He Scorned Me, Now I’m a CEO He Can’t Afford Chapter 04

He Scorned Me, Now I’m a CEO He Can’t Afford Chapter 04

The moment Clara spoke, a hush fell over the group.

All eyes turned to Lena, filled with suspicion and contempt.

Lena couldn’t even be bothered to explain.

She just wanted to leave.

But as she turned, a hand clamped around her wrist.

She looked up into the suppressed anger in Wyatt’s eyes.

“Lena,” he said, his voice as cold as river water, “do you have that little respect for yourself? Is it really just anyone with a checkbook?”

The words were a physical blow.

Lena’s body stiffened. She stared at him, unable to believe it.

She had thought that even if everyone else misunderstood her, Wyatt would know better.

He had seen her spend a stormy night guarding a cow through a difficult birth. He had seen her practice a dance step until her feet were blistered.

She had thought that the love she had worn on her sleeve for years, even if it couldn’t move him, would have at least shown him what kind of person she was.

And in the end, this was his judgment.

She thought of that morning, when he had shut down every rumor about Clara without a moment’s hesitation.

Then she looked at him now, not even bothering to ask a single question before dragging her name through the mud.

The wound in her heart, barely scabbed over, tore open again.

But the pain only lasted a second.

She quickly composed herself and looked up at him, her tone as light as if she were talking about a stranger.

“You can think whatever you want.”

Wyatt’s grip on her wrist tightened.

“Lena,” he said through clenched teeth, “don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”

Lena just looked at him.

“If I explained, would you believe me?”

Wyatt froze.

Just then, Mr. Carter opened the truck door and hurried over, holding a document envelope.

As if oblivious to the tense atmosphere, he handed the envelope to Lena.

“Lena, this is the Texas Department of Agriculture’s sustainable management report from last quarter. There are a few data sets in here I think you’ll find useful.” His tone was full of genuine appreciation. “You’re the most original young mind I’ve met in years. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

Only then did he seem to notice the expressions on the faces around them. He nodded politely.

“Are you friends of Lena’s? My apologies, we were talking shop the whole way over. I kept her longer than I meant to.”

“Shop?” one of the girls beside Clara blurted out.

Mr. Carter nodded.

“Yes. Miss Vance’s business plan is exceptional. I’m very optimistic about its prospects.”

He glanced at his watch. “I’ll let you go. I’ll wait for your update.”

Then he drove away.

The heavy-duty pickup disappeared around a bend in the road.

The silence was deafening.

Wyatt had let go of her hand at some point.

Clara’s expression was a twisted mix of embarrassment and resentment, but she quickly forced a smile.

“Lena, since when does someone who spends all their time at Austin parties know how to talk business? You’re not just using the Red Creek name to fool people, are you?”

The others immediately chimed in.

“Exactly. Do you even know what sustainable agriculture is?”

“He was just being polite. Don’t get a big head about it.”

Lena didn’t say a word.

She tightened her grip on the envelope and turned to leave.

She no longer cared what any of them thought.

But as she turned, everything happened at once.

A young horse, just returned to its stall, spooked at something. It shrieked and bolted, charging straight for Lena.

It was too fast.

“Look out!”

She heard Wyatt shout.

The next second, a powerful arm yanked her back.

She was pulled into a hard, scorching embrace as the world spun around her.

Wyatt used his own body to shield her, and they tumbled together onto the gravel.

In the chaos, Lena’s head slammed against something hard. A sharp pain exploded behind her eyes, and darkness flooded her vision. The last thing she saw was Wyatt’s face, inches from hers.

In those eyes that were always so cold and mocking, there was only panic.

Pure, undiluted panic.

Then she lost consciousness.