?Chapter 1289:

    Eric’s jaw dropped.

    The whole night?

    That couldn’t be right.

    Last night, he was certain he had been with Hadley.

    Where was Hadley now?

    He squeezed his eyes shut, piecing together fragments of the evening.

    After parting ways with Adonis, he had sought out Hadley.

    He vividly recalled Hadley leading him back to his room.

    He’d had too much to drink, his restraint crumbling as he acted on his impulses with her… Or so he thought.

    Now, doubts crept in.

    He had wanted Hadley for so long that losing control under the influence of alcohol somehow made sense. But would Hadley have just gone along with it?

    No, that didn’t add up.

    Eric’s brow furrowed as he struggled to piece together hazy memories from the previous night. He could faintly recall pressing his lips to Hadley’s, only for her to shove him back and hurriedly flee the room. What followed remained a mystery, lost in a drunken fog.

    Damn.

    His head pounded, a mix of fog and dizziness clouding his thoughts. The heated moments that followed were vivid, but everything else was a blur.

    Had he really been that drunk?

    Upon turning to A, Eric’s expression was a tangle of suspicion and unease.

    Could it really be that the person who was with him all night was… A?

    “How did you get in here?”

    A’s eyes brimmed with tears, her voice faltering. “I don’t know. I was passing by, and your door was ajar. I got worried something was wrong, so I stepped inside to check on you. You were on the floor, so I tried to help you up, but then you… you grabbed me, and wouldn’t let go. You kissed me, started pulling at my clothes…”

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    “Stop! Enough!”

    Eric’s face paled, his voice cutting through hers like a de.

    A’s shoulders quaked, but she pressed on, desperation fueling her words. “Mr. Scott, I’m yours now! You can’t just cast me aside!” The air grew heavy, silence suffocating the room.

    Eric’s striking features were devoid of warmth, though his eyes burned with barely restrained anger.

    His hands balled into fists inside his pockets. After a tense pause, he met A’s gaze, his tone icy. “Last night was a mistake. A fleetingpse. It means nothing to me.”

    What?

    A froze, stunned by his words.

    “Ha.” A bitterugh escaped her, her fists tightening as tears welled in her reddened eyes. “So what, I just slept with you for nothing?”

    “I’llpensate you,” Eric said, shaking his head, his patience visibly fraying.

    “Name your price. Lay it all out now—I don’t wantplicationster.”

    A bit her lip, tears spilling as she red at him with resentment. “I don’t want your money, Mr. Scott! I care about you. I was willing to be with you, not for some payoff!”

    Sobbing, she clutched his hand. “I love you. Please, don’t push me away like this. I want to be with you…”

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