Chapter 14 Do I Even Know You?
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Raymond’s hand closed around hers gently, his warmth steadying her. “If anyone gives you trouble, don’t hold back. lan and I will always have your back. No need to worry.”
Francesca’s gaze flicked toward Benedict, calm and unbothered. “I’m noshe one who should be worried.”
She had been through hell and back. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, nothing could touch her now.
Benedict took a slow step forward, his eyes fixed on her like he was trying to figure her out. Raymond moved slightly, positioning himself between them. “Mr. Landon,” he greeted calmly.
“Mr. Denvers, what an unexpected honor,” Benedict replied, extending his hand. But his gaze was locked on Francesca.
Raymond shook his hand briefly, but Francesca didn’t shy away. Instead, she met Benedict’s intense stare with a confident smile. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Landon,” she said with poise.
Benedict was momentarily struck. During their three years of marriage, he had never brought her to any public events, nor had he ever seen her smile like this–so vibrant, so full of life.
She was captivating, and yet, there was something about her that felt entirely foreign.
His thoughts snagged on the fire, on the agony she must’ve endured to survive. The guilt and pain twisted inside him. But what hurt more was seeing her with Raymond.
Raymond wasn’t just anyone; he was a famous, highly skilled expert who followed his own whims. Benedict remembered how, no matter how much they tried, they couldn’t convince Raymond to perform Mabel’s surgery. Yet, later, he agreed out of nowhere.
Now it was clear, Francesca had been the reason all along.
Benedict’s gaze darkened, a mix of confusion and anger swirling in his eyes. Francesca caught the look on his face, and her lips curved into the faintest of smirks. A quiet challenge.
From the outside, the exchange could easily be mistaken for something far more intimate. Suzanna, standing nearby, felt the heat of their silent exchange. Her face burned with embarrassment, and her stomach twisted with jealousy.
She had already guessed that the woman who nearly humiliated her at the Neprana auction was Francesca.
And now, she felt worse because Francesca hadn’t just survived; she had come back stronger and found another wealthy man to back her.
With a bitter smile, she sneered, “Look at this place. It’s amazing who they let in these days. The standards for this gala must be at an all–time low.”
Benedict’s frown deepened, but Raymond didn’t miss a beat. “And you are?” he asked, his ton
Caught off guard, Suzanna hesitated for a moment before forcing a confident smile. “I’m Suzanna Mitchell, Mr. Landon’s date for the evening. And I happen to know her.
“Mr. Denvers, you should be careful. There are plenty of women pretending to be socialites, sneaking into
events like this to hao a rich man. Vou’d be curnrised how low come neonle will stoon”
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Chapter 14 Do I Even Know You?
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Before Francesca could react, Raymond cut in, his voice calm but cutting. “Ah, that clears things up. So that’s how you managed to make it here. Guess you’ve… what? Hitched yourself to Mr. Landon?
The venomous smile vanished from Suzanna’s face in an instant. She stiffened, her expression twisting like she had just been slapped.
Benedict stepped forward, his towering presence enough to silence anyone nearby. His sharp gaze locked on Raymond. “Don’t you think this is a little beneath you, Mr. Denvers? Trading barbs with a woman?”
Ignoring the tension building between them, Benedict turned to Francesca, his tone low and commanding. “Come with me. I need to talk to you.”
The way he said it left no room for argument. He wanted answers about where Francesca had been, what she had been doing, and why she was suddenly tied to Grandance Group.
But Francesca wasn’t the same woman he had dismissed for years.
She tilted her head, a mocking smirk spreading across her lips. “Do I even know you?” she asked, her voice laced with sarcasm. “If you’re in need of a companion, isn’t Miss Mitchell perfect for the role?”
With that, she turned away, slipping her arm through Raymond’s and walking off like nothing had happened.
Benedict stood frozen, his jaw clenched tight. His cold gaze followed Francesca as his whole body radiated tension. Those who knew him well didn’t need to ask, they could feel it. He was livid.
This wasn’t Neprana. This was his city. Rediff City. Here, Benedict called the shots, and no one walked away from him like that.
And now, seeing Francesca by Raymond’s side, walking away from him like he was nothing, it felt like someone was laying claim to something that had always been his.
And he wasn’t about to let that slide.
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