Chapter 662

“We don’t care,” he replied lightly, devoid of emotion. “Mr. Falcon wants to see you.”

It didn’t sound like a request.

It was an order-one that was expected to be obeyed.

Naomi shook her head quickly. “I told you, I’ll come later.” There was a slight emphasis on later, as if it was the last boundary she had left to hold on to.

But the man didn’t move. His expression didn’t change either.

“No,” he said simply.

One word. Firm. Final,

“Now.”

The air around them shifted-heavier, pressing in from all sides. Naomi swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. She took half a step back, small and almost unnoticeable… but enough to show she was being cornered.

“You’re starting to talk back now?” the man continued, his voice dropping slightly-not louder, not angrier, but somehow more threatening in its calmness.

Naomi didn’t answer right away. Her eyes flickered, searching-for an excuse, for a way out… or maybe for courage that seemed to be slipping through her fingers.

A few steps away, Lydia stood still.

She didn’t intervene.

Not yet.

But her eyes missed nothing-every subtle movement, every shift in expression, every inch of space deliberately closed in by those men. The way they stood too close to Naomi, restricting her without touching her. The way their bodies formed an invisible circle around her.

It wasn’t coincidence.

It was control.

And Naomi was trapped right in the center of it.

Lydia’s eyes narrowed slightly, something inside her sharpening with quiet alertness. This wasn’t just an invitation.

This was a forced retrieval, neatly disguised.

And Naomi looked like someone who had been in this position far too many times.

“It’s not time yet,” Naomi said again, her voice rising this time, tension bleeding through. “The deadline hasn’t-”

“It already passed,” the man cut in.

“No!” Naomi snapped back, her emotions finally surfacing. “Yesterday I already accompanied your boss for drinks at the hotel. That should have been enough.”

The three men exchanged glances-then laughed.

The sound was loud, rough, and completely out of place, as if what Naomi had just said was genuinely amusing.

“Debt and keeping someone company for drinks are two very different things, stupid girl,” one of them said. His voice was low, even… and that was what made it worse.

The words landed without emotion.

And somehow, that made them far more terrifying.

Naomi’s hands curled into fists. Her shoulders tensed, her breathing turning uneven. “I’m not going with

you.”

One of the men stepped forward-not rushed, not overtly aggressive, but enough to erase whatever space remained between them.

“You don’t have a choice.”

A few steps away, Lydia clenched her jaw.

For a second-she hesitated.

This wasn’t her business. She knew that perfectly well. She could turn around, walk away, and never get involved. She could even picture Cale’s reaction if he saw her standing there-he would pull her away without a second thought, no room for argument.

But-Her gaze returned to Naomi.

The girl stood alone, surrounded by people who clearly weren’t giving her any choice. No one stepped in. No one even dared to get close.

And that… was enough.

Lydia exhaled softly, then stepped forward. “Excuse me.”

Her voice was calm, gentle… yet it cut cleanly through the tension thickening in the air.

“Is there a problem?”

All three men turned almost at once. Their eyes landed on Lydia-sharp, assessing.

Naomi turned too, her eyes widening. “No, this isn’t-”

“This is a private matter,” one of the men interrupted coldly. His gaze swept over Lydia from head to toe, measuring her, weighing her, trying to determine just how much of a threat she was.

Lydia didn’t step back. Not even an inch.

“In that case,” she said softly, “you shouldn’t be handling it in a public place like this.”

Her tone remained gentle-but impossible to ignore.

The man narrowed his eyes. “You’d do well not to interfere, ma’am.”

“I don’t like seeing someone being forced.”

This time, there was no trace of a smile.

Naomi looked at Lydia, panic beginning to show clearly on her face. “Please… this isn’t your concern.”

Lydia spared her a brief glance-just a fraction of a second-before returning her focus to the men. “If this is about a debt,” she continued evenly, “then surely there are other ways to settle it.”

“Not this one.” The answer came immediately.

And without warning, one of the men grabbed Naomi’s wrist.

“Come on. You’ve wasted enough time.”

The grip was rough-not enough to hurt, but far from acceptable.

And that was it.

Lydia’s body moved before her thoughts could catch up.

“Let her go.”