Chapter 198 – Alina's POV
"What Am I Even Doing?"
The heels of her boots clicked against the tile floor as Alina paced her apartment for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Her honey-blonde hair, now free from the bun she'd forced it into for the mission, tumbled over her shoulders in lazy waves. She wore nothing more than an oversized hoodie and shorts, but her mind was far too restless for comfort.
She was supposed to be focused on Marcus.
He was the assignment.
The mission.
The reason she agreed to this dangerous game in the first place. And yet, here she was, replaying Caleb Ryker's face in her head like some kind of lovestruck teenager. His smile had been too familiar. Too soft. Too dangerous — but in a completely different way from Marcus Vex.
Marcus was fire — intense, consuming, and sharp around the edges. Caleb was... something else entirely. A calm wind, the kind that could sneak up on you and pull you under without warning.
She let out a long sigh and dropped onto the couch, one leg tucked beneath her. The city lights flickered through her window, but she barely noticed. Her thoughts were too loud.
Five weeks ago, everything was simple. Liam gave her the mission, and she accepted with every intention to see it through. After all, she was the perfect candidate — bold, fearless, seductive when she needed to be. Liam saw her as a weapon. A means to an end.
And at the time, she agreed.
But that was before Marcus spoke to her with those haunting silver eyes.
Before he watched her like he was trying to rip her open with nothing more than a stare.
Before Caleb bumped into her at that event and sent her world slightly off-kilter.
Alina reached for her phone on the coffee table and stared at the screen. No new messages. Not from Liam. Not from anyone.
She brought up Liam's contact, thumb hovering over the call button.
Just end it. Tell him you're out. This is getting messy.
But her finger didn't move.
Her pride held her back, but so did the frustration blooming in her chest. Why did this feel harder than it should?
This wasn't about love. Or romance. Or fluttery feelings.
It was about revenge. Loyalty. Strategy.
Right?
She leaned back and exhaled loudly, staring up at the ceiling.
"You're acting stupid," she muttered to herself. "Pull it together."
The first time she met Marcus, she thought she had him pinned — the typical charming, cocky type with too much power and not enough conscience. But he was different. He didn't fall over himself to impress her. He didn't even seem that interested in keeping her around — not until she played her role perfectly.
It was working.
He remembered her.
He noticed her.
But instead of feeling proud, she felt... caged.
Like the deeper she went, the harder it would be to crawl out.
And then there was Caleb.
Just a chance encounter, sure. But there was something about the way he looked at her — amused, intrigued, like she wasn't just another girl in a dress. Like he saw past the performance.
She shook her head and rubbed her temples. "Stop thinking about him."
She stood and walked toward the window, arms crossed tightly as the chill from the glass brushed her skin. The city below was alive — cars, horns, laughter spilling from late-night bars. A world that didn't care about missions or secrets or betrayal.
Maybe she should walk away. Tell Liam it was too risky. Too personal now.
But then again... Liam trusted her.
He chose her.
And a small, twisted part of her wanted Marcus Vex to look at her and regret ever thinking she was just another pretty face.
She didn't want to walk away. She wanted to win.
But she also didn't want to get burned in the process.
Her phone buzzed suddenly, and her heart skipped. She snatched it up — but it was just a notification from her security cam app. Nothing important.
"Ugh," she groaned, tossing it back down.
She sat again, this time slower, and grabbed a pillow to hug against her chest.
"I'm not backing out," she whispered to herself, as if saying it aloud would make it feel more true. "Not yet."
Maybe she was overthinking everything.
Maybe the mission was still clean.
Or maybe... just maybe... it was already spiraling out of control and she just hadn't accepted it yet.
She closed her eyes and imagined Marcus's face again — that smirk that never quite reached his eyes, the way he looked at her like he was dissecting her.
Then she imagined Caleb — how his expression had softened when he realized who she was, even if only for a second.
What are the odds they even know each other?
She didn't want to think about that possibility right now. It was too early to panic.
But something told her that this wasn't going to stay simple for much longer.
Not with Marcus sniffing around her identity.
Not with Caleb popping up out of nowhere.
Not with Liam waiting for updates like she was some kind of trained operative.
She opened her eyes and whispered again, firmer this time.
"I'll see this through."
But even as the words left her lips, a chill crept down her spine.
Because the truth was... Alina Lantel wasn't sure if she was still pretending anymore.