Inside the car, Harvey's hands were steady on the steering wheel, but his feet were holding the gas pedal casually. The speed of the car is kept steady, not rushing. The sound of the engine only buzzed softly, as if it matched the driver's mood. Harvey glanced to the side. Vanessa sat still, her face pale, her breathing not quite regular. Her fingers were still clutching the seatbelt too tightly, as if she hadn't completely released the tension that had been choking her.Harvey said nothing. He knew silence was the better medicine at the moment. Instead of rushing to the destination, he chose to give Vanessa space to breathe and calm her mind. In his heart, Harvey was grateful. If only he had arrived a few minutes later... his mind refused to imagine what could have happened.The evening breeze slipped through the slightly open window. Vanessa sighed softly, her eyes staring blankly out the window. Though she doesn't say a word, there's a heaviness there - evident in her tightened jaw

Vanessa's fingers trembled as she touched the phone screen. In that instant, the "send" button was pressed-and the message flew away, irrevocably.Just as quickly, she flopped onto the bed. Her body was immersed in a clump of blankets, while both palms hurriedly covered her face. Her breath was held, as if her lungs were reluctant to accept air. Her face heated up, blushing as if burned by shame that could not be suppressed.Her left hand tightly grasped the edge of the pillow, as if holding on to the only thing that could dampen her racing heart."I... I sent it," she whispered barely audibly, as if afraid it was real.It had been three days since Vanessa had set foot back in Duskvale. The morning mist that hangs over the small town hasn't changed much, but her heart is filled with a new wave of uncertainty. The news that Harvey had also caught up with her felt like a small bolt of lightning striking her chest-sharp, unexpected, yet hopeful.That's what prompted her to send the messa

Vanessa looked into Alex's eyes. Her heart thumped loudly inside her chest, like it was about to jump out. She didn't recognize this young man, but from the cold gaze and the aura emanating from his body, Vanessa knew-this man was not just anyone.There was a hidden power behind his eyes, a power that made Vanessa's body seem to freeze. Not even Rio had ever made her feel this small. Unconsciously, she lowered her face, as if that gaze could strip her mind bare.Footsteps approached. Jordan appeared beside Alex, placing a hand on his shoulder."Calm yourself," he said softly, but meaningfully. "Don't you realize about her?"Alex returned to watching Vanessa closely, his eyes sweeping up and down her body in no hurry. Alex's forehead wrinkled slightly when she caught a familiar ripple of subtle energy. Instantly his eyes narrowed, and his realization struck like a bolt of lightning.Harvey.Of course, he thought. Only Harvey could have implanted such a ki imprint.Alex's eyebrows rose,

A woman's footsteps sounded fast down the city sidewalk. Her hair was flowing under a wide black hat, while sunglasses and a mask covered most of her face. Despite her neat disguise, people's eyes were still on her. Some just glanced at her, while others looked twice.Next to her, a large man walked in an alert position. The black suit he wore hid his muscular build, but his eyes were alert and sharp. The thin mustache on his face added to the stern look.Vanessa lowered her face, trying not to attract any more attention than she already had. After returning from the commercial shoot, her pace was quicker than usual-not because she was in a hurry, but because of the uncomfortable feeling that had been haunting her since leaving the building.She glanced to the side, at the man walking by her side."Mr. Jordan..." she murmured softly, almost as a whisper. "Why do I feel like Duskvale is becoming... unsafe?"The mustachioed man--Jordan, now wearing civilian clothes as a disguise-grinned

Vanessa stared at her phone screen with a hardened jaw. Her thumbs stopped scrolling when her eyes fell on one of the latest posts: again about the God of War.Almost the entire homepage was filled with bad news - vicious slanders about the bombing. Provocative headlines spread like a plague.Her hands gripped the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her breathing was ragged.Damn it. Her efforts so far were like froth-nothing. Negative comments flooded in, as if the world had decided who was at fault."How can people be so stupid?" he grumbled. Her forehead furrowed deeply, then without thinking, she threw her phone on the bed.The screen was still on. The flame reflected in her eyeballs-burning with more than just anger.Vanessa had spent two days responding to those comments. Two days of sitting down to reply one by one, hoping to turn public opinion around. But all she got was sore eyes, aching shoulders, and a head that kept buzzing like a machine that never shuts off