LOGIN“Who?” Sarah asked.Dr. Xavier swallowed hard. “You have to promise me first. Protect me, my wife, and my son.”“I promise,” Melvin said, solemn and steady.“Last time there was already an ‘accident,’” Dr. Xavier pressed, pushing his luck. “This time I need twenty-four-hour, close-range protection.”Melvin did not even argue. “Fine. I’ll arrange a place for you to stay and assign bodyguards around the clock. If you still don’t feel safe, you can keep staying here. You know this is Zachary’s territory.”Dr. Xavier nodded, then looked at Sarah.“Miss Sanders,” he said hoarsely, “there’s someone who’s been quietly blocking me from appealing. At first, I couldn’t tell where the obstruction was happening. Then I realized every single appeal got stuck at the same point.”He drew a breath. “The dean of the medical college. George Hunter.”Sarah's brows tightened. She looked at Melvin.She recognized the name from school. George Hunger was well-known, a big figure in the medical world
After he said that, Steven opened the door.Dr. Xavier was standing right in front of it, pacing like a trapped animal. The moment the door swung open, he spotted Melvin and Sarah.“You two!” His eyes widened in shock, then he immediately looked away, guilty. As soon as they stepped inside, Steven shut the door behind them.Sarah stared at him, confused and angry. “Why did you run? Why would you take your wife and kid and disappear without a word?”Dr. Xavier's eyes darted. “I… I…”He could not say it. How was he supposed to admit he had killed someone?“You killed someone,” Sarah said coldly.Dr. Xavier's head snapped up. His face went white. “H-how do you know?”“East Coast isn’t that big,” Melvin said, voice flat. “Nothing stays hidden for long. I even know the truth. He went there to kill you first, and you killed him instead. Right?”Dr. Xavier lowered his gaze. He looked like he was wrestling with himself, and then he finally forced the words out.“Yes. You’re not wrong
Charlotte’s voice turned icy. “Mr. Paterson, get in the car. We’re leaving.”Nick immediately nodded at her and got in. Charlotte did not give Lucy even a second to react. She stepped on the gas and pulled away from St. Ritz.Lucy stormed home, furious, only to find her mother holding Callum. The sight made the anger in her chest flare even hotter.Mrs. Chancer took one look at her expression and frowned. “What happened to you? Didn’t your brother say you were going on a date with that man from Harbour City?”“Don’t even mention it,” Lucy snapped. “Mom, that bitch tried to ruin me again. She and my brother haven’t even been divorced that long, and she’s already latched onto Nick!”Mrs. Chancer had not caught everything at first, but after Lucy angrily retold the entire day, her face hardened.“I could tell that woman was shameless from the start,” Mrs. Chancer said bitterly. “But that Nick from Harbour City, is he really that outstanding?”“He is,” Lucy said, her voice turning t
Lucy forced down the anger boiling in her chest. Her teeth ached from how hard she was clenching them, but she still balled her fists and made herself breathe.Nick was right there. She did not want to leave him with a bad impression.“It’s okay,” she said, sounding gracious even though every word tasted like poison. “If you have something urgent, go handle it. Don’t let me hold you up.”What she really wanted, deep down, was to tear Charlotte apart.After they left St. Ritz, Nick walked toward a car parked by the curb.Charlotte was in the driver’s seat.“She saw?” Charlotte asked.Nick nodded like it did not matter as he slid into the passenger seat. “Yeah. Be careful. She might start targeting you.”Charlotte gave a cold laugh. “I’m only worried she still won’t even notice me.”“Wait a minute,” Nick said calmly. “She will.”There were more than a dozen luxury cars lined up outside St. Ritz, but Charlotte’s stood out even among them.When Lucy walked out, she spotted it im
Nick frowned and reached a hand toward Lucy. “Grab my hand.”Lucy looked at him in pure terror. Her hand trembled as she stretched it out. “Nick!”Her soft, pale fingers landed in his palm.In the next second, Nick yanked her toward him and pulled her onto his horse in one clean motion. The saddle was tight for two people. Lucy ended up sitting at an angle, her back pressed against his chest.Everyone nearby gasped. Some were amazed by Nick’s control. Others just exhaled in relief that Lucy had been saved.Lucy clung to him, one hand over her chest like she was still shaken. “Nick, thank you. That was terrifying. I really thought…”Nick slowed the horse and helped her down. Only then did the stable staff rush over, anxious to check her over.Lucy refused. She had finally gotten closer to Nick. There was no way she was leaving now.Once the crowd dispersed, she walked back to his side. “Nick, you saved me. I have to thank you properly. St. Ritz is one of the most famous restaura
Lucy rode alongside Nick, the two of them chatting on and off.The vibe was painfully normal. Polite. Distant. Like two people who technically knew each other, but did not belong in the same world.She had worked so hard just to figure out where he would be today. Her hope had been burning bright. There was no way she was letting it end like this.“Miss Chancer,” Nick asked suddenly, “is something on your mind?”Lucy jumped, worried she had accidentally let something slip. “N-no. I’m fine.”Nick smiled, his voice gentle. “You don’t have to rush. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t force you. You’ve just looked a little distracted since earlier, so I was worried.”“You said… you were worried about me?” Lucy turned to him, eyes bright, desperate to hear him say it again.Nick chuckled, amused by her reaction. “You’re my business partner’s sister. A little concern isn’t anything special.”How could he say that?The smile on Lucy’s face faded so fast it was almost visible,







