She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 840

"You're right..." Gavin murmured. "Nothing that woman says can be trusted."

"Exactly!"

Seeing Gavin's guard drop, Dominic exhaled a quiet, hidden sigh of relief. As long as Julian Lester didn't rat him out, Melanie's baseless accusations held zero weight. Everyone knew the bad blood between him and Melanie.

Most importantly, Holden Lockridge would never believe a word Melanie said. And as long as the patriarch's trust remained intact, Dominic's ironclad position within the Lockridge Group was safe.

After exchanging a few more casual jokes, the two men left the breakroom and headed to their respective offices. The moment Gavin's office door clicked shut, the affable smile vanished from his face.

Melanie's words from the hotel suite echoed violently in his mind.

*"I bet if you go back to the office and confront him, he'll immediately say I'm just trying to turn you against him."*

*"I'm just giving you a warning, Gavin... Dominic's father used his status as a savior to con your dad out of his trust and money. You know this."*

*"And now... Dominic just happens to be your grandfather's savior..."*

Melanie hadn't pressed the issue. She had dropped the breadcrumbs and walked away, never demanding his trust. But standing in the quiet of his office, Gavin had to admit the sickening truth: her words had completely shattered his blind faith in Dominic.

In reality, Melanie had been planning to drop this warning for a while. She had no real friendship with Gavin—if anything, his loyalty had always belonged to Dominic.

But she wasn't about to sit back and watch Dominic siphon the Lockridge family's power to build his own empire. Especially considering how abruptly his fortunes had changed. One day he was a pathetic, disgraced loser, and the next, he was Holden Lockridge's miraculous savior and adopted grandson.

Preston didn't answer with words, but the faint, predatory smirk hooking the corner of his lips said everything.

Meanwhile, at The Velvet Whisk Cafe.

Everett and Daphne sat in suffocating silence across from each other at a small table in the main dining area. Everett had chosen the spot based on online reviews praising the cute decor and great coffee, assuming it would put a woman at ease.

He had vastly underestimated the mid-afternoon rush. Without a reservation, the private booths were completely booked, leaving them exposed in the crowded cafe.

It was the absolute worst environment for the conversation he needed to have.

The tension at the table was thick enough to choke on. After desperately tracking her down and practically begging her to meet, Everett was now staring at her in mute panic, entirely incapable of forming a sentence.