Pregnant with Tycoon's Ex Kneels novel Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Years had passed, and Stanley had changed beyond recognition.

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His features were sharper, colder, his tall figure straight as a rod. Dressed in a tailored black suit with a bracelet on his wrist, there was an aura of aloofness about him, an unsettling distance that made him almost untouchable, like a force to be reckoned with.

He was no longer the man she used to get close to.

Around him, people gathered, but unlike Coleman, who was always charming and polite, Stanley stood apart, distant and indifferent. Whether it was to flatter or to appease, he gave nothing away, offering nothing more than a cold nod as his eyes swept past her, uninterested, before turning away again.

At that moment, Eduardo appeared, sensing her tension, and gave her a way out.“Sina, let’s go. It’s time for the ribbon–cutting.”

“Okay.”

Jensina quickly agreed, forcing herself to remain calm and to ignore the weight of that gaze.

She wasn’t the one who had done something wrong all those years ago.

There was nothing she was afraid of.

The ribbon–cutting ceremony was set to take place at the front entrance of the Traditional Medicine Research Institute. As they stepped outside, staff members were ready and waiting; only the guests were missing.

Jensina and Eduardo, representing Pierre, were placed in the prime seats, front and center.

The cold wind nipped at her face, but as she settled into her spot, Jensina slowly calmed herself. She took the scissors handed to her by the staff and focused on the sound of the host’s voice.

Once the scissors came down, she would be free to leave.

“We never expected you to make time to come,” the director of the institute said, leading Stanley to his designated seat.“Please, right this way.”

Since Stanley had taken the helm of the Herring family, he had boldly expanded into the medical field, now owning not only a high–end private hospital but also Traditional Medicine Research Institutes and laboratories. Everyone wanted a piece of that empire.

When the invitation had been sent to Stanley, Jensina never imagined he would actually show up.

As the director’s words drifted into her ears, she didn’t need to turn her head to know who was behind her.

The familiar scent of sandalwood, one she had grown up with, wafted through the air, confirming it.

Stanley slowly approached her, his voice soft as he responded to the director, “You flatter me.”

He raised his arm, his elbow brushing against Jensina’s, but he acted as though he didn’t notice,

He didn’t even glance her way.

She instinctively shifted slightly to the side. Noticing her discomfort, Eduardo, thinking it was due to the presence of a stranger, gently asked, “Would you like to change seats?”

“Sure,” Jensina agreed quickly, making no fuss.

As the crowd bustled behind them, Eduardo, worried someone might bump into her, guided her to the other side.

After the ceremony, Jensina felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

The institute had arranged for a luncheon, but she didn’t feel like staying longer. After a brief word with Eduardo, Jensina excused herself, claiming to be feeling unwell.

Outside the Traditional Medicine Research Institute, she waited for a while, unable to hail a cab.

Then, with a honk, a sleek black limousine pulled up beside her.

Stanley’s assistant got out, respectfully opening the back door for her. “Ms. Warren, it’s cold out. Let me take you back to your hotel.”

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< Chapter 14

She looked up, and there, sitting in the back seat, was Stanley.

He was dressed simply in a black shirt, the top two buttons undone. He looked different from the cold, detached figure at the ceremony. There was a lazy, almost casual air about him–but just barely.

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When Jensina didn’t move, Stanley’s lips curled slightly, and he said in a low voice, “Are you waiting for me to get out and ask you to get into the

car?

The words so simple yet cutting, wiped away the discomfort Jensina had felt moments ago. Instead, a flicker of anger surged within her.“Mr. Herring, I wouldn’t want to trouble you by having you lower yourself to such lengths.”

“Mr. Herring, Stanley murmured.

The title, so formal, was a clear line drawn between them–one that couldn’t be crossed.

Stanley’s gaze remained steady as he replied, “Then get in.”

“No need,” Jensina said sharply.

Stanley, his chiseled jaw barely moving, nodded toward the institute and said lightly, “Are you going to wait here for the others to come out and see you and me together?”

Jensina frowned, hesitating for only a moment before sliding into the car.

Her movements were quick, almost as though she were trying to escape something.

The silence was thick, the air heavy with tension.

The car made a turn at an intersection, and Jensina finally spoke, her voice tense. “This isn’t the way to the hotel.*

“We’re going to eat, Stanley said quietly.

Jensina, now visibly frustrated, snapped, “Stop the car.”

Enrique, the driver, didn’t stop but instead glanced at Stanley through the rearview mirror, waiting for his signal.

Seeing Stanley’s lack of objection, Jensina didn’t waste any more time. She grabbed the door handle and forcefully pulled it open. “You know I’m

not going to listen to you. Three years ago, I jumped out of a car, and I can do it again.”

Enrique’s foot slammed on the brakes without thinking, his nerves still rattled from three years ago.

Stanley, however, had anticipated this. He swiftly grabbed her wrist, his voice icy as he spoke, “So, are you going to listen to me? Or to Coleman?”

“Neither!” Jensina retorted, wrenching her arm free.

Stanley let out a humorless laugh.“Wasn’t it you begging me not to leave, saying you’d always listen to me?” “You just said ‘wasn’t‘,” Jensina shot back, her eyes blazing as she stared at him.“I’m twenty–four, not seven.” “You thought we made the pinky swear, and I’ll follow you?” she said, her voice shaking with emotion. With that, the grip on her wrist loosened just enough for her to swiftly open the car door and step out. Jensina didn’t hail another cab. Instead, she walked down the sidewalk, letting the cold wind soak through her. She needed to clear the storm of memories that were flooding her mind.

Of all her years with the Herrings, none were as free and unburdened as the nine she spent at Stanley’s side. She had no blood family to speak of, so he became her family, her shelter.

Stanley, had cared for her, raised her from a naive girl to a woman.

His friends often asked him where he had found such a sweet, obedient girl.

Stanley always responded, “She’s fierce at home.”

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At sixteen, Jensina had been abandoned for the second time in her life.

The first time was when her parents had died suddenly, leaving her behind.

And the second time, Stanley had cast her aside.

For a long time, Jensina had been trapped in a never–ending cycle, breaking down over and over again on countless nights.

She kept thinking about what she had done wrong that she was abandoned.

The night she was sent back to Vanessa’s house, Jensina had been forced to kneel for two days straight.

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Vanessa had smiled and said, “Stan has always been a temperamental mess. When he’s in a good mood, he’ll keep a pet cat or dog. When he’s tired of it, he’ll throw it out like trash. It’s no surprise.

“You’re the only one, pathetic enough, to hold on to him as your lifeline.

“Learn your lesson now?”

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