Just moments after Evangeline drove away from the real estate agency, a luxury sedan glided to a smooth stop at the curb.


    The window lowered, revealing Finn''s handsome face.


    He rested his head on his hand, his elbow propped on the car door, and nced at the agency''s rather shabby sign.


    After a moment''s thought, he opened the door and stepped inside.


    Business was slow on a weekday. After seeing Evangeline out, the agent had immediately started venting in the office group chat.


    When a colleague joked that he didn''t know how to treat ady, he sent back a vomiting emoji. "Whatdy? All polished on the outside, but for all we know, she''s the kind who... well, you know. What decent woman would be willing to live in a ce like that?"


    Just then, he noticed someone at the door andzily lifted his eyes.


    His gaze swept over Finn, instantly recognizing the designer suit and expensive shoes. He shot up from his chair and hurried over.


    "Sir," he said with a fawning smile, "are you looking to buy or rent?"


    "The woman who was just in here," Finn asked, ignoring the question. "What did she want?"


    The agent realized Finn was asking about Evangeline, and his enthusiasm instantly deted.


    He couldn''t help but remember thest time this happened. Glenn hade in, also decked out in designer brands and looking loaded, only to rent a tiny, run- down apartment.


    Was this guy nning to do the same thing? Renting a hovel just to be near Evangeline?


    What was with these people? Was this some new trend for the rich?


    He wouldn''t even make enough on a ce like that to cover a cup of coffee.


    At that thought, the agent slumped back into his chair, his tone turning snide. "What do peoplee here for? Surely not to ask me on a date."


    "You''re not chasing after her too, are you? Let me give you some advice, buddy. Steer clear of women like that. They look all prim and proper, but who knows how many men they''ve been with behind closed doors."


    "There''s already some guy living next to her. They''re together all the time..."


    Before he could finish, Finn''s foot shot out and kicked the leg of his chair.


    The sudden move caught the manpletely off guard. He toppled backward,nding t on his back with his feet in the air.


    A curse died on his lips as Finn nted a foot on his chest. In one swift, clean motion, Finn grabbed the back of his cor and hauled him up as easily as lifting a kitten.


    The agent''s face turned beet red as the cor choked him.


    Themotion drew the attention of the other agents in the office, and several pairs of eyes turned their way. One person started to step forward, but froze, pinned in ce by the icy, tangible force of Finn''s re.


    "What was that you were saying?" Finn drawled, his voice deceptively mild. "I didn''t quite catch it. Say it again."


    Despite thezy tone, a shiver of pure terror traced its way down the agent''s spine.


    A strangled gasp escaped his throat. "I was wrong! I''m sorry, sir, please, let me go!"


    "Know how to speak properly now?" Finn asked with a cid smile.


    The agent nodded frantically, like a chicken pecking at grain.


    Finn repeated his original question, and this time, the agent stammered out that Evangeline was looking to move.


    Only then did Finn release him. He straightened the man''s cor, his expression once again calm and refined. "See? Wasn''t that simple? If you''d just spoken respectfully from the start, you could have avoided all this unpleasantness."


    "But if I ever hear that kind of filthing out of your mouth again," Finn added, his smile never wavering, "you''d better be prepared to have your neck snapped."


    Finn''s voice was perfectly calm, but the agent felt a sudden chill. He had no doubt Finn was capable of carrying out that threat.


    Finn casually sat down beside him. "Call her back."


    ***


    At that moment, Evangeline was just leaving a nursing home.


    She was in a more remote part of town when she spotted the facility and decided to try her luck. But, as she''d expected, the director had refused her proposal t out. No matter how much she praised the intelligence and convenience of her Alpanions, he wouldn''t budge.


    "Robots? Our caregivers do a much better job than some hunk of nuts and bolts."


    "Even if they''re cheaper than hiring staff, what happens when something goes wrong?"


    "Maintenance staff? So I''d have to hire people to maintain the robots? I might as well just hire people to do the caregiving in the first ce."


    Evangeline had tried to exin further, but they had practically shown her the door.


    Honestly, she had anticipated this. The lower-end market was a huge, untapped opportunity, but it was also riddled with obstacles. The biggest problem was simply getting people to ept the new technology.


    Jotting down the issues she''d encountered, Evangeline was about to head to her next appointment when her phone rang. It was the real estate agent.


    His tone was aplete one-eighty from before. Gone was the arrogant dismissal, reced by a polite, almost obsequious manner as he told her he''d found a suitable property.


    Evangeline was puzzled. She had already decided to try another agency. He had clearly been trying to brush her off earlier, so it seemed highly unlikely he was calling now out of a sense of professional duty. It would have made more sense if he''d called to curse her out.


    A bold suspicion began to form in her mind.


    Voicing it, she tested the waters. "Finn? Are you there with him?"