The briefing chamber lay buried beneath layers of reinforced concrete, accessible only through a series of security checkpoints that grew more exacting the deeper one went. The air inside was cool and faintly metallic, carrying the constant vibration of machinery somewhere beyond the walls. A single strip of light ran the length of the ceiling, casting a pale glow over the brushed steel table that dominated the center of the room. Around it sat twelve operatives in dark uniforms, their faces solemn, and their files untouched.At the far end of the table, a man sat with an unhurried stillness. One gloved hand rested lightly on the steel surface, and the other tapped out a quiet, deliberate rhythm, each movement measured and even. He was broad-shouldered, his frame filling out the crisp lines of a tailored field jacket whose silver insignia caught the light in quick, muted glints. His hair was dark, cut close in regulation style, and his eyes which were cool and sharply observant moved

Elias frowned. “What happened?”But Jax didn’t respond and all he could hear was static noise.Elias quickly tucked the paper into his pocket and tapped a digit on the comms as he muttered, “Extraction, status.”There was no response and nothing but the faint hiss of dead air. He tried again, sharper. “Extraction, respond.”A bad premonition quickly rose within him. Could it be that he had miscalculated?He quickly clicked the earbud and spoke into the receiver, “What’s going on?”“I don’t know,” Loid responded. “It’s just your extraction team.”Just then, Jax’s voice broke in through the comms. “Sir! It’s our people—why are they shooting at us?! The secondary team has been wiped out in an ambush.”At that exact moment, there was a loud bang and the ceiling a few feet away from him gave way. From somewhere above, the muted night split open and a sudden crack of automatic fire sounded. He quickly moved, taking refuge in a corner of the lab. There was barely any blind spot but he woul

The name was like a trigger. Elias felt his breath catch, a jolt of awareness cutting through the haze in his head.Sebastian Grant?The last thing he remembered was the explosion, the blinding light, the mechanical voice that kept ringing and then… the car.Oh. The unknown face that stared back at him in the car.A sharp pain suddenly took over his thoughts however and like a tornado hitting waves, images slammed into him like an uninvited download: laughter in a crowded party; hushed, intimate whispers with a woman in a corner office; a flash of an argument with a woman; and several images of the woman who had just chewed him out and left.The pain in Elias’s head was immense and he couldn’t help but grab the bedside table for anchor. The glass of water on the table shook with the impact and fell, shattering on the floor. Elias had no mind to pay attention to the mess right now and just grabbed his head, only stopping himself from screaming in pain with sheer willpower and enduranc

The sleek car rolled to a stop before a sprawling mansion. It was huge and reeked of money that would make commoners marvel. But for those who have been in wealth, it looked less like old money and more like money trying too hard. Marble lions guarded the gate, glass chandeliers glittered even from outside, and every column was plated with an unnecessary sheen of gold. It was the kind of nouveau riche monstrosity that screamed power but lacked grace.Elias stepped out, stretching his limbs as if he had all the time in the world. His gaze flicked over the garish facade once before returning to calm indifference. He had just been discharged from the hospital and was about to leave to find his way back into the Beaumonts’ lives when a driver arrived from the matriarch to drive him to the family home. This was where all the current members of the Beaumonts grew up and apparently, where they held family meetings.It was likely that a family meeting was going to be held today, if she took t

“...” Elias was speechless.But, his expression didn't change much as he asked, “What do you mean by that?”“You're acting strange.” She pointed out. “If I didn't know who you were, I'd have thought you had been swapped.”A ghost of a smile slowly appeared on Elias's lips. She was actually right. He had really been swapped.Seeing that he still had the guts to smile when she was being so serious, Lila was about to blow her top in anger. But anyway, she still had to give him her piece of mind.“Look,” she said. “I don't know what you're playing at but all I have to say is that I don't care. We'll keep on with our status quo. You can keep living at our place and I'll convince my parents but other than that we'll simply do our own thing. Is that clear?”‘She's quite fierce,’ Elias thought.But anyway, he barely had any opinions either. As long as he could stay hidden in this family, he really couldn't care less who he was married to or had to live with. He gave a nod simply.“Good.” Lil