chapter1149

Jackson scanned the room with sharp, watchful eyes, finally zeroing in on Rosie, Mandy, and Benjamin.

His voice was low and steady. "These next three months are crucial for me. I mean it. No one can step out of line. Keep your heads down. The investigation team is watching me like hawks, and anything you do could be used against me."

Rosie's fingers curled tight around the edge of her dress, her heart thudding in her chest. She had just paid off those social media companies. That shouldn't come back to bite her, right? And honestly, it wasn't even her fault. If Lydia had a fianc , why was she still flirting with other guys? Rosie didn't see how she'd done anything wrong.

As that thought crossed her mind, she risked a glance up and immediately caught Jackson's piercing stare. She ducked her head and pretended to fix her hair, hoping he hadn't seen the guilt on her face.

Mandy, on the other hand, stayed cool. "Don't worry, Jackson. We know how serious this is. We're not going to make things harder for you." She understood how things worked in the upper circles of the Capital, where one small mistake could drag you into a mess you'd never escape.

Mrs. Hydes squeezed Jackson's hand, her expression worried. "You need to watch out for yourself too. Rosie knows what's at stake. They won't do anything reckless."

Jackson's face didn't soften. He turned to Benjamin, his voice firm. "And at the Ministry, you need to stop making waves. William's in the middle of a clean-up, so just lay low. Don't even think about transferring departments. Right now, any unusual move could turn into a scandal."

Benjamin's face went pale, then red. He swallowed. "I get it."

He was frustrated with William, but after hearing Jackson's warning, he wasn't about to risk it.

The room was so tense it felt hard to breathe. Rosie tried to break the silence with a smile. "Uncle, you don't have to worry. I'll be good, I promise."

Jackson didn't look convinced. He stared at Rosie like he could see straight through her. "Rosie, if there's anything you're hiding, now's the time to come clean. Don't wait until the investigation team finds out. No one will be able to help you then."

Rosie's throat tightened, her words catching. "There's... nothing." She could feel sweat in her palms and a chill down her back, Jackson's gaze was almost unbearable.

Mrs. Hydes paused, looking over at Rosie. "Rosie, I heard you and the Goss boy had a falling out?

That had been a hot topic just a couple days ago. However, Rosie and Alfie were never officially engaged, and it wasn't unusual for young people to break up and get back together. Still, with Rosie making such a scene, people were starting to wonder if the Goss family would still back Jackson in the

future.

Rumor had it the Goss family was furious, especially Mrs. Goss, who apparently

said her son could marry anyone except Rosie.

The tension in the air doubled.

Jackson, fresh out of the loop, hadn't heard about Rosie and the Goss family's drama. Hearing it now from his mother, his eyes narrowed.

"You and Alfie broke up?"

Rosie shrank under his stare, twisting her hands as she blurted out, "I just... I really don't like him!"