Chapter 49 A Night Like No Other
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Naomi <b>hadn’t </b>expected Zayden to <b>speak </b>up for Eliza.
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But Eliza didn’t think much of it. Zayden had always been the type to neither refuse normit. If he’d known how to <b>draw </b>proper boundaries, Naomi never would’ve gotten so close in the first ce.
“You wanted my blessing, didn’t you? What’s wrong with taking a family photo together?”
Eliza turned to Zayden with a smile. “Right, Zayden!”
The moment he agreed. Naomi felt a knot twist in her chest.
Before she could voice any protest, Eliza <b>had </b>already <b>moved </b>to stand next to Zayden “Naomi, could you scoot over a bit [
can’t see the camera.”
She deliberately ced herself in the center–right beside Zayden–and even took his arm
Naomi’s face turned green with fury, but with both sets of parents present, she had to keep smiling. “Sure
Zayden didn’tment. Eliza yed it off casually. Their parents kept silent, while Grace just watched the scene unfold like a spectator at the theater.
When the photo was finally taken. Naomi had been squeezed into the far corner of the frame–while Eliza and Zayden looked like the leading couple.
Dinner ended in awkward silence<b>. </b>
Outside, as Eliza left the Holt house. Zayden offered, “<b>School’s </b>a long way off. Let me drive you <b>back</b>.”
Eliza nced at Grace in the car. “No need. I’ll head back on my own.”
“It’s not safe at night. I should-”
“Zayden! Your mother has things to do. Get in the car!” Grace’s voice cut him off.
Before Zayden could <b>say </b>anything. Eliza <b>had </b>already brushed past him and disappeared <b>into </b>the dark.
The night was quiet.
Eliza walked alone down the street. She wouldn’t <b>have </b><b>bothered </bing back to this house if it weren’t to give Naomi a tas of her own medicine.
But as she walked, she began to sense someone following her.
Her pace quickened.
And the footsteps behind her sped up <b>too</b>.
Just <b>as </b><b>she </b>was about to turn <b>onto </b>a busier street, arge <b>hand </b>suddenly pulled her <b>into </b><b>an </b>embrace.
“Mmph-
Eliza’s expression changed instantly.
hoarse, low voice murmured by her ear. “It’s
She blinked. Nn.
He was slumped against her, his breathing heavy.
“What happened to you? <b>Why </b>do you smell so strongly of alcohol?”
Chapter 49 A Night Like No Other
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It was then that she noticed–he <b>wasn’t </b>wearing his <b>usual </b><b>school </b>uniform, but a dark suit. <b>And </b>beneath the sharp scent of liquor, there was something far worse: blood..
“You’re hurt?”
She saw the blood soaking through the fabric around his abdomen and immediately panicked.
“Who did this to you? I’m calling the cops!”
<b>“</b>Don’t.
He clutched her wrist and leaned harder against her.
“Just pretend I’m drunk… Someone’s following me. Get me out of here.
Only then did she nce back and spot two men tailing them from the shadows,
“Alright”
Though Eliza was small, she had surprising strength. She supported Nn’s weight and led him toward the main road.
Blood was still steadily seeping from his wound.
“This won’t do. You need a hospital.”
“It’s just a surface wound.”
“Don’t give me that crap. At this rate, you’ll bleed out in less <b>than </b>an hour!”
She fumbled for her phone and started dialing 120, but Nn grabbed her wrist again.
“No cops.
His eyes were sharp, bottomless. She realized–this wasn’t just some drunken scuffle.
“Okay. No hospital then. We’ll go to a hotel.”
He handed her a card<b>. </b>
She looked <b>down</b><b>. </b>A VIP card <b>to </b>the Four Seasons Hotel
There was no time to be surprised. She gged a cab and helped Nn inside.
The two <b>men </b>in the <b>mirror </b>didn’t follow. Probably didn’t want to cause <b>a </b>scène <b>on </b>the main road.
The cab was filled with the scent of alcohol.
“Miss, keep an eye on your boyfriend,” the driver <b>said</b>. “Make sure he doesn’t puke in my car.”
Eliza nced down at Nn, still resting in her arms.
He hadn’t <b>said </b><b>a </b>word–probably to hide his condition.
So she forced augh. “Yeah, I <b>told </b><b>him </b>not to <b>drink </b>so much.. but he didn’t listen.
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