"What?" Dustin touched his burning cheek. He looked at Dahlia in disbelief. He never imagined she would slap him in public for the sake of someone she had just met. It felt like a stab to his heart.

"I …" Dahlia was at a loss for words as she looked at her hand. Regret had filled her immediately after the act.

The situation was urgent, and she had acted on impulse. Gavin was a powerful general in the army, and Dustin would have faced dire consequences if he had hurt him.

"You actually hit m