Her Hidden Crowns (Suzanne and Austin) novel Chapter 282

Tahlia's wrist was so swollen that it looked like a ham hock, and her smudged makeup, streaked with tears, left her looking completely disheveled.

She was beyond miserable. Whenever she used the same tricks, no man had ever been this cold, let alone resorted to actual violence.

Zane sat slumped on the ground, his mind reeling.

This was bad!

Austin was infamous for his ruthlessness. If he held a grudge, years of Zane's hard work could be wiped out in an instant. It felt like his entire world was collapsing.

Tahlia, still sobbing, looked up at him. "Dad, it hurts so much. Take me to the hospital."

Austin was too dangerous. If she had another chance, she would never have provoked him. It wasn't worth it. The pain she felt now was unbearable. He was a monster!

Zane snapped his head up and glared at her, his voice ice-cold. "Useless! You can't even seduce a man. What good are you?"

Tahlia's eyes widened in disbelief, her lips trembling. "Dad… what are you saying?"

This was his idea. She never would have known Austin was here otherwise. Now that things had gone wrong, Zane was blaming everything on her.

A flicker of emotion crossed Zane's face before he scoffed. "Figure it out yourself."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Tahlia watched his retreating figure, her tears falling even harder. Her father didn't care for her at all.

A sharp scream tore from her throat as she clutched her head. "You're all heartless bastards!"

…

Austin arrived at the hotel half an hour later. Inside his suite, he sat on the couch for a long time, his mind still simmering with irritation. Then, he pulled out his phone and was about to call Suzanne when his gaze landed on the date.

His voice dropped to a murmur. "Three more days…"

His fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before he dialed a different number.

As soon as the line connected, he said, "I need a favor."