The air was still, with only the distant hum of traffic as Seraphina and Michael stood at the edge of a rooftop, watching the chaos they had narrowly avoided. The mission had been successful—a small glitch had been neutralized without much fuss. But Seraphina’s mind wasn’t on the mission. Instead, she was focused on the growing complications in her life—particularly, the unwanted attention Michael was bringing.

As they left the site and walked down a deserted alley, Seraphina finally broke the silence, her voice laced with irritation. “You need to stop showing up at my house and my office, Michael. My father is starting to notice, and it’s making things… difficult.”

Michael, walking a few steps behind her, didn’t seem fazed. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his coat, and his expression was as unreadable as ever. “I’m just doing my job,” he said flatly. “You’re my reaper. We need to be on the same page.”

Seraphina stopped and turned to face him, her eyes flashing with frustration. “You don’t get it. My father isn’t someone who just ignores things. He’s going to start digging, and if he finds out about what we’re really doing, it’s not just me who’ll be in trouble—it’s you too.”

Michael’s gaze met hers, and for a moment, there was a cold, hard edge in his eyes. “You think I care about your father’s suspicions? He’s irrelevant to the mission.”

“He’s not irrelevant to me,” Seraphina snapped, her temper flaring. “He’s my father, and I have to live with him, with his constant scrutiny. Do you know what I had to tell him to keep him from looking into you?”

Michael’s interest seemed piqued, though he still maintained his nonchalant demeanor. “What did you tell him?”

“That you work for me,” Seraphina said, her tone dripping with annoyance. “I told him you’re some sort of crisis management consultant. Now he thinks you’re my employee, and he’s going to want to know more about you. How do you think I’m supposed to explain that?”

Michael’s expression darkened, his displeasure evident. “I don’t work for you, Seraphina. We’re partners, not employer and employee. If you wanted to lie, you could have come up with something better.”

Seraphina bristled at his words. “It was the only thing that made sense in the moment. And besides, it’s not like I had much choice. You keep showing up, unannounced, at all hours. What else was I supposed to say?”

Michael stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone. “You’re supposed to focus on the mission. Your father’s suspicions are your problem, not mine. If he becomes a threat to the mission, I’ll handle it—my way.”

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A chill ran down Seraphina’s spine at his words. She knew what Michael was capable of, and the thought of him “handling” her father made her blood run cold. But she couldn’t let him see her fear, not now. She straightened her back, meeting his gaze with defiance. “You’ll do no such thing. My father isn’t a threat. He’s just concerned about me, as any father would be.”

Michael’s eyes softened slightly, but only for a moment. “Just keep him out of our way, Seraphina. I don’t want any distractions.”

“Distractions?” Seraphina repeated, incredulous. “You’re the one causing distractions! You’re drawing attention to yourself, to us. If you want me to stay focused, then give me the space to handle my personal life.”

For a long moment, they stood there in tense silence, the weight of their words hanging between them. Finally, Michael let out a sigh, as if conceding a small battle. “Fine. I’ll keep my distance—for now. But you need to be ready when I call. This isn’t a game, Seraphina. We’re dealing with forces that neither your father nor anyone else can understand.”

Seraphina’s anger simmered, but she managed a curt nod. “I understand that better than you think, Michael. But I’m not just going to let you bulldoze through my life without any consideration for the consequences. We’re partners, remember? That means we work together, not at cross-purposes.”

Michael’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned away, his expression unreadable once more. “Just be ready.”

Without another word, he walked off, leaving Seraphina standing alone in the dim alleyway. She watched him go, her emotions a mix of anger, fear, and something else she couldn’t quite place. This partnership was growing more complicated by the day, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep up the façade—either with Michael or with her father.

As she made her way back to her car, her mind churned with thoughts of how to manage the situation. She knew she needed to keep her father from digging too deeply, but she also knew that Michael wouldn’t tolerate any interference. It was a delicate balancing act, and one misstep could send everything crashing down.

Meanwhile, at Blackwood Enterprises, Richard Blackwood was deep in conversation with Lucian on another matter entirely. The glitch drug project was progressing, and Lucian’s updates were promising. But as their discussion continued, a subtle shift in tone occurred, one that Richard couldn’t quite place.

“Everything is proceeding as planned,” Lucian was saying, his voice smooth and confident. “We’ve managed to refine the process further, and the results are exceeding our expectations.”

“Good,” Richard replied, satisfied. “And distribution?”

“Under control,” Lucian assured him. “No one suspects a thing. We’re moving more product than ever.”

Richard leaned back in his chair, nodding thoughtfully. “Excellent. Keep me informed of any developments. I want to ensure that we maintain our lead in the market.”

“Of course,” Lucian agreed, though there was something in his tone that gave Richard pause—an undercurrent of something darker, more calculating. But before Richard could probe further, Lucian smoothly shifted the conversation back to business, leaving Richard with little more than a vague sense of unease.

As the call ended, Richard stared at his phone for a long moment, his thoughts swirling. Something wasn’t right. Lucian was as efficient as ever, but there was a subtle change in his demeanor, one that Richard couldn’t quite pinpoint. It was almost as if Lucian was keeping something from him.

But what?

As Richard pondered this, he made a mental note to keep a closer eye on Lucian. Trust was a rare commodity in their line of work, and while Lucian had proven himself time and again, Richard knew better than to let his guard down.

Unbeknownst to Richard, Lucian had already begun moving pieces behind the scenes, pieces that would soon converge in ways neither man could anticipate. The connection between them, once solid, now carried the weight of secrets—secrets that would soon come to light.

And as Seraphina struggled to balance her two worlds, the shadow of her father’s dealings loomed larger, threatening to engulf them all.

End of chapter 12