"Logan, let’s not do this, okay?" Hannah pleaded softly, her voice tinged with worry, as if she feared Logan might lose to Eric.
"Dear sister, with Mr. Scott so confident, why are you trying to stop him?" Ella said with a light laugh, her gaze locking onto Hannah’s.
Hannah shook her head quickly, her eyes betraying genuine concern. "But..."
"Trust me, okay?" Logan reassured her gently. Hannah pouted but reluctantly stepped aside.
Ella glanced at her, noting the anxious expression in her eyes. For a moment, Ella nearly forgot this was the woman she despised most, now standing beside her.
"Mr. Scott, are you absolutely sure about this?" Ella asked.
"Of course! No regrets!" Logan replied confidently as he raised his gun and began firing.
Three consecutive shots hit the ninth ring of the target—an impressive feat for someone who wasn’t a professional marksman.
Eric cast a cool glance at him, unimpressed. Logan smirked. "What’s the matter? Surprised? Even someone like me, who barely practices, managed to score nine rings. Can you do that?"
Eric chuckled coldly. "Why wouldn’t I?"
Without another word, Eric slowly took aim at the target and fired three shots in quick succession.
When Logan saw Eric’s score, he was stunned.
All three of Eric’s shots hit the bullseye—ten rings.
Logan’s face turned red, then pale. He realized too late that he’d fallen into Eric’s trap. There was nothing in Eric’s background to suggest he was skilled at shooting, let alone this proficient!
"Mr. Scott, you lost," Eric said with a mischievous smile, his arm wrapped possessively around Ella’s waist. "Now, kindly transfer one million to my account. We wouldn’t want you skipping out on the bet, would we?"
Ella couldn’t help but giggle. Eric, ever the schemer, had managed to con a million—not a fortune, but enough to fund her adventures in Country W for a while.
"You... Fine, you’ll get your money!" Logan growled, his face darkening.
"But I don’t trust you. Sorry!" Eric teased, raising an eyebrow. "Surely, Mr. Scott, you’re not thinking of backing out?"
Though Logan wasn’t the heir to the Scott family fortune, he had plenty of money to spare. Still, Eric’s taunts infuriated him.
"Who would’ve thought Mr. Nelson was so broke that he’d stoop to such tricks to cheat me out of money!"
"Oh, absolutely. I’m penniless," Eric replied with a smirk. "So why doesn’t Mr. Scott just give me more? And let’s not call it cheating—you agreed to the bet. A true gentleman accepts his loss. Now you’re trying to slander me? What class..."
"Fine! I’ll transfer the million now!" Logan snapped, cutting him off. The moment Eric started to compare him to Mason, Logan lost his patience.
After getting Eric’s account details, Logan made a quick call to his assistant, instructing them to transfer one million dollars to Eric’s account.
Two minutes later, Eric’s phone pinged with the transaction confirmation.
"Excellent. Thank you for the generous donation, Mr. Scott. Until next time!" Eric said, removing his noise-canceling earmuffs. His wicked grin lingered as he wrapped his arm around Ella and walked off cheerfully.
Logan stood there, his face clouded with frustration.
"Logan, don’t be upset. Let’s just go home," Hannah said softly, trying to comfort him.
Logan glanced at the delicate "Hannah" at his side and nodded quietly.
Hannah, however, stared deeply at Ella’s retreating figure. Her heart sank slowly. She truly didn’t want to become enemies with Ella and Eric, but...
Ella stood on the balcony, gazing out at the foreign city stretched before her. The lights of the city sparkled like a sea of stars, the night serene and enchanting, though the breeze carried a hint of chill.
Eric approached from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "How are you feeling? Better now?"
Ella nodded. "Much better."
Eric chuckled softly. "Logan really is no match for Mason. Mason may not be particularly clever, but he’s ruthless in consolidating his power. Logan doesn’t have the same cunning to counter him. Still, Mason can’t touch Logan because the first wife’s family protects him."
Ella blinked, catching on. "Mason’s trying to use us to deal with Logan, isn’t he?"
Eric’s eyes gleamed with amusement. "My smart girl! Here, a reward: you get to pick our next game."
"No way!" Ella huffed. "Eric, I’m not your servant! Stop tormenting me every day."
Eric’s grin widened, teasingly. "Torment? Darling, that’s called pleasure!"
Ella rolled her eyes and ignored him, but he leaned in suddenly, capturing her soft lips in a deep kiss.
Ella’s eyes widened as her breath was stolen by the intensity of the kiss.
Breaking away only slightly, Eric’s voice became urgent. "Inside. Now."
Without waiting for a reply, he swept her up in his arms and carried her inside for a passionate encounter.
Later, Ella lay exhausted, her body drenched in sweat, her skin sticky and uncomfortable.
Eric, ever attentive, held her close and lovingly washed her before placing her, now as relaxed as a lazy kitten, onto the bed.
Grabbing a hairdryer, he began drying her long, beautiful hair with his usual care.
Ella smiled, her eyes crinkling with delight. "Thank you, hubby. It must be tiring, drying my hair for me every night."
Eric scoffed playfully. "If I didn’t do it, plenty of other men would jump at the chance."
Ella burst out laughing, watching him wield the hairdryer with elegant precision. For all his aristocratic demeanor, he willingly lowered himself to pamper her with tender affection.
In moments like these, Ella thought, Eric truly felt like a gift from the heavens.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Hannah and Logan were still strolling the lively streets. Hannah’s curiosity for the world outside seemed insatiable, and Logan indulged her every whim, buying whatever caught her eye.
As she reveled in the evening, a man’s voice suddenly called out to her. "Hannah? I can’t believe it’s you!"
Hannah turned to see a man she didn’t recognize. He was from Country S, his refined features suggesting gentleness. His expression was one of astonishment, as though he could hardly believe his eyes.
Hannah blinked, her confusion evident. She didn’t know this man.
"Who are you?" Logan asked coldly, though his sharp gaze revealed he recognized the man immediately.
"Hannah, it’s me, Brandon. Have you forgotten? Maybe... you’ve been through some kind of trauma, and that’s why you don’t remember. But seeing you living well now... I can finally let go of my guilt," Brandon said with a faint smile, his tone devoid of jealousy or bitterness.
"I’m sorry, but I really don’t remember you," Hannah replied softly after a moment of thought.
Logan’s expression eased slightly at her response.
"No problem. You two carry on—I have something to take care of," Brandon said with a polite smile before turning and walking briskly toward a secluded corner.
Once alone, he pulled out his phone, his demeanor shifting entirely.
"Hannah, do you really think you can fool me? Ha! Good thing I’ve uncovered plenty of information. Time to make a call to Ella..."
Muttering to himself, Brandon dialed a number he hadn’t called in years. The phone barely rang before it was answered.
"Ella, it’s Brandon. I have some important information to tell you—"
A gunshot echoed sharply through the night.
Brandon’s phone slipped from his hand, clattering to the ground as his body fell lifelessly beside it.