Chapter 49 A Night Like No Other
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Naomi hadn’t expected Zayden to speak up for Eliza.
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But Eliza didn’t think much of it. Zayden had always been the type to neither refuse nor commit. If he’d known how to draw proper boundaries, Naomi never would’ve gotten so close in the first place.
“You wanted my blessing, didn’t you? What’s wrong with taking a family photo together?”
Eliza turned to Zayden with a smile. “Right, Zayden!”
The moment he agreed. Naomi felt a knot twist in her chest.
Before she could voice any protest, Eliza had already moved to stand next to Zayden “Naomi, could you scoot over a bit [
can’t see the camera.”
She deliberately placed herself in the center–right beside Zayden–and even took his arm
Naomi’s face turned green with fury, but with both sets of parents present, she had to keep smiling. “Sure
Zayden didn’t comment. Eliza played it off casually. Their parents kept silent, while Grace just watched the scene unfold like a spectator at the theater.
When the photo was finally taken. Naomi had been squeezed into the far corner of the frame–while Eliza and Zayden looked like the leading couple.
Dinner ended in awkward silence.
Outside, as Eliza left the Holt house. Zayden offered, “School’s a long way off. Let me drive you back.”
Eliza glanced at Grace in the car. “No need. I’ll head back on my own.”
“It’s not safe at night. I should-”
“Zayden! Your mother has things to do. Get in the car!” Grace’s voice cut him off.
Before Zayden could say anything. Eliza had already brushed past him and disappeared into the dark.
The night was quiet.
Eliza walked alone down the street. She wouldn’t have bothered coming back to this house if it weren’t to give Naomi a tas of her own medicine.
But as she walked, she began to sense someone following her.
Her pace quickened.
And the footsteps behind her sped up too.
Just as she was about to turn onto a busier street, a large hand suddenly pulled her into an embrace.
“Mmph-
Eliza’s expression changed instantly.
hoarse, low voice murmured by her ear. “It’s
She blinked. Nolan.
He was slumped against her, his breathing heavy.
“What happened to you? Why do you smell so strongly of alcohol?”
Chapter 49 A Night Like No Other
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It was then that she noticed–he wasn’t wearing his usual school uniform, but a dark suit. And beneath the sharp scent of liquor, there was something far worse: blood..
“You’re hurt?”
She saw the blood soaking through the fabric around his abdomen and immediately panicked.
“Who did this to you? I’m calling the cops!”
“Don’t.
He clutched her wrist and leaned harder against her.
“Just pretend I’m drunk… Someone’s following me. Get me out of here.
Only then did she glance back and spot two men tailing them from the shadows,
“Alright”
Though Eliza was small, she had surprising strength. She supported Nolan’s weight and led him toward the main road.
Blood was still steadily seeping from his wound.
“This won’t do. You need a hospital.”
“It’s just a surface wound.”
“Don’t give me that crap. At this rate, you’ll bleed out in less than an hour!”
She fumbled for her phone and started dialing 120, but Nolan grabbed her wrist again.
“No cops.
His eyes were sharp, bottomless. She realized–this wasn’t just some drunken scuffle.
“Okay. No hospital then. We’ll go to a hotel.”
He handed her a card.
She looked down. A VIP card to the Four Seasons Hotel
There was no time to be surprised. She flagged a cab and helped Nolan inside.
The two men in the mirror didn’t follow. Probably didn’t want to cause a scène on the main road.
The cab was filled with the scent of alcohol.
“Miss, keep an eye on your boyfriend,” the driver said. “Make sure he doesn’t puke in my car.”
Eliza glanced down at Nolan, still resting in her arms.
He hadn’t said a word–probably to hide his condition.
So she forced a laugh. “Yeah, I told him not to drink so much.. but he didn’t listen.
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