Ethan's fingers tightened around Sophia's hand.
Their palms pressed together as he gazed into her eyes with profound intensity.
"The Sullivan family has influence in both legitimate and underground circles. You can use me—I'll become your sharpest weapon."
Sophia's heartbeat accelerated abruptly.
Meeting his dark gaze steadily, she replied, "What the Sullivans need isn't a leader being hunted by the mafia."
"If I cared about that, I wouldn't have gone to Sicily in the first place." Ethan laid his cards on the table. "It's too late now—we're both targets."
Sophia knew he was waiting for an answer.
Should she agree?
Past relationships had never brought her anything but pain.
Should she refuse?
The words stuck in her throat.
Time flowed silently as Ethan waited patiently.
Finally, Sophia lifted her gaze to meet his.
"Ethan, I need time to think."
"How long?"
She pushed him away lightly. "Depends on my mood."
Her thoughts were in complete disarray.
"Until I make my decision, Mr. Sullivan should keep his distance."
Ethan countered, "Do you remember our one-day couple agreement, Ms. Sullivan?"
Sophia paused.
She wasn't one to go back on her word.
"When would be convenient for you?"
"Tomorrow." His eyes burned with intensity. "Or we could start now."
"Let's make it tomorrow." Sophia sighed. "You can arrange the details."
Before she could finish, Ryan approached hurriedly.
"Sis!" The young man's brow furrowed.
He shot Ethan a wary glance before positioning himself protectively in front of Sophia.
"I'm late. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. What about Ms. Laurent?"
Ryan smirked meaningfully. "Left her a little gift. She's probably at the hospital now. Mr. Sullivan won't mind, will you?"
"Olivia's affairs don't concern me."
Ethan's expression turned icy.
"Is interrupting others part of the Lawrence family's upbringing?"
"Interrupting would be rude indeed." Ryan flashed Sophia an innocent smile. "But sis isn't an outsider."
The tension between them crackled.
Sophia frowned. "Enough."
This scene felt all too familiar.
"Ryan, focus on the matter at hand."
The young man shot Ethan a displeased look. "But he's—"
"It's fine. Mr. Sullivan will be going to M-Country too. We're business partners now."
Business partners?
The term made both men's expressions darken.
Reluctantly, Ryan handed over a file. "The earring was indeed in Greenland—from a human experimentation lab."
"But the blood traces belong to a complete stranger."
Sophia scanned the documents, pausing at one profile.
"Lily, thirty-eight, M-Country national."
Her eyes skimmed the details. "Mother couldn't have known her. How did her earring end up there?"
"She has a criminal record." Ryan explained. "Worked as a dealer in M-Country's underground casinos ten years ago."
"Got addicted to gambling, sold herself to pay debts and served time."
Sophia considered this. "If she needed money, theft seems more likely."
She refused to believe her mother would give such a person her earring.