Chapter 278

With that, Brayden rolled up the car window and addressed his subordinate, who was seated in the front passenger seat, “Fine, then! Transfer the payment to Celia Wallace. We’ll have to thank her for getting Ms. Emmerson out here.”

Once Angeline watched Celia and Lenny get into the cab, she turned to Ned with a hand in her pocket. She adjusted the strap of her crossbody before approaching him.

Before leaving the scene, Brayden cast another glance in Angeline’s direction. He saw her walking up to Ned.

He quickly called out to his driver, “Hey, stop.”

Ned’s breathing quickened when she approached him. Without thinking, he rushed down the stairs, barrelling toward her without hesitation. However, when he was steps away from her, he realized that he had a cigarette between his lips.

He hurriedly stamped out the cigarette with his shoe. When he looked up again, she was already standing in front of him.

Staring squarely at her, he breathed heavily, looking like a clueless child. His behavior was no different than his teenage self she had fallen for years ago.

His clenched fist started trembling. He choked up so badly that he couldn’t say her

name.

When they were younger, he had imagined how they’d turn out after graduation countless times. He pictured himself picking up Angeline from the lab after working hours. The current scene felt similar to his imagined life—just that they were at the police station, where Angeline approached him instead of the other way around.

Ned mustered a bitter smile at the sight of Angeline’s flat expression and her flailing long hair in the wind. Tears rolled off his cheeks, and he quickly wiped them away. He licked his lips nervously and flashed a perfect smile at her.

Brayden had rolled down his car window to watch the scene unfold. Raising a brow in amusement, he zoomed into the scene with his phone and snapped a picture.

After zooming in on the photo, he grinned evilly and sent the photo to his subordinate in the front seat. He instructed, “Look into this man!”

Then, Brayden locked his phone. Casting one final look at Angeline and Ned, he finally said to his driver, “Let’s go!”

“Ned Fletcher.” Angeline’s tone was flat and impassive as though she was

addressing a stranger. “Can you please stay out of my life?

Feeling a stabbing pain in the chest, Ned hurriedly explained, “I didn’t

bodyguards

know Lenny was your bodyguard

knowskenny

thought he was cheating on you

with a college student. I beat him up because I was too angry-

“And how is that your business?” She raised her voice and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Folding her arms, she stared at him. “What

right do you have to poke your nose business?

into my

Hearing her harsh remark, he held his breath. A tear fell. His eyes were swollen, and

he had a lump in his throat. He rubbed the back of his hand against his eyes and

nose.

In a nasal voice, he replied, “I know it’s not my place to do so. But, even as a friend, I’d like to—”

“How are we friends?” she retorted. “Have you forgotten what you did to me? Don’t you know how much I hate you?”

Ned looked at Angeline. Hesitant to speak, he frowned deeply as tears streamed down his face. He turned his face away as he gulped and tightened his fist.

The sheer talk of what he had done

to Angeline pained him, not to mention a trip down the memory

line. If he could, he would have traveled back in time and punished, himself.