Cold Husband Burning Regret: The Divorce He Couldn't Handle novel Chapter 152

Charlotte was momentarily speechless, then forced a helpless explanation. “Mom, Jonathan and I aren’t in that kind of relationship.”

“I know,” Rachel replied, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, her tone earnest and warm. “I’m just saying—maybe you should consider it. Love is something that can grow over time.”

Charlotte was silent. She hadn’t even finalized her divorce yet...

Jonathan returned not long after taking a call. His expression was visibly grim, but he kept his composure. “Sorry, Charlotte, Mrs. Evans, something’s come up that I need to handle. I’ll have to skip dinner.”

Rachel’s disappointment was obvious—she’d been hoping to nudge the two of them a little closer. Still, she wasn’t in any rush. Smiling, she nodded. “Of course, don’t worry about it. Drop by again when you have time.”

Jonathan glanced briefly at Charlotte, then left.

…

On the outskirts of Westborough, a stretch of barren land lay waiting for development. The place was deserted, with no sign of life for miles around.

A crane rumbled to life, its steel cable suspending a man high above the ground—at least twenty feet up, his legs dangling helplessly. Below him sat an enormous glass tank, easily large enough to hold a grown man. Inside, schools of black, razor-toothed piranhas churned restlessly.

The man jolted awake, and when he realized where he was—dangling over that monstrous aquarium—he began to tremble violently. “Who are you? Let me down! Please!”

Evander stepped out of a nearby car, buttoning his suit jacket with deliberate calm as he strolled over.

At his signal, the crane operator began to lower the man until his feet nearly grazed the top of the tank. Only then did the crane stop.

“You… you’re Mr. Howard?” The man’s face drained of color as he recognized Evander.

Evander idly toyed with the ring on his finger, a faint, chilling smile on his lips. “With Commissioner Yates watching your back, you might have had a promising future at the precinct—if only you hadn’t gotten involved in this mess.”

Conrad’s face went from pale to ashen. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve already been punished and lost my job. Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

Evander’s voice was cold and even. “What did Jonathan promise you?”

Conrad, deathly pale and shaking from the pain, finally broke. “I—I was wrong. I’ll talk. Please, just make it stop!”

“Knowing when to bend and when to stand firm—that’s your smartest move tonight,” Evander said.

He signaled, and a private doctor approached with a medical kit to staunch the bleeding and tend Conrad’s wounds.

After that ordeal, Conrad wouldn’t dare resist. Not when he was facing someone as ruthless as Evander—at this point, survival was all that mattered.

“Mr. Pembroke promised me—if I could make it look like you were behind this, once things blew over, he’d get me out of the country…”

Evander’s eyes narrowed. “He wanted you to pin Hiram’s case on me?”

“Yes! I—I wouldn’t lie to you. He came to see me about Hiram. I was terrified the truth would come out, so I tried to deceive him, but then he said he could help me—if I’d just point to you as the one behind it all.”