Chapter 32
James looked refined, but his methods were ruthless.
The Capital didn’t have any major projects going on at the moment; this was just a simple investment gala. Why would the Powells send their right-hand man here? What were they planning?
Outside the gala, Benjamin and Candice were escorted to the entrance by security. The humiliation of the evening’s events made Benjamin’s blood boil. Ignoring Candice, he got into his car and drove home alone.
Once there, the image of that pretty boy sent fresh waves of anger through him. Even if Rebekah had just hired that pretty boy to make him jealous, the man was an enigma, even to him. How could a woman as naive as Rebekah possibly benefit from being with someone like that? He couldn’t let her get mixed up with that man.
Gritting his teeth, Benjamin called her.
Rebekah didn’t stay at the gala much longer either. In the car on the way home, Jensen turned on the heat, worried she might be cold despite the early autumn air. The warm breeze brought a faint blush to her cheeks. The car was filled with the cool, woody scent of cypress, a fragrance she recognized from Jensen himself. It was subtle but strangely assertive.
Neither of them spoke, and a quiet tension filled the car.
After a long moment, Jensen broke the silence. “You looked very beautiful tonight p>
His tone was soft, with a slight lilt at the end of his words, making the simple compliment feel incredibly intimate.
Rebekah’s ears buzzed. The word “beautiful” felt foreign to her. No one had ever called her that. When she danced, people praised her skill. At home, her family never said it. Benjamin certainly never had. Even her own son had only ever called her a witch.
She turned to look at Jensen. His profile was sharp and defined. When he wasn’t smiling, he had a cool, imposing aura. When he did, he was devastatingly charming.
Her stare was so direct that he couldn’t ignore it. He turned to face her, and she found herself falling into the deep, dark pools of his eyes. His long lashes fluttered and the small movement sent a jolt of panic through her.
At that exact moment, Benjamin’s call came through like a lifeline.
Seeing his name on the screen, Rebekah’s first instinct was to decline. After a
moment’s hesitation, she answered.
Benjamin’s cold voice cut through
the line. “Rebekah, don’t forget you’re a mother, will not have Shawn’s mother be a shameless, promiscuous woman who sleeps around. Break it off with him and pretend none of this ever happened.
Even without speakerphone, his voice filled the quiet car. Rebekah felt like she couldn’t breathe. She rolled down the window, finally gasping for air.
In the next instant, Jensen gently took the phone from her.
Jensen spoke into it, his voice laced with amusement. “Mr. Forrester, how do you break off something that never started p>
His playful tone was met with two seconds of dead silence. Then, Benjamin’s enraged voice roared back. “Why are you two together?! Rebekah, are you daring to cheat on me while we’re still married p>
Rebekah took the phone back, her expression cool and composed. “Benjamin, I’ve already filed for divorce. Soon, we’ll have nothing to do with each other p>
*Divorce p>
The word seemed to trigger something in him. His brow
ет
furrowed, and he struggled to contain his fury. After a moment, he let out a bitter laugh. She was just putting on an act but this time she’d taken it too far. Corftent
Looking at Shawn, who was standing beside him with a worried expression, Benjamin sneered into the phone. “Rebekah, you can’t divorce me. Have you forgotten what you promised my grandfather p>