Chapter 2488

chapter2488

“Justin, you're back." Grant smiled faintly, but his fingers clenched onto Bella's wrist with no intention of letting her go.

His gaze was filled with an unmistakable possessiveness.

Bella's heart suddenly skipped a beat. As she looked into Justin's deep and distant eyes, her lashes quivered and her eyes reddened.

At that moment, she knew it was unseemly to be this close to Grant.

But she also knew that she had to carry on the act. If she stopped now, her plans would fall apart.

Thus, instead of breaking free from Grant's hold, Bella turned and gave him a faint, graceful smile. "Mr. Salvador."

Justin's handsome face darkened. His fingers clenched into a fist, and his gaze grew clouded and unreadable.

"What are you two doing?" Justin asked in a hoarse voice.

Grant's eyes curved slightly, the corners of his lips still carrying a refined smile. “I was entertaining a guest at Tideview Manor tonight, discussing some business matters. So I invited Bella over for a casual dinner. We've just finished eating, and I was about to take her home. If I had known you were coming back tonight, I'd have asked you to join us."

“Join you?” Justin's thin lips twisted into a cold smirk. “If I were there, big brother, you might not even know which hole on your face to shove your food into. Besides, wouldn't my presence ruin your mood with Ms. Thompson?"

His cold, mocking words stung Bella's heart, and her long lashes trembled slightly.

Grant chuckled. “Justin, you're much more endearing now than before. At least, you've grown quite a sense of humor."

Then, Grant took a long stride forward, still holding Bella's hand as he leisurely brushed past Justin. “It's getting late. I'll take Bella home first. If you want to talk to me, you'll have to wait till next time."

As Bella passed by Justin, her smooth black hair brushed against his shoulder, and a familiar fragrance drifted into his nose.

Justin's heart contracted and expanded violently. His lips parted slightly as he turned around involuntarily. He saw that Grant, who was frail and chronically sensitive to the cold, had taken off his own cashmere coat and gently draped it over Bella's shoulders.

For some inexplicable reason, Justin's heartbeat pounded heavily.

He stared at Bella's graceful silhouette and waited for the woman who had always despised Grant to the core to finally reject that scheming man's act of kindness.

But to his astonishment, Bella lifted her radiant face and smiled sweetly at Grant. “Thank you."

Grant replied, “It's nothing. The night is chilly. I don't want you to catch a cold.”

With that, Justin could only watch as the two of them walked away together, Grant's arm still loosely encircling Bella's waist.

What seemed like gentlemanly courtesy to others was, in Justin's eyes, a blatant act of possession.

Justin's jaw tightened as his chest heaved. From deep within his throat, he could almost taste the faint bitterness of blood.

By the early hours of the morning, the Tideview Manor lay in utter silence.

After all that had happened, this place no longer felt like a home. It was just a lavish and desolate mansion—a stage for power struggles and silent wars.

lan hurried through the dim, echoing corridor. The eerie atmosphere was perfect for a horror movie. Anyone faint of heart would never dare stay there alone for long.

Fortunately, lan was not afraid of ghosts, because some of the people he had met were ten thousand times more terrifying than ghosts.

"Mr. Salvador! Are you in there? It's me!” lan called anxiously as he knocked on the door.

After a long pause, a faint voice came from inside, “Come in.......”

lan pushed the door open and froze in shock. The coffee table was littered with bottles of every kind of alcohol. Some were empty, while others were half-empty. One bottle had even rolled to a stop at his feet!

Only a dim floor lamp was on in the living room. Justin sat on the floor with his back leaning against the sofa.

He tilted his head back and poured red wine straight from the bottle into his mouth.

"Mr. Salvador! What are you doing?! With your condition, you can't drink like this!" lan shouted.

Furious and frightened at the same time, lan rushed forward and snatched the empty bottle from Justin's hand. Using all his strength, he helped his boss back onto the sofa.

lan said, "Dr. Larson has warned you countless times that his medicine can suppress your illness, but you mustn't drink or get emotionally unstable! If your central nervous. system collapses again, not even God can save you! Can't you have a little self-control, sir?!"

"I'm fine. My chest feels tight, that's all. I just wanted a drink." Justin closed his eyes wearily, his breath thick

with the scent of alcohol.

"A drink? You've practically emptied the entire bar! By the looks of it,

about to drink the cleani alcohol

too!"

lan hurriedly poured a cup of water and found two pills, helping Justin take them.

There was not much of Dr. Larson's medicine left.

While there was still a little left, lan needed to contact Arnold within the next few days for more. Otherwise, Justin's illness could spiral out of control at any time.

"Mr. Salvador, what happened? Why are you drinking yourself sick like this?" lan asked nervously.

“lan... my chest feels tight.” Justin, already half-drunk, thumped his chest with his fist.

lan was afraid Justin would hurt himself, so he quickly wrapped both hands around his boss's clenched fists. "What's going on? Did that bastard Grant bully you again?"

“Bella... Was it really worth playing this act so far?"

With his eyes half-lidded, Justin's gaze grew misty. "Tell me... Are you really still acting, or... Have you fallen

for him?”

lan froze.

Justin could not be referring to anyone else but Grant.

"Mr. Salvador... You never forgot Young Madam, right? You still love her, don't you?!" lan pressed on, pulling out his phone and recording the upcoming conversation ready to capture his boss's confession.

But the only response he received was a soft, steady snore.

Justin had passed out drunk on the sofa, fast asleep.