?Chapter 143:


    “It’s really Mr. Flynn!”


    The restless murmuring died down as people instinctively moved aside, clearing a path without hesitation.


    Eric walked through them with unshaken confidence, reaching the center of the disturbance in mere moments. His gaze sharpened slightly, a ghost of a smirk curling on his lips.


    “What’s all this?”


    His voice carried an air of nonchnce, as if he were merely making an idle remark about the pleasant evening.


    “Mr. Flynn…”


    Cody’s stomach twisted with panic.


    So it wasn’t just empty talk! Lennon had been dead serious. This was real. And he was in deep trouble.


    Eric didn’t so much as nce at him, treating his existence as nothing more than background noise. His attention was elsewhere, locked onto the woman Cody had been holding moments ago. Hadley was still in her stage costume, her mask slightly askew, long hair disheveled as she sat slumped on the floor. She looked utterly miserable.


    “Humph.”


    Eric scoffed, his breath carrying a cold, mocking edge. Then, without…


    Warning, his armshed out like a whip.


    A sharp crack split the air.


    Before anyone could react, Cody was airborne, flung like a broken marite before crashing violently against the wall.


    A strangled cry tore from his throat as pain exploded through his back. His spine struck the wall with brutal force, the impact rattling through his entire body.


    But it didn’t stop there. His face burned with a fierce sting, and an unsettling warmth trickled down his chin.


    Blood.


    Lɑt??τ cнαρτ?rs ιn g??l??ov?ls.??????


    Cody spat, coughing up a mix of red and saliva. Something solid hit the floor with a soft clink. His tooth. The realization sent a shudder through him.


    Eric Flynn’s strength was beyond question.


    “Mr. Flynn.”


    Cody forced out a ragged breath, ignoring the sharp sting that shot through him. If there had been any doubt before, it was gone now—this woman meant something to Eric.


    Everyone in the city knew Eric had never taken an interest in any woman. Yet tonight, he’d crossed a line for this dancer without hesitation.


    “My bad. I didn’t realize she was yours…”


    “Out of my sight!”


    Eric’s voice was sharp with irritation. His focus never wavered from Hadley, still curled up on the floor, her entire frame shaking.


    “Of course.”


    Now mostly sober and no longer concerned about pride, Cody staggered back, retreating without another word.


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