Chapter 1788:


    It was the best offer he was going to get. He recognized it immediately and decided not to push for more.


    “Deal,” he said, extending his hand.


    “Deal,” Christina replied, taking it firmly and holding the grip for a beat — the kind that means something.


    “Just tell me what to do,” Alban said, with the straightforward resolve of a man who had stopped second-guessing.


    Christina released his hand and tilted her head slightly, a dry, almost yful expression crossing her face. “You’re not worried I’m leading you into a trap?”


    “If that’s the game you want to y, then all I can say is — you’re genuinely something else.” Alban didn’t truly believe Christina would set a trap for him. And beyond that, if she was the only person capable of neutralizing the toxin, his survival was entirely in her hands. He had no real choice but to trust her, and somewhere beneath the bravado, he knew it.


    “I don’t hurt people without reason,” Christina said, her voice even. “But anyone whoes after me learns fairly quickly that it isn’t worth the trouble.”


    It carried both reassurance and warning in equal measure.


    Alban was about to reply when his phone began to ring. His brow lifted slightly, and a quiet, unhurriedugh escaped him. “That’s Bain.”


    “You haven’t even looked at the screen,” Christina said — and then it hit her. “Don’t tell me you gave my brother his own ringtone.”


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    “Astute,” Alban said, producing the phone and holding it up for her to see as confirmation, looking entirely too pleased with himself.


    Christina reached instinctively for her own phone, only to find it dead.


    Alban let the call ring out without answering, a faint, deliberate smirk on his face. He had no interest in rushing this.


    Predictably, the second call came before the silence had properly settled. Alban let it ring twice, then answered it slowly, putting it on speaker with the same unhurried ease.


    The moment the call connected, Bain’s voice came through like a thunderp.


    “Alban Martel!”


    “Speaking,” Alban replied, in a tone of absolute calm.


    Bain, already furious, became considerably more so.


    “Where did you take my sister? If youy a single hand on her, I will dismantle your entire family — personally — whatever it takes.”


    Alban didn’t bother responding. He simply turned the phone toward Christina, the smirk still in ce.


    “Bain—” Christina barely managed to start before his voice came through again, wound tight.


    “Bonnie. Are you alright? Where are you? Did he take you somewhere?”


    “I’m fine,” she said, keeping her voice calm and level. “I came to discuss a cooperative arrangement with him. That’s all.”


    “A cooperative arrangement? With him?” The confusion in Bain’s voice was genuine.


    “I’ll exin everything when I’m back,” Christina said.


    A beat of silence. “Alright. Fine.” The tension in his voice eased, fractionally.


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