Through the car window, Kaelyn let her gaze drift over the courthouse sign, its stark letters blurring as the weight of the last three years pressed against her ribs.

Back then, she had tossed aside her entire life and stepped blindly into marriage. Now, the memory felt thin and unreal, almost something she could laugh at if it didn't sting so sharply.

"Let's go." Her voice came low and steady.

The car surged onto the main road, the city's noise rolling past in a muted rush.

A second phone vibrated in her bag, flashing an incoming video call.

She checked the caller ID, answered, and put the phone on the seat beside her.

"What is it?" she asked, leaning back as the screen lit up.

On the other end, amid frantic shouts and blaring alarms, Phillip Holt yelled over the chaos, "Regina, we've confirmed a new type of liquid bomb at Triad Mall. The place is packed. We need you now. If we pull this off, your chances of getting into the National Security Agency will skyrocket!"

Static crackled before he added breathlessly, "And once you're in, you'll finally have clearance to dig into that old case!"

Kaelyn's brow tightened, a familiar tension settling between her eyes.

He was right. Joining the National Security Agency had always been her true goal—one she'd buried for far too long.

If she was going to make a comeback, this was the perfect chance.

"I'll take the assignment," she stated without hesitation.

"Good. I'm connecting you to the feed now," Phillip said.

A faint crease formed between her brows.

Kaelyn slid off her glasses, unveiling eyes so sharp they cut through the dim interior of the car.

Her fingertips danced across the phone, and the vehicle's central screen lit up with the shaky live transmission.

The hostage on-screen looked moments from collapsing, his legs trembling beneath him.

A single device sat strapped against a load-bearing pillar, its indicator light pulsing like a heartbeat meant to intimidate.

Kaelyn leaned closer as she pressed. "This device is running on a sensor trigger. There are definitely more of them—at least ten scattered around the structure."

Phillip practically choked on his worry. "That's right. We located twelve secondary charges, but we can't move a single one. If even one goes off, the whole place collapses. The main timer's got one minute left. Can you defuse it?"

Kaelyn didn't answer.

Inside the car and across the chaotic scene, nothing cut through the tension except the steady, merciless tick of the countdown.

At sixteen seconds, the display blinked faster.

"Fifteen… fourteen…"

"Blue!"

"Blue!"

Her command clashed with a deep, steady male voice issuing the same instruction at nearly the same moment.

"Blue—now!" Phillip ordered his subordinates.

One of them cut the blue line, and the lock snapped open, the danger evaporating in a single breath.

A flicker of irritation passed through Kaelyn, barely visible but unmistakable.

"Mr. Holt, if you don't trust what I can do, don't hire me. If you do, then stop dragging anyone else into this," she muttered, her tone flat but edged.

She ended the call without hesitation.

From the clipped voice on the other end, she could almost pinpoint who it belonged to—Asura, her long-time rival who never missed a chance to challenge her. If he was trying to edge into the National Security Agency now, then he clearly hadn't changed.

Still, the spark of competition flared in her chest.

She'd let him have this round. But the next time they clashed, she planned to crush him.

In the Triad Mall lobby, Phillip shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"That woman's got a temper like live wire… but damn, her skill set is unmatched. Caleb, she's the only one who can keep up with you."

At his side, Caleb Morgan waited in a tailored black suit, the sleek suitcase at his feet hinting at a rushed arrival.

His tall, imposing frame radiated a cold edge, and the hard lines of his face—paired with those dark, brooding eyes—made his disdain impossible to miss.

"You dragged me out here after bringing someone else onto the case?"

Phillip scrambled to smooth things over, lifting his hands in a placating gesture. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it from the airport in time. With so many lives hanging in the balance, we can't afford any mistakes. How about I set up a quick introduction so you can meet Regina? I mean, I haven't actually seen her face, but with a body like that, she's got to be..."

"Seriously, Phillip? Are you trying to piss me off?" Caleb cut in, his voice low and warning, a chill settling over the space between them.

A cold prickle crawled down Phillip's spine, and he lifted both hands in surrender. "My mistake. Look… it's been nine years, and you're still hung up on her? She's married now—married to your own nephew. You planning to stay single for the rest of your life over a woman you can't have?"

A trace of something complicated flickered behind Caleb's usually unreadable eyes.

If he couldn't marry that woman, he'd rather spend his whole life alone.

Caleb steadied his breath and let his expression flatten, his gaze drifting toward the bomb squad as they worked through the remaining devices. After a beat, he steered the conversation away. "Any updates on the doctor they call Divine Cure?"

"Not a thing." Phillip gave a grim shake of his head. "I've been searching everywhere for three years. You've built that overseas medical facility, but you haven't found out the cure yet?"

A shadow passed through Caleb's eyes, but he offered no explanation. He simply turned and started toward the exit.

Phillip hurried to call after him, "Let me wrap things up here, and then we'll grab a drink."

"Forget it. I've got to go." Caleb's low reply drifted through the mall entrance as he walked out.

Phillip stood there, watching his retreating silhouette with growing suspicion. Under his breath, he grumbled, "What's got him sprinting off? Don't tell me he's rushing home to sneak a look at his nephew's wife?"

Meanwhile, Kaelyn shook out her hair, freeing it from the tight bun before slipping out of the black business suit.

Loose waves tumbled over her shoulders, and the fitted black tank top traced every confident line of her figure.

Without the glasses masking her face, her breathtaking features came into full, unmistakable view.

From behind the wheel, Cole reached over with a fresh set of clothes pulled from the passenger seat.

"Kaelyn, the site's been dead for three years now. Every month, people keep hunting for Divine Cure. Want us to open orders again?"

Caught halfway through adjusting her sleeves, Kaelyn let the motion falter, her hands hovering for an instant.

"No rush," she murmured, her tone lazy but firm.

After disappearing for so long, she had a list of problems to settle, and she intended to tackle them one at a time.

...

Night settled over Serenity Manor when the SUV thundered to a stop at the entrance.

The moment Kaelyn stepped out, a pair of arms wrapped around her in an almost crushing embrace.

"Cole told me you were finally coming back, but I refused to believe it. Why didn't you let me pick you up?"

The arms wrapped around her belonged to Cassie Singh—the deceptively sweet-faced head of operations at Kaelyn's private base. With her youthful looks and high-schooler charm, Cassie hid the fact that she ranked among the world's top three hackers and fighters, a woman perfectly capable of crunching on a lollipop while popping every joint in a man's body.

Kaelyn raised a hand to ease Cassie's clingy embrace off her shoulder.

"Drop the antics. I need you to handle something for me," she remarked, her tone cool but decisive.

Without waiting for a response, she strode through the foyer and stepped into the elevator bound for the third floor.

From the balcony, Kaelyn rested lightly against the railing, taking in the disciplined flow of her team below and the massive screen pulsing with global stock data. A slow, knowing smile tugged at her lips.

An orphan with nothing to her name, huh?

If Leland ever discovered she could crash Morgan Group's stock with a single overnight short, how would he stomach that truth?

A soft presence edged in beside Kaelyn as Cassie leaned close, idly twirling the end of her braid with playful mischief.

"Leland actually thought he could toss you aside? Want me to deal with him tonight?" Cassie questioned, her voice dripping with a honeyed threat.

"No need," Kaelyn answered with a calm finality that instantly made Cassie's temper spike.

"You really care about that man? You vanished for three whole years because of him, and I'm seriously offended right now."

Kaelyn let Cassie's bubbling anger wash right past her. A chilly smile traced the edges of her lips for a heartbeat.

"A chase isn't any fun if you end it too early. I lifted him to the height he's enjoying, and I can tear it all down just as easily. I want him to stand there and watch that perfect little tower of his collapse."

The moment her words drifted off, Cassie's palm smacked sharply against the railing. "I figured you were the type to throw your whole life at his feet. Pretty faces aren't exactly endangered—there are enough handsome men to fill a stadium. I even lined up a little 'surprise' at the club tonight so you can blow off some steam."

Kaelyn regarded her with a cool, dismissive stare.

"Lately, the overseas gang has been stirring trouble. Focus on monitoring them and stop fooling around. I'll deal with Morgan Group myself—don't get involved."

A slow lift of Kaelyn's eyebrow followed. "I have my own methods of blowing off steam."

Barely ten minutes later, a black Harley roared out of the underground garage, the engine's snarl trailing behind Kaelyn as she vanished into the night.

For three long years, all for Leland, she had stripped herself of every sharp edge—mastering cocktail parties and household routines alike, forcing herself into the shape of the flawless wife everyone expected.

Now, with the throttle humming beneath her palms, Kaelyn felt every dormant part of her stir awake, every cell screaming with the wild rush.

The surge of freedom stretched along her nerves like fire catching dry kindling.

Down the most dangerous mountain road—a path infamous for its eighteen wicked bends—she carved through the shadows with the sharp, fluid speed of a hunting cat.

But the moment she approached the glowing red safety line, she braked hard, tires skidding to an abrupt halt.

A cluster of riders in full racing gear swiveled toward her, and when they caught sight of her sleek, athletic silhouette, a chorus of low whistles rippled through the group.

"Now that's a stunner."

"Damn, is that a global-limited Harley? That thing's easily worth over twenty million."

A handful of riders drifted toward Kaelyn, crowding in with shameless curiosity, and the rush in her veins faltered into irritation. With this stretch of road always claimed by racing crews, she knew better than to expect courtesy.

Lifting her hand, Kaelyn unlatched her helmet and slid it off, a cascade of hair spilling free as her stunning features came into view.

A round of sharp gasps rippled through the group.

She tipped her weight to one side, one arm braced casually on the Harley's sleek frame. The snug suit traced every elegant line of her body, enough to make several of them swallow hard.

"Mind giving me some space so I can pass?"

In the makeshift grandstand, Leland eased his coat around Davina's shoulders with practiced tenderness.

"You love watching races. I could've booked the whole track just for you," he murmured, brushing a thumb over her sleeve. "You didn't need to come out here—especially after just recovering. And without any progress on Divine Cure yet, I can't risk you catching a cold."

The way he cared for her—with such soft affection—stirred a low wave of envy through the crowd.

With a rosy flush coloring her cheeks, Davina tapped lightly against his chest. "I'm really not that delicate. While I was overseas, the medication your uncle's lab developed did wonders for me."

Leland's face tightened, shadows cutting sharply across his features. "He owed you that much. If not for him, we never would've spent those three years apart."

A thin curl of satisfaction lifted Davina's mouth.

Three missing years meant nothing. Everything tied to the Morgan family was destined to fall into her hands.

While she laughed lightly, a flicker of movement drew her attention, and she spotted Kaelyn at the edge of her vision. A breeze swept across the mountain road, teasing Kaelyn's long hair until it drifted around her like a silken veil, making her look effortlessly alluring.

A faint pinch tightened in Davina's chest. She let out a delicate cough and gestured downhill with a hesitant finger. "Leland… isn't that Kaelyn? Did you ask her to come? Should I… maybe give you two some space?"

She pushed herself to her feet with an unsteady grace, feigning frailty as uncertainty clouded her expression.

Leland's head snapped in the direction she pointed. There, he caught Kaelyn mid-laugh, her bright smile dazzling as she chatted with the people around her.

The curve of her waist flashed beneath her top, a sliver of skin that gleamed like an unintentional tease.

Something fierce and unnameable clawed up his chest. His eyes darkened, stormy with a rage he couldn't quite explain.

"I didn't ask her to come."

Before the words settled, a faint pull tightened at his sleeve.

Davina eased closer, her voice dipped in soft concern. "Leland, the people around these racing teams are a mixed crowd. It's really not a place Kaelyn should be wandering. If someone with bad intentions snaps a photo and twists the story, it could damage the Morgan family."

A bitter little chuckle rose from his chest, as though the outcome hardly surprised Leland. Kaelyn clearly had no intention of making this divorce easy for him.

She acted so detached, signing the divorce papers without blinking—yet here she was, appearing right where Davina would notice, as if she meant to spark trouble on purpose.

Such calculated malice clung to Kaelyn's every move.

"Davina, hold on a second." His voice dropped low as he broke away, hurrying down the steps.

Leland closed the distance in long, cutting strides and clamped a hand around Kaelyn's arm without warning.

A biting frost rolled off him, sharp enough that people nearby felt it prickle across their skin.

"What the hell are you doing here? Wasn't five million supposed to be plenty? How much more are you trying to squeeze out of me now?"

The riders nearby went still, exchanging stunned looks for a beat before the pieces fell into place.

Was this the woman Leland had dumped? Was she unhappy with the breakup payout and now here to cause a public scene?

She looked devastatingly gorgeous, leagues above the delicate woman on the grandstand who seemed ready to swoon at every breeze, yet somehow this beauty was the one tossed aside.

Leland had to be out of his mind!

Kaelyn arched a brow, taking in the man who had stormed over with a glare sharp enough to cut.

Her gaze stayed steady and cool, untouched by his fury. "Didn't I rip up that five-million check and toss it in your smug face when we divorced? Are you suffering memory loss now?"

A ripple of confusion swept through the riders, drawing them in tight.

Divorced? Was this really their boss's ex-wife?

Their curiosity spiked; they hovered as if rooted to the spot, eager for every scrap of gossip.

Heat climbed up Leland's neck, and the humiliation on his face was impossible to hide.

He yanked her closer, staring down at her delicate features—only to find nothing there. No hurt. No longing. Not even irritation.

Her composure only stoked the storm in his chest.

And the moment he caught sight of her without those glasses—her beauty surged into focus, stunning in its intensity—his frustration twisted deeper.

It felt as though he'd tossed aside a stray he'd raised for three years, only to discover too late she'd been a rare, priceless creature he never actually deserved.

"Kaelyn, I told you to keep your head down and stay out of trouble. Did you really have to make a scene right under my nose?"