{ Mia }
I slowly turned to the man putting out my hand.
" My watch ?"
He blinked taken aback. " You don't have it ?"
I froze. " It's n-not with you ? It dissapeared as soon as you kidnapped me!" My body trembled.
" H-Hey it's okay... I'm sure we can find Lili without it... It's just a watch!" He panicked his hands freezing in mid air seeing the tears threatening to fall down my eyes.
" It's n-not t-that..." I chocked. " Scarlett..." I managed to whisper before everything went black.
{ Enzo }
I watched her sitting on my bed looking as innocent as a bird then, she turned her head and smiled.
" My watch?"
I blinked. ' What does she mean by that ? '
"You don't have it ?" I asked confused shaking my head.
Her whole body tensed and tears filled her eyes. " It's n-not with you ? It dissapeared as soon as you kidnapped me!" She screamed.
" H-Hey it's okay... I'm sure we can find Lili without it... It's just a watch!" I sighed panicking inwardly. ' why is she so worried about a watch !'
" It's n-not t-that..." She sobbed tears now freely flowing down her cheeks. " Scarlett..." She whispered as her face turned pale and her whole body went limp.
I froze. " Who the hell is Scarlett and why is she so worked up over her ?!"
My body shook violently 'I will break this Scarlett limb by limb'. I swore to myself.
I quickly took my phone from my pocket and dialed the pi I hired.
No answer.
I clenched my jaw, frustration gnawing at me as I dialed again. Still no answer.
"Pick up…" I muttered, pacing. My nerves were strung tight, the room too damn quiet.
And then—
Bzzz. Bzzz.
The sound stopped me dead.
It wasn't coming from the phone in my hand.
It was coming from my pocket.
Slowly, almost afraid of what I'd find, I slipped my hand inside and pulled out the second phone—the girl's phone. The one I'd taken from her the moment she stepped into my house.
The screen lit up. My own number flashed across it.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
No. No, that wasn't possible.
I looked from the glowing screen… to the unconscious girl lying pale on my bed.
The PI I'd hired. The one I trusted with sensitive intel. The one I thought had vanished when I needed him most.
All this time…
I swallowed hard, the weight of realization pressing against my chest.
"…You," I whispered, barely able to believe it. My voice was rough, caught between disbelief and fascination.
"You're the PI."
The words tasted foreign in my mouth. I glanced back at the girl—her lashes still damp with tears, her chest rising and falling shallowly. Too damn fragile-looking to be what she really was.
I lowered my gaze to the phone still buzzing in my hand.
I ended the call and unlocked the phone. No passcode. Bold—or careless.
My fingers scrolled through her contacts, name after name flashing past. Until one stopped me cold.
Scarlett.
The same name she had whispered before collapsing.
I narrowed my eyes, clicking it open. No profile picture. Just a string of messages—cryptic, short, efficient. Exactly the kind of communication style I'd expect from a handler, not a friend.
[Scarlett]: Update. Now.
[Mia]: I'm on him. Don't worry.
[Scarlett]: Don't slip. You know what's at stake.
I leaned back in the chair, studying the unconscious girl. "So Scarlett isn't just someone you care about…" My lips curved into a dark smirk. "…she's your partner."
My pulse steadied, curiosity replacing the earlier panic.
"Well, sweetheart," I murmured, slipping the phone back into my pocket, "looks like you and I are going to have a very interesting conversation when you wake up."
A faint groan broke the silence.
I looked up from the phone. Her lashes fluttered, her lips parting as a shallow breath escaped. Slowly, her golden-flecked eyes opened, dazed but sharp enough to notice where my hand still lingered.
Her gaze dropped to the phone.
"Stop—!" Her voice cracked as she pushed herself upright, snatching the device from my grip with surprising speed for someone who'd just fainted.
I leaned back in my chair, arms folding loosely, watching her guard shoot up like steel walls. "So you do care about me reading your little messages."
Mia clutched the phone to her chest, trying to steady her breathing. "It's private."
I smirked, tilting my head. "Private… or dangerous?"
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, clearly searching for words. "You don't understand. Scarlett is just—"
"Enough." My voice cut sharp. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the blade I always carried, letting the dim light catch on its edge as I flipped it open.
Her eyes snapped wide, her body going rigid.
I kept my tone calm, deliberate, as I toyed with the knife between my fingers. "I know Scarlett isn't just a name in your phone. She's your handler. Your partner." I leaned forward, my gaze narrowing. "So tell me the truth. Who do you really work for? Which family sent you?"
Her lips parted, confusion painted across her face. "Family?" Her voice wavered, but the shock in her eyes looked genuine.
"What the hell are you talking about?"