Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 461 - Chapitre 470

The air between them grew heavy, the tension visible. Jenny felt the wine glass shudder fractionally in her hand, but she forced her fingers to stabilize. Her thoughts were reeling JM Reese, her old boyfriend, the man who had been everything to her a little while ago, was before her now, acting like he could simply resume where they had stopped. She had worked for years rebuilding her life, attempting to erase the hurt he had inflicted, and now here he was once more, playing the victim.But this time things were different.She was not the same vulnerable girl she once was. She was not the one who would fall for his charm, his words, or his empty promises. No matter how her heart hurt, no matter how much she still loved him, she could not afford to let herself fall back into the past. Not now."Jenny, please," JM's voice was gentle now, pleading, but she refused to relent, not for him. She didn't want his apologies, his words. Not now."I don't know what game you're playing," she spoke

JM shifted uncomfortably beneath the intensity of her stare, but he regained his composure shortly. "I don't love her anymore, Eva. You know that."Eva's lips twisted into a tense, almost obligatory smile. "Do you really think I'm going to believe that?" She crossed her arms, not disguising the annoyance creeping into her voice. "You don't speak to somebody like that if there's still something there. You don't care about her, but you obviously care about how she looks at you. How he looks at her."JM let out a deep sigh, looking over the room at Jenny, standing next to Saben, talking to one of Zina's co-workers. Jenny stood stiffly upright, her demeanor calm, her face impassive, but a slight flush danced along her cheeks. Her smile was polite, but remote. And that stirred something in JM, a combination of frustration and regret."I love her, but I don't want to be stuck in the past anymore. She's moved on. I've moved on," JM declared, though the uncertainty in his voice betrayed him.

As the evening wore on, Jenny and Saben made the rounds of the crowd of business acquaintances, exchanging warm smiles and polite conversation about different projects. The hum of whispers and clinking glasses filled the room, the air filled with a sense of professional aspiration and underlying tension. Jenny could feel the way Saben hovered at her side, his presence a warm reassurance in the maelstrom of the evening.Saben's low voice cut through the din of voices as they walked toward a gathering of investors. "It's great to see you all tonight," he greeted them with a relaxed smile, his charm unquestionable. His voice was confident and easy, as if he'd been bred for this type of setting.Jenny smiled graciously when the focus of the group shifted to her. She felt their probing stares, some weighing, others merely watching. Even with professional training, she couldn't help but feel out of place, more so after the tumult of the previous hour. Her nerves were still restless, but she

As the evening drew on, Jenny forced herself to drive the uneasy ball of tension in her belly to the very back of her mind. The business congress raged on, filled with talk and deal-making, as she stood beside Saben, smiling graciously as they greeted different associates with handshakes and niceties. She maintained her facade, her smile unwavering, even as turmoil raged in her inner self.Saben saw the difference in her. She was subdued, her posture uncomfortably straight, but she stood with the dignity that was hers. Each time she looked across the room and spotted JM Reese with his new girlfriend, Eva Ross, the anguish in her eyes was briefly revealed. But blink, and then her attention would divert, never letting her weakness be visible.Saben, always so observant, leaned in a little bit farther. "You're doing fine," he whispered, his voice only for her. "You don't have to keep it a secret, you know."Jenny flashed a brief look at him but remained silent. She couldn't let herself l

Saben's touch on her shoulder was a gentle anchor amidst the turmoil of feelings raging within her. The stress of the night, the unplanned run-in with JM, and the old wound festering inside of her were all oppressive weights that crushed her. But Saben's words—plain, but genuine—had the soothing quality.Jenny breathed slowly, attempting to calm her nerves. She had no idea what had caused him to be so thoughtful, but finally, after hours, she felt like she could catch her breath. The stress she'd been holding on to seemed to lift, just a little."Thank you," she whispered, her tone gentle, more fragile than she'd meant it to be. "I didn't think I'd survive the night without. you know, losing it."Saben offered her a small smile, a flash of compassion in his eyes. "You don't need to pretend with me, Jenny. You don't need to hold everything together all the time. I understand. I really do."Jenny swallowed hard, the lump in her throat constricting. She couldn't think when she had ever h