Dusk settled over the city.
The evening rush hour traffic crawled along the streets.
Ethan Sullivan held the steering wheel with one hand while texting Ian Watson with the other.
[Remember to sabotage the server.]
The message sent successfully.
He glanced at Sophia Sullivan in the passenger seat.
The car window was half-open, the evening breeze tousling her hair.
"Are you close with Dr. Gallagher?" His tone was casual. "He seems familiar with some of your habits."
Sophia watched the city lights blur past outside.
"We met years ago," she said softly. "He pursued me, but I turned him down."
The wind scattered her words.
"He deserves someone better."
Ethan's fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel.
The earlier tension from dinner dissipated.
"You deserve the best too," he murmured.
The traffic light turned red.
The car slowed to a stop.
Ethan spoke as if making idle conversation. "What kind of man do you like?"
Sophia turned to face him.
Neon lights flickered in her eyes.
"A black suit," she said slowly. "The kind that looks cold and restrained."
Ethan listened intently.
"Slightly tousled hair," she continued. "With a tiny mole on the Adam's apple."
The corner of her lips curved up.
"Most importantly, he has to have that contrast," she said seriously. "That's what makes him sexy."
Ethan was mentally checking off the traits at first.
He froze at "mole on the Adam's apple."
By the time she said "contrast," realization hit him.
He turned to look at her.
Sophia was grinning, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
Her smile was dazzling.
Like fireworks bursting in the dark.
A car honked impatiently behind them.
Ethan snapped back to reality and hit the gas.
"You have quite the sense of humor," he said, his voice slightly strained.
His heartbeat thundered in his chest.
——
At the company's cybersecurity center.
Sophia's fingers flew across the keyboard.
"Minor issue," she said, releasing the mouse. "Next time, just have the security team on duty handle it."
Ian stood nearby, sweat beading at his temples.
Sophia frowned thoughtfully.
"This breach is strange," she mused. "It wasn't an external attack—someone opened internal access."
She suspected it was related to previous unresolved threats.
Ethan shot Ian a look.
Ian immediately straightened. "Must be corporate spies we missed! I'll investigate thoroughly!"
His tone was righteous.
Sophia nodded. "Whoever did this has no morals."
Ian's mouth twitched.
"Yeah... no morals," he forced out through gritted teeth.
He clenched his jaw.
Ethan picked up his coat.
"I'll take you home."
Sophia stood.
"The Sullivan Estate and The Underground City are in opposite directions," she pointed out. "Poles apart."
She threw his earlier words back at him.
Ethan frowned slightly.
But Sophia was already heading to the elevator.
"See you tomorrow."
As the doors slid shut, she caught a glimpse of Ethan's stunned expression.
Tonight, she had servers to fix in The Underground City.
No need for him to know.
——
The underground parking garage.
Sophia had just pulled out her keys when a figure emerged from the shadows.
She tensed.
"...You?"