Chapter 4

Jonathan strode toward us with such a commanding aura that the reporters instinctively parted for him.

He didn't spare a single glance for Sebastian or Natalie. His eyes were fixed on me as he held out a hand, demanding coldly, "Camille, come here."

I flinched, shrinking back into Sebastian's side.

If I walked over, he would deal with me later.

Sebastian's arm tightened around me, his smug grin returning. "Easy there, Mr. Reed. You're scaring the lady," he said.

Jonathan finally turned to Sebastian with a piercing glare, warning, "Sebastian, my business has nothing to do with you. Back off."

"Funny," Sebastian retorted with a lazy drawl, raising an eyebrow. "Ms. Grant is my friend now. That makes it my business."

The air between them crackled with tension.

Natalie's expression grew even stormier. "Sebastian! Are you really going to pick a fight with Jonathan over a woman like her?"

I offered a silent prayer, begging Natalie not to fan the flames any further.

Just then, my phone vibrated. I snuck a glance. It was a text from Gigi.

[Babe! Update! Lucas is on his way to the hotel! He says he can help clear your name!]

The world went dark for a second.

How was he supposed to clear this up? Did he plan to claim we were just friends? Who would actually buy that?

Was he trying to make things even worse?

And, as if on cue, the revolving doors swung open. In walked Lucas, looking infuriatingly calm and scholarly in casual clothes and his signature gold-rimmed glasses, his assistant trailing behind him.

He took in the chaotic scene, his expression faltering for only a second before his eyes found me.

"Camille," he said.

His voice sounded gentle, but it was laced with an undeniable command. "Come here. I'll take you away from this."

While Jonathan, Sebastian, and Natalie lapsed into a heavy silence as the reporters went absolutely insane, I stood frozen.

I wondered if Lucas was seriously trying to stir the pot even more.

"Mr. Ford," Jonathan said, gritting his teeth. "And what, exactly, is your relationship with her?"

"We're friends," Lucas replied coolly, pushing his glasses up his nose. "And as her friend, I couldn't stand by and watch her be cornered like this."

Sebastian scoffed, "Friends? You seem to have a lot of those, Mr. Ford."

Natalie looked from Jonathan to Sebastian to Lucas, her expression twisting into pure disbelief. "What kind of spell did this woman cast on all of you?" she yelled.

I felt like I was going to suffocate.

What a mortifying nightmare!

I needed to leave now. Otherwise, I would wake up as the mysterious seductress who sparked a brawl among the city's three most powerful men.

While the three men were momentarily distracted by Lucas' arrival, I saw my chance. I wrenched myself out of Sebastian's grasp and shoved his jacket back into his arms. With my head down, I bolted for the side exit.

"Camille!"

"Stop!"

"Camille!"

The voices of all three men called out at once.

I didn't hear them. I just ran faster than I had ever run in my life.

I mentally tossed everything aside. Who cared about the sapphire necklace, the real estate, and the tropical islands? Survival was the only thing that mattered now!

Somehow, I escaped. With Gigi's remote guidance, I navigated a maze of back alleys and ended up in a small, anonymous apartment she kept for emergencies.

Shaking, I caught my breath and immediately started packing a bag.

I had to get out of the country now.

Those three men were not to be trifled with.

Jonathan was cold and ruthless, Sebastian was a hedonistic troublemaker, and Lucas, beneath his gentle exterior, was dangerously calculating. I managed to piss off all three at once, so I wouldn't live to see the sunrise.