Chapter 1458
Chapter 1457:
The moment Cole contacted Merlin, Hailee’s nerves worsened. Her face now reflected unmistakable distress. When Elliana and Adah vowed to hold the man accountable, Hailee sprang to her feet. Everyone in the room turned to look at her immediately. She stood there, trembling uncontrollably, her anxiety on full display.
“Um… actually…” she began, her voice faltering until she couldn’t continue.
Adah placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to comfort her. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, Hailee. Elliana and I are here to help you. We’ll make sure he pays for what he did p>
“No…” The young woman tried to speak, but her voice betrayed her. At that moment, Merlin arrived.
The instant Hailee saw him, the color drained from her face and she turned, ready to flee.
However, Adah seized her firmly by the wrist, stopping her in her tracks. “Hailee, sit down! Show this man you’re stronger than he thinks p>
Unable to free herself from the grip, the young woman was guided back onto the sofa.
Seated there, she kept her gaze fixed on the floor, not daring to look at Merlin. Her fingers curled tightly, nails digging into her palms.
As for the others, they turned to face Merlin. The room drew a collective breath, and everyone was stunned by what they saw.
Merlin — a former member of an elite international special forces unit known for his fearsome presence — bore no resemblance to the intimidating figure he had always been. Normally, his appearance alone was enough to ward off any threat, but now he looked like someone who had survived a brutal encounter.
His hair was disheveled and unkempt, his shirt was missing buttons and torn in places, and his neck and cheeks were streaked with blood. The scratches were fresh and had unmistakably been left by a woman’s nails.
One could easily picture the man covered in sword wounds or dodging gunfire, but seeing him riddled with scratches was almost beyond belief.
Even fighters as skilled as Elliana and Adah would struggle to land a blow on him, let alone leave visible damage.
Moreover, everyone knew that Merlin and Hailee had been together the night before, which left little room for doubt. Hailee was clearly the one responsible.
𝘛𝗵𝗲 b𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋е𝗏іe𝘄𝗌 𝘰𝗻
The puzzle was that she was gentle and far from strong — he could have restrained her with ease. What reason could he possibly have for allowing her to hurt him like this?
While the group struggled to process the scene, Merlin sat down calmly in a seat across from Hailee. “What explanation are you going to give me p>
Hearing him speak only made the young woman tremble harder. She remained silent, shrinking further behind Elliana.
Adah’s anger exploded. “Merlin, do you hear yourself? You assaulted Hailee and now you have the nerve to demand an explanation from her? If anyone owes an explanation, it’s you p>
The man responded with an amused laugh. “Perhaps you should ask her who actually assaulted whom p>
Observing his unruffled demeanor, Cole and Allan exchanged a glance, sensing that the truth might not be what they had expected. Both men quickly sat down, bracing themselves for the scene about to unfold.