Zen looked at her, his chest tightening as she stepped closer. He didn’t want to admit it, but seeing her like this, so determined, was making everything harder. He could see how much she cared, but the last thing he wanted was to put her in danger. “Rosalia, you need to go. This... this is too dangerous,” he said, his voice low, trying to sound firm, but there was a crack in it. She shook her head, not budging. “You can’t just tell me to leave,” she replied, her voice steady but full of concern. “I’m not going anywhere. You think I’ll just stand by while you face this alone?” Zen’s gaze softened, but he wasn’t ready to give in. Not yet. “It’s not like what you’ve dealt with before. You don’t understand what you’re walking into.” “I understand more than you think,” she said quietly, her hand finding his. “I’m not scared of what’s going on here. I’m scared of losing you.” The words hit Zen like a punch to the gut. He had always kept people at arm’s length, always controlled th

The next morning, Zen woke up early and was already by the patient’s side. He noticed Diane was awake now, slowly into the room, her eyes heavy from sleep but filled with relief. Her father had improved overnight, and Zen’s work was done.She walked into the room with her hands clasped in front of her, looking as though she wanted to say something, but hesitated. “Tom,” she said quietly, her voice filled with gratitude, “I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done. I know we agreed on payment, but—” She paused, clearly hesitant. “I’ll pay you back in installments, just like we talked about. It’s the least I can do.”Zen didn’t look up from his packing. He continued organizing his things. “Diane, it’s not about the money,” he said in a neutral tone, his voice steady. “I’m just glad I could help. Your father needed it.”She took a few steps closer, her eyes softening. “I meant it when I said I’d pay you back,” she insisted, her tone more earnest now. “I—I don’t think we can eve

Zen walked into Willow’s office, the door clicking shut behind him. She was already looking up from her desk, a slight smirk forming on her lips."Chief," Willow greeted with an air of familiarity and subtle amusement. "It’s been a while. You look… different."Zen’s eyes flicked over to her, but he didn’t immediately respond. He slid into the chair across from her, setting his iPad down on the desk. His voice was cool when he finally spoke. “Been busy.”Willow leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms, studying him. “I noticed. You’ve been avoiding me?”Zen’s gaze remained steady. “Avoiding is a strong word.”“Not if it’s the truth,” Willow replied, raising an eyebrow. “I’ve barely seen you around. You know, I thought I’d have to send a search party to find you.”“I don’t need searching,” Zen said with a small smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He picked up the coffee mug Willow had placed on the desk earlier. “I’m here now.”Willow’s smirk widened. “Yeah, you are.” She lean

Zen stormed through the building’s front entrance, his gaze steely as he approached the security desk. The two guards at the reception stood up immediately. They exchanged quick glances before one of them stepped forward, trying to block Zen’s path."Sorry, sir, you can’t go through," the guard said, voice shaking. "Please wait here."Zen didn’t even break his stride. His eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a brief, humorless smirk. "You don’t want to do that," he said calmly, but the menace in his voice was undeniable.Before the guard could respond, a loud, commanding voice rang out from behind him. "Let him through."The woman who spoke appeared out of nowhere, striding forward with an aura of authority that made the guards hesitate. She was tall, sharp-eyed, and dressed in a dark, sleek suit. Her presence was magnetic, and the guards, caught off guard, stepped aside at her command."That’s right," the woman continued, her tone cool and unbothered as she approached Zen. "If you w

Zen pulled out his phone and dialed Sinclair. The call connected almost instantly.“Yo, boss,” Sinclair answered. “What’s up?”“I need everything you have on Catherine Caldwell,” Zen said, his voice even.Sinclair let out a low chuckle. “Catherine, huh? Interesting choice. You planning on buying art or something else?”Zen ignored the jab. “Just tell me what you know.”“She’s an influential art curator. Runs in high society circles, big money connections. Collectors love her, and so do men with a certain... taste.”Zen’s fingers drummed against his knee. “And her history?”“She used to be real close to you—well, the old you,” Sinclair said. “Back when you were obsessed with Malia Rossi. Catherine, though? She was obsessed with you.”Zen narrowed his eyes. “How close are we talking?”“Close enough that she’d know things no one else would. If anyone has answers about your past, it’s her.”There was a pause before Sinclair added, “Funny thing is, she’s hosting an exhibition tonight. I’ve