Moses’ grip was firm and forceful, causing the man to let out an immediate shriek. He turned his head to see a stranger’s face, which instantly angered him, “Who are you?”
Moses showed a look of disdain, tilting his head in a gesture. “Care to step outside and show me what you’re capable of?”
The man winced in pain but remained defiant. “So, you’re her knight in shining armor, huh? Good for you, Josie. There’s no shortage of fools around you. I wonder if Dexter knows about this.”
Josie raised her hand and rubbed her forehead.
The paparazzi by the man’s side gently nudged his arm, signaling him to turn around.
The person seemed to sense that something was off about the atmosphere, a chill running down their spine. They turned around in surprise and then froze completely.
“D-Dexter…” Even before the name was fully pronounced, the voice trailed off.
The cliché of a hero saving a damsel in distress… Josie would have been moved by that two years ago. However, now it was different.
In the backseat of the Maybach, the air was thick with the stench of cheap alcohol. From behind came the pitiful cries of someone being beaten up, causing Josie to tighten her shawl around her.
“How did you know I was here?”
Dexter lifted his gaze. “How many friends do you have in Wavery?”
Josie was taken aback for a moment, then she returned to her senses, chuckling. “Yes, it seems like no one in this world understands me better than you do.”
The man looked up, gazing at her profile. “How much did you hear?”
“Not much. I heard you’re planning to send me abroad. Nalanica, huh? Indeed, it’s a great place.”
“Josie.” Dexter’s voice carried a hint of fatigue and laziness. “I can protect you today, but I may not be able to do so in the future. The days to come will be more dangerous than today.”
Josie listened and looked out the window.
The woman’s profile was superior, her gaze particularly resilient and independent. “Even if you hadn’t come today, I would have found a way to escape.”
“How so?”
“There’s Laura.”
A cold smirk appeared on Dexter’s lips. “Where is she, then?”
A single question stumped Josie, and she fell silent. Yes, so much time had passed, and Laura hadn’t appeared. Where could she have gone?
Before she could react, Dexter gripped her wrist, forcing her to look at him. “As long as you’re willing, I can pave a bigger and better path for you. You can do anything you want. You don’t have to be confined in Wavery.”
The man’s gaze was too intense. One could even say it brooked no argument.
“I believe in you, Dexter,” Josie said calmly. “If you can create a new world for me, I trust you.”
Dexter narrowed his eyes.
“But I don’t want to. Everything I have is in Wavery—my job, my friends, my resources. I don’t want to give it all up.”
“All of these can be regained.”
“What about the feelings?” Josie responded quickly, watching as Dexter’s expression subtly darkened.
“What feelings?”
Josie paused. A slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I was talking about friendship. What did you think I meant?”
Seeing his face quickly turn sour, Josie felt a lump in her throat. She took a few deep breaths before asking, “What’s your plan if you send me abroad? Marry Heather and then sneak off to Nalanica to meet me in secret?”
She looked at his expression and added, “Or should we say, is this where we part ways?”
The following sentence shattered the man’s psychological defenses. A surge of resentment welled up within him. He grabbed Josie’s head, pulled it close to his own, and drawled, “Don’t even think about it.”
Josie trembled in his arms. “You still want me to be your lover.”
