Marlene set the files down on Ava’s desk, crossed her arms, and gave her a long, assessing look.“No,” she said simply.Ava frowned. “That’s it? No?”“That’s it.” Marlene sat on the edge of the desk. “You’re not weird, Ava. You’re straightforward. Blunt. Fiercely principled. Sometimes a little too sharp around the edges—but that’s because you’re used to protecting yourself.”Ava looked away, throat tightening unexpectedly. Whatever Marlene was saying was nothing but the truth of the matter and she wasn't going to dispute it. She had excelled in her career so much to the extent that it had somehow built a wall around her that she suddenly seemed to scare men away.But with Gerald's audacity to kiss her even without her consent, it wasn't just bold, it was romantic too—at least to her. Gerald was the first man to try something like that with her, and no matter how much she tried to deny it, she liked it.The feeling had been something else—something she had only seen in movies and had a

Flynn dimmed the room lights with a wave of his hand, plunging the forensics lab into a soft blue glow. The holographic projectors activated, flooding the air with suspended grids, geometric lines, and rotating 3D models. Gerald stepped closer, folding his arms, his gaze locked on the emerging simulation.“Alright,” Flynn murmured, swiping through layers of data. “Let’s load the baseline reconstruction.”A digital rendering of the crime scene materialized—a full 3D blueprint of the courtyard, the stage, Bruce’s position at the time of impact, and the surrounding rooftop structures. It hovered in the air like a ghost suspended in light.Gerald exhaled slowly. It was one thing to study photos and footage. But seeing the entire scene rebuilt with precision? It made the truth feel within reach.For a brief moment, he couldn't help but wonder how Flynn had mastered such an act at a very young age. This was something that he believed took decades to learn, yet Flynn had become almost a pro

Chloe watched Chance and Gary from the nearby table until their voices faded into low, indistinguishable murmurs. Her attention lingered on Chance for a moment longer—his posture was too stiff, too guarded. She could read the fear under the anger, the tension under the sharpness. She had played a role in convincing Chance to come, and seeing just how guarded he was, she could understand him perfectly well.But it was only when she finally looked away that she noticed that Courtney was watching her with a small, almost tentative smile.She had not planned to sit alone at a table with Courtney. But she had agreed to it because Gary had requested it before talking to Chance about whatever it was that had made him call for the meeting, and he didn't want her presence to be a hindrance at the end of the day.Chloe cleared her throat lightly as she got ready to begin a conversation with Courtney. “I had no idea you and Gary were… officially a couple now.”Courtney’s smile deepened, warm an

Every word dropped between them like stones sinking into dark water, and for a brief moment, Chance didn’t blink. Not because Gary's story sounded touching, but because he didn't know if he should really buy it now.“So I should believe you now?” His voice was dangerously quiet. “After everything you said? Everything you did?”Gary didn’t look away. “No. I don’t expect you to trust me tonight. Not even tomorrow. I broke that trust myself.”He took a shaky breath. “But Helsin and Wilfreda… they’re in danger. And Richard isn’t playing games. He wants that relic, Chance. And he’ll take down anyone standing between him and it.”Chance’s expression didn’t shift, but his eyes… they flickered as he remembered all the warnings he had receievd prior to this time why the three O' Connor relics must never fall into the wrong hands.“He has two already,” Gary pressed. “You know what that means.”Chance, for a moment really wanted to Gary was saying all these because he had really changed and was

Chance exhaled shakily, the memory of Gary’s voice echoing in his mind like a warning he wished he could ignore.He has two already… And he knew what that meant because the moment all three were brought together… the dark side of the bloodline would awaken. Power that should never be unleashed.And now one of the men who wanted that power the most already had a head start.He ran a hand through his hair and finally reached for the ignition. The low rumble of the engine filled the silence, grounding him.But just before he shifted into gear, he paused as his reflection stared back at him in the rearview mirror—a face that looked too young to carry a burden this old, too scarred to belong to a normal teenage life.A faint whisper escaped him, almost like a vow rising from somewhere deeper than thought.“I’ll do everything to protect the O’ Connor legacy.”***(Moments earlier at the cafe)Courtney watched the doors close behind Chance and Chloe, her gaze returning slowly to Gary, who sa