She was a woman who looked a little older and way shorter than Elaine, wearing a brown sweater vest and dark red long skirt. The eyeglasses and birthmark on her right cheek didn’t lessen her beauty, he had to admit it. Just not in front of his brunette assistant. She might be Nathan’s girlfriend, but the worn satchel and nerdy vibe she gave off made Haze doubt it. Noticing his prolonged look, Nathan stepped up to shield the newcomer from Haze’s eyes. “Do you have a problem with my girlfriend?” Haze blinked in puzzlement at the confession. “I just didn’t expect that a mafia lord like you would date someone… uhm… how do I say it?” Suddenly, Nathan was shoved to the side by the nerdy girl. “Even I still marvel how a boring librarian like me can date someone so ridiculously contradicting like Nate, but here we are.” “Oh, uhm, right.” Haze awkwardly cleared his throat. “Did you say something about a detective? Is her name Chloe Dancer by

“You’re not real!” Kain shouted, “You’re not real!” Even so, he still cowered like the coward that he was. For all they know, he might have already pissed his pants like a boy waking from a nightmare. “Cease your nonsense right now, Kain! You are embarrassing me!” Mr. Randall exclaimed, sending a fearful look towards Leonard. “Stop it right this instant!” “Please tell me he’s not real! I beg you!” Kain dropped to his knees, hands pulling the hair on his head as he looked in horror, “Please! Please! Please!” Mr. Randall raised his hand, about to give his insane son a beating for his life, but Leonard stopped him. “You must have made a mistake.” The Blackwood patriarch stood beside Haze, placing his hand around the shoulders, “This is my son, Cassius. He is very much alive, not a ghost.” Kain trembled in fear, but forced himself to look up at Leonard and Haze. “…what?” “Mr. Randall,” Leonard called, “I don’t think it is a good time.” “Oh, if only I can convince you, Mr. Blackwoo

"Wear it," Elaine threw protective body gears, consisting of a padded vest to guard his stomach and chest and a padded helmet for his head. "As much as I want to, I can't just punch you and risk injury. What would Mr. Blackwood say if he found you in the hospital, losing your memory." "Yeah, I imagine it'd be a nightmare for you." After he donned the protective gear, Haze clapped his hands and faced her. "Okay, I'm ready." Elaine cracked her fingers, completing the warm-up from before. She set a timer on her phone for three minutes, and they started. Haze moved with calculated precision, evading each of the brunette's attacks with amateur grace and agility. She wasn't the only one warming up earlier, and the hours he spent gasping for breath during the morning jog somehow made him quite fast to react. But, it was barely enough. Despite their height difference, Elaine was a seasoned warrior who could unleash a barrage of strikes, her movement s