The man in the mask finally exhaled in relief. Just a million?

Thedy he worked for said she was willing to go up to five million, as long as the two thugs took the me and didn’t say a word about who put them up to it.

If they confessed they were hired, and the Riley or bJasper /bfamilies got involved, it wouldn’t take long for the trail to lead back to her.

He had already decided that if the tattooed guy pushed back, he would offer two million.

But who would have guessed? The guy folded at one.

“Fine,” the masked man bsaid /bin a low volor. “Give me your ount number. You’ll get the inoney soon. But if either of you so much as leaks a word, not only will the money vanish, you’ll be joining the dead. You understand?”

His tone dropped, sharp and cold. “Own up to it. Worst case, you serve a few years. But if you slip up…” He paused. “You’ll be going in upright anding out horizontal.”

The two thugs went pale.

Anyone who could casually toss around that

at kind of money wasn’t bsomeone /bto mess with and they could tell this guy wasn’t bluffing

Not long after the masked man left, Sean’s assistant, Sam Long, walked into the hospital roomL

“What now?” the tattooed guy muttered, thinking the man had returned, but he trailed off once he realized this wasn’t the same person.

His eyes darted. “Who who are you?”

Sam’s bgaze /bwas key.”

ley. “Someone already bpaid /byou a visit 7”

“No.b” /bThe man snapped to attention. “Who are you? You here for me?”

“Why bdid /byou target Miss Rileyst night?” Sam asked.

The tattooed guy smirked. b“/bSaw a pretty girl, got a little excitedb. /bShe was hot, what can I say?”

The blond guy nodded quickly, “Yeah, she’s a total knockout.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your mouth. One more disgusting wordb, /band I’ll have your tongues cut out.”

Two men in ck suits stepped forward from behind him.

Both thugs went still. Now they really understood that they had crossed the wrong people.

Sata continued, “You’d better think carefully before you answer again. I want the truth.”

Thinking of the masked man’s threats just moments ago, the tattooed guy and the blond one didn’t dare let a single word slip.

If they talked, not only would they lose the money–they might lose their lives.

bSo /bthey stuck to

to their bstory /bthat they were drunk and acted on impulse after seeing a pretty girl.

Seeing he couldn’t get anything useful out of them, Sam turned and left with his bodyguards.

The next morning, Charlotte had barely gotten out of bed when her phone rang.

It was the police, Informing her that the assault case against her had been officially dropped.

he wasn’t surprised.

She knew this had Sean’s fingerprints all over it.

She had been bready /bto defend herself in court, fully confident she could bprove /bit was self–defense and walk away clean.

But since Sean had already handled it behind the scenes, she bsaw /bno reason to intervene further.

Still, she politely called himb. /b

med firm. “Lottle, you don’t need to k

Standing by the floor to

window

tean added, his woke low and continending

Quarlotte liesitated. “They’ve already paid. And the

i woler was low, each word led with que intensity Fan over the phone, the weight

“Anyone who hurts you I won’t let a single one of them off the book

–

word.

Quarlotte listened in silence, not saying a v

But in her heart, a question stirredb. /b

What if the one who hurt her was Vivian?

Would he still say the same?

the what thing ?i!!

“Thank you,” she said softly.

Sean’s one turned firm. “Lottie, you don’t need to thank me. Not now, not ever.”

a little tighter. “Okay, I understand.” Standing by the floor–to–ceiling window of her bedroom, Charlotte held the phone a little tighte

Sean added, his voke low andmanding even over the line, “t–I’ll make sure those two men fromst night pay for what they did.”

Charlotte hesitated. “They’ve already paid. And thew will take care of the rest. Please don’t do anything more. Let the legal system handle

bSean’s /bvoice was low, each wordced with quiet intensity. Even over the phone, the weight of his presence was impossible to ignore.

“Anyone who hurts you I won’t let a single one of them off the hook”

Charlotte listened in silence, not saying a wond.

But in her heart, a question stirred.

bWhat /bif the one who hurt her was Vivian?

Would he still say the same?