Love's New Bloom by Simone Hastings

Chapter 114 Familiar Strangers

Right then, there came a loud knocking sound at the door from outside. Jack shouted loudly. “Miss Lane! What’s going on? Miss Lane, are you in there?”

lan’s body stiffened abruptly. He wasn’t expecting anyone to be around to disrupt his plans. Erin was pinned down by the heavily intoxicated lan and couldn’t move. lan restrained her hands above her head with one hand, and his other hand tightly covered her mouth.

A trace of rationality returned to him, but the intense evil thoughts still filled his mind. He didn’t make any further moves. Nervously, he pressed down on Erin in silence, hoping that the nosy Jack would leave on his own.

“Miss Lane, if you don’t make a sound, I’m breaking the door and coming in!” Jack stood outside the door, his palms all sweaty. Ever since lan entered Erin’s apartment, he’d been watching the surveillance screen in his own apartment, waiting for lan to come out so he could finally go to sleep with peace of mind.

lan was one of the key targets under his surveillance according to the information he’d gathered.

Since Jack hadn’t seen lan coming out of Erin’s place, he stealthily got out of his unit and eavesdropped outside Erin’s apartment door. He couldn’t hear anything before due to the soundproofing of the door. It was only then that he faintly heard Erin’s cry for help. Although it was very brief, his ears caught her cry for help!

Hearing Jack say he would break down the door, lan’s heart raced. He looked into Erin’s eyes and saw the anger and pain within them. That one look brought him back to his senses instantly.

lan whispered, “Erin, I’m going to release you now. Tell this man to leave quickly. We shouldn’t let strangers interfere in our affairs.”

Erin glared back at him coldly. He scrambled up in a somewhat disheveled manner and walked briskly toward the balcony, seemingly unwilling to have any contact with the man outside the door.

Getting up, Erin quickly adjusted her clothes and ignored lan. At that moment, Jack, who was still outside her door, had just confirmed once again there was no sound coming from within and got ready to break her door. Erin hurriedly walked over and opened the door.

Jack froze in place in a posture that suggested that he was about to barge at the door. He anxiously asked, “Miss Lane? You … Is anything wrong?”

Jack. Thank you for your concern.”

to casually tell a stranger about what had just happened, so her reply was short and concise, without giving away

but still seemed somewhat worried. “Well… I’ll be going then. Do you really not need

Erin’s expression was a tad unnatural, as she still had a lot

to keep lingering around. He said, “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call

smiled, and watched as he left.

and immediately went into the kitchen.

and spoke coldly to lan’s back, “You can leave now.”

while smoking. He sighed and discarded the cigarette butt into the artificial lake below. He turned

Erin, “I–I don’t know what got into me just now. I’m really sorry.”

with her ex–husband, who had repeatedly tried to force himself on her, Erin no longer held any hope that he would be

person.

“lan, this is the last time I’m letting you off the hook. If I didn’t cherish our past relationship, I would have told the police about you forcing yourself on me. Today, I’m making it clear to you once and for all that you don’t need to meddle in my family’s affairs. If my family members call you, you can ignore

“Erin.

you do, I won’t see you. Our relationship is

woman with all his heart because he still loved her. Now that Erin clearly drew a line between them and told him she wanted nothing

to let go of

hurt you because I refused to have a physical relationship with you before marriage. I apologize. But that cannot be the reason for your infidelity. You didn’t even give me a chance to change for you. If you’d told me your true thoughts earlier, perhaps I wouldn’t have

sudden calmness made him uneasy, and he suddenly felt a sense of panic. It was as if Erin was both near and far away at the same time. In a state of panic, lan walked up to her and tried to touch her cheek. However, the icy gaze

air trembled awkwardly, and he ultimately withdrew it helplessly.

tightly onto a pair of scissors hidden behind her back. She came prepared. If lan repeated what he did earlier

could still salvage Erin’s heart. Perhaps, since the moment he betrayed Erin, their love, and their marriage by being unfaithful he’d

His lips twitched slightly, but he remained silent.