Chapter 114
อ
X
Chris stared blankly at Zina in his arms and blurted out in surprise, “Boss, what’s the rush? Where are you going?”
Zina stared in shock. “W–What are you doing here?”
Now it was Zina’s turn to be completely bewildered.
Zina rubbed her eyes, but the figure before her remained–proof this wasn’t a hallucination.
Chris was also a bit bewildered by Zina’s words. He scratched his head and said, “I was just checking out the hotel layout. I planned to head back and wait for you after that, but I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
Zina asked urgently, “So, you also think something’s off here?”
Zina suddenly tightened her grip on Chris’s hand, urgency flaring in her eyes
Chris blinked, still somewhat bewildered. The next instant, he heard Zina say earnestly, “I brought you here today specifically to scout out the situation. If you’ve found anything, spill it.”
The two returned to the hotel room, where Chris picked up the briefcase he’d left behind before following Zina out
As soon as they got in the car, Zina suddenly spoke in a somber tone. “Any updates on that info I asked you to dig up?”
Chris replied, “Andy’s a small–time businessman who’s only come up in the last few years and doesn’t have much backing.
“But he does seem to have ties with the regulators and was propped up by certain factions from Jorvellan. Most of his business here involves some less–than–legitimate operations.”
Chris paused, looking up with concern. “Boss, this is all I’ve found so far, but my gut tells me this Andy guy seems like a tough nut to crack.”
“Trust your instincts–you’re right,” Zina nodded. “Once you meet Andy, you’ll see he’s nothing like what we expected.”
Even so, Zina let out a long sigh, her eyes reflecting resignation. “Let’s head to the location I sent you yesterday,” she said flatly.
With that, Zina leaned back in the passenger seat and began to rest her eyes.
Zina had to admit that Chris truly put her at ease.
“Boss, we’re here,” Chris’s gentle voice sounded beside her ear.
Zina lified her head dazedly, meeting Chris’s eyes, which seemed filled with tender affection.
Zina glanced at her watch–only an hour had passed. She gave a languid stretch in the car, then said. “Let’s head out. I’m sure someone is waiting for us here.”
Zina’s hunch proved true
Seeing Kellan already at the windowsill this early, Zina felt the tightness in her chest finally ease a little.
1/2
Chapter 114
Zina entered and announced, “Mr. Carter, I’m here.”
At the sound of her voice, Kellan turned around.
Meeting Zina’s smile, Kellan arched an eyebrow. “I knew you’d show up. Miss Sinclair, it’s been a while. To be precise, this is only our second encounter, wouldn’t you say?” he said.
“Yes,” Zina replied instinctively. But the moment she looked up and met Kellan’s vulpine gaze, alarm bells blared in her mind. Her brows instantly furrowed.
Zina thought, ‘Damn, I’ve been played.
“Mr. Carter.” Zina said with a polite smile, ‘you might not realize it yet, but word of your return has already spread through our circles–so I’ve heard a thing or two about you.
“It’s only natural you wouldn’t know me; I’m really nobody of consequence in these parts.”
Zina maintained her smile, defily sidestepping the earlier exchange with a single remark.
Kellan’s fingers paused briefly in their rhythmic tapping on the table. For a split second, something unreadable flickered in his eyes before his usual calm mask slipped back into place.
