?Chapter 1348:


    And there, half-lost in the dim light, was a silhouette she would recognize anywhere.


    There he stood, waiting in that darkness.


    Noah.


    Their eyes locked across the distance.


    For one heartbeat, everything else fell away, time stood still, the mall’s noise faded, and all that remained was the concern in his gaze and the storm of emotion raging inside her.


    Her pulse thundered so loudly it felt like it might break free from her chest.


    Yet she forced herself to stay cool, burying every tremor of fear and longing beneath a practiced mask.


    Beside Noah stood another familiar figure. It was Hurst.


    Hurst gave the slightest shake of his head, just enough for her to catch the urgent warning in his eyes.


    They had to y it smart.


    One wrong move and both men would be trapped right here with her. Sadie got the message immediately.


    She dropped her gaze, erasing any sign that moment had ever existed between them.


    The restroom was no longer an option.


    There were too many people lingering nearby, and if Emerson’s men ended up butting heads with Noah’s crew, it would turn into chaos. She needed a quieter spot, somewhere less likely to draw attention.


    Her eyesnded on a luxurious boutique just a few steps away. Without missing a beat, she turned around and addressed her silent escorts, her tone all business.


    “I’m going in to try on some clothes.” She paused at the doorway, icy gaze raking over the guards. “You lot can wait outside.”


    One bodyguard hesitated, uncertainty flickering on his face.


    Sadie didn’t give him a chance to argue. She marched ahead, her voice cool and clipped with authority. “What’s the matter? Scared I’ll make a run for it?”


    A smirk curled at her lips. “Or maybe you want to follow me in and watch me undress? Tell you what, if anyone even thinks about it, I’ll have my dad make sure they regret it for the rest of their life.”


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    Sadie’s threat, cold and spiteful, dripped with the reckless audacity of a spoiled rich girl tied to the underworld.


    The bodyguards traded wary nces, the unease in their eyes perfectly echoed in each other’s.


    More than anyone, they understood the extent of Emerson’s cruelty.


    No one in their right mind would dismiss Sadie’s threat as empty. None of them were willing to wager their future—or their lives—on testing her resolve.


    Atst, the lead bodyguard dipped his head. “Go ahead, ma’am. We’ll stand by the entrance.”


    A faint smile tugged at Sadie’s lips as she turned and strode into the luxury boutique, never once ncing back.


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