From His Ex-Wife to the World's Most Sought-After Restorer (Jade and Hudson) novel Chapter 245

"Jade."

Hudson pressed his hand to his forehead, sounding exhausted.

"Just stop. Lying to the police twice? You're just making it worse for yourself."

Jade looked at him, her voice sharp as a blade.

"Are you so desperate to see me in a cell that you're convicting me before the evidence is even out? Or are you just afraid of how embarrassing the truth is going to be for you?"

Hudson went still. "Do you have to talk like that?"

Jade ignored him. She handed her phone and a drive to the officer and stood back, waiting.

She'd dealt with Amara enough times to know how deep the woman's malice ran.

The moment she caught Mrs. Gable at the station—right when the recording of Jewell was sent—she'd suspected a trap. She'd kept her cool and turned on her own recording device just in case.

The speed at which Mrs. Gable had confessed was the first red flag.

A woman running away to avoid responsibility doesn't just drop to her knees and confess everything the second she's caught.

She'd known something was off, so she hadn't been idle on the way to the precinct.

She'd had Julian check Mrs. Gable's background and cross-reference the woman's movements since the grand opening.

And just minutes ago, Julian had messaged her. He'd found footage from a convenience store in the South Suburbs showing Amara meeting with Mrs. Gable in an alleyway.

Now, everything she'd gathered was about to tear Amara's plan to shreds.

The officer hit play on Jade's recording first.

It was the conversation at the transit hub. Clear as day, Mrs. Gable confessed that Amara Hoyt had bribed her.

"She's lying!" Amara pointed at Mrs. Gable, her voice high and frantic.

"I don't even know her! How could I bribe her?"

Jade spoke directly to the officer. "Please, play the footage."

The officer nodded and opened the file on his laptop.

The camera was at a distance, so there was no sound, but the visual was undeniable. Amara Hoyt was clearly talking to Mrs. Gable, before shoving something into the woman's hand.

Amara stared at the screen, her mind going blank. How? How had Jade found footage from such a remote spot?

"You... you...!"

Riva's face went a mottled shade of purple, her chest heaving as the words died in her throat. She looked like she was about to hyperventilate.

"I don't lose anything?" Jade continued. "You conspired to defame me, to put me in jail, and to ruin my reputation and my studio's name. My lawyer has already drafted the defamation suit."

She scanned the group, her gaze landing finally on Hudson.

"Everyone here will be getting a copy. If you have questions, talk to my legal team."

Hudson stared at her, his voice full of disbelief.

"That includes me?"

"Why wouldn't it?" Jade shot back, her gaze icy.

"You're the one who spent the last hour helping her smear my name."

Hudson was speechless. Riva, now terrified of the legal fallout, finally snapped and threw Amara under the bus.

"Amara! You told me you'd help me get back at my ex-husband! You said it wouldn't cost me a dime and I just had to say the lines you gave me! You didn't say anything about lawsuits! I'm not taking the fall for this! You better fix this, or I'll tell them everything else you said!"