My body tensed instantly, an instinctual desire to avoid his touch surging through me. Yet, Dustin's grip was firm, leaving no room for escape., Being under someone else's control felt awful, something I deeply disliked. My brows furrowed in discomfort.

"Dustin...

", Before I could finish, Dustin cut me off,

"Felicia, Rad's my brother. I can't speak ill of him, but he's an exception. You shouldn't abandon your principles just because of him.

", His hold tightened, betraying his nervousness and the slight tremor in his grasp. His intense gaze locked onto mine, his voice heavy, almost pleading,

"Felicia, dating isn't a game. You need to be cautious. One wrong step could lead to disaster.

", His genuine concern made me go soft, almost making me admit that Ernest was just a fake boyfriend., Yet, that thought vanished as quickly as it appeared. After all, bringing Ernest into the picture was meant to make Dustin's family back off. Admitting the truth now would render the whole act pointless.

"Dustin, I'm not a child anymore. I know what I'm doing,

" I retorted.,

"But you've only known Ernest for a few days?

" Dustin's voice grew heavier, a hint of anger in his tone., Faced with his disbelief, I decided to drop a bombshell,

"I might have known him for just a few days, but Ernest and I struck a deal during my trip to Galaxy Harbor.

", I kept my words vague, respecting the brotherly bond I shared with Dustin. Some lines were not meant to be crossed., Dustin, quick on the uptake, understood immediately. His gaze upon me intensified, his grip on my shoulder almost painful., He fell silent, his eyes a mixture of denial, disappointment, and profound sorrow..., Recognizing the depth in his gaze, I shifted slightly,

"Dustin, some connections are destined. Maybe Ernest and I are meant to be.

", At that, Dustin seemed to stagger a bit., However, he didn't release his grip, though it had loosened significantly., In the midst of our awkward standoff, Grant appeared out of nowhere, his face beaming,

"Director Hudson, you have a visitor. Why not head to the office?

", As he spoke, he glanced at Dustin,

"Let's go to my office. I'll have someone made some coffee.

", Dustin, ever the gentleman, let go and politely declined,

"No need, but thank you.

", With that, Dustin left without a backward glance, leaving me engulfed in a wave of desolation, struggling to breathe., It took me a while to gather my wits and head back to the office. Passing by Grant's, I intended to ask for some time off. I had plans to prepare a gift before visiting the Wagner family., Just as I was about to knock, I heard Grant's voice,

"Yeah, dud, it's all taken care of... Yeah, he's gone... Haha, trust me, that guy's got nothing on you. You can relax... Director Hudson...

" Grant, on the phone, turned and caught sight of me at the door, almost dropping his device in shock., I couldn't fathom his surprise, quickly catching the phone for him. Glancing at the screen, I saw 'dud' displayed as the caller ID., Handing back the phone, now still connected, I signaled the ongoing call., Flustered, Grant snatched the phone back, hurriedly explaining to the caller,

"Bro, Director Hudson's here. I'll call you back later.

", After hanging up, he faced me, panic evident in his eyes., It was just a phone call, after all. He wasn't engaging in an affair or leaking company secrets. Even if someone overheard, it shouldn't have warranted such a frantic reaction, right?, Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.