?Chapter 932:


    The teasing glint in Alden’s eyes disappeared in an instant, reced by a grave stillness. It was as if the past few minutes had never happened. His voice dropped low. “Ailyn, do you remember those thugs who caused trouble for us yesterday?”


    I nodded, a sense of unease already creeping in.


    Alden’s gaze darkened. “After you told me about your concerns, I sent some of my men to investigate. What they found…” He hesitated for a moment, then continued, his voice edged with steel, “You won’t believe it.”


    A cold prickle ran down my spine. “What did they find?”


    Alden’s jaw tightened. “Those thugs… they’ve all disappeared.”


    “What?” Shock jolted through me. My voice shot up, unable to contain my disbelief. “We’re talking about several grown men! How could they just vanish?”


    Alden’s eyes hardened, his expression grim. “That group was clearly after us yesterday. But if you think about it, their real target was most likely you. Something went wrong, and I ended up getting stabbed instead. Now, whoever was behind them is trying to cover their tracks by silencing them.”


    A cold wave washed over me, freezing me where I stood.


    Then, a memory shed in my mind—the Harrison family’s butler, his face going pale, his shock almost slipping into panic the moment he saw Alden yesterday. My stomach twisted. The name tumbled from my lips before I could stop it. “It’s Cody! It has to be him!”


    Alden gave a slow nod, confirming what I already feared.


    Anger ignited in my chest, burning through the icy dread. My hands curled into fists as I gritted my teeth. “That bastard! He deserves to die!” But fury alone wouldn’t protect us, I knew. As the rage simmered, worry crept in. My grip tightened around Alden’s arm, my voice urgent. “You need to be careful. Cody won’t let this go. He’s ruthless and capable of anything.”


    Alden’s hand covered mine, his touch firm but reassuring. His voice was steady,ced with quiet determination. “I’ll be careful, so don’t worry. But you need to stay cautious too, Ailyn. No one knows what Cody might try next.”


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    I nodded, but the knot in my stomach refused to loosen. Cody’s menace loomed over us like a storm, dark and unrelenting, inching closer with every second.


    Makenna’s POV:


    After discussing Cody with Alden, a brief silence settled between us, stretching just long enough to feel a bit awkward. Then, out of nowhere—grrrr—my stomach let out a deep, unmistakable growl. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I mped a hand over my traitorous belly, wishing I could disappear into the earth.


    Alden’s lips twitched, a spark of mischief lighting his eyes. “Ailyn, are you hungry?” he teased.


    I opened my mouth to deny it—only for my stomach to betray me again, louder this time. Seriously? The reminder hit me then—I hadn’t eaten anything all day, thanks to the chaos that had unfolded. “Yeah,” I mumbled, dropping my head. “I’m a little hungry.”


    His eyes danced with a sly glint and a boyish grin. “How about I make you a special dinner?”


    My head snapped up in surprise. “You can cook?”


    It was hard to imagine someone like Alden standing over a stove.


    He seemed to read my thoughts and scoffed, puffing out his chest. “Hey, don’t underestimate me! Back in the field, during tough times, if I couldn’t cook, I would’ve starved.”


    The seriousness of his tone, paired with his exaggerated stance, pulled augh from me. “I’ve heard that what men say about their cooking skills and what they actually serve are two very different things.”


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