Julian Roscente was even more suspicious than Ethan Sullivan.
He always found Sophia Sullivan strangely enigmatic.
"I heard she remained calm under pressure today, quickly pinpointed the location, and disabled the remote-controlled bomb's wiring from inside the car."
Ethan replied casually, "Sophia did help. Ordinary bombs don’t require hacking, but she remotely accessed this one."
His tone carried a deeper meaning.
"That kind of decryption speed—even top-tier hackers might struggle with it."
Ethan recalled how Sophia had repaired the company’s firewall and countered cyberattacks before.
He’d been surprised then.
Now, he realized she wasn’t just skilled with computers—she could dismantle explosive programs too.
She was like a chameleon, impossible to pin down.
Julian shrugged. "She’s full of surprises. But the old you would never keep someone so dangerous close."
"She’s dangerous, but fascinating."
"Tch. Fascinating people are the deadliest."
Julian wore a knowing look but didn’t elaborate.
"Still, Sophia’s different. If she wanted you dead today, she wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of saving you instead."
No one had expected her to intervene when the assailants were ready to die taking Ethan with them.
Julian teased, "Maybe she’s into you?"
Ethan fell uncharacteristically silent.
He’d tested the waters with Sophia before, but both had avoided the subject.
After a pause, his voice lowered. "Don’t be ridiculous. Sophia was just protecting Emma."
Saying it aloud left him inexplicably unsettled.
They’d shared intimacy, yet an invisible boundary remained between them.
Ethan couldn’t define it.
He only knew Sophia guarded too many secrets—the type who could vanish without warning.
"You two are impossible to figure out." Julian grew serious. "But regardless, you’re friends who’ve faced death together now."
In their world, fair-weather allies were common.
But risking one’s life for another? That was rare.
Julian’s expression darkened.
"Those kidnappers were professional assassins. They chose death because they knew they’d be hunted down otherwise."
He added, "Which means whoever hired them is ruthless. An opponent like that can’t be underestimated."
Ethan’s obsidian eyes gleamed coldly.
He understood perfectly.
"Their methods are meticulous and brutal. It feels... familiar."
"You have suspects?"
"Just the usual suspects—my father’s illegitimate sons."
Julian frowned. "Doubt it. Those half-brothers of yours aren’t that clever."
Ethan’s expression turned shadowed. "Even fools have cunning advisors. Especially the mistresses my father kept—none of them are harmless."
The irony was bitter.
In wealthy families, loyalty was a luxury.
That’s why Ethan had avoided women for years—disgusted by their touch.
Sophia was the sole exception.
"Now that the kidnapping failed, the mastermind will panic and start digging for information."
Ethan’s gaze turned glacial.
"Soon, they’ll come to us themselves."