C14 What Do You Want to Do?

"Call off the demolition. Send them all home to find their mothers," she murmured, nodding toward the group in front of her while carefully watching his expression.

Caroline's complexion turned ashen. She took a step forward. "Mr. Russell, you were the one who personally transferred this project to the Howard family. How can you suddenly declare it null and void? We've got everything in place. Any alterations now would be a huge blow to us."

Once this project was set in motion, it couldn't be stopped.

"Miss Howard, I don't require instruction from you," he replied, his tone frosty, his words like an arrow striking her heart.

Caroline suppressed her urge to retaliate, though every fiber of her being screamed to do so.

"Mr. Russell, does the Howard family have more money than you?" Katie asked with feigned naivety, her eyes fluttering before she provocatively added, "Why should she be the one giving you orders?"

Her question put Caroline squarely in the hot seat.

"Katie, don't overstep," Caroline hissed, fighting the impulse to tear into the woman who had the audacity to slander her.

Jabe's eyes were icy daggers, his stare piercing through her.

Katie's spirits sank. His scathing look effectively silenced Caroline as if her lips were sealed shut.

He held her in a prolonged, penetrating gaze.

The crowd of onlookers grew, all too intimidated by Jabe's presence to utter a word, fearing they'd draw unwanted attention.

"Tonight, come to my house," he announced, those five words marking the end of his visit to the old quarter.

Katie stood there, dazed as if caught in a dream.

Tonight, come to my house.

Tonight, come to my house!

Come to my house?!

No, she couldn't accept this. She was resolute in her refusal!

Wind-tossed and disordered, she watched as Jabe entered his luxurious vehicle and drove away, abandoning her to the mess he'd left behind.

He came and went with such nonchalance, not a cloud disturbed in his wake, yet he'd left her to shoulder the ensuing turmoil.

"Jabe, get back here!" she cried out, stomping her foot as his sedan faded into the distance.

His words, "Tonight, come to my house," lingered, charged with implication, leading everyone on the old street to misconstrue their relationship.

Aize had already intentionally smeared her good name, and now Jabe's presence seemed to lend credibility to those unfounded rumors... as if there was a grain of truth to them.

No matter what she did, she couldn't wash away the stain on her reputation, not even if she plunged into the Yellow River.

"Selling her body, utterly shameless," Caroline declared, her sharp voice slicing through the uneasy silence as she pointed an accusing finger at Katie.

The onlookers murmured their agreement with Caroline's harsh assessment, yet none had the courage to voice their thoughts aloud.

Katie was their glimmer of hope. Without her, the demolition of the old street would render them homeless.

"Katie, who knew you had such influence? Make sure you take excellent care of Mr. Russell tonight."

"That's right, Katie. You're our hero now. It's crucial that Mr. Russell is pleased."

"Seems like Katie's on the fast track to success. Our old street's fortunes might just turn around because of her."

Confused and fuming, Katie's face turned ghostly pale. Caroline simply smirked at her, her finger raised in a silent, mocking gesture. With Jabe's silence on the matter, the demolition seemed a foregone conclusion.

Waverly, his expression troubled, had no choice but to leave with Caroline.

As the crowd melted away, Katie remained frozen in place, alone with her thoughts.

"Jabe, damn you," she seethed, her patience at its end. What had she done to deserve such a public betrayal?

Then it hit her—the nude photos he'd mentioned online.

She raced back to her house and stormed into the living room, only to see her camera off to the side and her brother's computer screen showing the photos being viewed.

"Edson, how could you do this?" she exploded, the anger taking over. Those photos were never meant to be public. She was only now fully grasping the situation.

She had intended to threaten Jabe, but he had remained disturbingly silent.

Her phone rang—it was Nancy calling. Katie picked up without a second thought.

"Katie, are you out of your mind? Weren't you supposed to keep those photos under wraps? How did they get online? You've wasted an entire night for nothing. Do you realize you could be sued? Your future could be ruined—no job prospects, and marriage? Forget about it." Nancy knew the photos had been erased from the web, now impossible to trace.

But that didn't mean they hadn't been seen. Why else would Jabe let her off so easily?

The thought sent a chill down her spine. Had Katie truly lost her senses?

Jabe was no ordinary man; he was a force to be reckoned with, a devilish presence not to be trifled with.

"You're as good as dead," Nancy snapped, her anger palpable as she abruptly ended the call.

Despite their close friendship, Nancy was devastated by Katie's troubles. She needed to calm her emotions, fearful of what she might do in her current state.

"Everyone must know by now if Nan saw it," Katie fretted, the urge to kneel in desperation creeping up on her. It explained Jabe's odd behavior today and the strange glances from his assistant.

He had let the matter slide but invited her to his house that evening. Was he just looking for a reason to cause her more problems?

The more she dwelled on it, the more panicked she became. How had things spiraled so out of control?

"Sister, you're utterly shameless," Edson accused, striding out of the side hall post-lunch to find Katie by his computer.

Driven by curiosity, he had stumbled upon a micro camera with indecent photos. Sharing them online seemed like a quick path to clicks and potential internet stardom. Yet, his dreams were dashed when his account was suspended within minutes.

"Katie, you've disgraced the Rowland family. How could you do this? From being kept by a man to taking these photos with others? Are you trying to kill Mom with shame? If Edson hadn't found out, I would've continued to believe you were innocent. How can you dishonor our family legacy like this?" Mollie emerged from the kitchen, her disappointment in Katie palpable after Edson had informed her of everything. She felt as if her own reputation had been dragged through the mud.

Katie, her daughter, had always been known to her, but Mollie was disheartened to see the person she had become after venturing into the world.

"Mom, things aren't as they seem," Katie implored, completely flustered. Her mother had found out and had passed judgment without a single question.

Katie had long been financially responsible, working through college to contribute to the family and clean up after her brother's messes. Now, with her family's misunderstanding weighing heavily on her, she was more than just sad—she was utterly heartbroken.