Marcus tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter the moment he stepped through the front door, his thoughts heavy with the prospect of meeting Stephanie. He had zero desire to cross paths with her, knowing full well that any exchange would inevitably bring a barrage of condescending remarks and cutting words.Stephanie always managed to hit her mark with surgical precision, and Marcus was in no frame of mind to endure another exhausting verbal match.He leaned back against the counter, his jaw tightening as frustration settled deep into his chest. Why did she insist on pulling him into her orbit? It was never just a casual chat; she always operated with a hidden agenda. Yet, despite his better instincts, he could not simply ignore the demand. Something stubborn and unresolved about her summons kept gnawing at the back of his mind. He let out a long breath.Maybe it was just better to get it over with. Face her once, clear the air, and walk away.By the time evening arrived, Marcus drov

The low lighting of the private dining room cast long shadows across the table as Stephanie fixed her gaze on Marcus, her voice dropping into a register that left no room for evasion.“Before I passed out that night,” she began, her words deliberate and measured, “I heard your voice. And I saw you standing right there.”Marcus maintained a mask of total indifference, though he caught the microscopic shift in her posture. He kept his silence, locking his features into place while his mind raced behind the barrier of his calm exterior. She remembers far too much, he thought. How much of the puzzle has she actually managed to piece together?“And my partner,” Stephanie continued, her tone sharpening with frustration. “The man they sent into that courtyard—strong, skilled, and rigorously trained as he was—even he struggled to land a single blow on that assassin. He fought with everything he had, but that attacker was on another level entirely. I saw it with my own eyes.” Her voice tighten

Stephanie leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. Marcus's calm attitude was beginning to frustrate her.His explanation sounded reasonable, and despite her suspicions, she found herself reconsidering what she had witnessed.She remembered the day they had encountered some thugs on the street. Marcus had appeared frightened and helpless. He hadn't fought back or even attempted to defend himself. He had simply stood there, looking completely out of his depth.How could someone who behaved that way possess the kind of combat ability she was investigating?She studied him for a moment before speaking."Looking at you now and remembering how you reacted when those thugs cornered us, I find it difficult to believe you could have defeated that fugitive," she admitted. "You looked terrified that day. You barely knew what to do."Marcus rested his hands on the table."You're reading too much into things, Stephanie," he replied. "I think you're trying to connect events that have nothing

Stephanie leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. Marcus's calm attitude was beginning to frustrate her.His explanation sounded reasonable, and despite her suspicions, she found herself reconsidering what she had witnessed.She remembered the day they had encountered some thugs on the street. Marcus had appeared frightened and helpless. He hadn't fought back or even attempted to defend himself. He had simply stood there, looking completely out of his depth.How could someone who behaved that way possess the kind of combat ability she was investigating?She studied him for a moment before speaking."Looking at you now and remembering how you reacted when those thugs cornered us, I find it difficult to believe you could have defeated that fugitive," she admitted. "You looked terrified that day. You barely knew what to do."Marcus rested his hands on the table."You're reading too much into things, Stephanie," he replied. "I think you're trying to connect events that have nothing