Nigel studied Damien, his expression thoughtful. Damien seemed genuinely


    earnest, and after a brief hesitation, Nigel bit back any further protest. He hadn''t brought many men with him-if it came down to a direct sh with ck Spider''s gang, the odds weren''t on his side.


    Negotiating for time was his only shot now. As long as Damien figured something out, there might be hope. Even so, a hint of suspicion lingered in his eyes. He doubted whether Damien would really risking back for him.


    Still, he decided to take the chance.


    "If you''re really set on marrying me, let the others go," Nigel said, turning to ck Spider and trying to sound more confident than he felt. "I''ve got a few friends here. Don''t you think my friends deserve to be at my wedding?"


    Damien shot Nigel a look of sympathy. He''d never been the object of another man''s obsession before, and frankly, it looked like a total nightmare.


    "Don''t try to fool me. You think I''m stupid?" ck Spider spat. "If I let all of them go, you''ll just make a run for it. I know what you''re capable of!"


    "Then just let him go," Nigel countered quickly, nodding toward Damien. "Just him." “Him?” ck Spider turned to size up Damien.


    Damien offered an easy, almost amused smile. "Honestly, I think you two are perfect for each other. I wouldn''t dream of cutting in. Besides, I hardly know him. You can have him all yours!"


    “Really?” ck Spider took a closer look at Damien, suspicious.


    "Really," Damien affirmed with a nod. "Hand me the car keys. I''m just going to meet


    a friend. I''ll swing back for the wedding, how''s that?"


    ck Spider thought it over, then agreed. “Fine. Take the car. Go."


    He didn''t think Damien could cause any trouble on his own.


    Relieved, Damien wasted no time. Afraid ck Spider might reconsider, he hopped into the car and sped off. ck Spider''s goons stepped aside to let him pass.


    Watching the car vanish in the distance, Nigel exhaled shakily. If Damien didn''te back, he was finished.


    "Let''s go," ck Spider ordered. "Time to get ready for the wedding!"


    "Isn''t this all a bit hasty?" Nigel tried to stall.


    “It has to be quick,” ck Spider replied, his eyes narrowing. “Last time, you got away. Are you thinking of trying that again?"


    Nigel let out a silent groan, pressing a hand to his forehead. This was a nightmare. He''d thought he was just passing through-but clearly, the universe had a vendetta against him: He had no clue why ck Spider was so fixated on him. Their history together was barely a blip.


    He was deeply annoyed, but what choice did he have? Resigned, he followed alongside ck Spider. As they walked, he tried a new approach. "Marriages need a lot of adjustment, you know. I have plenty of bad habits. Are you sure you can live with that?"


    "You don''t look like someone with bad habits. You''re just my type. I can ept every single one of your ws," ck Spider dered without hesitation.


    Nigel was lost for words. He seriously regretteding this way-ck Spider was genuinely terrifying.


    While Nigel shuffled along in utter misery, on the other side of town, Calliope was pulling up at Uriah''spound.


    The moment her car stopped, Uriah rushed outside. His own guards moved to block her, but he quickly waved them off.


    "Let her through-she''s with me!" Uriah called, his voice taut with worry.


    He hadn''t had a proper rest in days-not since Mavis''s ident He''d been certain his top-notch medical team could handle things, but he d never expected the situation would spiral so far out of control.