Chapter 80: Give me a chance.
Dylan’s mind churned as he searched through memories of who their common enemy was. His suspicion settled firmly on the Bakers. Their rivalry with Brooks ran deep since the time of his great-grandfather.
It was no secret that the Bakers held a grudge against the Brooks and the Williams, given the close ties between the two families. William Holdings had been targeted repeatedly by the Bakers in the past, and his father had always stood by Thomas’s side like a pillar, which was why the company was still able to exist in the market.
"So it can be the Bakers," Dylan mumbled thoughtfully, his hands balled into tight fists. He seemed to find the missing pieces of the puzzle.
His thoughts drifted to Nicholas, who had recently and suspiciously taken an interest in Ava. The suddenness of Nicholas’s attention toward her now felt deliberate, as though he had an ulterior motive.
"He is likely trying to use her against me," Dylan muttered through his gritted teeth. He could practically see Nicholas’s scheming smirk in his mind’s eye. "I have to keep Ava safe. I won’t allow her to be a pawn in someone else’s game."
With a new sense of urgency, Dylan went back to the bedroom and found Ava fast asleep. A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he took in the peaceful rise and fall of her breathing.
Carefully, he slipped onto the bed beside her, his arm instinctively reaching out to encircle her waist. He felt her warmth through the thin fabric, grounding him. When Ava shifted slightly, his body tensed, heart racing as he held his breath. But she settled back into her slumber, much to his relief.
Drawing closer, he murmured softly, "I’ll protect you always."
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