?Chapter 313:


    “Thought I’de pick you up from work,” he said casually—then, with a sudden shift, his voice dropped. “Don’t look around. Just focus on me.”


    Hadley blinked. “What?”


    “Eric’s car is up ahead,” he murmured.


    Her breath hitched. Eric? Again?


    A flicker of unease passed through her. Had he really not let this go?


    Before she could react, Denver stepped in closer, angling himself just enough that, from a distance, they looked like a couple lost in quiet conversation.


    His voice was barely a whisper near her ear. “I think he’s starting to doubt that we’re actually together.”


    Which, of course, was entirely true.


    “Good thing I saw thising.” Denver’s grin turned yful, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Figured he’d be watching, so I thought I’d make an appearance. If we’re going to put on a show, we might as well give it everything we’ve got.”


    Then, leaning in slightly, he murmured, “So,e on, Hadley. Smile for him.”


    What?


    She hadn’t nned on smiling—not even a little. But his words, so over-the-top and theatrical,pletely caught her off guard. Before she could stop herself,ughter bubbled up.


    And just like that, she wasn’t faking it. She looked genuinely amused.


    “Hadley…”


    Denver gazed at her, softly uttering her name.


    “What?” A smile still yed on Hadley’s lips.


    “You have something in your hair…” Carefully, Denver reached out to extract it.


    “What’s this?”


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    He passed the small item to her.


    Inspecting it, Hadley recognized a shiny sequin. “Oh, it’s from my costume.”


    From a Bentley parked nearby, Eric observed them, his expression turning cold with each passing second.


    Finally, he averted his gaze.


    “Sebastian, drive,” hemanded tersely.


    “Right away, Mr. Flynn.”


    Sebastian cautiously started the vehicle, well aware of the tension surrounding a man grappling with his unspoken emotions.


    As they drove off, Eric reclined, shutting his eyes to block out the painful scene.


    He confessed to himself that there was this growing affection for Hadley…


    He decided it was merely an attraction.


    But nothing more, not something he couldn’t exist without.


    After all, who truly couldn’t survive without someone else?


    He dismissed the notion of evesting love as mere fantasy.


    At the same time, Denver retracted his hand, saying quietly, “Eric’s gone.”


    “Really?”


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