Chapter 140

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 . ”
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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