The low murmur of voices pulled Erin's attention as she stepped into the hallway leading toward Xander's office.
She hadn't planned to pass by — she was on her way to the records room — but the familiar voice that drifted through the slightly open door made her pause.
Xander.
Curiosity—or something closer to hesitation—froze her feet to the floor. She inched forward, just enough to see inside through the narrow crack in the door.
He was standing by the desk, laughing.
Next to him was a woman. Elegant, sharp-featured, dressed in sleek black with dark hair pulled into a ponytail. She leaned in to whisper something, smiling. Xander smiled back. It was the relaxed kind of smile she hadn't seen from him before. Not the arrogant smirk he wore like armor. This one was real.
The woman touched his arm.
He didn't pull away.
A second later, she leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He chuckled and slipped an arm briefly around her in return, squeezing her in a half-hug. The gesture was casual, like it belonged to years of familiarity. Easy.
But Erin didn't wait to see more.
She stepped back instinctively, heart thudding, and turned on her heel.
Her boots echoed down the corridor with clipped steps. She didn't realize how fast she was walking until she nearly collided with a junior staffer heading toward the elevator — someone Erin actually knew.
"Oh—! Miss Erin—"
"Sorry," Erin muttered, brushing past her. "I'm in a bit of a rush."
She didn't even stop to help pick up the folder the girl had dropped. That was unlike her. She was always polite, always helpful. But not right now.
Not when her chest felt like someone had taken a fistful of her ribs and clenched hard.
She didn't cry. That was never her style. There was no tremble in her lip, no glassiness in her eyes.
But the tightness in her throat didn't go away even when she locked the door to her office behind her and sank down into her chair.
Composed. Always composed.
Still, the images wouldn't leave her — the way he looked at that woman, the soft smile, the ease in his stance. Had he ever looked at her that way? No. Of course not.
And she shouldn't care. She really shouldn't.
He was the enemy. A target. A distraction she couldn't afford.
So why did it feel like she'd just been sucker punched?
She reached for her phone, desperate for something else to focus on, something else to ground her.
It vibrated a second later — as if summoned.
Talia.
Erin let out a sharp breath. She hadn't called in days. Of course Talia would be livid.
And right now, a part of her needed to hear her voice. Even if it came with a scolding.
She hit "Accept" and raised the phone to her ear.
She already knew what was coming.
"Wow, look who's finally alive," Talia's voice burst through with mock offense. "I was two minutes from sending in a search party. You promised you'd call every day, remember that?"
"I know. I'm sorry," Erin sighed, dropping back onto the bed, eyes on the ceiling. "Things just got… hectic."
"You're infiltrating the Volkovs. I assumed things would be hectic," Talia snapped, the edge in her voice unmistakable. "You said updates, Erin. Regular ones. You don't just vanish for four days and then come back acting like it's fine. Do you have any idea how panicked I was?"
Erin closed her eyes. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just—there was a presentation, and I had to—"
"Save it," Talia cut in. "If something had happened to you, what would we do.? I doubt we'd even know. We're just names on a forgotten blacklist to people like them."
Erin's chest tightened. "Nothing happened. I'm fine."
Talia paused for a breath. "Have you found anything?"
Erin hesitated.
"Not much," she said. "But I think I'm getting closer."
"You think?" Talia repeated, her voice softening just slightly. "Erin… this isn't just about your family. You know that, right?"
"I know," Erin whispered. "Believe me. I know."
Talia's voice dropped. "My parents bet everything supporting yours. They didn't even deal with the Volkovs, but because they stood by you, they got crushed anyway. My dad's business is still bleeding from that decision. I'm not blaming you—"
"I am to blame," Erin said quietly.
"No, you're not," Talia shot back. "But we're in this because we believe in something. We're fighting for justice. For families that got steamrolled. We can't lose sight of that."
Erin stayed silent for a long moment, biting the inside of her cheek.
She hadn't told Talia about the files. About the quiet evidence she'd found in Xander's office. That he was investigating his own parents.
Because she hadn't confirmed it, she told herself. She didn't know what it meant yet.
But the truth? She hadn't told Talia because a part of her wanted to protect Xander. And that terrified her.
"Erin?" Talia's voice pulled her back. "You sure you're okay?"
"…Yeah."
Another pause. Then came the teasing tone—careful, measured. "Has he still not figured out who you really are? What happened to that whole 'Xander Volkov can sniff out a lie from two cities away' legend?"
Erin managed a laugh. "He's… not as perceptive as they say."
"Or you're better than you give yourself credit for."
"Maybe both."
Talia hummed. "Still, can't believe you are living under the same roof with him. After all the times we used to make fun of his soul-sucking stare and his giant bat face."
"Please don't remind me," Erin groaned. "I live in fear of karma every day."
"You better. But I think it'll be received both ways. He must be just as cruel as his parents. He deserves Karma more." Talia chuckled.
"He's nothing like those bastards." Erin said firmly.
Talia's tone shifted again, gently this time. "You don't talk about him the same way you used to."
Erin stiffened. "…That doesn't mean anything."
"No?" Talia asked. "Because it kind of sounds like you're forgetting what this mission is."
"I haven't."
"Then stop sounding like he's the one you're trying to save."
Erin flinched.
Talia sighed. "I know it's complicated, Erin. And I know you've always been good at seeing people beyond the headlines. But you can't get distracted."
"I'm not distracted," Erin said, sharper than she intended.
"Then why do I feel like you aren't telling me everything? Why have you been so quiet?"
"…I'm still trying to make sense of it," Erin admitted, her voice low. "There's something… off about him. And the more I see, the more I wonder if he even wants to be part of this legacy he was born into."
Talia stayed silent.
"I think he might be trying to take them down too," Erin added, barely above a whisper.
"And you think that excuses everything?"
"No," Erin said. "But it complicates it."
Talia sighed again. "Erin."
"What."
"Just promise me you won't lose yourself in this. Not for him. Not even if he turns out to be the saint we never asked for."
"…I won't."
Another pause.
"Good. Because if you develop any positive feelings for him, I'll fly over there myself and drag you out of that mansion."
"…I'm not feeling anything positive towards him," Erin muttered.
Talia didn't say anything.
Because they both knew that sounded too much like a lie.