<b>20 </b>
55 vouchers
“Are you okay?” Alexei gently brushed Natasha’s loose strands of hair away.
Natasha nodded. “I’m fine; I just chatted with Minerva.”
A sly glint in her upturned eyes as she tilted her head to look at the crowd at the door. “But why is everyone making such a big fuss? What did you alle here to do?”
Cora smiled. “It was just a misunderstanding from a servant. We came because we were worried about your safety.”
Natasha smiled, pointing to the door opposite. “I’m fine, but the people opposite might actually need your help.”
Everyone shifted their gaze to the tightly closed room across the corridor.
Cora’s smile faded. “As long as you are safe, that’s enough. Everyone, head back. I’ll take care of things here.”
“I don’t think so,” Natasha interrupted her, with a faint smile. “The guests have all arrived. Why don’t we enjoy the spectacle?”
The always gentle and kind Cora pursed her lips, staring at her expressionlessly.
“Open it.” Alexei lifted his chin, gesturing to the staff following him to do as Natasha said.
Today’s engagement between the Turner and Murray families was a major event, and the hotel manager had been personally overseeing it on–site. At this moment, he went to tap the <i>room </i>card with trembling hands.
Other guests were also on edge.
Initially, someone imed Natasha and Archer were having an affair and brought people <i>to </i>catch them in the act. It was then discovered to be pure fabrication, as Natasha was with Archer’s mother. However, now there was noiseing from the room next door.
Everyone could tell something was seriously wrong. Today’s drama had everyone
15:49 <b>Sat</b>, Sep 6
on edge.
:
??))
20
55 vouchers
The door was pushed open, revealing a man lying on the carpet beside the bed, his clothes disheveled, and his arms and thighs covered in wounds from a knife. Everyone gasped.
The fiancée at the engagement party, Arianna, looked at the people in the room in disbelief and gasped, “Quinn?”
She quickly rushed in and, trembling, helped Quinn up.
When their skin touched, Arianna could feel him trembling and a constant, restrained desire to cling to her. Her heart sank.
Cora, however, scanned the room and breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the tightly closed, unlit bathroom.
There was no obviously scandalous scene; the situation wasn’t the worst it could <ol><li>be. </li></ol>
“Are you just in the room, self–harming for no reason?” Alexei’s voice was t. <fn7e05> This text is hosted at Find~Novel</fn7e05>
It was a perfectly good engagement party, and the upright, proper groom, upholding the demeanor of a gentleman, was secretly making himself half–dead. Everyone was utterly perplexed.
Others secretly nced at Alexei.
The timing and circumstances made it hard not to suspect that Alexei might not want Quinn <i>to </i>form an alliance with the Murray family through marriage.
Natasha stood beside Alexei, blocking some of the gazes. “Quinn, if you’re facing difficulties, you can tell us. Alexei and I can try to help. Why hurt yourself?”
Cora’s mind raced. She was about to speak up and exin for him when Quinn, who was struggling against whatever was affecting him, spoke first.
Beads of sweat dotted his forehead, yet he managed a faint, strained smile, maintaining hisposure even now.
“I’m sorry, it’s my own issue,” he said.
Arianna’s grip on Quinn’s hand suddenly tightened.
20
55 vouchers
He, however, gave her a gentle look, then lightly brushed her hand away and lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry, Arianna, we should still cancel our engagement.”
The guests were in an uproar.
Arianna bit her lip, her eyes red as she looked at him.
She needed an exnation.
The Murray family also looked displeased, wishing they could rush up and beat Quinn.
He was the one who pursued Arianna, and he was also the one who backed out on the spot. How could he treat Arianna this way?
Cora moved her lips, wanting to say something.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Natasha and Alexei standing side by side, unharmed, and she lowered her head again.
Let it be.
They lost.
It was better if fewer people were implicated.
She understood what Quinn meant.
Cora’s tacit approval undoubtedly made people think she approved of Quinn canceling the engagement, and the Murray family’s anger grew even stronger.
Edgar’s face was stern. “Quinn, the Turner family has never had men who flee from a fight.”
Quinn smiled. “It’s my fault.”
He looked at Arianna and said the excuse he had prepared, “Arianna, I have severe depression. I thought I could ovee it, but it seems I can’t. Living is too exhausting. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow, I will leave this world. You deserve better.”
<b>15:49 </b><b>Sat</b>, <b>Sep </b><b>6 </b>
Arianna stared intently at him. She didn’t believe a single word he said.
They had been so close; how could she not know if he was sick?
The others, however, suddenly understood.
<b>20 </b>
55 vouchers
So, Quinn had depression, and he thought finding true love and getting married would ovee his suicidal tendencies, but he realized he still couldn’t cope, even harming himself on the day of the engagement, so he gave up proactively out of despair.
Although there were inconsistencies, everyone selectively believed this more respectable exnation.
The Murray family also reacted.
They had originally nned to settle ounts, but now they were silent.
There must be other reasons behind this, likely involving infighting within the Turner family. However, Quinn had prepared an exnation to ensure the Murray family made a timely exit, and they had to ept this way out.
Arianna’s mother walked over and took Arianna’s hand, saying, “No matter what, you wronged Arianna today. We agree to cancel the engagement. However, illness is… understandable. We wish you could recover well.”
After speaking, she wanted to leave immediately with Arianna.
Arianna didn’t move.
“Arianna,” she called out softly.
Arianna looked at her waiting family and at Quinn, whose cheeks were flushed but herplexion pale, and clenched her hands.
After a long pause, she moved.
She turned and left, without another nce at Quinn.
Quinn gave a self–deprecating smile and looked at Alexei, who had remained silent. “Alexei,” he said, “I need some private space. Could you please take them away?”
Alexei raised an eyebrow and waved the others away.
Quinn severed ties cleanly and decisively, earning his respect.
20
55 vouchers
Edgar had left with the guests. In the room, only Cora, Quinn, who was suffering from the effects of the drug, Natasha, Alexei, and Minerva, who asionally coughed, remained.
Minerva was expressionless. She calmly nced at them and said, “There’s nothing for me here, I’ll leave now.”
Natasha waved at her. “Thank you for tonight, Minerva.”
Twenty minutes ago, she had just pushed open the lounge door when she discovered Archer, who had been drugged, in the dimly lit room. The door was
also locked from the inside.
When Archer saw it was her, he frowned tightly and told her to leave, then locked himself in the bathroom.
Outside the door, there were two bodyguards, a man and a woman, whom Alexei had sent to follow her that night, so Natasha remained calm.
Once she had a clear view of the people inside the room, she unhurriedly went to open the door. However, standing outside, besides the bodyguards, was Minerva, who had arrived with the key.
What happened next was as everyone saw. She and Minerva sat in the room chatting, waiting for those who came to catch them in the act.
Archer was then taken by the bodyguards to Dn for an antidote.
Quinn, who was behind the scenes, was tied up by Alexei’s people, given the same substance, and thrown into another room.
This clumsy frame–up was nothing more than a desperate act by Quinn, a counterattack after the previous failed cruise ship kidnapping,
15:49 Sat<b>, </b>Sep 6