One night stand with my president (chapter 438)

 

Chapter 438 : Let Him Go Home

Adeline lowered her gaze and resumed sipping her red tea.

Just from her silence, Pedro understood-there was no chance of forgiveness.

And with Harrison glaring at him like a lion eyeing its prey, even trying would be pointless.

Panicking, Pedro turned his desperate plea toward Gracie, hoping to appeal to the years of affection she once held for him.

"Gracie, please... just give me one more chance. I swear, I'll do everything I can to make it up to Adeline. Something like this will never happen again. You watched me grow up-you and my mom were friends for years. Please... Just this once... let me go."

To be fair, Gracie had once treated Pedro almost like a second son. Seeing him kneeling, crying, and begging like this-of course her heart ached.

But then she remembered the pain her daughter had suffered -the fear, the injuries, the bullet wound.

And just like that, any trace of softness vanished.

No matter how close she'd been to Pedro, he would never matter more than her own child.

"You're right," Gracie said, her eyes dark with pain and fury. "I was close with your mother. I have helped your family over the years. And I treated you like my own. Do you have any idea how many times I went out of my way for you? I never expected gratitude-but I certainly didn't expect this. My daughter... we only just found her. We only just got her back. You know exactly how much she means to us. And yet, when you plotted to lock her up-to hurt her-did our years of friendship even cross your mind?"

Her voice trembled as emotion overtook her.

Isaac, sitting beside her, quickly reached over to calm her down. "Alright, alright," he said softly.

"Don't get worked up over scum like this. He's not worth it."

Alberto, standing off to the side, had heard enough.

"Let's stop wasting time," he said with an edge in his voice. "Dad, Mom, just hand him over to the authorities. Let him rot in prison."

And with the Mendoza family's legal team, that wouldn't be hard. They had more than enough evidence to bury Pedro under charges that could last a lifetime.

Pedro's face turned ghostly pale. He opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but no words came. His face flushed with panic, and he turned toward Adeline, silently begging.

But she didn't even look at him. Frantic, Pedro slammed his fists against the floor in frustration, voice cracking with rage and grief. "It was Benjamin... it was all him! He used me! He ruined me! | swear, even if I die-I'll drag him to hell with me!"

At that, Adeline's eyes flickered.

Just as Isaac was about to order the guards to haul Pedro away, Adeline calmly spoke. 

"Let him go. Let him go home."

Her words dropped into the room like a stone into still water.

Everyone-except for Harrison-froze.

Even Pedro looked up at her in disbelief.

He thought, "She's letting me go? Is this real?" Just moments ago, she hadn't reacted to a single one of his pleas. And now she was... releasing him?

He didn't understand it. But he wasn t about to question it, either.

All he could think was, "I'm going home. I'm not going to prison."

"Adeline?" Gracie blinked, stunned. "Why..?"

She knew her daughter well. Adeline was not the type to go soft on someone who had tried to hurt her.

Adeline simply gave her mother a small, deliberate wink.

Gracie didn't quite understand it, but she trusted Adeline's judgment. If she had a reason, she would wait to hear it. So, she said nothing more.

Everyone else came to the same conclusion.

Adeline had made her choice. It wasn't their place to overrule it.

Alberto scowled. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get lost."

Pedro snapped out of his daze. Without so much as a word, he scrambled to his feet and bolted out of the room, tripping over himself in his haste.

No one stopped him.

He ran straight through the Mendoza estates grand entrance, lungs burning, limbs shaking. Outside, Fletcher and Litzy were still waiting anxiously, their faces drawn with worry.

The moment they saw Pedro burst out the front door in a frenzy, they rushed forward, stunned and overjoyed.

"Pedro! You're out!" Litzy cried.

"Did you escape?!" she asked in alarm.

"No," Pedro panted, shaking his head frantically.

"Adeline... she let me go. She really let me go."

"What?" Litzy gasped. "She's not pressing charges? She just let you walk free?"

Pedro didn't know why either, but he nodded.

That was the truth-he was free.

Fletcher's brows drew together.

Something about this felt off.

But no matter the reason, Pedro being out was a blessing. It was better than the alternative.

"Come on. Let's go home," Litzy said through tearful relief. "Quick, get in the car."

Once inside their car, Pedro finally slumped back in the seat, body going limp with exhaustion.

"I'm starving," he muttered. "They locked me in a basement and fed me once a day-just bread and water. I thought I was going to die."

"Oh, my poor baby..." Litzy said, heart aching.

"When we get home, I'll have the chef make you a proper feast."

But Fletcher's face remained dark. "This is your own fault. If you hadn't gone behind our backs and targeted Adeline, none of this would've happened."

He was furious. Without the Mendoza family's support, the Livingstons would be surrounded by sharks in no time.

"We've lost their favor completely," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. 

"God knows how many people will be lining up to tear us apart now."

"It was Benjamin who ruined me!" Pedro growled, fists clenched. "That bastard set me up!"

Litzy sighed, her tone both reproachful and worried. "Pedro, no matter what happened, you shouldn't have messed with the Mendoza family. Do you have any idea how fragile our relationship was with them, to begin with? And now-look at what you've done. What if they change their minds and decide to come after you later?"

Pedro said nothing. He knew she was right.

After a long silence, Litzy said gently, "Just rest for a few days. When the time's right, I'll take you back to the Mendoza estate to apologize properly."

At the mention of returning there, Pedro visibly flinched.

He was territed of going back. The Mendoza estate had become a place that haunted him.

Still, deep down, he understood-if he wanted any hope of a future, he'd have to make amends.

The alternative was far worse.

As the car sped through the city, Pedro stared out the window, face pale, eyes dark. 

In his mind, he saw Benjamin's smirking face again.

"Benjamin," he thought, rage flickering in his chest. "You'll pay for this."

Back at the Mendoza estate, the atmosphere remained heavy even after Pedro left. 

Alberto couldn't hold it in anymore. "Adeline, are you seriously letting him go? After everything he did to you?"

He just couldn't accept it. The thought made his stomach turn.

"I'm not letting him go," Adeline replied coolly. "I just think... he might still be useful."

They had all been too angry to think clearly before.

remained heavy even after Pedro left. 

Alberto couldn't hold it in anymore. "Adeline, are you seriously letting him go? After everything he did to you?"

He just couldn't accept it. The thought made his stomach turn.

"I'm not letting him go," Adeline replied coolly. "I just think... he might still be useful."

They had all been too angry to think clearly before.

But now, with that one sentence, they finally began to understand.

"You mean we can use him against Benjamin?"

Isaac asked slowly.

I’m