Return of the Crowned Heiress novel Chapter 230

The black swan necklace remained where it was, abandoned.

Sebastian felt a pang in his chest as he stared at it. A sudden, inexplicable premonition washed over him—Felicia wasn't coming back. She had left this house and everything in it behind.

…

At the airport, a private jet taxied smoothly to a halt. The door opened, and a tall figure descended the steps with an air of authority. Stephan had just returned from a whirlwind business trip. He had cut his schedule short. He slid into the waiting black luxury sedan and gave his driver a terse command.

"What's Felicia been up to the past couple of days?"

He had left Khogend in such a rush, anxious to handle pressing matters. However, Felicia had always lingered at the back of his mind. Two days away and he feared she'd slip through his fingers again.

His subordinate was used to Stephan's unusual interest in Felicia and didn't even flinch anymore. He replied promptly, "Mr. Russell, today is Ms. Felicia's birthday. The Fuller family hosted a party at the Fuller residence. From what I've heard, it started off lively, but…"

"But what?" Stephan's voice dropped, cold and sharp.

"Well, there was an incident during the party. It turns out one of the Fuller family's drivers passed away recently, and today, Kayla was accused of being involved. She was taken away by the authorities."

Stephan's brows furrowed. "And what does that have to do with Felicia?"

The subordinate swallowed nervously and then added, "It's said that Ms. Felicia was the one who provided the evidence against Ms. Kayla. When Mr. and Mrs. Fuller found out, they… Well, they struck her and kicked her out of the house."

They both fell deathly silent. The tension was palpable, like an oppressive weight that bore down on everyone in the vehicle.

Then, a low chuckle broke the silence. It was cold, mocking, and dripping with menace. "They hit her?" Stephan's voice was dangerously soft, laced with a fury that chilled the driver to the bone.

"To the Fuller residence. Now."

The driver didn't dare argue. The car made a sharp U-turn, heading straight for the Fuller residence.

And now? Kayla was accused of a heinous crime. Dexter's anger and disappointment were real, but so was his unwillingness to see her life destroyed.

Resolving to do whatever it took, Dexter sought out Mina. He spoke gently, his tone filled with regret and sincerity.

"Mina, I can't apologize enough for what's happened. My family failed you and your husband, and I'll never forgive myself for that. But life must go on. Let's talk this through, shall we?"

Mina's expression remained icy. "I don't want your money, Mr. Fuller. I want my husband back. Can you give me that?"

Dexter pressed on as if he hadn't heard her, "What about a million dollars? Would that help you move on? Or five million? If that's not enough, I can do ten… Twenty!"

The coldness in Mina's eyes flickered for the first time. The numbers were dizzying, and her resolve wavered.

Dexter noticed the hesitation and pressed harder. "I'll give you 50 million if you'll sign the Letter of Understanding."