"Thank you for your precious time, Mr. Hart," said the man in the black suit. His rugged features were softened by a touch of refined courtesy, and his deep brown eyes held a firm, unwavering gaze.
Mr. Hart responded with a warm, polished smile. "It's my pleasure."
At a subtle nod, another man in a tailored suit stepped forward and opened a sleek black suitcase with precise, practiced ease. Inside, the contents gleamed under the soft hotel lighting, capturing Mr. Hart's immediate interest.
The man in the black suit offered a faint, enigmatic smile as Mr. Hart leaned in, his eyes lighting with intrigue.
Moments later, as the men stepped outside the hotel, a middle-aged man waiting by a sleek black car stepped forward. Without greeting, he leaned into Xander and whispered something in his ear.
Xander's expression shifted instantly. His jaw tensed, and a storm brewed behind his eyes. He said nothing, but the atmosphere around him changed—colder, heavier.
Sliding into the back seat of the car, Xander moved with deliberate calm, concealing the flicker of irritation beneath a mask of detachment. The driver took his place behind the wheel, adjusting the rearview mirror before asking quietly, "Where to, sir?"
Xander paused, tapping his fingers against his thigh before replying in a low, decisive tone. "To Mr. Albert's residence."
The city passed in a blur beyond the tinted windows. In the quiet cabin, Xander remained immersed in his iPad, his fingers gliding across the screen with sharp, focused intensity. The hum of the engine and the smooth rhythm of the road nearly lulled the car into silence.
Until the sudden screech of brakes jolted everything off course.
Xander's head snapped up. His eyes narrowed, his voice instantly cutting. "What happened?"
The driver hesitated, then gestured toward the sidewalk. "Isn't that Miss Luna?"
Xander followed his gaze and let out a sigh—deep, weary, annoyed.
Luna, with her long hair whipping around her face, stood in front of a shop, embroiled in a heated argument with a man twice her size. Her hands moved emphatically, her voice raised, drawing a small crowd. A middle-aged woman with a faint bruise on her cheek stood close, eyes darting nervously between Luna and the man.
The woman reached out and tugged Luna's arm. "Miss," she whispered urgently.
Luna didn't flinch. "Don't you dare touch Salim again!" she snapped at the man.
The woman tried again, louder this time. "Miss, please—"
But Luna wasn't done.
Xander's voice sliced through the noise with cold authority. "What is happening here?"
Everyone stilled.
Luna turned slowly, her face flushed with anger, her eyes sharp with disbelief as they landed on him. The man she'd been yelling at shrank back, casting his gaze to the ground.
Xander stepped closer, his eyes fixed on Luna. "I asked what's going on."
Luna's chest rose and fell with tight breaths. She pointed at the man. "His name is Caleb. He hit Salim. And I warned him—if he does it again, I will call the police."
Caleb's jaw clenched. He said nothing.
The driver stepped forward, trying to smooth the tension. "Miss Luna… is everything alright?"
Before Luna could speak, Salim intervened softly, her voice trembling. "It's just… a fight with my husband. Miss Luna was trying to help."
Luna looked at Salim, her tone gentler. "Don't worry. You'll be okay—"
Her words cut off as Xander grabbed her wrist.
She looked down at his hand, then back up at him, fury brewing just beneath the surface. "What are you doing?"
Xander's voice was low and scathing. "Have you no sense of self-respect? Arguing in the middle of the street like this?"
"I know exactly who I am, Mr. Xander," she shot back. "You don't need to teach me."
But his grip tightened, unyielding. Luna winced and tried to pull free, but it was no use. His face was a mask of anger and control.
Without another word, he dragged her toward the car, opened the door, and forced her inside.
"Let me go!" she hissed, trying to shove him back.
The driver quickly returned to his seat, casting worried glances through the rearview mirror as the engine purred to life. The car pulled away, leaving behind the stunned onlookers and the heat of the confrontation.
Inside, silence reigned. Luna sat stiffly, arms crossed, her jaw clenched. She refused to look at him. Xander, equally tense, stared straight ahead, lost in unreadable thoughts.
By the time the car rolled to a smooth stop in front of Mr. Albert's grand estate, the silence had thickened into something suffocating. Luna's hand reached for the door, but her phone rang sharply, the sudden noise startling in the stillness. She answered quietly, her tone guarded. Xander didn't spare her a glance.
The driver opened the door on Xander's side. He stepped out, his long strides purposeful, his back rigid.
And Luna stayed behind, phone pressed to her ear, the fire in her chest still burning, her eyes fixed on the path ahead—but not the man walking it.