?Chapter 421:


    Katelyn couldn’t help but tense up at the sound of knocking, her heart racing almost on cue. Lately, it felt like every knock brought bad news, an unsettling prelude to something unwanted.


    Vincent nced at her, reading her difort, before heading for the door. He quickly peeked through the peephole, and his face tightened when he saw who it was—Bartley.


    The doorbell buzzed again, sharp and impatient.


    Vincent opened the door, and for a brief moment, Bartley’s confident smile faltered, his expression freezing as he took in the person standing before him. His eyes flickered with surprise, but it disappeared as quickly as it hade, reced by his usual, well-practiced charm.


    “Mr. Adams,” Bartley said, his voice annoyingly calm. “Is Miss Bailey in by any chance?”


    The tone of his voice was loud enough to catch Jaxen’s attention inside the room.


    Bartley, dressed in a crisp suit, looked every bit the picture of old-school elegance—like someone who had stepped out of a vintage movie. Suave, polished, andpletely out of ce.


    Jaxen observed the scene, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He could sense the shift in the air. It seemed his best friend had a rival in love.


    Vincent’s eyes darkened, his stare hard and unyielding, as if daring Bartley to speak again.


    “What exactly do you want?”


    There was no mistaking the cold edge in his voice. Vincent already had a low opinion of Bartley, considering his messy involvement in the feud between Katelyn and Elora.


    ???????? ?????????????? ???? ??????????????????.??????


    And Vincent believed that any man who couldn’t keep his own love life in order wasn’t worthy of much respect. Public failure in matters of the heart? That was a whole new level of shame.


    Bartley’s smile remained firmly in ce, frustratingly wless.


    “I have something I need to discuss with Miss Bailey. In private.”


    Katelyn moved closer, her expression hard and cold, every delicate feature sharpened with the same disdain Vincent had shown. Her eyes, locked on Bartley, burned with the same icy intensity.


    “What do you want from me?” Her words were sharp,ced with frost.


    If Bartley hadn’t shown up so suddenly, she might have pushed aside the unresolved matter of the two attempts on her life.


    Bartley’s calm exterior cracked for just a second, his eyes flickering before he offered her a gleaming gold card.


    “Miss Bailey, I sincerely apologize for any difort you’ve experienced during your stay.” His voice was polished, the kind of smooth that felt rehearsed. “This is a VIP golden membership card, granting you unlimited stays at our hotel and exclusive discounts at all my properties.”<fnfb60> Readplete version only at find?novel</fnfb60>


    His smile returned, perfectly crafted to look sincere, but Katelyn could see right through it.


    This was no small offer, especially considering his hotel was the most luxurious in Yata. A lifetime of luxury at no cost, plus discounts at all of Bartley’s businesses—it was the kind ofpensation most people would jump at. But Katelyn just stared at the card, then back at Bartley, her face unreadable, her gaze cold.


    The anger simmering inside her wasn’t pacified by his shiny gesture. If anything, it fueled the mes even more.


    “So, is this your way of apologizing for your fiancée’s sake?” Katelyn asked, her voice edged with disbelief, as if the very idea was offensive.


    She couldn’t stop thinking about the chaos this would trigger if Elora ever found out. It was obvious Bartley didn’t love Elora.


    If he did, he would have noticed the small shifts in her mood, the signs that came with being truly in love. Bartley was too smart to miss them, but he didn’t care enough to shield Elora from the emotional damage. It was almost as if he got some twisted satisfaction from watching her fall apart.


    Their engagement wasn’t based on love. It was a business deal, in and simple.


    Elora was blind to it all, lost in the same haze of love that Katelyn had once known too well. Even if she saw the truth now, Katelyn doubted Elora would have the courage to let go.


    Bartley kept his polished smile, speaking slowly, each word carefully chosen.


    “Miss Bailey, you’ve misunderstood. This is a personal gesture, along withpensation from the hotel. If there’s anything else bothering you, I’m happy to discuss it.”


    He paused, stepping back slightly, his hand resting on his shoulder as he dipped his head in a formal, practiced bow.


    “Failing to provide my esteemed guest with top-tier service is a failure on my part.”


    This gesture, formal and respectful, was often used in Yata for special asions or sometimes to invite someone to dance. Bartley was clearly making an effort to show how important Katelyn was to him.


    Katelyn didn’t even blink. “I don’t need your money. But I do need you to check something for me.”


    Bartley’s expression shifted slightly, curiosity sparking in his eyes. “And what would that be?”


    .


    .


    .