?Chapter 1726:


    Jaxen and Violette froze, shock shing between them as they stared at one another.


    “Aren’t you going to answer it?” Jaxen murmured under his breath.


    “Why should that fall on me? What if they’re here for you?” Violette snapped, shooting him a re thick with bitterness.


    “And what if they’re after you? If I’m the one who opens it, we’re both finished,” Jaxen said, his brow knotting. He knew better than to get tangled in this disaster—if he did, marrying Christina would be nearly impossible.


    Watching his spineless reaction, Violette sneered inwardly. This man waspletely worthless, too frightened to even face the door.


    “Go, now. Don’t give anyone a reason to doubt,” Jaxen pressed. “The room is under your name—there will be a trail. Whoever’s outside is obviously here for you.”


    With no alternative left, Violette finished dressing and moved toward the door, her steps deliberately slow. She drew a quiet breath, then flung it open.


    A towering, intimidating figure filled her vision at once. It was Alban.


    “Alban, why are you here?” Violette asked, forcing a smile onto her face. Her nerves were in chaos; she was terrified he might uncover what she had done.


    “You arranged for someone to drug me,” Alban said, his tone t and absolute.


    Violette’s heart jolted. “I didn’t. Drug you?” she murmured, a trace of panic threading her voice. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”


    “Oh? I’ve reviewed the security footage. There’s solid proof, and the person involved was caught quickly. Are you really going to keep denying it?” Alban replied with a frosty chuckle.


    Fear drained the color from Violette’s face. Panicking, she blurted out, “Alban, I was wrong. I wasn’t thinking straight. I love you too much—that’s why I did something so reckless.”


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    Her eyes burned red as she reached for his sleeve, but he stepped aside, avoiding her touch.


    “Don’t touch me,” Alban said sharply, his expressionced with open contempt.


    The naked disgust etched across his face sliced straight through her. Her chest tightened, tears pooling in her eyes. “Alban, I know I messed up,” she begged, her voice breaking. “Please forgive me this once. I swear I’ll never do anything like this again.”


    “You think there will ever be another chance?” Alban’s stare turned cial.


    “No, never! I wouldn’t dare… Please don’t be angry. I really know I was wrong,” Violette pleaded frantically, desperate for mercy.


    “Tell Jaxen toe out,” Alban said coolly.


    His words made Violette’s heart m. Inside the room, Jaxen cursed under his breath. Alban knew he was there.


    A creeping suspicion took hold of Jaxen that this might all be a setup engineered by Alban himself.


    “Jaxen? I don’t know what you mean,” Violette said, feigning confusion with a strained smile.


    “The cameras show you went into the room and never left. After that, Jaxen came in, and the two of you stayed inside together for quite a while,” Alban said bluntly.


    Violette’s face drained further, despair crashing over her. Alban knew she had slept with Jaxen. There was no way he would ever choose her now.


    Damn it. Who had destroyed her n? She was supposed to wake up beside Alban—so how had it ended up being Jaxen instead?


    When she remained silent, Alban continued, “If you don’t want that footage released, you’d both better behave yourselves.”


    With nowhere left to hide, Jaxen finally stepped out. Seething, he charged forward and fixed Alban with a stare, fury zing in his eyes.


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