David woke up before dawn.He lay in his hostel bed, staring at the ceiling, going over the plan in his head for the hundredth time. Today was the day. He had waited long enough.He had studied Catherine's routine for over a week now. She ate breakfast at the same café near the law faculty every morning at 7:30, always alone, always with a book. She had a free period after her first lecture, which she spent in the library courtyard on the same bench, reading. Same spot. Same time. Every day.He got up, showered, and dressed carefully. Casual but presentable. Jeans, a plain shirt, clean sneakers. He looked at himself in the mirror. Tall, athletic, with a strong jaw and sharp brown eyes that women noticed more than he liked to admit. He had been chosen for this mission for a reason—his looks, his charm, his ability to make people trust him. He planned to use all of it.This is my only shot, he thought. I can't afford to mess it up.---He arrived at the café at 7:15 and bought a coffee.

The guy stood at the edge of the pool, arms folded across his chest. He was muscular, tall, with a broad chest and thick arms that looked like he spent more time in the gym than anywhere else. But his face—his face was rough. Ugly, even. A crooked nose, narrow eyes, and a jaw that looked like it had been broken and put back together wrong. He stared down at David like David was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe.David was frozen. His heart was pounding. He looked at Catherine, expecting her to look as confused as he felt. But she wasn't confused. She looked embarrassed. Like she had been caught doing something she shouldn't have."Excuse me," David said, finding his voice. "Who are you?""I should be asking you that question," the guy said, his voice low and mean. "What are you—""Why in the hell do you always like making my life a nightmare, Philip?" Catherine cut him off. Her voice was sharp, tired, like she had said these words a hundred times before. "What have I done to y