There had been a time when he trusted her completely, when he believed her without question, even when she said she was working late. Later, he learned that she had gone to welcome Nahir home instead.He had trusted her again and again over the past three years, and each time, disappointment had followed. What reason did he have to trust her now?Before he could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps broke the fragile tension.Nahir walked over calmly, his expression gentle but his gaze firm with quiet determination.He stopped beside Aurelia and, without hesitation, placed an arm around her waist as though it were the most natural thing in the world. The intimate gesture immediately drew everyone’s attention.Aurelia stiffened. “Nahir…” she said, attempting to step away.He subtly tightened his hold, not enough to appear forceful, but enough to prevent her from creating any obvious distance.Then he looked directly at Alexander. “Alex,” he said politely, “I understand this may s

The pain in her ankle no longer seemed important. Compared to the hollow emptiness spreading through her chest, the injury felt insignificant.Tears slipped quietly down her cheeks as a realization settled heavily within her.Alexander had not ignored her because he hated her; he had ignored her because he had finally stopped hoping.That truth hurt far more than anything he could have said.Moments later, hurried footsteps approached. “Aurelia!”Nahir crouched beside her, concern evident in his expression. “Are you alright?”She did not respond; her gaze remained fixed on the corridor where Alexander had disappeared, as though part of her still believed he might return.He did not.With a soft sigh, Nahir helped her to her feet. “Can you stand?”She nodded weakly. “I’m… fine.”However, the moment she placed weight on her injured foot, a sharp pain forced her to wince.“Your ankle is swelling,” Nahir said, steadying her. “You need to have it treated.”“I’m alright,” she replied automa

Alexander stepped inside without making a sound.His breathing remained steady, his movements controlled. On the surface, he appeared calm, but beneath that stillness, every sense he possessed had already sharpened to its peak.His gaze moved methodically from one corner to another but saw nothing. The quiet stretched on, heavy and oppressive.Then his eyes locked onto something. “Clara.”She lay near the center of the room, unconscious, her wrists loosely bound with plastic restraints. Her head rested against an overturned wooden crate, and strands of hair partially obscured her pale face.Relief flickered briefly in Alexander’s eyes. She was alive. That was enough.He crossed the room quickly but cautiously, scanning his surroundings one final time before kneeling beside her. “Clara.”He reached out and gently brushed the hair away from her face.There were no visible injuries. Her breathing was shallow but steady, suggesting she had been drugged rather than harmed.Alexander placed

He did not pause for a reply. “Each strand is woven from ultra-high tensile metallic threads fused with a synthetic alloy designed for military-grade restraint systems. It withstands enormous pressure without stretching or breaking.”As he spoke, he crouched beside the net and flicked one of the shimmering fibers with his finger. A sharp metallic ring cut cleanly through the air.“Even hydraulic cutters struggle against it,” he added, glancing up with open disdain. “And you intend to cut it with… that?”Another laugh escaped him, quieter but far more contemptuous.“I’ve seen confidence, and I’ve seen stupidity,” he continued, shaking his head. “But what you’re showing me right now is an impressive combination of both.”Alexander did not respond. His silence was not hesitation, but composure. His gaze rested on the dagger, its surface reflecting the dim emergency light with an unremarkable sheen.There was nothing about it that suggested power, nothing except the steadiness of the hand

Alexander’s eyes moved between the glass of water, Clara’s still form, and the hidden trap beneath her. For the first time, the calm in his expression gave way to something more solemn.He understood now: the net had never been the true threat. It had only been a delay, a distraction meant to lull him into complacency.The real trap had been waiting all along, and this time, there would be no margin for error. One careless decision would cost Clara her life.Alexander’s gaze lingered on the clear glass of water resting on the cold concrete floor, his expression unreadable as the dim emergency light flickered above.The abandoned storage room had fallen into a heavy, unnatural silence, as if even the air itself were waiting for his decision.Only moments earlier, he had shattered the supposedly indestructible Mythril Silksteel Fiber net and forced the hooded man onto the defensive. Now, however, the advantage had shifted again, and the situation had grown far more dangerous.Clara rema