Jack's POV
The moment Samantha collapsed into my arms, the rest of the world ceased to exist. Her body trembled against mine, her soft hair brushing against my fingers as I gently caressed her head. Every instinct in me urged me to protect her, to shelter her from the cruelty she had just faced. But my gaze never left the trembling figure standing before us—the fool who had dared to insult her.
Mr. Hughes. Pathetic. The man was quaking in his boots, pale as a ghost. I knew his name, yet he meant nothing to me now. He had crossed a line.
"I just asked you a question," I growled, my voice low and cold, cutting through the thick tension in the air. "Or are you deaf?"
The manager’s eyes widened in panic. He fumbled with his words, his hands shaking as he stammered, “I-I’m sorry, Mr. Chairm
