?Chapter 385:


    Unaware of the storm brewing in her mind, Merlin’s voice broke the silence,ced with light amusement. “Now that the paperwork’s done, you’ve officially be mine. From here on, make sure you follow my instructions carefully, alright?”


    Hailee found herself puzzled by the way he phrased it. Be his? She could not make sense of what he was even suggesting. She looked up at him, ready to speak, but his face was calm and unreadable—no lecherous grin, no inappropriate smirk. If she made a fuss now, it would seem like she was reading too much into it. He probably just meant she was now part of his staff.


    Her lips parted and then closed again. In the end, she simply nodded. “Understood, Mr. kely.”


    Merlin reached out and gently tousled her hair, his tone turning even softer as he said, “That’s my girl.”


    The unexpected gesture sent a strange chill down Hailee’s spine. All she had done was sign a job contract—so why did it feel like she had just been imed?


    Lucas, sensing the awkwardness, stiffened and quickly fixed his posture, eyes locked ahead like a statue.


    From the outside, Lucas appeared every bit the perfect assistant. Inside, though, he was silently judging his boss. Merlin had always been distant and cold, and any woman who attempted to make a move on him quickly backed away from the chill in his stare. Most people believed he would remain alone for the rest of his life. Who would’ve thought that Merlin would suddenly turn into a romantic with strategies that could put anyone to shame?


    Merlin remained oblivious to his assistant’s internalmentary. All he cared about was that the contract was signed, which gave him one more way to keep Hailee close. And if she ever got the idea of backing out? Well, escaping wouldn’t be so simple anymore. That thought alone had him in such high spirits, even as the car pulled into the Evans family estate, his eyes still sparkling with satisfaction.


    Waiting was its own special kind of torture—every second stretched and twisted into an eternity for those left hanging.


    At the Evans residence, the Craig family was nearing their breaking point. They’d been expecting Merlin for what felt like forever, and every passing minute only turned the heat up higher under their collective impatience.


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    Merlin—CEO of the mighty keley Group—wasn’t exactly known for squandering time. His schedule ran like clockwork, his minutes worth more than most people’s paychecks. And yet, today of all days, he’d frittered away time like it grew on trees.


    After finishing his chat with Cole, Merlin should’ve gone straight to Willow Lane, no detours. But no—he lingered, indecisive, obsessing over what to wear.


    Then came the stop at Hailee’s dad’s humble little spaghetti shop. It was supposed to be a simple pick-up, a quick word with Briggs. Instead, he sat down and ordered a full te—twirling pasta like he had all the time in the world.


    As if that wasn’t enough, the drive to the Evans estate turned into an extended sightseeing tour under his order. The car crept along at a cial pace while Merlin casually lured Hailee into signing an employment contract.


    By the time Merlin finally stepped through the doors of the Evans mansion, the clock had struck 11 p.m.


    The Evans family looked half-dead with fatigue. Ruben’s strict house rule—”no noise after 8″—had clearly been sacrificed. Normally, they’d all be tucked in hours ago, but tonight, no one dared retreat to bed. Not when something intriguing was in the air. Everyone was on edge, eyes red-rimmed from yawning but too wired to sleep.


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