Her Revenge Was His Regret (Shirley and Gilbert) novel Chapter 436

Sherry's brow furrowed in frustration.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't locate it. Back when Gilbert had thrown her out, only to drag her back again, some of her belongings had been tossed in the process.

Back then, she'd been desperate—constantly on the move, shifting her things from one temporary spot to another, never really settling anywhere. The worry had always lingered in the back of her mind, but she still couldn't pin down whether it had gone missing during that chaotic period or sometime later.

Then Julia gave her the answer.

"Losing something that personal—you've either been careless, or someone close to you took it. Sherry, you really are naive. Did you honestly believe just anyone would stick their neck out for you? Only someone as gullible as you would buy into that.

"Melissa already sold you out. I made it worth her while—promised her Gilbert would marry her someday—so of course she handed it over.

"I heard you treasured this thing. Well, I put it on my dog's collar. Sorry, but my pup's a bit of a troublemaker.

"It ended up on the floor, shattered. What was I supposed to do? Can't really blame me for that—you can only blame your own streak of bad luck. Go ahead and hate me if you want.

"Besides, by the time you get out of here, do you really think you'll ever run into me again? You won't even make it past the gate of this neighborhood."

It felt incredibly satisfying.

All that pent-up resentment toward Sherry, finally released.

A shame she didn't get to slap that woman across the face herself.

But no worries—she'd use her own funds to ship Sherry off to some run-down neighborhood.

Or perhaps a remote spot deep in the mountains would be better.

She'd make sure to find Sherry a charming new place to call home.

None of this seemed to faze Sherry, though.

In fact, it got her thinking.

If Lucas hadn't been around, these people would've had their way, wouldn't they?

If Gilbert hadn't shown up with all those security guys, Sherry might've been able to make a run for it. But with his entourage blocking every exit, escape was impossible.

For a moment, she even wondered if Gilbert actually wanted her dead.

Leaving her with no way out—none at all.

Sherry tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

She kept circling back to the same thought: when had Gilbert become so cruel?

No one built a Fortune 500 company by being ignorant. He had simply chosen to turn a blind eye to the truth staring him in the face.

What infuriated her most, though, was that he still acted so self-righteously, forcing her to apologize and admit she was in the wrong.

Before, thoughts like this would leave her so furious she couldn't sleep.

But now, every time she closed her eyes, the person who came to mind was Lucas.

That face that had struck her the first time they met.

Not to mention how he'd consistently had her back.

Gilbert had helped her a few times too, but in the end, he'd become someone else entirely.

The real difference lay in how they treated her.

Even from that angle, his build was impressive. His black coat melted into the shadows, giving him a mysterious, almost untouchable aura.

He stood there with a relaxed posture that somehow still looked cool.

He was so good-looking that just standing still with that certain gaze could win people over. It made you wonder how one person could be put together so perfectly.

And on top of it all—he didn't smoke.

Sherry had always been sensitive to smoke; it made her nauseous. Gilbert didn't even like smoking that much.

But he'd do it anyway because he thought it made him look tough and stylish in his tailored suits.

He did it purely to get under her skin.

But real presence wasn't about lighting up a cigarette. It was about standing there without having to do anything at all.

This version of Lucas felt different from the one she'd known back in Virelia.

There, he'd been more formal, almost like a cold, corporate executive.

But here, in this unfamiliar city, he seemed more relaxed, more rebellious somehow. For the first time, she understood what people meant when they said "women go for the bad boys".

She watched him glance at his phone. His knuckles were defined, his fingers long and elegant.

When that perfectly sculpted face of his tightened into a frown, it wasn't anything like Gilbert's—just looking at Gilbert could kill an appetite.

Lucas' presence hit her straight in the chest. There was no way anyone would mistake him for some innocent college kid.

Then their eyes met.