No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Chapter 721

After concluding my words, I cast a quick glance at Allen. "I'm going to find out who's trying to harm you."

Allen chuckled softly. "First time I've heard Ms. Hudson brag."

I shot him a sharp look. "You'll see whether it's a boast or not. And... you can leave now."

Allen's performance seemed to have reached its end, and seeing no reaction from Ernest, he turned to leave, but not before throwing one last comment at me. "Ms. Hudson, he's just a stand-in. Don't fall for it again."

I ignored him, feeling a wave of relief as he left. My gaze returned to Ernest lying there; he was nobody's substitute, he was simply himself.

After a while, I leaned closer to him. "Ernest, they're all gone. You don't need to pretend anymore."

But there was no response. Thinking he was teasing me, I sneakily slipped my hand under the blanket and pinched him. "It's really just me now, no one else."

Still, no response came, and my heart began to race...

"Ernest, plea-" My words were abruptly cut off as he bit my lip, making my eyes widen in shock.

Ernest tugged gently at my lower lip before whispering, "Calling me out like that would've blown our cover."

pinched him again, my hand still under

wanted

That jerk...

realize how terrified I

you more panicked than now when

him, it felt like my world had collapsed as if hit by a magnitude

articulate the pain I felt then, so

winced, "Licia,

I went through, all thanks to

couldn't bring myself to be too harsh, and my grip loosened as I asked, "So, was everything the doctor

surprise me, but the beatings

said, half in pain for him,

a sheep at risk," he quipped, earning another

his blanket, feeling the bare skin of his torso

and kicked by those thugs, and now pinched and twisted by me, his act was indeed a painful ruse.

few days," he

the shady dealings at the Sapphire Lounge, I pressed, "Aren't you afraid of missing out on

people in place," Ernest

established connections over the