?Chapter 279:


    Manley blinked,pletely lost. It took him back to when Cole found out Elliana had been kidnapped. Cole had gone ballistic, storming out with fire in his eyes, yelling about setting someone straight. And right now? Merlin looked exactly like that. Cole had been livid because his wife had been kidnapped. But what had pushed Merlin over the edge? Burning with curiosity, Manley trailed close behind, pestering him with questions. “Hey, Merlin, who’s the ‘lucky’ soul you’re gonna deal with? Was it the guy who gave you that nasty bump? Want backup?” Manley figured he was being supportive, but Merlin didn’t see it that way.


    Merlin halted so fast that Manley nearly bumped into him. He turned with a scowl and snapped, “Why do you care? Mind your own business.”


    Manley grinned, scratched his nose, and then pointed straight at Merlin’s lump. “Come on, I’m just trying to help. Wouldn’t it look way cooler if your friends jumped in with you?”


    That was when Merlin caught on. Manley thought he’d lost a fight. The idea made him cringe. A man like him—once special forces elite, undefeated, feared across borders—would lose a fight? Not a chance. He felt the need to clear things up. With an annoyed grunt, he said, “I didn’t lose a damn fight. I got clobbered by a mule. Literally.”


    Manley’s lip twitched. Yeah, like that made any sense. Where in Ublento would a mule evene from? And what kind of mule couldnd a blow like that? This was the same guy who had taken down men in battle and wrestled wolves out in the wild. If anything, Merlin would be the one doing the kicking.


    Manley couldn’t help thinking back to that chaotic night on Merritt’s yacht—the one where Hailee had sunk her teeth into Merlin’s wrist, leaving him bleeding. When asked what happened, Merlin had brushed it off, refusing to borate. It was onlyter when Hailee showed up with a first-aid kit that the group realized she was the one who had left a mark on him.


    That memory sparked a new theory in Manley’s head. Maybe the fresh lump on Merlin’s head had Hailee written all over it. The idea took hold fast. Before he could stop himself, he called out, “Wait—did you bump into Hailee just now?”


    Merlin didn’t even bother replying. He shot a look sharp enough to kill and kept moving.


    This time, Manley stayed rooted to the spot. He didn’t need words. That re told him everything he needed to know. Hailee had definitely done it.


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    The realization left Manley stunned. Hailee really didn’t hold back! First, she’d gone after Merlin’s arm. Now, she’d gone for his head. At this rate, it felt like messing with him had be her personal hobby. Meanwhile, Merlin had no clue that Manley’s imagination was running wild. He had more pressing things on his mind—namely, preparing a huge “surprise” for Boris and Hester’s engagement partyter that night. He left the Royal Club in a hurry.


    Elsewhere, Elliana had already escorted Hailee away, heading back to their hotel. She couldn’t stop thinking about the stone she hurled at Merlin. Just remembering it made her want tough. From the moment they met, that man had done nothing but find fault with her. He’d thrown a cup at her, tried to drive a wedge between her and Cole, and kept pushing Cole to cut ties with her. Now, she’d finally evened the score. Maybe now he’d think twice before sticking his nose in someone else’s rtionship.


    Her satisfaction kept bubbling up. By the time they were in the taxi, she was humming one of her favorite pop songs.


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