Emily stared at Elias for a moment, her expression caught in a narrow space between disbelief and irritation, as though she were trying to decide which emotion best matched the situation in front of her. The brief warmth that had surfaced earlier—fragile and unsteady, born from old memories, forgotten familiarity, and a flicker of nostalgia she had not expected to feel again—was now completely gone. It had been stripped away so cleanly it was almost unsettling, as if it had never existed at all. In its place remained something firmer, sharper, more grounded, and significantly less forgiving of what she was hearing.“You’re asking me,” she said slowly, deliberately spacing each word as though she was testing whether the sentence itself made sense when spoken aloud, “how you can reunite me with a man who is already married?”Elias remained exactly as he was, seated with quiet control, posture relaxed in a way that suggested ease rather than carelessness. His expression did not shift in

"You haven't even done the work and you're asking for a deposit," Elias replied.Emily folded her arms carefully as she sat across from Elias, her gaze fixed steadily on him.“You’re asking me to involve myself in something extremely delicate,” she said. “And we’ve never worked together before.”Elias leaned back calmly.“And?”Emily tilted her head slightly.“And the only way I can trust that you’re serious,” she continued, “is if part of the money is paid upfront.”For the first time since the negotiation began, Elias narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.“A deposit,” he repeated.Emily nodded without hesitation.“Yes.”Elias studied her carefully.“You haven’t done any work yet,” he pointed out calmly. “Why should I pay before results?”Emily didn’t flinch.“Because I don’t know you,” she replied directly. “And I don’t take verbal promises seriously when this much is involved.”Her tone remained professional, almost legal.“In my line of work,” she added, “agreements are built on proof,