Chapter 12
Natalie fiore, her mind a swirl of confusion and rising panic, her eyes welling up
From the breadcrumbs of information she had pieced together, a disturbing picture was forming in her head. “They met be on some kind of secret mission.
And everything that’s happened to me en tar getting kidnapped at the airport, thone bandits convergently crashing into their car with me unharmed, the mention of Jonas Lawson, who just so happens to be this tatis enemy, and now they only vialde destination being the same as theirs.
‘It all feels way too coucidents! Like some elaborate scheme i’ve carefully orchestrated/
Natalic instinctively shook he she had nothing. No ID to p
And even if they reached a sigo were on some covert miss
od, desperate to disprove the web of assumptions surely weaving itself in Jonas’s mind. Pat
innocence. No phone signal to contact the embassy and ask them to vouch for her.
these two clearly wouldn’t let her make contact with the outside world while they
The only chance she had was to follow them to the Northern District, where hopefully–the truth would come to light.
She forced herself to appear calm, locking yes with Jonas, whose deep, penetrating gaze seemed to strip away every ounce of composure she had left.
Summoning the courage she barely possessed, she mentioned the one name she was desperate to avoid but that had saved her twice, “Once we get to the Northern District and meet Jonas, everything will be proven to be just a coincidence.
“After all, he wouldn’t let his fiancée be in any real danger”
Myla, her face as unreadable as ever, visibly stiffened at the mention and her eyes widened. “This girl’s got guts, I’ll give her that. Did she really just use Jonas Lawson’s name to threaten Jonas Lawson himself? What kind of lunacy is this?
A faint doubt crept into Myla’s mind as her thoughts spun wildly. ‘Could there possibly be another Jonas Lawson in Nocriudor who’s as infamous and terrifying? Or is she truly this clueless?
Jonas, of course, had heard the empty threat for what it was.
To any other insurgent in Nocriudor, the mention of his name might have been an effective deterrent. But Natalie, with all the unintentional hilarity of a lamb trying to stare down a wolf, had just attempted to intimidate him–the very man she was invoking
The absurdity of it all had him laughing again, a rich, deep chuckle that shook his chest. He leaned back slightly, his posture lazy yet predatory, his sharp eyes fixed on Natalie. Her body, trembling ever so slightly, betrayed her nerves, though she still put on a brave front.
He nodded slowly, as if humoring her, and Natalie, catching this, exhaled a small sigh of relief.
But just as she allowed herself that brief moment of reprieve, his voice cut through the tension. “Hmm, you’ve got a point. It’s a good reminder, really. Our little partnership isn’t over yet.”
His tone was casual, almost teasing, “So, for the next few days, we’ll need to engage in some intimate collaboration. Can’t afford to seem like strangers, now can we? Otherwise, how will we ever rile up that fiancé of yours with the arranged marriage?”
Jonas had an undeniable allure, the kind of magnetism that made people pause, even if they knew better. He could do nothing say nothing–and still exude an irresistible pull. But now, with that teasing smirk and the words “intimate collaboration” which were laden with mischief, he was impossible to ignore.
Natalie, however, missed the subtext entirely. Her attention was hooked on the word “partnership“, her mind racing to keep
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15:40 PM, TAPE
Chapter 19
- up. The last thing she wanted was for him to change his mind about letting her tag along. She nodded quickly, her obedience almost childlike, eager to move the conversation along
Jonas, watching her reaction, thought to himself, ‘Well, well. The little spy isn’t even trying to put up a front anymore. She really plans to have a deep, intimate collaboration with me, doesn’t she?
He was just getting started, his mood decidedly playful, when Myla’s quiet voice interrupted, “Boss”
Jonas’s sharp gaze shifted immediately.
Outside, faint movement caught his attention. There were people–at least five of them, closing in.
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