In his spacious, dimly lit office, Vincent who was reading a report regarding the recent development of the company, which was showing sign of decline, suddenly received a call on his private phone. The number was not visible even, so he barely reacted at first.
But the moment he heard the voice on the other end, his expression subtly shifted.
After hearing Christian's demand, Vincent slowly pulled the phone from his ear and stared at the screen, as if double-checking the caller ID… confirming something. Then he returned the device to his ear and said calmly,
"Consider it done. But, what—"
A soft beep cut him off. The call had ended without warning.
Vincent stared at the phone for a moment, then placed it down with a sigh. A deep frown creased his brow.
When has someone dared to treat him ?
Running a hand through his neatly combed hair, he reached for the internal line and pressed a button.
A moment later, his secretary's voice came through, composed and efficient.
"Yes, Sir. What do you need?"
Vincent leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowed. "There's been an incident in Philadelphia. An abomination appeared. Eva and her lover were involved."
He paused for a second before continuing, "Make a few calls. Quietly. Fix whatever needs fixing."
There was a short silence. Layla's voice, when it returned, was careful. "Understood."
She was clearly stunned by the request, but she didn't ask questions.
Just as Layla was about to step out of the office, Vincent called after her.
She stopped and turned back.
"I want you to reassess Olivia's classification," he said, his tone sharp. "And those around her. Adjust their threat level accordingly."
A strange gleam flickered in Layla's eyes. "I'll update their danger ratings in the database immediately… and handle the rest as instructed."
Vincent kept staring at her, and she remained standing, waiting.
After a moment of contemplation, he finally asked, "How many test subjects with stable First Stage strength have we produced so far?"
Layla straightened and answered with crisp pride, "Excluding the ones who died shortly after or showed minor complications, we've had more than ten successful subjects."
The recent breakthroughs had been impressive… by ordinary standards.
But for Vincent, it wasn't enough.
His gaze sharpened. "And the Second Stage?"
Layla hesitated, her confidence dipping slightly. "Only two so far… and they are still unstable."
Vincent nodded slowly, fingers tapping rhythmically on the dark wood of his desk.
The research was progressing, yes… but too slowly. Not enough to match the looming threats.
"Then for now…" he said at last, voice cold and decisive, "Try recruiting more untalented people from the ancient families. And reach out to the Liberation Front."
On the other side, not yet aware that his formidable, yet overly cautious, enemy had begun to act more recklessly from just a simple phone call, Christian was watching the DSA agent standing nearby.
The woman suddenly received a call, only moments after his own had ended with Vincent. And Christian couldn't help but feel a bang of envy.
Infintel company's response time is impressive, he thought. Efficient, fast… disgustingly so.
But that feeling only lasted a second before indifference took over. He stopped caring.
After all, no matter what strings others pulled, Christian still believed in his own hand. In himself. In Eva. In Iris. And in Zero.
It was only a matter of time before everything changed, after all.
"How will you transport the corpse?" Alexis asked suddenly, her voice carrying a strange tone.
Her brows twitched slightly.
If you had this kind of terrifying connection from the start, why not use it earlier?
The question lingered in her mind, but she didn't voice it. She was under strict orders to follow his instructions to the letter… and so, she simply waited.
"My car's just outside the station," Christian replied calmly. "Help me get it there."
And just like that, the matter was solved. There was no need for the so-called 'superior' to show up. And Christian didn't have to lift a finger… aside from pointing once.
The corpse, wrapped tightly in a special martial… a standard containment material for these abomination, was hauled toward the dark jeep stationed at the edge of the scene. Iris had parked it there earlier, keeping the engine idling the entire time, just in case.
Within minutes, Christian was seated in the front seat of the vehicle, driving, with Eva comfortably beside him, her warm presence leaning into his side, as the scenery passed slowly beyond the tinted windows.
"So," he asked, glancing at her with a smile, "is there anywhere else you want to go? Or should we just kill time until Nina and Alpha finish up?"
Eva met his gaze, then looked away slightly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
"…How about," she murmured, "you just park the car somewhere quiet… and we continue our business there?"
Her tone was soft, but her meaning was clear.
Christian's grin widened. "You didn't even have to ask."
He didn't even bother waiting for a proper parking spot.
With an order, he handed the wheel to Iris, who took control remotely without a complaint. Then, without hesitation, he turned fully to Eva.
This jeep was wide… spacious enough to stretch one's legs, and the reinforced tinted glass made it impossible for outsiders to see inside. More than enough privacy.
Christian wasted no time.
His enthusiasm was met with equal eagerness.
Time blurred as moments passed, each one painted in heat and hidden desire. Their breaths tangled, the space inside the vehicle gradually thick with something unspoken.
And in the end, under the excuse of not wanting to make a mess, Eva… so sweet and dutiful, used her two soft lips and nimble tongue to drink and clean everything.
But… was it really just to keep things tidy?
Christian, amused, chose not to question her motives, or expose her.
And let her continue.