Sean shotn a cold 1 nce.

she doesn’t bhave /bto tell you anything.

Mia gaven a pinch on the amL

“Lottle’s his fiancéeb, /band they’re

about to get engaged. Why are you making such a big scene? You trying to steal the spotlight or something?

b-25 /bBonus

“ow, alright, alright, stop pinching me, would you?” tanughed, rubbing his arm

“I just can’t stand seeing our Lottie get bullied, that’s all. Come on! We’re all friends in the same circle, aren’t we?”

bSean /bturned to Charlotte, a trace of guilt flickering in his eyes.

“Lottle, you were harassed while handling a bcase/bb, /band then ndered at the firm. As your fiancé, I really feel like I failed you. I didn’t protect you the way I should

Charlotte shook her head gently,

“Don’t say that, Sean. bYou /bcan’t be with me 24/7.”

| Tan jumped in again, grinning.

“Let me tell you, Lottie you’re his everything. He can’t stand to see you get hurt.

b“/bYou have no idea,” he added with a meaningful nce, “back in the bday/b, he nearly beat someone bhalf /bto death for you.

Before he could finish, Seant him off sharply.

Seeing Sean’s expression tur dark,n wisely changed the subject.

“Right, right. It’s fine now. That’s what matters.”

But Charlotte wasn’t about to let it go. She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

“Wait, what? Who’d you beat hall to death, bSean/b?”

Scan took a sip of his drink, his voice casual.

“No one. Lan’s exaggerating.”

tolle tuned berclear, brigh

eyes on Sean and pretended to scold him,

“Sean, you brush I went to hear what tan has to say,”

Sean obediently fell silent.

Jan bnced /bbetween the two of them and chuckled

||||__ “Well, well_Looks like Sean’s totally whipped.”

Jordaughed

-you kidding? A guy who li

who listens to his wife isn’t whipped–be just loves hier.”

Lena btook /ba soft sip of her drink, her voice sweet and teasing-

b“/bTotally. Sean’s the ultimate wife guy

Ian added. “By the bway/b, Lottir–those two creeps who liarassed you? Theirpaules gut investigated. bTurns /bout they really were involved in shady business. Now they’r being held on econom turime darges. bAnd /bSean partty much bdestroyed /btheirpanies, too. Feels goodb, /bright?”

Charlotte looked over a bea

His expression didn’t change, but the bair /baround him felt colder.

“I told you,” he said quietly. “They’d pay for what they did.”

sa toothpick and took a bite.

Charlotte picked up a plece of cantaloupe with a

“They deserved it Got what wasing.”

An Charlotte trached for another piece of fruit, she suddenly realized how far they had drifted from the original topic

Har blooked /bup seriously.

b+25 /bBonus

“tan, you still haven’t told me. Who exactly did Sean beat up back thenb?/b”

Jan nced at Sean again, and when he didn’t object, he finally spoke.

“I think the guy’s name was Eric Lee?”

Charlotte blinked.

She remembered that name.

Back in her first year of high school, her deskmate was ba /bgid named Wi Hill. They were very close. But during second semester, Wi’s family ran into some trouble, and she had to transfer from their elite academyta a regr public high school

Charlotte had been really sad when her friend left. Since the public school’s sses endedter, Charlotte would sometimes wait outside Wi’s school so they could hang out after.

That was where Erame in–he was the school bully.

He came from money, had a bunch of goons following him around, and never studied. He spent his time dating girls and bullying ssmates.

At first, his target was Wi. He wanted her to be his girlfriend.

And one day, while chasing her to the school gate, he ran straight into Charlotte