?Chapter 697:


    “Come in,” she called.


    Samuel entered, carrying a neatly folded set of women’s clothes.


    “Ms. Hudson, these clothes have been prepared for you.”


    Sadie epted the clothes and retreated to the bathroom.


    After changing, she emerged, trying to maintain her usualposure.


    “Aboutst night…”


    Samuel hovered on the edge of his words, visibly torn. Sadie’s eyes narrowed, her voice low and unwavering. “Say it. The truth, Samuel.” Only then did he muster the nerve.


    “The men fromst night… they talked. It was Sutton behind it. He nned to kidnap Hailey. But they took the wrong person.” Sadie’s expression hardened—like a surface kissed by sudden frost.


    Sutton. Again.


    Relentless, venomous Sutton.


    Samuel shifted ufortably, his voice softer now. “Also… Ms. Hudson, I saw Patrick’s car pulling away just as I got here.”


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    Silence mmed down between them.


    It wasn’t Noahst night. It was Patrick.


    She should have known better. Should’ve kept her walls high, her heart distant, especially when her husband’s death still hung fresh in the air.


    How could she…


    Sadie’s guilt deepened. She felt awful.


    Even after she returned to the office, her thoughts remained a chaotic tangle.


    “Earth to Sadie,” came a voice—smooth, amused, and far too close.


    Sadie jolted, reality snapping back like a rubber band. ine stood beside her, wearing that trademark smirk, his eyes scanning her face like he was reading a page.


    “What’s got you so flustered this early? What happened?” He lifted a brow, yfully skeptical.


    Sadie shot him a look. “Mind your own business.”


    She steadied herself with a breath and forced a shift in tone. “Anyway, what are you doing here?”


    A quick subject change—anything to avoid being bothered by ine.


    He offered a shrug, palms up.


    “The Burgess Group called a meeting to move forward on the partnership.” He paused, letting irritation slip into his voice. “Sutton’s missing—no calls, no texts, nowhere to be seen. And Patrick? He suddenly bailedst minute.”


    The mention of Patrick made Sadie flinch. Subtle, but there.


    She avoided ine’s gaze, her words clipped. “If Mr. Noel’s not showing up, you’ll have to handle it solo.”


    With that, she spun on her heel and vanished into her office, the door shutting behind her with a sharp finality.


    ine stared after her, brow furrowed, a little stunned.


    What was wrong with Sadie today?


    She seemed distant. Tense. Like a wire pulled taut and ready to snap.


    Behind the office door, Sadie sat motionless—at least on the outside. She snatched up the internal line. “Samuel,” she said, her voice as cold as cut ss. “Those thugs fromst night—deal with them. And as for Sutton… he’s no longer worth keeping alive in this game.”


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