?Chapter 99:


    Elliana braced herself, ready for Cole to fire off some warning shots. Instead of backing down, she cocked her head and met his stare head-on, not a flicker of fear in sight.


    The second their eyes met, a teasing grin tugged at Cole’s lips. He let out a slow breath and said, “Well now, you’ve definitely caught my eye, honey.”


    Even though his tone was gentle, his words struck Elliana like a jolt of lightning straight to the brain. Her pulse faltered, missing a few beats as her brain tried to keep up. What on earth was he trying to say with that?


    Cole looked at her with a mix of charm and danger, the kind of stare that could spark nerves in the bravest soul.


    Elliana had no clue what to make of him—he was a closed book with a mischievous smile.


    Even Myles, Aron, and Hugh—Cole’s longtime crew—looked like they’d been hit with a plot twist they hadn’t seening.


    Confusion drifted over the diner like mist rolling in on a still morning. The woman, makeup smudged and hair a disaster, blinked like she’d just woken up in a different reality. Was Cole not on her side anymore? And what was that nonsense about this attractive waitress having his attention?


    Before anyone could figure out what was happening, Cole strode over and picked Elliana up like she was the lead in some rom movie. That one bold move spelled it out for the whole room—he was smitten with her.


    The woman looked like her eyeballs were about to fall out. Was she seriously being outdone by some waitress?


    Hugh tugged on Myles’s sleeve and whispered, “Has Mr. Evanspletely lost it? First, he brought that shy chick into a tiny diner on Willow Lane. Now he’s chasing a waitress? Should we step in or what?”


    Myles gave Hugh a side nce and responded, “Did you already forget what I drilled into you? If your brain’s not catching up, then keep your mouth shut.”


    Hugh, feeling the sting of the rebuke and still itching to know more, murmured, “I’m just concerned Mr. Evans is making a mess of things. They told us to watch him closely. If he slips up, it’s our job to take over.”


    ???????? ???????? ???????????? at galn??v??????．?????


    With zero patience, Myles flicked him on the forehead. “That’s my job. Leave it to me, genius.”


    As the two kept squabbling, Elliana finally shook off her daze and began twisting in Cole’s arms, trying to break free.


    Cole didn’t ease his hold. He said in a calm voice that held something deadly beneath the surface, “One more move, and this whole ce gets wiped off the map.”


    Elliana came to a standstill, her entire body tense. There was no chance she’d let Hailee’s family take the hit for something she could fix. She’d settle it herself, as soon as they got out of here.


    Once Elliana stopped struggling, Cole gave a smug grin and strode out of the diner, effortlessly carrying her in his arms.


    “Wait!” Hailee dashed after them. “Please, let her go! I’ll take the me for everything. Just put her down!”


    Cole didn’t even blink in her direction. He moved like she wasn’t there. Over his shoulder, Elliana gave Hailee a quick look and said, “It’s alright. Don’t stress.”


    But Hailee still seemed shaken, so Elliana pulled out her phone and sent her a message, saying, “He is Cole Evans.”


    The second Hailee read the text, she froze mid-step. She had never met Cole in person, but his name carried a reputation of its own. He was the billionaire leader of the Evans family. Elliana’s wedding to him had made headlines everywhere. So, the two of them were husband and wife.


    Hailee let out an exasperated breath and a shortugh. Seriously? A power couple picking a fight in a quiet little diner? Was this their idea of a romantic outing?


    Clueless and jittery, Briggs leaned toward Hailee and asked, “Do you think we should call the police?”


    With a calm smile, Hailee shook her head. “It’s okay, Dad. Elliana’s not in danger.”


    Not long after, Cole strode toward the car with Elliana still tucked tightly in his arms.


    After dispatching two guards to handle the woman, Myles slid into the passenger seat. He was about to give the order to move but hesitated, ncing over his shoulder. “Where to, Mr. Evans?”


    Without loosening his grip on Elliana, Cole replied, “Regal Grove.”


    Regal Grove served as Cole’s personal retreat, tucked away from the public eye.


    “Understood.” Myles nodded, instructed the driver, and then reached forward to raise the privacy screen.


    They were riding in a sleek stretch limo—Myles and the driver up front, Aron and Hugh at the rear, while Cole and Elliana sat cocooned in the center. With the partition drawn, the middle seat felt like its own private world.


    The sleek ck convoy pulled away from Willow Lane with quiet authority.


    Still grumbling under his breath, Hugh leaned toward Aron and whispered, “Mr. Evans is really bringing that waitress to Regal Grove. You think he’s trying to make her his mistress?”


    When Aron didn’t respond, Hugh gave him a nudge. “Come on, man, say something! The Evans family has rules—no mistresses allowed. If Ruben hears about this, Cole’s toast!”


    With a knowing smirk, Aron finally said, “Still clueless? Mr. Evans is not sneaking around. That’s his wife he’s got in his arms.”


    Hugh stared at him, stunned. “Wait, what? I thought Elliana was supposed to look awful?”


    Aron simply leaned back and let the silence confirm everything.


    Meanwhile, Cole kept Elliana firmly seated on hisp, his fingers casually tracing the curve of her waistpletely unbothered by the world outside their tinted windows.


    .


    .


    .