?Chapter 896:


    But as time passed and they shared more operations, her view of him had begun to change. Ethan came from an elite family. His father held a prominent position in the government, while his mother taught at the University. He’d probably been shaped from childhood for excellence, which exined the restraint and distance he maintained in every interaction.


    It was undeniable that Ethan was highlypetent at his job and a responsible leader. Working under him had saved Lydia a lot of trouble. Truthfully, she felt he was a good man—just a little too distant.


    Lydia gave him a brief nod. “Thanks, Ethan.”


    Ethan’s gaze shifted to her neck, his voice low. “You’re bleeding. That needs attention right away.”


    Thement made her pause. She reached up and, sure enough, her fingers came away red. The fight with Earle had left more than just bruises.


    “It’s just a scratch,” she replied, brushing it off. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.”


    With the debriefing over, Lydia forced her aching body toward the exit of the National Security Bureau.


    In addition to her neck injury, her hands were also scraped.


    Outside, rain hammered the pavement in heavy sheets. Lydia lingered under the awning, her eyes tracing the chaotic blur of water hitting the ground.


    Then, a familiar silhouette emerged from a sleek ck car.


    Lydia froze, her mind going nk as she watched Jeffry stride toward her. For a few seconds, she couldn’t move. The sight of him left her speechless.


    Rain soaked himpletely, as he had forsaken an umbre. His tailored suit clung to him, the fabric heavy and darkened with water. He didn’t seem flustered, but his urgency was obvious, forgetting an umbre and rushing to her like this.


    Jeffry’s eyes fixed on hers the moment he stepped close.


    L?t?st chαpt?rs in g??lnovels.??????


    Snapping out of her trance, Lydia instinctively backed away, putting space between them.


    A crease formed between Jeffry’s brows. “Where have you been? And what happened to your neck?”


    He noted that dust clung to her clothing, and her frame looked slimmer than before, like she hadn’t eaten or slept properly in days. The realization hit him hard—something had happened, something that left her worn thin.


    Even so, Lydia’s expression didn’t waver. To her, Jeffry’s concern felt ridiculous. Did he honestly think breakups came with status updates? In her mind, an ex was just someone she deleted from her life. If they passed each other on the street, she would just walk past like strangers. Yet, here Jeffry was, asking questions.


    Lydia’s voice cut clean. “You don’t get to ask questions. We’ve already broken up. Remember?”


    Jeffry’s jaw tensed. Her bluntness caught him off guard. There was a time when she used to light up around him, arms open before he even spoke. Now, she wouldn’t even spare him a nce. Her aloof demeanor said more than distance ever could.


    Jeffry drew in a slow breath, trying to suppress the annoyance building in his chest. “Looks like this rain isn’t going anywhere. Where are you headed? I’ll drive you.”


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