Chapter 44:

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Just as Allison was about to strike with the blade, Kellan’s hand shot out like a serpent, seizing hers and prying the weapon from her grasp.

He moved with such swiftness that even as the blade sliced into his skin, he didn’t flinch, the pain barely registering in his steely gaze.

“Trying to cut me down, Ms. Clarke?” he inquired, his tone smooth but edged with an underlying tension.

“Of course not,” she replied, her voice as cool as a winter breeze.

Their hands lingered together, fingers brushing against each other, casting shadows on the cave wall that looked oddly intimate—like lovers caught in a fleeting moment of connection.

But Kellan wasn’t one for playing games. He cut straight to the heart of the matter.

“Indeed, my legs were once paralyzed, but I’ve since recovered. The Lloyd Group is surrounded by enemies and internal strife. I kept up the pretense of being wheelchair-bound to lure out the real threats.”

He locked eyes with her, the proximity so close that Kellan could see his reflection mirrored in her eyes.

“As for that night on the cruise, I was drugged. I wasn’t in command of my actions when I stumbled into that room. I never expected to cross paths with you there, Ms. Clarke.”

Kellan’s jaw tightened as he recalled the night she had pinned him down. It was an indelible memory, but he was ready to face up to his role in it.

“I will take responsibility if anything. Walking away was never in my plans,” he stated firmly.

L𝑎t𝑒st ch𝑎pt𝑒rs in gαl𝑛ovels.cøm

But Allison withdrew her hand, her expression unperturbed.

“There’s no need. I’ve already erased it from my memory. It’s a non-issue.”

She wasn’t one to linger on complications, especially not with someone like Kellan. His every move was a calculated play, his act of feigning disability a strategic ploy to manipulate his adversaries. It spoke volumes about his ruthlessness.

“I’m just someone who recently went through a divorce and nearly ended up on the streets,” Allison said with a disarmingly innocent smile. “Colton and Melany already see me as a threat and make my life difficult. I’m just trying to keep the drama to a minimum. Now that I’ve heard this bombshell about you, I doubt I’ll live long enough to spread it around.”

He flashed a brilliant smile, his face glowing in the firelight. “So don’t worry. I’ll pretend I’m in the dark.”

Kellan chuckled, realizing how absurd his earlier explanation must have sounded. Wolves masquerading as sheep — such pretense didn’t suit people like them.

“Cut the charade,” Kellan said with a smirk. “It’s awkward for both of us. No wonder your ex-husband went for someone like Melany. If you’re aiming to play the innocent lamb, you might want to polish your acting skills.”

“And you, Mr. Lloyd?” Allison retorted, no longer interested in pretense. Now that they were being candid, she found him considerably more bearable.

Kellan, showing no sign of his earlier brush with danger, assessed the situation calmly. “If you try to kill me, the Lloyd family will hunt you down like a dog. They will track you to the ends of the earth. Even if you manage to slip away, Ontdale will be a distant memory.”

He was sure that her decision to stay put after her divorce and remain in Ontdale meant she had something here she couldn’t easily walk away from. Whatever it was, killing him would only make her life more precarious. The blade had felt more like a test than a genuine threat. Her demeanor grew cooler, aware that Kellan’s words were veiled threats.

If she were to kill him, the Lloyd family’s reach would make her life unbearable in Ontdale. She needed to stay, at least until she participated in the International Perfumery Competition and uncovered clues about her mother’s disappearance, which had led her here.

Talking to someone as sharp as Kellan had its downsides. They both knew how to keep each other in check.

But outwardly, Allison remained composed. “I can leave anytime I wish. People like me don’t cling to places.”

Kellan, peering into her unflinchingly steady eyes, proposed, “How about we strike a deal that benefits us both?”

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