Santos? Really? Wasn''t he the so-called traitor of the Stevenson family? Even though Cassie was still young and had never met Santos herself, she''d heard the elders mention his name in hushed tones. Years ago, his betrayal nearly brought the Stevenson family to its knees. Since then, many have been on the hunt for their whereabouts.


    I mean, who wouldn''t want a piece of that pie if it meant immortality, right? But seriously, immortality? It''s such a wild rumor, yet so many buy into it. If it were real, the second elder and her sister''s mentor wouldn''t have met such tragic ends.


    Hearing Santos''s name sent a flurry of thoughts through Cassie''s mind, and she couldn''t shake off a creeping unease. Mirabe cast a quick look at Cassie and said nonchntly, “Kids shouldn''t ask too many questions.”


    Cassie set her phone down on the table, saying, "I''m not a kid anymore. I know about Santos..." She trailed off, ncing at James, and mmed up again. Secrets of the Stevenson family were not for outsiders to know.


    James caught the change in Cassie''s demeanor. Though the name Santos didn''t ring a bell, the Stevenson surname was unmistakable-a family whispered to have the power to bring back the dead. But James was more intrigued by Cassie''s instinctive reaction than the name itself.


    Could this young guy have ties to the Stevenson family? Maybe he was part of it? Otherwise, why would he show up when Mirabe was knocked out cold? James reined in his wandering thoughts, turning to Mirabe. "I''ve heard of the Stevenson family. Is he one of them?"


    Mirabe shrugged, neither confirming nor denying, "Maybe he was once." James raised an eyebrow-''was'' being the operative word. It seemed there was more to his girlfriend''s connection to the Stevenson family than what David had hinted at. "Why is he after you?" James asked, pouring coffee into Mirabe''s cup.


    "Ever heard of the Massolio family doctors who supposedly bring people back to life?" Mirabe shot back with a question of her own.


    It sounded casual, but James mulled it over for a moment before replying, "Sure, there are many things science can''t exin, but no medical skill can change fate."


    Mirabe chuckled softly, "Exactly."


    Greed is an endless abyss, after all. James peered at Mirabe, her face appeared veiled in mystery, like someone who''s weathered many. storms Suddenly, he reached out and held her hand, his grip warm and reassuring.


    "The reason you couldn''t pin down master


    Sis that he''s a


    disguise. The face you saw


    his real one," Mirabe exined, addressing James''s earlier query.


    "Is that so?" James hadn''t seen thating.


    Mirabe sipped her coffee and continued, “That shot you took-iit had hit anyone else, it might''ve been fatal. But for someone who knows every vital point in the human body, even a tiny miss can mean survival."


    Besides, Santos wasn''t just any run-of-the-mill guy. His body had probably been modified ages ago. If he could be taken down that easily, he wouldn''t havested this long.