"What kind of poison did she put in my blood?" Morris asked, his voice rough against the pillows.The private doctor adjusted the plastic tube running into Morris's arm, checking the digital readout on the cart. The doctor checked the intravenous bag hanging from the metal stand, tapping the clear tube with his finger."It's a compound I haven't seen before, Lord Morris," the doctor answered, keeping his eyes on the screen. "It targeted your central motor nerves without damaging your heart or lungs. It's completely unique."Morris gripped the side rail of the medical bed with both hands. "Can you identify the source?""I drew three vials of blood twenty minutes ago," the doctor said. "I'll run a full chemical breakdown in our lab and give you an answer today."The door of the medical wing pushed open with a soft click.Jenny walked into the room, holding her stomach with one hand as she stepped onto the white tiles.She looked pale, her hair tied back loosely as she walked toward the

The assistant shifted her eyes toward Jenny and the doctor, her fingers tightening around her tablet.Morris saw the hesitation in her face and understood what it meant."Get out," Morris said, waving his hand toward the hallway. "Both of you. Give us the room."Jenny opened her mouth to argue, but the look in her brother's eyes stopped her.She turned on her heel, pulling her coat around her ribs as she walked through the double doors.The private doctor gathered his paper charts and followed her out, pulling the heavy door shut behind him until the latch clicked. The hallway outside went quiet as their footsteps faded down the corridor toward the main residence.Morris leaned back against the pillows, crossing his arms over his chest. "Now speak. What brought you all the way out here?""Our banking division flagged another transaction from your private account late last night, Lord Morris," the assistant said, stepping closer to the bed.Morris frowned, his brows pulling down. "I ap

The screen chimed as the video connection clicked open.Gideon adjusted the desktop stand on his desk, keeping his eyes on the live camera window.Isabella's face filled the display, her hair pulled back into a loose knot under the safehouse lamps. The safehouse room behind her was plain, with painted concrete walls and wooden shutters over the windows."You took your time calling," she said, leaning toward her camera.Gideon rested his hands on the desk, letting out a long breath. "I'm glad you made it across the border in one piece.""The driver dropped me at the safehouse an hour ago," Isabella said, adjusting her phone. "I already posted those chemical diagrams to my account.""I saw the post," Gideon replied. "The trade boards are downloading the files right now.""So we're done?" Isabella asked, crossing her arms. "The marriage contract is dead?"Gideon shook his head, his dark eyes locking onto the screen. "We're not done yet."Isabella's brow pulled down. "What do you mean we'

The plastic fork tapped against the paper container as Kaia lifted another bite of noodles.Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains of the Zenith City hotel room. The room was quiet, with only the faint hum of traffic drifting up from the avenue six floors below.A sharp electronic chime rang above the entryway.Kaia set the container onto the small table, her fingers pausing near the napkin. She set her fork across the rim of the bowl, looking toward the peephole mounted in the center of the heavy door.She had paid cash at the front desk and ordered the meal under an unlisted name. Room service had already completed its rounds hours earlier.She stood up from the wooden chair and took two steps toward the digital monitor beside the entrance.BANG!A heavy gunshot ripped through the brass deadbolt with a deafening crack.Wood chips and metal splinters sprayed across the entryway carpet as the door flew open, slamming hard against the plaster wall.Kaia let out a h

The team leader stared up from the carpet, his jaw shaking in total disbelief."Get on your feet and walk out that door," Kaia commanded, stepping back toward the window.The man forced his elbows against the floorboards, dragging his aching body upright with every shred of strength left in his arms. He stumbled past the three dead bodies on the carpet, clutching his bruised ribs as his boots scraped over the spilled food. His boots reached the broken deadbolt, turning his head three times because he expected a blade in his spine.Kaia did not move from the corner.She watched him limp down the hotel hallway until his frantic steps faded into the stairwell. Her decision to spare him was a calculated move. Lord Morris needed a living witness to report that Isabella had taken her own life, or the hunt across the Capital would never end. The survivor would confirm the deaths of his squad, spreading the story before the police arrived.Kaia locked the door frame with a wooden chair and pa