Chapter 140
Aria lifted her gaze, locking eyes with his deep, enigmatic stare, like the mist of an autumn morning, impossible to see through.
He was doing it on purpose.
The food tasting was just a pretense. He was testing her, plain and simple.
Unbothered, Aria sat down and asked, “Your girlfriend bit you?”
She seemed casually curious, her eyes lingering on his hand for a moment.
Owen’s lips curved slightly as he studied her face, searching for any cracks in her composure but finding none. He took the seat across from her, his thumb brushing over the bite mark as he chuckled faintly. “Nope, just a feisty teenage girl. She really went for it.”
Aria was surprised. “She bit you that hard? What did you do to her?”
“She was up to no good, and I stopped her. She said if I kept getting in her way, she’d take me down with her.” His tone was light, as if he were recounting something trivial.
Aria’s calm facade wavered ever so slightly.
How she ever failed. She had crossed paths with a young man, his face smeared with grease paint,
Her mind drifted back to her first mission–the only
who had dared to block her way.
He wanted to capture the target alive, while her orders were to eliminate him.
In the end, the target died anyway, succumbing to a sudden heart attack. Her explanations were dismissed. Everyone believed she was the one who killed him.
After that, her missions were flawless. She never failed again.
They respected her, praised her for her perfect record, her unmatched skill.
But that first failure remained a thorn in her heart, twisting painfully every time they showered her with compliments.
And the one responsible for her failure was sitting right in front of her.
Eight years passed. This time, she could take him down.
She couldn’t wait to kill him.
But the timing wasn’t right. She had to hold back.
“Pretty heartless.” Aria commented, picking up her fork and grabbing a piece of meat to eat.
Owen’s gaze lingered on her lips. “How is it?”
She chewed fiercely, swallowed, and her expression turned complicated. “The taste doesn’t match the look.”
It wasn’t bad, really. The problem was that the dish looked so good that it raised her expectations too high, leaving her a bit disappointed
Owen chuckled, the corners of his lips lifting. “You’re used to the chefs at Navoron Restaurant. I can’t compare.”
Aria smiled. “You really can’t, but it’s not bad. At least it’s healthy.”
His fork, still unused, reached out to place a piece of fish on her plate. “Try this.”
Chapter 140
Owen’s hands were striking–long fingers, well–defined knuckles.
It was those very hands that had pinned her down and tied her up.
Aria stared at them, a sudden urge to snap them in half surging through her.
Gritting her teeth, she muttered a quick “thanks.” Her hand trembled slightly as she picked up the fish, and when she bit into it, her teeth accidentally grazed the fork.
His hand hadn’t moved away, still lingering close to her.
A chill shot through her arm, straight to her chest, making her heart pound like a drum.
She cursed quietly, ‘Damn it. One day, I’m going to give him a good beating!‘
Aria swallowed the fish, trying to push down the strange mix of irritation and something else she didn’t want to name. ‘Calm down, Aria. Focus/
She’d find a chance to give him a proper beating later.
The two ate in silence, neither speaking.
It wasn’t until Aria set her fork down that Owen suddenly asked, “Was this meal disappointing?”
It was not disappointing. If anything, it was exhilarating.
Aria’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, her tone perfunctory. “It’s fine. Got that homemade vibe.”
Owen smiled. “Guess I’ll have to learn from Navoron Restaurant’s chefs. Your meals are on me now. Just don’t forget to test for poison.”
Aria joked, “Depends on my mood.”
He laughed lightly. “Should we do a test tonight?”
Aria answered, “It takes time, but the process isn’t complicated. I can handle it alone. You can come by at nine tomorrow morning, Mr. Shaw.”
“Alright. Don’t stay up too late. Get some rest.” The words carried a hint of intimacy.
Aria nodded silently and returned to her home, taking a deep breath.
Just then, her computer chimed with a distinctive alert.
She sat down, entered her password, and saw a message from White Fox. [Boss, the leader wants to talk to you.]
White Fox had sent multiple voice messages, one after another, without stopping.
Aria put on her headset and answered. White Fox’s frantic voice burst through. “Boss, you finally picked up! I’ll go get the leader.”
Aria nodded. “Okay.”
“Aria
3h.
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