Chapter 296

 296:
Kylee took a deep breath to quell the rising storm of her anger, her voice a controlled, icy whisper. “There’s no use in dragging this out. Given the mess we’re in, you’d best pack up and leave the country. Stay under the radar until things cool off. I’ll come up with a way to get you back soon.”
Jude’s eyes narrowed into slits, his lips twisting into a bitter sneer. “Get me back? After all this, do you really believe I can get back?”
He released a heavy, burdened sigh, his tone laden with bitterness. “Aligning with you has shattered my reputation. And now, you’re shoving me aside like I’m just another problem to sweep under the rug? That’s not going to fix anything, Miss Russell. You can’t just discard me.”
Kylee’s brow furrowed deeper, the edges of her patience fraying. “What exactly do you expect from me then? I never wanted it to come to this either.” Her voice, although tinged with frustration, held a note of weary resignation.
Jude didn’t hesitate, his voice sharp and unyielding. “I’m not asking for much—I just want what’s mine. We agreed on five million when the job was done. But now, you’ve turned my life upside down, forcing me out of town. You’ll have to pay extra for that.”
Kylee, her jaw set hard, asked through clenched teeth, “How much do you want?”
“Fifty million,” Jude replied without missing a beat.
Kylee let out a sharp, bitter laugh before growling, “Wow, Jude, you’ve got some serious guts asking for that kind of money!”
Beside her, Cynthia’s temper flared, her voice rising in indignation. “Are you freaking serious right now? Where the hell do you think we’re getting that kind of money? You act like fifty million is just spare change lying around!”
Jude huffed, his disdain palpable. “You expect me to believe that? One of you is a famous actress, and the other was born rich. Look at me—I used to be a celebrated designer, admired by everyone. Now, I’m nothing, and my reputation was ruined because of you.”
Lаtєѕt chɑptєrs іn g𝑎lnοvєls.𝑐ο𝗺
He then chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with malice. “If you don’t want your world to crumble, you’d better pay up. Otherwise, I’m going public with how you two schemed to set Linsey up.”
“You!” Kylee’s face flushed crimson with fury.
Cynthia, already on edge, couldn’t mask her shock.
Neither of them had expected Jude to stoop so low, especially given how obedient and honest he had always been.
What had gotten into him?
But both Kylee and Cynthia were determined—this couldn’t get out.
Kylee felt more threatened. If anyone found out she was behind it all, her carefully crafted image as the sweet, innocent celebrity would shatter. In the future, whenever her name came up, people would think of her as the mastermind behind framing a designer for plagiarism.
That would be the end of her career in the entertainment industry.
It was all Cynthia and Jude’s fault—they were both idiots!
Kylee clenched her jaw. “Fine, I’ll give you the money. But you have to swear you’ll never breathe a word of this.”
Cynthia, knowing she had no other choice, reluctantly nodded.
But to their surprise, a flash of disbelief crossed Jude’s face.
They actually agreed! He had only been bluffing.
It seemed he had really struck a nerve.
Then, greed took over Jude. A satisfied smirk crept across his face as he raised the stakes. “Fifty million was the number earlier, but now? It’s changed. Each of you will owe me fifty million.”
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