Chapter 495: Chapter 495

Chapter 495:

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He looked directly into her eyes, his gaze a mix of mockery and melancholy.

“I want you to lean on me. Just lean on me.”

His confession hung in the air, raw and vulnerable.

“Because I love you.”

Because of that love, Kellan’s heart raced every time he looked at her.

He’d even learned restraint for her sake.

But no matter how he fought it down, his feelings would someday shatter the dam he’d built around them.

Here he was—Kellan Lloyd, heir to the Lloyd Group and a powerhouse in the business world—bending before her.

Allison felt her heart tighten, as if an invisible hand had taken hold of it, leaving her speechless.

They were supposed to be rivals.

Once the lines were drawn, they should have walked away and stayed on opposite sides.

But now, he stood before her, exposing his heart.

“Ms. Clarke,” he said, his voice soft but probing. “You have feelings for me, too. Don’t you?”

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Of course, she did.

Somewhere along the way, Kellan had wormed his way into her thoughts more than she’d intended. Even the sting of that bloody kiss still sent her heart racing.

All those moments they’d shared—the unintentional touches, the heated glances—they both knew what was happening, but they both chose silence.

“I won’t deny that I feel something for you,” she began, her voice steady as her gaze met his. “But a fleeting spark doesn’t change the reality.”

She paused, carefully choosing her words. “The Lloyd family needs you. And I… I won’t be here much longer.”

But he didn’t let go of her hand.

“Allison.”

His voice, low and familiar, sent a shiver through her as a gentle breeze stirred the alley, ruffling his hair.

His dark, endless gaze held hers, pulling her in.

“I won’t ask you to stay for me. On the contrary… I’ll stand by you, go with you anywhere.”

Kellan’s fingers tightened around Allison’s hand, his gaze burning with intensity.

“The Lloyd Group has influence in both the legal and the illicit. You can use me, Allison. I’ll be your strongest weapon.”

Under his dark, piercing eyes, her heart raced. She tried to steady her voice.

“What the Lloyd Group needs isn’t a Kellan hunted by the mafia.”

“If I cared about that, I wouldn’t have gone to the Burned Islands in the first place,” Kellan said, laying it all on the line. “Besides, it’s too late now. We’re both already on the mafia’s radar.”

Allison knew he was waiting for her response, anticipating her agreement. But could she?

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