“Ayla!”
Hadley pulled free from Eric’s hold and darted to Ayla’s side, concern etched across her face.
“Hadley…” Eric stood there, his arms now empty, surveying the disarray before him. With a sigh, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
He had hoped to avoid escalating things with the young lady, but her relentless antics left him no choice.
“Ayla!” Hadley knelt beside her, gently steadying her friend.
Ayla winced, sucking in a breath, but managed a weak smile. “It’s nothing, just a clumsy fall.”
“Come on. Let’s get you up. Can you stand?” Hadley asked, her voice soft but insistent.
“I think so,” Ayla replied, nodding.
Hadley carefully helped her to her feet, scanning her for injuries. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No,” Ayla said, assessing herself with a shake of her head. “Just sore from the fall.”
“Just sore?” Hadley’s eyes narrowed as she spotted a scrape on Ayla’s forearm, the skin raw and faintly bloody. “You’re bleeding.”
“It’s just a scrape,” Ayla said with a dismissive chuckle. “Really, it’s no big deal.”
“What is it to you?” the young lady scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. “So eager to play the hero—why didn’t you just break your neck in the fall?”
Hadley’s head whipped up, her glare piercing the young lady. How could she spew such venom? It was said that fans often reflected their idols, and Linda’s devotees seemed to share her spiteful streak.
Footsteps approached—bodyguards from the Scott family arriving.
“Mr. Scott,” one of them said, awaiting orders.
Eric pointed at the young lady, his tone clipped. “Get her out of here.”
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“Yes, sir!”
The guards moved swiftly, seizing the young lady’s arms.
“What are you doing?” the young lady shrieked, panic flashing in her eyes as she gaped at Eric.
“This is the Scott family property? What gives you the right to throw me out?”
Eric didn’t spare her a glance, his patience long gone. “She is causing a scene. Take her away,” he said, waving a hand.
“Understood, Mr. Scott!”
The bodyguards hauled the young lady away, her protests muffled as they faded into the distance.
“Let go of me!”
With her gone, a fragile calm settled over the air.
Hadley turned her attention back to Ayla, gently lifting her injured arm. “You need to put some ointment on this.”
“It’s fine, honestly,” Ayla insisted, brushing it off. “Just a minor scrape.”
“Miss Pearson!” a voice called out, breaking the moment.
The commotion had finally drawn the crew’s attention.
“What is going on here?”
The crew member approached, his eyes flicking from Hadley to Eric, a mix of surprise and deference in his expression. “Mr. Scott,” he said, offering a subtle bow.
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