"Aha! So you two dogs are protecting each other! James, have I been anything but good to you? You im there''s nothing between you, so why are you shielding her now? I knew you two were having an affair!"


    Patti''s face, which had just begun to heal from thest beating, was now bruised and swollen again. "Mrs. Mercer, I really have nothing to do with your husband! James, say something! Tell her whose woman I am!"


    At this critical moment, Patti had no choice but to use Hawthorne as a shield. Otherwise, she was sure Mrs. Mercer would beat her to death.


    Hearing Patti''s desperate plea, James finally came to his senses and grabbed his wife. “Stop! You can''t hit her! She''s Mr. Everhart''s girlfriend. I was just bringing her to the hotel for him. His wife showed up and made a scene earlier, so Mr. Everhart asked me to help him out by getting his girlfriend away from the situation. You fool, you''re acting recklessly! If you hurt Mr. Everhart''s girlfriend, he''ll hold us ountable!"


    To protect his future and prevent the truth froming out, James held onto Mrs. Mercer for dear life.


    But at that moment, his wife was like a frenzied beast, deaf to his words. "You phndering dog, now you''re trying to pin this on Hawthorne? You think I''ll believe that? I wasn''t born yesterday!"


    Seeing them about to start again, Patti was so frightened she nearly fainted. "Ma''am, if you don''t believe us, you can call Hawthorne. I''m really his girlfriend. I have absolutely nothing to do with your husband.”


    With both of them insisting, Mrs. Mercer''s expression softened slightly. As she calmed down, she waved her friends to a halt and stared down at the man and woman kneeling at her feet Mr. Everhart''s girlfriend? For real? Everyone in our circle knows he''s a straight arrow, not interested in women. He just got married. How could he have a mistress so soon?"


    James was a mess of tears and snot. “Just give him a call and you''ll know! We just left his restaurant. Lanny Pierce was there too. Who knew his wife would suddenly Show of of a


    upar Everheartres afraid a big


    scene, so he asked me to bring his girlfriend to a hotel. If you don''t believe me, just ask!"


    James was also bruised and battered. Mrs. Mercer didn''t know Hawthorne well, and she''d heard he was a cold man, so she wasn''t about to call him directly. She didn''t even have his number. But Lanny was a different story. Her father had done business with him before.


    Right there, in front of James, she pulled out her phone and dialed Lanny, pointing a finger at her husband''s nose as she did. "I''m telling you, I''ll believe you this one time. But if I find out you''re all in this together to trick me, you are dead."


    When Mrs. Mercer called, Lanny was at a nightclub, singing and drinking. The ce was so loud that he could barely hear when he answered. But he recognized the number and quickly stepped outside, his voice slurring from the alcohol. "Mrs. Mercer? What''s up? Where''s your husband? We were supposed to be drinking at the club. He left to drop off Mr. Everhart''s girlfriend at her hotel a while ago and still hasn''t shown up. Is he nning on ditching me here? We just signed a huge deal. He''s not thinking of skipping out on the bill, is he?"


    Lanny was drunk and had been expecting James to foot the bill for the entire night.


    It had been almost an hour, and he was getting annoyed. So when Mrs. Mercer called, heined to her in a half-joking tone.


    Mrs. Mercer had the call on speaker. Lanny''s words made her a little embarrassed, and James seized the opportunity. "See? Did you hear that? I was just helping Mr. Everhart out of a jam. Now I''mte getting back to Mr. Pierce, all because you decided to show up and make a scene."