?<strong>Chapter 1268:</strong>


    “Did Miss Collins happen to mention when she’s arriving?”


    The receptionist checked the records and nodded.


    “She’s expected around four this afternoon.”


    Cliff booked the room next to hers. Once the arrangements were made, he headed to a nearby mall to buy some essentials.


    The mall was unusually lively. Balloons and flowers decorated the main hall, and a crowd had gathered to watch a young man proposing. The air buzzed with excitement, but Cliff stayed on the edge, watching from a distance.


    The scene brought back a memory he hadn’t thought of in a long time. He and Laney had visited this mall once,te at night. She had run out of clean underwear after their passionate escapades, and he had to buy her some disposable ones as a quick fix.


    Ever bold, Laney had insisted on apanying him. Though her long dress reached her ankles and wasn’t revealing, Cliff had been uneasy, eager to finish the errand and get back to the hotel.


    But Laney had other ideas. yful as always, she had pulled him into the crowd that had gathered around another proposal. Cliff had been anxious but couldn’t resist going along with her.


    As they stood watching, Laney had suddenly gasped.


    “Oh!” she eximed, her eyes sparkling with surprise.


    Cliff quickly asked her what was wrong. Laney leaned in close, her voice barely above a whisper.


    “The wind got under my skirt. It’s so chilly.”


    She crossed her legs subtly.


    But Cliff knew it wasn’t the wind. She was teasing him, her eyes gleaming with mischief, daring him to react.


    At that time, Cliff’s exasperation had risen. For a moment, he seriously considered swatting her to make her behave, but instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist and steered her away. The more flustered he became, the more Laney seemed to enjoy provoking him. Her yful antics were relentless.


    Back at the hotel, however, the moment Cliff took control, her teasing stoppedpletely. She went silent, her demeanor shifting in an instant.


    A cheer from the mall crowd jolted Cliff back to the present. He blinked, refocusing, only to spot a familiar face in the sea of pping onlookers. It was Kailyn. She was grinning and pping enthusiastically.


    Cliff froze, his breath hitching as his eyes scanned the crowd. That was when he saw Laney. His pulse quickened. For a split second, only one thought consumed him—if she saw him, she would turn around and leave immediately. He needed to move. Hide. Disappear.


    But his body refused to cooperate. His legs felt like lead, and his eyes remained fixed on her face.


    Laney stopped walking. While the crowd pped and cheered, she stood still, lost in her own thoughts.


    Cliff could tell she was thinking about the same moment he had just relived.


    Laney must have felt the intensity of his gaze, as she suddenly turned her head to look in his direction.


    Cliff’s heart skipped a beat. Standing tall, he was impossible to miss. Just then, a giant bear mascot stepped in front of him, blocking Laney’s view and handing him a flyer.


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