Chloe’s cheeks flushed crimson like ripe tomatoes, her heartbeat racing wildly. Her eyes barely blinked as she drank in Eric’s face, now only inches away.While she was still frozen in that daze of admiration, Eric reclaimed his phone. His sharp gaze locked onto hers, jaw tightening as he said coldly, “I’m not like the other men you manipulate so easily. Don’t ever play games with me.”He rose and stood tall, while Chloe lay weakly sprawled on the bed. To her, his anger only made him more magnetic, more dominant.Eric turned, heading for the door. But Chloe refused to let him go.She slid off the bed and hurried after him. With confidence, she declared, “If you walk out of my room, I won’t hesitate to fire every single person working here. They’ll be jobless, struggling, and that will be your responsibility. You’ll be the cause of their misery.”Eric let out a sarcastic laugh. “Do whatever you want. If you actually fire them all, I’ll gladly recruit them myself.”Chloe froze. She had

“You… here?” Eric’s voice came out in a low whisper, his brows furrowing.His throat felt parched, forcing him to swallow hard. Shock mixed with confusion surged within him.Standing before him was someone he never expected to see in this place. The girl’s lips curved into the faintest smile as she greeted him, introducing herself to everyone as a new student of the University of Grand Houston.For several seconds, Eric remained frozen in his seat, his gaze locked onto the young woman—Violet Jung. His mind replayed every memory that involved her, from their less-than-pleasant first encounter to those inexplicable moments that had somehow clung stubbornly to his heart.While Eric sat unmoving, whispers of admiration and envy drifted faintly around the classroom.“So the beautiful girl actually knows Eric. This isn’t good at all!”“You’re right. With her beauty alone, she could easily capture Eric’s attention—let alone if they already know each other. Our chances of becoming Eric’s girl

Eric exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. He knew things would only get messier with the arrival of the woman whose voice had just pierced through the cafeteria.“Miss Turner…” Daniel’s eyes widened as he caught sight of Chloe approaching.This was the first time Daniel had ever interacted directly with the most popular woman on campus. Up until now, Chloe acted as if he didn’t even exist, as though he were nothing more than a shadow.“Tell me, who is this so-called perfect woman you were just talking about? How dare she get involved with the man I like?” Chloe’s glare bore into Daniel, sharp enough to strip him bare.Of course, Chloe had already noticed Eric and the unfamiliar woman seated beside him. But she deliberately refused to look their way, because just the thought of it made her chest ache. Instead, she vented her jealousy by cornering Daniel.Eric remained silent. He merely shook his head and turned his face away, unwilling to even acknowledge Chloe. To him, Chloe was nothi

The courtroom was thick with tension the moment the heavy wooden doors swung open. Footsteps echoed against the marble floor, mingling with the hushed whispers of reporters adjusting cameras and flipping open their notepads.The Thompson family name carried weight here. As one of the city’s wealthiest dynasties, with vast business holdings under their control, Edward’s father commanded respect and influence wherever he went.And now, the family’s only heir stood accused in a hit-and-run case—facing a sentence that could exceed ten years. Just months ago, Edward Thompson had been touted as the next in line to inherit his father’s empire.It was no wonder the courtroom was packed. Local media filled the press seats, eager to cover every moment. The gallery benches were crowded with Edward’s relatives, friends, and his father’s business associates, all gathered to show their support for the accused.Natalie, by contrast, sat nearly alone. Aside from Eric and his men, she had no visible s

“Calm yourself, Counselor. The truth has a way of surfacing. There’s no need to force it,” Edward’s attorney goaded.“Apologies, but it isn’t us—it’s the witness who seems intent on forcing things,” the prosecutor shot back.Before the temperature could rise further, the judge intervened. He instructed the second witness to continue.“That is all I can provide, Your Honor. As for the matters the prosecutor raised, they fall under the purview of the forensic doctor. My conclusion is that no direct evidence has been found to show the defendant’s involvement in this case.”Natalie’s face flushed. Her hands balled into fists, and she nearly sprang from her seat, trembling with anger. She felt betrayed. A witness meant to uphold the truth was now shielding the perpetrator.Next, the forensic doctor was called. After swearing to tell the truth, she began with an apology.“I was exhausted and drowsy. I lost focus and made a grave mistake. The blood sample I drew turned out to be a stain coll