FAZER LOGINLuna Spencer's POVI chewed my bubblegum until it popped loudly. Pop!Not bad—this artificial sweetness helps mask the bitter aftertaste lingering on my tongue.I reached into my pants pocket and pulled out a small plastic jar filled with pink candies that Noah had given me during our last meeting.Only four left.They say the fastest way to heal and move on from an ex is to just get on with your life without any drama. But the problem is, I've been busy counting these remaining candies every day like someone in desperate need of entertainment.It's ridiculous, honestly. But what else can I do? Everyone's coping mechanisms are different, after all.I stared at the expanse of sand in front of me. I didn't know where Stilliam had gone—he'd just suddenly vanished. But I wasn't worried.I was just about to pop the fifth piece of candy into my mouth when a tall shadow suddenly blocked the sunlight above my head."Moonlight?"That deep voice instantly froze my fingers over the candy jar. Ou
Bentley Liu's POVThe nonsense Simon spouted that day really made me sick.It was so sweet when he said he liked me just the way I am. Bullshit! As soon as he found out the truth about me, the insults and looks of disgust came pouring out.Weird. Why does this feeling bother me? From the very beginning, I was just using him. Damn it, I actually got carried away. Is this karma for forgetting my goal of getting revenge?But I don't think Mrs. Elena would approve if I sought revenge on her behalf. The matriarch is just too… kind.Of course, I was the one who decided to break up with him and walk out of his life.The resentment is still there, of course. True… this isn't any kind of feeling, just annoyance at being deceived by his sweet words.But whatever. I have my own luxury apartment, house, and hilltop villa—why should I mourn over some ex-jerk?Well… even though deep down, I did it so he wouldn't have to deal with Mr. Darius. Even though he's a jerk… I got a lot from Simon. Even if
Linora Vance's POVThe cell phone on the nightstand vibrated violently. The screen lit up, displaying Noah's name.I snatched up the slim device and tapped the green button without wasting a second. "What's going on?""Linora, check your phone right now! Go to the dark web site!" Noah's voice on the other end of the line sounded panicked and frantic. "Your identity's been exposed! Someone leaked that you're a cop, and… and… I don't know if this is true or not, but they're saying Skyden is Black Lotus's top agent! That's a lie, right?! It can't be! Skyden's a cop just like us…"I didn't hear the rest of what Noah said; my ears were ringing and my heart was pounding.No way. Who knows our identities? Not even Luna knows that Skyden is part of Black Lotus.Wait… I have to stay calm.Even so, my trembling fingers moved quickly to open the black market's encrypted channel.Instantly, my eyes froze as I stared at the screen.Photos of me and Skyden were clearly displayed on the homepage. Th
"If you don't plan on eating it, why are you still staring at it? Just give it to me." Stilliam reached out for the pack of pink candy on the glass table, but Luna moved quickly to pull it into her arms."It's up to me."Stilliam snorted. He turned and walked toward the kitchen, loosening his tie, which felt like it was choking him after his futile fight with Bentley in the parking lot earlier.Luna watched her brother's every move. With a calm expression, she tore open the plastic wrapper, popped a chewy piece of candy into her mouth, then followed Stilliam as he opened the refrigerator door.He seemed different this morning—distracted, curt, and his emotions were clearly all over the place."What's wrong with you?" Luna asked in a flat tone as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "You look strange. Did you just get dumped?" Luna was just speaking off the cuff; she hadn't reflected on her own misfortune.Stilliam stood motionless in front of the open refrigerator door. "It'd be be
The awkward atmosphere in the convenience store aisle was finally broken when Noah took charge of the situation.With a small, forced laugh to lighten the mood, Noah offered to escort Linora and Luna back to the Echelon Nine secure zone.The short trip went relatively smoothly. As soon as they saw the boundary of the safe zone not far from the main gate, Linora quickly excused herself—instinctively giving the former couple some space.Luna was about to follow Linora, but she stopped when Noah held her hand."Wait a moment," Noah said softly. He reached into his shopping bag and pulled something out, then held it out to Luna. "This is for you."Luna's eyes widened slightly when she saw what Noah was offering her, but despite her hesitation, she accepted the pack of pink chewy candies.It was Luna's favorite candy.Even though their relationship had once been limited to a long-distance romance through an online game—and they'd only met once after breaking up—Noah still remembered every
Stilliam was wearing an immaculate black suit, looking calm and stiff as usual—except for the sharp glint in his narrowed eyes as he stared at Skyden."You set me up, Wolfe," Stilliam said flatly as the elevator began to descend.Skyden raised one eyebrow, his arms casually folded. "What do you mean?"Stilliam let out a short sigh, shifting his gaze to the elevator's stainless steel walls. "Karina..."His sentence hung in the air. Stilliam didn't finish it.Skyden snorted softly. "Huh? I don't think I did anything wrong. I knew you liked my cousin, which is why I asked you to work with me.""But you didn't tell me she's transgender!" Stilliam cut in quickly.His tone rose—the first burst of frustration Linora and Skyden had ever heard from the man known for his lack of emotion.Skyden replied with an innocent, utterly relaxed expression, "You didn't ask."Stilliam pressed his lips together, his expression betraying deep frustration he was struggling desperately to contain.Linora, who







