The smell of garlic and butter filled the apartment. Evelyn smiled to herself as she stirred the pasta. Cooking always helped her feel normal, calm especially after everything that had happened recently.She checked the clock. Ethan had been in the shower for quite some time.Maybe he was tired.Maybe he needed a little longer to relax.Wiping her hands on a towel, she grabbed two plates and began serving the pasta with a bit of cheese on top. It looked good and smelled even better.She turned off the stove and made her way toward the guest room where Ethan was staying.“Ethan!” she called softly. “Dinner’s ready…”She didn’t even get to finish the sentence.The door opened right then and Ethan stepped out.Fresh from the shower.Only a towel wrapped around his waist.Water dripped from his hair, running down his neck, across his bare chest, and lower...Evelyn froze in place. So did Ethan.Her eyes widened.His body tensed.Silence.Then…“Oh my God!” she yelped, turning around so fas
After they finished their ice cream, Ethan and Evelyn walked slowly down the quiet street. The evening sky was turning orange, and a cool breeze moved through the trees.Evelyn was chatting about her mom, telling little stories about how her mom used to braid her hair, how they used to make tea together on Sunday mornings. Her eyes sparkled when she talked about her, even though there was sadness behind them.Ethan listened quietly, his hands in his jacket pockets, watching her face more than he was paying attention to the road.She didn’t notice it. She was too busy talking.But he noticed everything.The way she smiled.The little crease between her eyebrows when she got emotional.The way she played with her fingers when she got nervous.Ethan had always liked Evelyn, but something had changed. Somewhere between protecting her and keeping her safe, he had started to feel… more.He wanted to hold her hand.He wanted to tell her she looked beautiful when she smiled.He wanted her to
Ethan walked into the apartment and placed his phone on the table. His jacket was a bit dusty from the fight earlier, and there was a scratch on his cheek. He had been gone for just a few hours tracking the enemy’s hideout, making sure Evelyn stayed safe.He looked around.“Evelyn?” he called out, stepping into the living room.No answer.He checked the kitchen. Empty.He moved to the bedroom and found the door open but the bed was untouched.Then, something caught his eye.A small note on the table near the lamp. Folded neatly.He picked it up and opened it.Ethan, I’m sorry. I just needed to see Mom. I missed her so much. Please don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. – EvelynHis jaw tightened as he read the note again. He couldn’t believe it. She had left without telling him.“Damn it, Evelyn,” he muttered, crumpling the note in his fist.He grabbed his phone and called her. Straight to voicemail.Again. No answer.His chest felt heavy. Not just with worry but fear.He rushed to his lapto
The morning was calm. Birds chirped outside the window, and the soft sunlight touched the floor of Ethan’s apartment. Evelyn stood near the window, holding a warm cup of tea in her hands. But her heart felt cold and heavy.She missed her mom sooo much..No matter how strong she tried to be… no matter how much was happening around her… the pain of not seeing her mother had grown too much to hold in anymore.She turned around and looked around the room. “Ethan?” she called out softly.No answer.He wasn’t home.She walked through the apartment quietly, checking every corner. He had probably stepped out for some work. Maybe something important.She stood still for a moment, thinking.Should I wait?But her heart already knew the answer.She couldn’t wait any longer.Without wasting more time, Evelyn grabbed a pen and tore a small piece of paper from a notebook on the table. She quickly scribbled a note:“Ethan, I’m fine. I just went to see my mom. I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry. … Evelyn
I checked the live feed again.Jessica was back at the company. All dressed up. Wearing that same expensive necklace she got during her “spa day” at the private club last week. A gift, she said. But from who?I knew the answer already.Ray had run tests. That necklace wasn’t just a piece of jewelry, it had a listening chip inside. Tiny. Almost invisible. But strong enough to pick up voices from across a room.And now she was wearing it to the biggest board meeting of the month.Just perfect.Inside Sean’s boardroom, a high-profile deal was being discussed. A global merger worth billions. A deal that would secure Sean’s company’s future for years.And Jessica who had no business being in that room was there, sitting quietly in the corner, taking notes like a good little secretary.But she didn’t know she was carrying the enemy on her neck.I pressed my earpiece. “Ray. Confirm. Is the signal live?”“Yes,” Ray answered. “Crystal clear. They’re listening right now.”My stomach dropped.Th
The night was quiet, but something didn’t feel right.I sat in front of my screens, checking every feed, every trace. My fingers moved fast across the keyboard, but my mind was slower, heavy with thoughts. The enemy had gone silent these past hours, and that silence scared me more than noise.When someone like them goes quiet... It means they’re planning something big.Suddenly, a new signal blinked on one of my monitors.A strange server was accessed from a hotel in the city. It looks well coded but not enough to fool me.I cracked the firewall in seconds.What I saw made my jaw tighten.It was Jessica.Her photo flashed on the screen. Then another. And another. All recent. One where she was walking alone. One where she was talking to a man in black jacket. Another where she was smiling at someone I couldn’t recognize. But the scariest one is yet to reveal ?A video clip blurred, taken from far but it was clear enough to tell. She was receiving a small black box. From someone in a le