her tike That and Still Claim There’s Nothing Between You Two?
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That hug was way too natural!
Jessica’s eyes turned crimson. It felt like a thousand arrows had pierced her heart.
But Candice, having just survived a brush with death, felt nothing but relief from the pain. She didn’t have the energy for overthinking.
Jessica’s phone, still on speaker, sat on the table.
Candice glanced at the screen and immediately understood.
She let out a mocking laugh.
“Zack, how bold of you. You could at least make sure I was dead before running your mouth.”
“…I don’t know what you mean, Miss Hale,” Nick said, playing dumb.
It had just been the two of them–no witnesses, no physical evidence. All she had were empty accusations,
He quickly turned to Jessica, using her resentment against Candice to stoke her emotions.
“She came back just to humiliate me on the surface–but really, she wants to make a fool of you. She wants to embarrass you in front of the President. Her scheming runs deep.”
Candice:…
What a shameless bastard!
She’d thought no one would fall for such illogical nonsense, but the next second Jessica’s eyes burned with hostility.
“Candice, are you accusing Zack? Was this a setup? You dragged everyone here in the middle of the night just to stage a drama and seduce a man?”
Candice’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Her mind raced with possibilities.
Was Jessica an accomplice?
No–her position didn’t require her to stoop so low.
Then Nick must’ve gotten to her first–poisoned her thoughts.
“Ms. Barnes, I don’t know what he told you, but please give me five minutes to explain everything-”
“Shut up!” Jessica shouted.
Her anger surged at the sight of Candice’s fragile, pitiful appearance–she thought it was just a ploy to trigger Charlie’s protective instincts. It made her sick.
Candice froze again at the outburst.
Nick: A love–struck fool is easy to manipulate.
Their entire exchange had been transmitted clearly to the other end of the phone–straight to Denny, who listened with a grim expression..
His falcon–like eyes narrowed slightly.
“The one who needs to shut up is you.”
Charlie finally spoke, turning his gaze coldly to Jessica.
“Hopeless,” he said, only needing four words to pass judgment.
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Chapter 40 Holding Hot Hea that ond Still Claim There’s Nothing Between You Two?
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He had given her chances again and again–hoping she’d wise to, take his words to heart. But she’d let herself be led around by a clown.
Jessica’s lips quivered.
Those four words shattered her. Tears streamed silently down her cheeks.
Candice finally understood.
Jessica had never truly cared about the company’s issues. She had een so blinded by Jealousy and emotion that she couldn’t even see they weren’t on the same page.
Candice felt a twinge of regret but didn’t have time to explain that there was nothing romantic between her and Charlie.
Now was not the time for emotional entanglements!
She turned her burning gaze back to Nick.
“Zack, you think that just because it was only us in the room, and have no witnesses, that I can’t bring down scum like you?”
Nick stiffened. Her words had hit the mark.
He retorted angrily,
“Miss Hale, we have no personal grudges. Why are you trying to destroy me? Just to impress the President? You think you can make up lies and get away with it?”
Candice’s eyes were icy but calm.
Then she turned to Charlie.
“President, for the sake of the investigation, I brought a voice recorder with me this morning. It can record continuously for 48 hours.”
“I hid it in my bra and later stashed it under the coffee table at the old house where I was held. The house by the sea–I’ll draw a map. Please send someone to retrieve it. Everything Nick, Factory Director Duke, and others said at the factory–it’s all in there. The truth will speak for itself.”
The moment she finished, several people, including Nick, visibly panicked.
“No need for a map. That’s Factory Director Duke’s house–he already confessed.”
Another thunderclap from Charlie.
He called Jerry right there in front of everyone, instructing him to retrieve the recorder and bring Edward back.
Those involved in the plot looked like they’d seen a ghost.
Meanwhile-
Jerry had already been on his way back. He and Kyle had received word that Candice had returned. Edward was with Kyle.
Jerry didn’t mention that part–no need. As long as they brought him back, it didn’t matter who did it.
Candice, however, had no idea that her clingy, soon–to–be–ex fiancé was also nearby and would soon be standing in front of her.
As Charlie ended the call, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Those previously skeptical now began to believe that Candice really had been kidnapped.
Those guilty or complicit–felt like they were standing on the edge of a cliff.
Nick’s face twitched..
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Chapter 40 Holding Her Like That and Still Claim There’s Nothing Between You Two?
“Fine, go get the recorder. I’m not afraid! I’ve done nothing wrong—let the evidence show that!”
…Heh.” Candice let out a weak laugh. Blood loss had made her voice faint, almost tender.
“Keep talking. Swear to God. Cry a little, too. Otherwise the coming twist won’t be dramatic enough.”
”
“”
“Go ahead, give us a show. Someone, film this please. Otherwise, zack might deny everything later.”
She called out, but no one moved–everyone just glanced at each other awkwardly.
Charlie picked up his phone.
“I’ll record it.”
With the President taking the lead, those confident they weren’t involved quickly pulled out their phones as well.
Nick, surrounded by cameras, was now truly panicking.
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