Vengeance With My White Knight by Maya Kensington

Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chris's mind went completely blank.

He stared at Stephanie, eyes blazing with anger, lips parting like he wanted to say something, but nothing cout, Stephanie glanced at him, then at the box in her hand, with a giant diamond ring was sitting right there.

For a second, she thought maybe she was seeing things. But nope-it was real.

Wait a minute... What's wrong with Jackson? This was supposed to be an apology gift. Who the hell uses an engagement ring to say sorry? Was Jackson seriously that clueless? Did he not know what a ring like this even meant? Of...? No. No way.

No halfway functional human being would have thought giving a ring like that was normal.

So the only explanation left was-Jackson was so out of touch, he didn't even know what a proposal ring symbolized.

"Stephanie Giovanni!" Chris's roar shook the room.

89% (+23) Stephanie shot him a look, totally unimpressed. "Are you okay? Why are you yelling at me? So what if he proposed? What's it to you?" Her cars were still ringing.

"This man was completely unhinged.' He knew damn well she barely even knew Jackson.

Somehow, his brain still connected those imaginary dots and jumped straight to a proposal. Incredible.

Chris's chest rose and fell, trying to catch his breath. "Well, isn't that nice. No wonder you had the guts to break off our engagement and cut ties with the Hart family. Guess you've got sserious backup now." "Damn right I do. Got a problem with that? What, mad you can't screwover anymore?" Honestly, that's exactly what was eating him, and the rest of the Harts, too.

They'd been waiting for her to hit rock bottom, to crawl back begging for their mercy.

But instead? She didn't just survive, she thrived.

And now, standing right behind her, was power they couldn't touch.

For weeks, Chris had been digging into her life, trying to figure out how she kept landing on her feet. And every time, something-or someone-blocked his way.

On top of that, there was always sguys hovering around her.

1/5 11:51 Thu, 6 Mar MO.

Chapter 88 How many secrets was Stephanie Giovanni hiding? Right then, it finally hit Chris-he had never understood Stephanie, not even once.

She walked over to the window, looking down at the street below.

Cars streamed by like ants, too small to care about.

K 89% Her smile sharpened into something almost wicked. “So what's the plan now? Cut off my cards? Shut down my studio? "Letguess, you wantbroke and homeless, begging Olivia for forgiveness? Maybe cry a little, so you'll turn my cards back on and savefrom starving?" Every word dripped with mockery.

Chris's face twisted.

That was exactly what they'd been trying to do. But hearing her say it out loud, made him feel like absolute garbage.

"Don't drag Olivia into this," he snapped. "This is your mess. Own it." Stephanie tilted her head. "My mess? What exactly did I do?" Chris's mouth opened, but nothing cout. Stephanie's smile didn't waver.

"Back when this all started, I hadn't done a damn thing." Chris's chest tightened.

She went on, calm but relentless. "At the time, you didn't know I owned my place at Cloudridge Valley. You didn't know about my studio, either." "So tell me, what crdid I commit that made you all decide I had to be destroyed?* Chris was furious-no surprise there.

But to Stephanie? That anger was just the sold story.

They tried everything. They threw the whole damn book at her. And none of it worked. That's what really pissed them off.

Chris's breath was all over the place. "Cut the crap." Stephanie leaned back, arms crossed, cool as ever. "Oh? Sure. Then why don't you tell me, what exactly are you doing here?" Chris's chest tightened.

Right. Why was he here? For a second, he completely blanked.

Damn it. This woman had a talent-pissing him off so bad, his brain straight-up stopped working.

Stephanie's smile curled up at the edges. "Leguess, Whispering Bay?" The second she said it, Chris felt his chest seize up.

Bullseye. That was exactly why he came. He promised Olivia they'd move in within a week after leaving the hospital.

He even painted her this whole picture-waking up to the sunrise over the water, falling asleep to sunsets, the sound of 2/5 Chapter 88 waves right outside their window, Now it was already day three, and they still didn't have the damn house.

The thought alone left Chris struggling to breathe.

"So you've been staying there this whole time?" He'd already checked-Stephanie hadn't been back to Cloudridge Valley at all.

And both he and Kevin saw her at Whispering Bay.

There was no question. That was her place now.

Stephanie gave him a slow shrug. "Yeah. What about it?" Chris's chest tightened.

Hearing her admit it felt like getting punched in the gut.

The house Olivia wanted more than anything, and Stephanie was just living there like it was nothing.

"Who owns it?" Right then, Chris's mind was a complete mess, he could barely even hear his own voice.

Stephanie's eyes lit up, pure mischief. “Why ask me? Didn't your amazing investigation already tell you it belongs to s66-year-old guy?" There it was again-the sline she always threw back at him. Every damn time.

Chris's temper snapped. “Enough. Just tellthe truth." He was one breath away from losing it completely.

Stephanie's smirk sharpened. “What's this? Mr. Ashford admitting he couldn't figure it out?" Chris saw red.

This woman and her mouth could drive a man straight into cardiac arrest.

Stephanie tapped her chin like she was thinking real hard. "Say you couldn't dig up the truth, and I'll give you the answer right now." Chris's chest tightened.

Having to admit, to her, that he couldn't do it-that was straight-up humiliation, and she didn't even try to hide it. Chris sucked in a deep breath, then another. Didn't help. His chest still felt like it was going to explode. The way he looked at Stephanie turned colder with every second.

"You're something else, you know that?" Stephanie turned back to the window, arms still crossed. “I know. Now go ahead, bring whatever you've got. I'm not going anywhere.

Before Chris could spit out his usual "Just you wait," Stephanie beat him to it. "I'm not going anywhere." 3/5 Chapter 88 Nobody in Long Harbor had ever dared talk to Chris Adord Wire Gut But Stephanie? She didn't just dare the practically pen on the welcma In the end, Chris stormed out, too pissed to even think up a red threat But just before he slammed the door, he barked over his shoulder, 'Let's see if you actually marry Jackson Hodge

"The Hodges aren't skiddie pool you can splash around in. And just around in beche threw you a ring doesn't mean you're in." Every word dripped poison.

The second he was gone, Jennifer popped her head in "W" Stephanie put down her water. "He gone?" Jennifer grinned. "Stormed out like his hair was on fire" 'He was nothing like the man who once carried the boss out like a hero. The man treated the boss well, and even managed to be nice to us! Take away the Ashford name, and what was left? Living with someone that moody? It's a one-way ticket to burnout.

Stephanie snorted. “His face hasn't looked decent a single day I've known him.” Jennifer shook her head, half amused, half horrified.

'How the hell did you survive two whole years of that? She dropped the files and headed out.

A few minutes later, Stephanie's phone rang. Sebastian, "The Hart family's money, you want it or not?" Stephanie raised a brow.

'What's this about?' "That little stash..."

Truth be told, ever since she reconnected with the Harts, Olivia had been acting like a reality show villain-fighting her over every last crumb. What Olivia never figured out was-Stephanie never cared.

Every tCatlin bought Olivia soverpriced purse or jewelry, Olivia would show it off like she won the lottery.

Meanwhile, Stephanie had closets full of better stuff back in Fiorenza.

Sebastian's voice stayed light, but there was a sharp edge underneath.

"For you it's pocket change. But for E them? It's their whole damn life." People like that couldn't survive without their precious 'status symbols.' Take it away, and they'd lose their minds.

And sure, they were blood-but after everything they pulled, Sebastian wasn't about to let that slide.

4/5 Thu, 6 Mar Chapter 88 Stephanie got the message loud and clear. "So if you say take it, I take it?” She honestly didn't care either way.

Before Sebastian cback, she was used to handling things herself.

But now? If her brother wanted her to take something, she'd take it. No questions asked.

"If I put it in your hands, you take it," Sebastian's voice dropped lower-smooth, warm, but with that signature Giovanni edge.

"Then I'll take it," Stephanie said, smiling sweetly like the perfect little sister.

Honestly, even if she passed, Sebastian was still going to make sure the Harts paid for every last bit of it.

Just as she thought he was about to hang up, his voice softened into something that made her heart skip. "Missyes? Stephanie's breath caught in her throat, her cheeks heating up before she could even think of a comeback mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1