FAZER LOGINWith a deep breath, she knocked and pushed the door open, stepping into the room’s dim warmth and a rich, dark scent… his. Axel stood at a shelf in the corner, a file in hand. His back was to her, and he didn’t bother turning. He had already sensed her presence—no, more than that… he had recognized her scent. Mia figured he must have heard their voices outside and already knew it was her. Or maybe he was just waiting for whoever had come in to speak and leave. She was right… and wrong. Because it was both. And staring at him from behind right now made Mia feel a very strong, very intense emotion... something Andrew definitely hadn’t managed to produce that day. Which was confusing. Because she was still trying to figure out why her body had reacted to Andrew in the first place! But that was gone now. Because Axel was here. Tall. Intimidatingly tall. The kind of tall that made the space around him feel smaller. His presence radiated warmth, protection, and a dangerous level
Mia felt immediate relief when the door opened. The room had somehow started to feel hot, which made absolutely no sense because it was literally cold. "YA zdes'!" a man called from behind her. "That was fast," Andrew said, glancing past her. Mia turned just as the man closed the door. The first thing she noticed was his hair... blonde and unexpectedly long, tied back behind his head. When he turned back to speak, he froze for a brief second the moment his eyes met Mia's. He studied her quietly before a slow smile formed on his lips. Or maybe it was a smirk. "Kto eto tut u nas?" "Stop," Andrew said. Stop? "Nu, yesli eto ona, ya ne protiv okazat' tebe etu uslugu besplatno." Andrew sighed. "YA znal, chto postupil nepravil'no, pozvoniv tebe." "Pochemu?" the man stepped forward. "Ona tvoya? YA dumal, ty neravnodushen k Anne." (Is she yours? I thought you had feelings for Anna.) Mia blinked between them. This was exactly why she needed Duolingo. What the hell were they even
"Rule number one," he said, "don’t touch anything." Mia stared at him for a second. That wasn’t what she expected at all. Honestly, she had been bracing herself to be thrown out of the office, or at least politely escorted away. So… did that mean he was letting her stay? Because if he wasn’t, that was a very confusing rule to start with. Either way, she smiled. "Yes… sir." That felt weird to say, but she went with it. Axel had already settled into his seat, acting like speaking to her was the last thing on his list. He scooted closer to his desk, fingers finding the keyboard of his laptop. "Go," he said. Mia blinked. Wait... wasn’t she supposed to actually talk to him? About work? About… anything a boss and PA were supposed to talk about? "But—" "I’ll call you when I need you," he cut in. She didn’t even have his contact yet, which felt like an important detail… but apparently not important enough for him. Before she could say anything, Axel added, "Speak
Axel sat in his office, dressed in a black long-sleeve shirt and trousers, his usual coat layered on top. Behind his desk, he leaned back slightly, knuckles resting against his chin as he scrolled through his laptop, reviewing the year’s pending proposals. With his so-called new PA still absent, he considered going through a few simply to pass the time… though he already knew he wouldn’t accept most of them. They all followed the same familiar patterns, offering nothing original. His office wasn’t quite as large as Andrew’s, but it wasn’t small either. He preferred it that way. And let me tell you, it was far more comfortable without those transparent walls that revealed your every move to the birds in the sky. The room was dimmer as well. He had specifically installed softer lighting instead of harsh brightness, and everything was kept almost suspiciously neat and well arranged… you could tell just by how his desk practically gleamed. But just then, a sudden knock came at th
"Really?!" Mia exclaimed, immediately pausing whatever she was stirring in the pan. "Yeah," Andrew replied over the phone. "Come by Monday morning. Eight a.m. sharp. I'll talk to Axel about the new PA situation... before he changes his mind." At that, she released the pan handle and adjusted the phone properly in her hand. It had been resting awkwardly between her shoulder and ear. "No problem," she said. "I won't forget." "Alright… I’ll send you the address. See you tomorrow." The call ended soon after. Mia stood still for a few seconds, lost in thought. Meeting Axel again... how was that supposed to go? Would she greet him with a hug? Probably not a good idea. He'd likely hate that, especially after making it clear he wanted distance from her. And even if she kept it formal... how would he react when he saw her again? Her phone suddenly buzzed, pulling her back to reality. Andrew had sent the address. *7 Krasnaya Line Avenue.* She smiled faintly, almost t
To Mia, it felt as though she had stepped into a new chapter of her life. The moment she arrived in Russia, everything felt different. The weather, the evening sky, even the fact that she was a stranger there... it all felt unfamiliar in a way she found herself liking. It was a little cold, though. A sudden swoosh of wind made her wrap her arms around herself. The jacket she wore didn’t offer much warmth, but it was better than having nothing at all. She checked her watch again. The cab that was meant to take her to the hotel she had booked even before arriving still hadn’t shown up, for some very questionable reason. Most of the passengers who had arrived with her had already left the airport, but she was still standing there, waiting for hers. "What’s taking so long?" she muttered. She thought about calling him again but held back, not wanting to seem impatient. A few more minutes wouldn’t hurt. Then she noticed a car turning into the parkway. It parked, and before sh
That same night, Audrey was outside in the compound, but she wasn’t alone. Victor stood with her in the darkest corner of the garden, where no lights reached. "I overheard them mentioning harvesting again," Audrey whispered. "And now… Mia’s missing. Do you think it’s connected?" Victor’s eye
"Freeze," a police officer ordered, gun raised. Mia released a shaky breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding. For a brief, terrifying moment, she had truly believed she was about to die. Angela was rescued almost immediately. One of the female officers held her gently, hands moving fast
While all of that was happening, Audrey was secretly in the storage room, making a phone call to Victor. She could not leave the house yet. Dinner had not been made, and she did not have Andrew’s or Axel’s contact. Victor was her only option. Her hands trembled around the phone. "Victor, plea
"I thought I was helping," were the words Mia kept repeating as she slowly walked home, her heart heavy. She had lost count of how many times she had done this - walking back in silence, carrying the same familiar sadness. By the time she realized it, she was already home, met with the sharp st







