Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 356

Nadine’s mother had been right all along.

D

r 356 Nadine’s Move

Her gamble hit its mark. Finn froze, then reached out and grabbed her hand himself.

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Nadine stiffened. She lowered her gaze and saw him staring at her, eyes filled with desperation. “Don’t go.”

The weight of it struck her chest like a heavy blow.

She had never seen Finn like this.

In her memories, he was always the untouchable man at the top of Aetheris. Cold. Distant. He was so far above, even standing face to face with him, you could never reach him.

Yet now, mistaking her for Tess, he looked at her with an emotion she never imagined he could show.

Bitterness burned through her, but she kept her purpose in mind. She sat back down, her voice sugar–sweet as she whispered close to his ear, “I’m here.”

Her words curled out, soft and delicate, enough to make his chest tremble.

Finn squinted, his eyes clouded with confusion. The woman before him looked like Tess, yet at the same time, not at all.

His hand lifted, trembling, inching toward her face. But the memory of his own rejection stopped him. His fingers pulled back before they could touch her.

Even that hesitation made Nadine’s eyes flash with hope.

But before she could move closer, a thunderous crash split the room.

The hotel door shook hard as Abel’s leg slammed into it, the frame rattling from the force of the blow.

Beside him, Tess narrowed her brows.

“Who’s out there? What are you trying to pull?”

Nadine’s voice erupted from inside, raw with fury and panic.

Abel grinned, his mouth curved in mischief as he threw Tess a playful wink. He dropped his voice low and gravelly.

“Ma’am, please open up. This suite seems to have a serious fault with the facilities.”

“There’s nothing wrong. You can check when I leave!”

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14:34 Tue, Oct 21

Chapter

356 Nadine’s Move

Nadine’s words cracked sharp, filled with irritation, her focus still locked on Finn.

“Stop standing there! Go away already!”

Her impatience dripped from every syllable.

A

+10 Fram Coins

Tess narrowed her eyes and raised her knuckles, rapping firmly against the door. Her tone dropped calm and steady, though softer than Abel’s. “Ma’am, the building is old. The systems here could give out any second. There’s even a risk of fire.”

Inside, the movement went quiet.

A few seconds later, Nadine yanked the door open, her face twisted with raw frustration.

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is man’s drunk? Because he looks wide awake to me.”

Tess glanced at Finn with a steady gaze. “He’s completely wasted.”

Otherwise, Nadine never would have dragged him here so easily.

Abel gave a casual shrug, pushing aside the unease stirring in his chest.

But Nadine could no longer hold back. Tess had shattered her plan, and Abel stood there beside her as if none of it mattered. Nadine stormed forward and blocked their path. “Why are you even here? I rented this suite myself. How the hell did you get in?”

Her voice rang with raw outrage and sharp accusation.

Tess gave her a calm, cutting look. “You do realize what you’re doing right now is breaking the

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Finn’s heart had never drifted from Tess, not since that night. Now that he knew Tess’s daughter was their own flesh and blood, the truth had hit him with a burning regret. Nadine told herself that if she bore him a child, he would see her the same way.

He would treat her with the same devotion. He would fall for her too. He will. I know he will.

“Yes. It’s me.”

Nadine’s pulse quickened as her gaze clung to Finn’s lips.

The heat of alcohol rolled off his breath, thick and sharp. It was making her head spin until she almost felt drunk herself.

“Finn, I’m Tess. You can do anything you want with me.”

Her tone softened with a sweetness meant to charm, yet temptation wound through every word as she locked eyes with him.

“Anything I want?”

His voice slurred, his body sluggish under the heavy fog of liquor. Every movement dragged slow and uneven.

“Yes. Of course.”

Nadine copied Tess’s voice, her chest burning as she forced down the sour jealousy that threatened to rise.

For a long moment he was still. Then Finn moved.

Nadine’s eyes

lit with triumph.

His hand snapped up and closed hard around her wrist.

“Tess, give me one more chance. Please.”

Her body stiffened. Her face darkened as fury gripped her.

Even now, all he wanted was another chance with Tess.

1/4

14:34 Tue, Oct 21

Chapter 356 Nadine’s Move

+10 Free Coins

Shame and rage tangled in her chest until she felt herself suffocating on the weight of it.

“Fine. I’ll give you that chance. So maybe we should….

Her voice dropped, warm and suggestive, as she leaned in and breathed against his ear.

Finn’s gaze blurred further. His normally stone–cold face was warming with a faint red flush.

“Bring Layla back to Evermount Height. I’ll protect you and the child with everything I have.”

His eyelids fought against the pull of exhaustion as he tried to hold her eyes, desperate to prove his sincerity.

But the woman in front of him was not Tess.

Nadine’s face twisted darker. Her fists clenched so tight her nails bit into her skin. Bitterness gnawed at her with every second.

She stared at him, fighting the storm in her chest, then yanked the strap of her dress down, baring the smooth curve of her shoulder. “Finn …

11

The word slipped out soft, almost pleading. But the instant he heard her, his body jolted. His hand shoved her hard.

Nadine staggered back. Shock spread across her face as she stared at him from a distance.

He still looked drunk, but the air around him turned sharp and cold.

“You’re not Tess. Who are you?”

His voice came broken and rough, thick with rejection.

Nadine’s rage simmered, but she stretched her lips into a seductive smile. “Finn, I am Tess. I came back.”

“You’re Nadine.”

The name fell heavy from his lips. The room’s warmth vanished, replaced by a chill that scraped down Nadine’s spine.

Her smile faltered. Her heart pounded loud against her ribs. “If you can’t see me for who I really am, then I’ll just leave.”

Her mind raced as she recalled Tess’s face, manner, and words. She pictured exactly how Tess would speak in this moment and forced herself to mimic it.

2/4

14:34 Tue,

Chapter 356 Nadine’s Move

Her gamble hit its mark. Finn froze, then reached out and grabbed her hand himself.

10 Free Coins

Nadine stiffened. She lowered her gaze and saw him staring at her, eyes filled with desperation. “Don’t go.”

The weight of it struck her chest like a heavy blow.

She had never seen Finn like this.

In her memories, he was always the untouchable man at the top of Aetheris. Cold. Distant. He was so far above, even standing face to face with him, you could never reach him.

Yet now, mistaking her for Tess, he looked at her with an emotion she never imagined he could show.

Bitterness burned through her, but she kept her purpose in mind. She sat back down, her voice sugar–sweet as she whispered close to his ear, “I’m here.”

Her words curled out, soft and delicate, enough to make his chest tremble.

Finn squinted, his eyes clouded with confusion. The woman before him looked like Tess, yet at the same time, not at all.

His hand lifted, trembling, inching toward her face. But the memory of his own rejection stopped him. His fingers pulled back before they could touch her.

Even that hesitation made Nadine’s eyes flash with hope.

But before she could move closer, a thunderous crash split the room.

The hotel door shook hard as Abel’s leg slammed into it, the frame rattling from the force of the blow.

Beside him, Tess narrowed her brows.

“Who’s out there? What are you trying to pull?”

Nadine’s voice erupted from inside, raw with fury and panic.

Abel grinned, his mouth curved in mischief as he threw Tess a playful wink. He dropped his voice low and gravelly.

“Ma’am, please open up. This suite seems to have a serious fault with the facilities.”

“There’s nothing wrong. You can check when I leave!”