“Quit lying to yourself,” Mercer jeered, his own voiceced with self-mockery.


    “You’re scared of me, and I despise you.


    We’re never going to work.


    ”


    Nancy lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears.


    “You despise me?


    Why? You were the one who…”


    “If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t be the person who I am now!”


    Mercer’s voice boomed, his anger flushing his face a deep red.


    Nancy gazed at him, feeling as if a knife twisted in her heart.


    She wondered if he med her.


    If he hadn’t tried to save her, he might have avoided all the trouble.


    Was it her fault he was hurting?


    “Mercer Aston, I never asked for your help,” Nancy said, her voice rough with emotion.


    Mercer nced at her, his hands trembling with the effort to remain calm.


    His expression was icy.


    “The biggest mistake of my life was saving you on a whim,” he said.


    With that, he stormed off.


    Nancy, usually the cheerful one, crumbled.


    She sank to the floor, wrapped her arms around her knees, and sobbed.


    Mercer headed to the restroom to clean up.


    Then, he burst back into their private room, startling everyone with the m of the door.


    Annoyed, he snatched his coat from the couch and muttered without looking up, “Got something to take care of, I need to head out.


    ”


    The others caught sight of his damp attire and couldn’t hide their surprise.


    “Mercer, did you take a swim in the toilet or what?”


    Mercer bit back any further exnation.


    As he headed out, Nics seized his wrist, inquiring in a deep voice, “What’s going on?”


    Only then did Mercer remember that his brother was there.


    Clutching Nics’s arm, he said, “Hey, Nics, a producer mentioned something to me for you today.Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    It’s too loud in here.


    Can we talk?”


    Nics, curious, donned his sunsses and stepped out with Mercer.


    They found a quiet spot outside.


    “What’s the matter? Tell me.


    ” Nics asked, his voice even.


    Mercer turned around, yanked off his sunsses, and looked Nics dead in the eye.


    “Are you falling for Sh?”


    Nics paused and said, “What do you mean by that?”


    Mercer saw the truth in his reaction.


    Pointing to himself, he warned, “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but steer clear of Sh.


    She’s Arturo’s girl.


    ”