Chapter 1680

Ben met Attorney Freeman’s provocation with cool composure, glancing back at him with a faint smile. “Feel free to file a complaint against me. I’ll countersue for defamation, and we can settle it properly in court. How about that?” Attorney Freeman’s smirk faltered, and he shrugged nonchalantly. “Forget it. I’m not looking for trouble. Everyone knows you’re not someone to cross. Besides, I never explicitly said there was favoritism.”
Ben let out a faint chuckle. “If you’re not interested in facing me in court, then let’s leave it to the competition. When the time comes, we’ll see who comes out on top.”
Freeman raised a brow. “You’ve got that much faith in Jamie?”
“Absolutely,” Ben replied firmly.
Meanwhile, onstage, the host announced the advancing contestants, and Jamie’s name was among them. Relief and excitement washed over her as she stepped off the stage, her heart brimming with satisfaction.
Ben stood waiting, taking a bouquet of flowers from his assistant and presenting it to her with a warm smile. “Congratulations on advancing.”
Jamie accepted the flowers, taking a moment to inhale their sweet fragrance. “These are my favorite. You planned this in advance, didn’t you?”
“Of course,” Ben replied with a twinkle in his eye.
Jamie looked up at him with a grin. “And what made you so sure I’d win?”
“I just knew,” Ben said confidently. “You have the talent and determination to go all the way.”
Her heart swelled at his unwavering belief in her, but she kept her tone light. “Well, I’ll give it my best. I don’t want to let you or anyone else down.”
Ben pulled her into a quick embrace, his voice soft in her ear. “No matter the outcome, you’re already amazing.”
Jamie felt a wave of warmth and security, but after a moment, she gently stepped back, suddenly aware of the surrounding crowd. Her cheeks flushed as she looked around.
“What’s wrong?” Ben asked, sensing her hesitation.
“To avoid any misunderstandings, of
course,” Jamie said with a playful wink. “Everyone knows you’re the host this year. If rumors start flying, it wouldn’t look good, would it?”
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Ben shook his head with a chuckle. “You worry too much.”
Just then, Jamie’s phone buzzed. It was a call from Nina.
“Are you finally done with everything? Can you come out for a bit?” Nina asked over the call.
It had been several days since they last spoke. In that time, Pharaoh had passed away, and the funeral was kept quiet with no formal
decision to bury him in Birkham was causing challenges for Micah back in the Yaren Tribe.
announcements. However, the net
Despite Pharaoh’s troubled past, he had been the former leader of the Yaren Tribe, and his burial outside their homeland was a sensitive issue, Micah was working to resolve it, and even Freya had returned in a hurry after hearing the news.
Meanwhile, Nina thought this was the perfect time to reconnect and invite Jamie over.
Jamie, grateful for Nina’s kindness and the support she had always given, felt a twinge of guilt for not meeting up sooner while she had been busy caring for Mrs. Lucas.
“Of course. I’ll head over right now. Send me your address,” Jamie replied, eager to catch up and make amends.
“Just come straight to my place,” Nina said warmly. “Bring Charlie along if you can.”
She hoped that having Charlie over would help Orion cope with the sadness of losing his grandfather.
Jamie understood Nina’s intention. It was a thoughtful way to encourage the kids to bond and support each other. She had no reason to decline.
After all, Ben and Nash were close friends, and if their children grew up as friends too, it would only strengthen their families’ connection and give the kids lifelong companions.