"Xiran...," Aselia gritted her teeth in annoyance. Her whole body shook with anger and she fisted her hands.

He didn’t discuss anything with her about setting up conditions. So that’s why he agreed to this meeting so quickly. This was the whole plan all along. How could he betray her like that?

He ignored her and continued to speak in his monotonous voice:

"If you people agree to my terms, I will tell you things about my father that only I know. I will also allow you to set up a base in Fritez City so you can operate from here and hunt down rogues. So think wisely."

Aldridge knew he wouldn’t get a better chance than this to gather information about Phantom. He didn’t care about Aselia’s revenge plans, for him, anyone could kill Phantom as long as he died and stayed dead.

Amondius watched the proceedings with keen interest. While Yurian knew this meant trouble, he was readying himself for the worst for when it concerned his partner he had to be prepared for the unforeseeable.

Aselia frantically glanced at Aldridge, hoping he would not agree with Xiran’s decision but the words that came out of his mouth scarred her deeply:

"I accept your terms, I will keep White Falcon away from all future missions regarding your father and no information regarding him will be shared with her."

"How could you do this with me? After I gave away most of my life pursuing him," she glared at her boss, not believing what she was hearing.

"Exactly the reason you need to take a break. I have made my decision and it will stand. End of discussion White Falcon," his authoritative voice told her that he won’t hear anymore. Silver Wolf had a satisfied smile on his face and Agent 93 seemed agitated.

She blinked her eyes several times to ensure she wasn’t trapped in another nightmare and opened her mouth to speak again when Yurian took her hand and pressed it. She diverted her attention to Yurian who simply shook his head at her, asking her to stay quiet.

Sitting among so many men, she felt helpless after a long time. They had made decisions for her without her consent, without taking her opinion, and without considering what she wanted. Xiran wouldn’t even look at her. Instead of discussing it with her, he decided to go behind her back and shake hands with Aldridge. They used her to arrange this meeting and now she was being cast aside.

"Mazitine, please guide Miss Aselia to my office and keep an eye on her until I get free from here," Xiran ordered Mazitine and Aselia’s mouth flew open under her mask. He wasn’t even going to let her attend this meeting.

Aselia exerted all the willpower she possessed to not punch him right now. His superior was here and she didn’t want to make a scene in front of him. But his obsessiveness to protect her had begun to suffocate her and this is what she had dreaded.

His apologetic eyes finally found her betrayed ones. His heart was bleeding right now for the hurt it had caused its counterpart and he could sense the distrust that had begun to birth in her eyes. It was arduous for her to give trust and he had just squished it.

Her silence was worse as it stretched between them. Now he had begun to think it would be better if she would just shout at him but she didn’t. Instead, she tore the mask from her face and threw it in his lap before getting up and whispering in his ear:

"Good luck wiping the memories of those whom you don’t want to see me, especially your superior," he almost flinched at her cold tone but kept his composure, he had been expecting this reaction from her. Actually, he had expected her to scream, this was far less than what he had in mind.

She grabbed her phone and tablet from the table and walked out with her head high but screaming heart. He had betrayed her trust just like she had done his and now she understood what it felt like.

Mazitine gave her a weak smile and said: "This way," she followed him outside.

"I am going with her," Yurian announced giving Xiran and Aldridge an implausible look and getting up.

"Stay with her and thank you," Xiran pleaded. Yurian wanted to say he is not doing it for him but kept his mouth shut and walked out.

He soon found Aselia and Mazitine; who led them to an extensive office and asked them to wait there before shutting the door. Two vampires stood guard at the door, while Mazitine returned to the meeting. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Are you alright?" Yurian asked seeing her stare at her hands as she sat in a chair, her shoulders finally slumped and she seemed defeated.

"I am not. How could he betray my trust like that? Or maybe I deserve it after everything I did to him. I feel so useless," her whole life’s mission was to kill the man who destroyed her life and taken her parents from her. Now that seemed to be taken away, she wasn’t sure what to do next.

"Hey, hey! Don’t be like that, you are far from being useless. I am guessing he didn’t discuss those terms with you beforehand because he knew you would never agree," Yurian sat down beside her, his hands protectively holding her slumped shoulders.

"He didn’t, I should have known that he would never agree to this meeting so easily. How could I be so blind?" she took her face in her hands and Yurian could see she was shaking. This is what he had feared that Xiran would unknowingly end up hurting her one day, in the name of protection.

"He is too protective of you Partner, that’s what I have observed about him. Besides, he is stubborn, and he will get his way. Especially with Aldridge being desperate to get information about his father. We are in a tight position," Yurian gently squeezed her shoulder.

"I know Yuri, exactly why I can’t trust him anymore," her words saddened Yurian’s heart.