Chapter 174 — Alina Lantel
POV: Alina
"Alina, you're not doing it."
Aiden's voice rang behind her like an annoying alarm she couldn't switch off. Alina Lantel rolled her honey-blonde hair into a loose bun and ignored him, her sharp eyes fixed on her phone screen. She was rereading the short, vague message from Liam again:
"You're in. Play it well. -L"
Her lips curved slightly. She liked the challenge. Dangerous, maybe. But boring? Never.
"Did you hear me?" Aiden pressed, stepping into her small apartment with all the righteous energy of an overprotective twin. "This isn't a prank. That man's serious. You don't even know who this Marcus guy is, and Liam barely gave us anything to work with."
Alina dropped her phone onto the kitchen counter and faced her twin with an amused expression. "Aiden, you think I don't know that? He said Marcus is the assignment, and I accepted the job. End of story."
Aiden's brows furrowed as he folded his arms. "You accepted a job from a cousin we barely talk to, whose company is a mystery, to get close to a man we know nothing about. That's the exact definition of reckless."
"I don't care," Alina snapped. "For once in my life, I want to do something that isn't predictable. You think working part-time and studying law is fulfilling me?"
Aiden stared at her for a long moment. "You don't even know what Liam does, do you?"
She didn't. Not exactly. Liam Blackwood had always been the cousin who showed up in sleek cars, dressed in dark suits that smelled of danger and authority. He wasn't loud, he wasn't friendly, but he carried a presence that made men listen and women stumble. Last week, he'd asked to meet privately at a quiet café and laid down a proposal.
Aiden had insisted on being there, arms crossed, skeptical as ever.
"He wants you to seduce this guy, Marcus," Aiden had hissed the moment they got home. "It's practically a spy mission, Lina!"
"Exactly. It's fun," she had replied.
Now, standing in her small apartment kitchen, Alina poured herself a glass of wine, ignoring Aiden's continued ranting.
"You don't even know how to play someone like Marcus. He could be dangerous."
"He is dangerous," Alina said, sipping the wine. "That's the point."
Her twin groaned. "Why didn't he give the job to the other girl he brought? What was her name again? Lacey?"
Alina smirked. "Because I'm better."
And she was. She knew it the moment Liam's eyes shifted from Lacey to her during that first meeting. Lacey was predictable—pretty, soft-spoken, compliant. Liam wanted someone smart, sharp-tongued, unafraid. Alina had leaned in during that meeting, teasing Liam's patience with her bold confidence, and watched his cold mask crack, just a little.
She'd impressed him. She knew she had. And when he messaged her hours later, saying she got the job, she smiled for real.
"Lina, come on," Aiden said, his voice softer now. "What if something goes wrong?"
Alina looked at him and saw fear. Not just protective-brother fear, but the kind that came when you realized your sister was about to walk into something you couldn't save her from.
"I'll be fine," she said, more gently. "I'm not doing this blindly. I'm watching every move, reading everything I can find. Liam gave me access to Marcus's social media, his past movements, places he frequents. The plan is simple. Get close. Earn trust. Feed information back."
Aiden shook his head. "You think Liam's being honest? What if there's more to this?"
Alina's jaw tightened. That much was true—Liam was a puzzle, and he hadn't given her a clear motive for why Marcus was suddenly a target. But Alina wasn't naive. Liam had enemies. His silence said more than his words ever could.
And Marcus? She'd done her own digging. The man was powerful, charming, unpredictable. A deal-maker in the shadows. If Liam wanted her close to him, there had to be a reason.
"Even if he's hiding something," Alina said, placing her wine glass down, "I'll find out. I'm not doing this because I trust Liam. I'm doing it because I trust myself."
Aiden looked like he wanted to argue again but instead ran a hand through his dark hair. "You're too damn stubborn."
"And you're too damn nosy," she shot back with a grin.
He gave a half-smile but didn't look convinced. "Fine. But if something smells off—anything—you pull out. No job is worth your life."
Alina's smile faded into something serious. "I know."
They stood there for a few seconds, the silence thick between them. She knew this wasn't just about Marcus or Liam. It was about Alina choosing a path Aiden couldn't follow—and that terrified him.
But she wasn't backing down.
Later that night, when she lay in bed, she opened the file Liam had sent again. Marcus looked like trouble in a perfectly tailored suit. There was something cold in his eyes, something familiar.
She closed the file and stared at the ceiling.
Game on.