Married To My Ex's Brother, Reborn Miraculously-Chapter 249: Augustine defending his wife

The hallway went still. Megan stared at Augustine, stunned.

"You are firing me?" she shouted with disbelief. She got to her feet, jabbing a finger in Anne’s direction. "She assaulted me, slapped me, and slammed my head on the desk. And you are letting her walk away while I get punished? This is insane. I’ll sue you."

"Go for it," Augustine said coolly. "I’d love to see what you can do."

Megan shook with fury, her hands clenched, her face twisted in outrage. "You are defending a bully like she is innocent."

"No," Augustine said flatly, "I’m defending my wife. And I know Anne. She wouldn’t lash out unless she was pushed too far. If she lost her temper, you must have done something to deserve it."

"I didn’t do anything," Megan barked. "I just came to drop off a file, and she attacked me for no reason."

"Is that so?" Augustine raised an eyebrow and gestured toward the surveillance camera in the corner. "Then you won’t mind if we check the footage. The camera doesn’t lie. Think very carefully before you speak. Don’t make a move that could backfire on you and drag your well-known father’s name through the mud in court."

Turning to Gustave, he commanded, "Get her out of here."

Without another word, Augustine guided Anne into his office, the door closing firmly behind them.

Gustave approached Megan.

She yanked her arm away before he could touch her. "Don’t," she spat. "I can walk on my own."

With that, Megan turned on her heel and stormed off.

Inside Augustine’s office...

The tension had faded, replaced by a strange calm. They sat close together on the sofa, Augustine gently holding Anne’s hand, examining the reddened palm.

"You really didn’t hold back," he said, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. "I saw it."

Anne lowered her head, biting her lip, unable to meet his gaze. Embarrassment flushed her cheeks.

"It’s the first time I’ve seen that side of you," he teased, smirking. "Didn’t know you had such a violent streak."

"Stop it," she groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I already feel terrible."

"I’m not judging," he said softly, pulling her into a hug. "I’m just trying to understand. What made you snap like that?"

Anne’s anger resurfaced as she recalled how Megan had humiliated Augustine. "She insulted you. Said awful things about you and your father. I couldn’t take it. I tried to ignore her, but she came at me first. That’s when I completely lost it."

She gave a helpless shrug. "I don’t know what came over me. I was so angry, I just reacted. I wanted to rip her tongue out."

As she looked up at him, the fire inside her dimmed, replaced by guilt. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let my anger take over. Now I’ve put you in a difficult position. Megan won’t let this go. She might take legal action against you for firing her."

Her eyes dropped again, ashamed.

"Don’t worry," Augustine said reassuringly. "She can’t touch me. Even if she tries to file a complaint, it won’t hold up. She was the one who started this. She was supposed to leave after delivering the file, but she stayed, provoked you, and threw insults at me. She crossed the line, not you. As her employer, I had every right to fire her for that audacity."

Anne felt the tightness in her chest ease a little, comforted by his certainty. But the worry hadn’t fully left her eyes.

"Her father is a prominent lawyer," she murmured. "He is not going to let this go. And if what she said about marrying Denis is true, the Beaumonts could get involved, too. I’m scared they’ll come after you."

"Shh." Augustine gently placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. "Don’t be stressed. Remember, you are carrying our baby. That’s what matters most. Let me handle everything else."

Anne nodded slightly, leaning into his embrace. She had seen Augustine’s power and influence firsthand, but this city wasn’t his home turf. These families had deep roots and deeper connections. Her fear lingered.

"I know you are capable," she said. "But the Beaumonts and the Granets are powerful. Together, they could be dangerous."

"Denis and Gabriel won’t lift a finger," he said with confidence. "Don’t forget, Beaumont Group signed a major project with us. They won’t risk that deal by turning this into a war. And as for Oliver..." His tone sharpened. "Let him try to sue me."

There was a cold spark in his eyes, a flash of calculated intent.

"I have something on him, something that is enough to shake him."

Anne’s eyes narrowed with curiosity. "What is it?"

Augustine didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached out and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his gaze warm and full of affection.

"I’ll tell you when the time is right," he said softly. "But for now, let’s eat. You need to keep your strength up."

Augustine pulled out his phone and dialed Gustave. "Bring our lunch to the office."

Later that day...

Anne made her way to Patricia’s bakery, nestled in a bustling part of town far from the upscale neighborhoods. The street buzzed with life—vendors shouting over carts of fruit, steaming food stalls crowding the sidewalks, and the thick hum of city noise wrapping around her.

She pushed open the bakery door, the bell above jingling softly. Inside, it was quiet. No customers, just Lorie sitting behind the counter.

As soon as she saw Anne, Lorie stood up with a bright, almost too-eager smile. "You came," she said, sounding oddly thrilled.

Anne blinked, caught off guard by the warm reception.

Lorie had never been this cheerful with her—if anything, their past interactions had been tense at best. The sudden friendliness made Anne’s instincts flare. She smiled politely but kept her guard up.

"I’ve been waiting for you." Lorie reached for her hand and gently guided her to a table. "Come, sit. We’ve got a lot to talk about."

Lorie pulled out a chair for her. Anne hesitated, then sat, murmuring a quiet thank-you. But every nerve in her body stayed alert. Something felt off.

"I’ll make you some coffee," Lorie said, turning on her heel before Anne could stop her.

Anne watched her walk to the machine and start the brew. Her eyes wandered around the bakery, memories surfacing.

When she was in school, she used to help Patricia here, wiping counters, boxing pastries, and serving customers. Lorie, on the other hand, had always turned her nose up at the place. She used to sneer that she wasn’t meant to serve people.

Now here she was, manning the counter.

"You used to hate being here," Anne said. "What made you change your mind?"

Lorie turned, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "Things changed the moment I married Robert. You wouldn’t believe what my life looks like now."

Her voice was heavy with hidden resentment, though her face wore a mask of quiet sorrow. As she spoke, her hand slipped into her pocket, pulled out a small packet, and in one smooth motion, she tipped its contents into the coffee.

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