Rachel let out a soft laugh, one that carried no fear and no hesitation, only a calm certainty.Smithfield watched her closely as she tilted her head slightly, as though the request he had just made was not a test but a formality.“If that is what you need to prove I am loyal,” she said lightly, her voice steady, almost amused, “then so be it.”For a brief moment, even Bryce glanced at Smithfield, as though unsure whether to intervene, but Smithfield only folded his arms and observed her like a man watching a conclusion he had already predicted.The guard standing beside Rachel stiffened slightly, his posture alert now, sensing something dangerous in the ease of her tone.Rachel turned her head slowly toward him, her expression unreadable, then she reached for the gun being offered without shaking, without pause, as though it had always belonged in her hand.The weight of it settled against her palm, cold and familiar in a way that made the room feel even quieter.Smithfield’s voice c
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