《Hidden Mafia King and the Fearless CEO》


 Her Husband鈥檚 fiancee

    Mactan International Airport.


    Jenica exited the airport with her suitcase in tow. Her right hand was holding the suitcase¡¯s handle, while the left was holding a child¡¯s small hand who was just five years old.


    The toddler grimaced and tilted his head upward, looking at his mother¡¯s towering stature. ¡°Mom, I want Aunt Carol, not other nannies!¡±


    Jenica sighed. ¡°Your Aunt Carol is busy, Sham. If you¡¯re a good boy, I¡¯ll buy you a mocha cake. Isn¡¯t that your favorite?¡±


    The child could only nod and sulk as he followed his mother¡¯s lead.


    Jenica shook her head as she nced down at her grumpy son. She must be careful not to spoil him too much, or he will turn into a brat like his ymates in the States.


    She gazed over at the massive buildings in the distance. ¡°Fuego Empire,¡± she said softly, a smile on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s been five years and I¡¯m back.¡±


    It¡¯s been five years since she flew abroad to get away from her insanely wealthy, dying husband. She had lost contact with the man, but she still kept up with his news.


    ¡°Ah! Miss Gia is getting married! Look girls, her fiance is the owner of Fuego Empire!¡± cried the girl who followed her out of the airport.


    Jenica just shifted her focus to the two women, both of whom were staring at their phones.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± askedthe girl¡¯spanion.


    ¡°Yes! You know Miss Gia, don¡¯t you? She¡¯s a great singer songwriter plus award winning artist. She recently released a statement that she¡¯s engaged to the CEO of the Fuego Empire.¡±


    Fuego Empire¡¯s CEO?


    Jenica narrowed her eyes and arched her brow. As far as she knows, the CEO of Fuego Empire is currently her husband, then why do they say he is the fiance of that celebrity named Gia?


    Her vision darkened as she recalled her husband¡¯s pale and suffering face. Her husband had the audacity to find another woman after five years? Good. Very well done.


    Jenica grimaced and clinched her hands, irritated by the cheers for her husband and his so-called fiancee. For Pete¡¯s sake, she¡¯s his wife right now!


    She clenched her teeth but was taken aback when she felt her son¡¯s small hand gripping her palm.


    ¡°Mom, are you okay?¡± said the child, lifting his head to gaze at her.


    She grinned as she lowered her gaze to Shamrock. ¡°Good Sham, Mom is fine,¡± she said as she stroked his smooth shoulder-length hair.


    One of the reasons she flew back to the country with her son was to attend the wedding of Alexander Fuego, her shameless husband.


    Aside from the fact that their marriage certificate is still legal, that damn husband made her pregnant, causing her grief. She told him before signing the marriage contract that she had no intention of having a kid, but he broke his vow. And, with the world expecting his marriage to Gia Ante, where does her son fit in?


    She is his hidden wife, and if it is revealed that Alex has a son, what will the public think of her son? A bastard?


    She¡¯s not going to let anyone make fun of Shamrock! Then pardon her for taking her son back to the country to meet his bastard father!


    The taxi cab she had hail and ridden in earlier hade to a halt in front of an affluent subdivision. She was holding Sham¡¯s hand and ready to enter the massive gate when the guard stopped them.


    ¡°Miss, wait a minute. You are not allowed to enter if you are not a homeowner.¡±


    She turned to face the guard. ¡°I am Mr. Fuego¡¯s wife,¡± she stated.


    ¡°Ah, Miss¡­¡± said the guard. ¡°Several women have introduced themselves as Mr. Fuego¡¯s wives and girlfriends, but none of them earned the approval of Mr. Fuego¡¯s housekeeper. If you don¡¯t want to be dragged away, leave on your own.¡± He stared at Sham as he spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this is Mr. Fuego¡¯s son? Miss, Sir Fuego has imprisoned many liars,¡± the ugly man sneered, mocking both her and the boy.


    His words caused Jenica¡¯s blood to boil. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me? I used to live here five years ago!¡±


    ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve already heard your words multiple times from different women. You can¡¯t fool me so please leave!¡±


    Jenica cursed quietly as she gazed at the enormous houses within the development. She squinted. Just wait, Alexander Fuego!


    With a gloomy expression, she drew Sham away. She had no idea that after five years she wouldn¡¯t be able to enter that stupid subdivision. She remembered how the guards used to bow to her whenever they saw her.


    ¡°Mom, the weather¡¯s hot!¡± cried Sham.


    She noticed herson was bathingin hissweat. Jenica bit her bottom lip and quickly snatched the bull cap from the edge of the luggage. ¡°Wait a moment, Sham. Mom will look for a car, okay?¡± she asked, putting a handkerchief under the child¡¯s back.


    She took a phone from her pocket as they stood in the shade of a huge tree. ¡°Hello, Shimen. Are you busy now? I need your help. I¡¯ll send the address.¡±


    A dark automobile soon arrived opposite them. The driver¡¯s door opened, and a man with sunsses stepped out. He was dressed casually in a polo shirt and smiled when he saw her.


    ¡°Jen, nice to see you back, but why are you here? Mama has been waiting for you for a while,¡± Shimen asked as he took Shamrock in his arms. ¡°Little boy, Uncle Shimen¡¯s here to fetch you. Are you happy?¡±


    Sham pressed his lips together and averted his gaze. ¡°I want my Dad!¡±


    Jenica gave an uneasy smile. ¡°Sorry. He¡¯s being naughty again because of the hot weather.¡±


    Shimen shook his head andughed. ¡°Sham, I¡¯m also your godfather. You can call me Daddy¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± mumbled Sham.


    Shimen onlyughed as Jenica rebuked her son. The three climbed into the car and drove out of the private territory.


    ¡°What are your ns for today?¡± Shimen inquired as he drove.


    Sham had fallen asleep in the rear while she was in the passenger seat. She felt relieved because the child was protected by a seatbelt.


    Jenica sighed and turned to stare out the window. ¡°I need to make sure Sham can return to his father; the news about him having a fiancee¡­¡± She closed her eyes and rubbed the side of her brow. ¡°Too troublesome.¡±


    Shimen remained silent for a few seconds before speaking once more. ¡°You ran away from that man five years ago. And now, you¡¯reing back.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s lips curved up slightly. ¡°I maybe too impulsive back then, but I don¡¯t regret my decision. If I stayed in his power, I might not be able to birth Sham,¡± she blurted out.


    A lot happened five years ago that drove her to flee. Shimen assisted her in leaving the country. And even though she was in another country, they never lost contact, that¡¯s why he became Sham¡¯s godfather when he presented himself.


    ¡°Where will you live with Sham?¡± Shimen asked.


    ¡°Just drop us at this address,¡± she said, referring to the address of the house her assistant had purchased from abroad.


    The car soon came to a halt in front of the two-story residence. Shimen took a peek around. ¡°When are you going to visit the old mansion? Mama is looking forward seeing her little boy.¡±


    Jenica let out a quietugh. ¡°Please say my thanks and promise to visit Tita when Sham adjusted to the country¡¯s climate.¡±


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    Shimen rejected her offer to enter the residence because he had received a call from his assistant informing him that there was an issue at thepany. Jenica simply watched the automobile drive away before entering the house with the sleeping kid in her arms.


    She called her assistant after she had ced Sham on the bed. ¡°Locate Mr. Alexander Fuego and send someone from Nanny Center and direct the nanny into this house.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Agent J.¡±


    Then there was a loud knock on the door. She opened it to see a woman in her mid-40s standing by the doorway. The woman gave her a friendly grin. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m from the Nanny Center. I was assigned by our staff head to be sent here.¡±


    ¡°I see. Pleasee in,¡± she said. ¡°This is his school schedule,¡± Jenica added, handing over the piece of paper. ¡°In the next few days I will be busy so I won¡¯t be able to look after Sham.¡±


    Thedy paid close attention to her instructions. Her overseas assistant was the one who contacted and recruited the old maid, so she has a lot of faith in her.


    Jenica departed the residence after exining the do¡¯s and don¡¯ts to the elderly maid. Then she went to the address her assistant had given her.


    It¡¯s a nightclub with people dancing enthusiastically in the dim light. Jenica grimaced and made her way to the second floor, where the VIP rooms were located.


    Alex had disliked this type of location in the past, but why, of all ces, would she find her husband here after five years?N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    She scowled. People do change with the passage of time.


    As Jenica entered the farthest VIP room, she was met by dim lighting. Three men sat on the long chairs. A naked woman was dancing on a little tform in the middle of the room.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes grew ck. What on earth is her husband doing in this room?


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s just you? Damn. The three of us won¡¯t be satisfied by only one woman. You might pass out in the middle,¡± one of the three men smirked from ear to ear. ¡°Add another woman. Hurry up and Mr. Fuego is getting impatient.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s ears perked up at what she heard. Mr. Fuego? Her husband has the audacity to ask women to perform such nasty things?


    She clenched her teeth. Good. Very good.


    She examined the three drunken men¡¯s features, but she couldn¡¯t recognize any of them. She noticed some movement in the darkness. Only then did she see there was another man seated in the area where the light did not shine.


    Jenica could feel the heat of that man¡¯s eyes on her. She cursed softly as she approached the man in the dark.


    ¡°Miss!¡± yelled one of the three men as he approached her. He grabbed her arm to prevent her from advancing forward. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me or did you just turn a deaf ear? I told you to add another girl or do you want the three of us to ruin you together? Well, that doesn¡¯t sound bad, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Jenica could smell alcohol on his breath. The man appeared to be intoxicated and unable to stand upright. She smirked and struckedhim in the stomach.


    The man growled and knelt, gripping his injured gut.


    ¡°What the h*ll!¡± cursedthe man¡¯s buddy. ¡°Dude, it¡¯s just a woman. Why are you so weak?¡±


    His twopanions burst outughing.


    The man kneeling in front of her flushed. Jenica¡¯s eyes widened as the man quickly stood up and pulled her down onto the couch behind her.


    ¡°You really irritate me.I won¡¯t stop until I teach you a lesson!¡± he stated while grasping the strap of her dress.


    Jenica quickly grabbed and twisted the man¡¯s hand. The man was in tremendous pain. Smirking, she kicked the thing between his legs. The man copsed on the floor, yelled, and gripped the injured object between his thighs.


    ¡°B*tch!¡± the man shouted.


    Jenica risen up, chuckled and kicked him. ¡°Good dogs don¡¯t standin my way,¡± she added, taking a step closer to the scumbag sitting in the shadows.

 Sitting on his lap

    Jenica stood in front of Alexander Fuego, who was sipping his drink and staring at her gently. His lips curved upward, and his eyes squinted. ¡°Done ying outside, wife?¡± he asked.


    She pressed her lips together. Jenica scowled, raising one foot onto his inner thigh and cing it against the secret thing in between his legs. ¡°So, Mr. Alexander Fuego, you¡¯ve learned to appreciate beauty now?¡± she asked, pressing her foot into the man¡¯s jewels.


    Alex winced and motioned for her to get closer. ¡°What are you saying? I only love your body and no one else.¡±


    Jenica clenched her teeth and yanked her foot away from Alex¡¯s gem. She gasped in surprise as he reached out a hand and pulled her into hisp. His hot breath struck the back of her sensitive ear.


    ¡°Are you back for good?¡± he asked in hushed tones.


    Someone intervened before she could respond. ¡°Mr. Fuego, this woman¡­ she¡¯s?¡±


    Jenica turned to face the three men. She could see their eyes widening and their mouths gaping in disbelief. Sneering, she crossed her arms across her chest.


    She was currently sitting on Mr. Fuego¡¯sp while he wassippinga drink. She tried to break away, but his arm was tightly wrapped around her waist, preventing her from doing so.


    ¡®Manydies will cry if you don¡¯t let go, Mr. Fuego.¡¯


    Alex seemed to ignore the men¡¯s ashened expressions and continued to tease Jenica.


    ¡°She¡¯s my woman,¡± Alex said, smiling as he drew her closer to his body. He ran his fingers through her hair with a careless smile on his lips.


    He was treating her like a pet.


    Her cheeks were burning, and she was furious and ashamed. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Let go,¡± she murmured.


    Alex burst outughing. ¡°Too bad, I can¡¯t let you go,¡± he said softly, gently biting her ear. ¡°I let you y outside for five long years and it¡¯s enough, or do you want me to cage you so you can¡¯t run away again?¡±


    Jenica clenched her hand as she red at his words. Herst memory of the man was his dying face. She assumed her husband would die, and she was terrified to be alone, especially whenshe was carrying their kid. Her husband¡¯s immediate family will undoubtedly eat her alive if they find out how Alex married her without their knowledge or consent.


    And what will happen to the growing infant on her stomach if things go wrong? She didn¡¯t have to make a guess. So, out of terror, Jenica decided to flee the estate while it was in disarray.


    But what changed in her husband after five years?


    He was no longer the pale and frail man who had offered marriage to her previously. No longer was he the dying man who used to apany her to the garden and chuckle whenever she made a joke about herself.


    Jenica didn¡¯t nce at the men who were discreetly departing the room as she remembered the past. Even the woman dancing on the tform fled, and just the man who ¡®enjoyed¡¯ her kick between the thighs remained. He wasringat her while sitting awkwardly on the sofa.


    Jenica raised an eyebrow as she observed the man. Was he craving that ¡®sweet¡¯ kick again?


    Alex saw Jenica¡¯s attention was not on him. He grimaced and followed her gaze. His face became solemn. ¡°What do you want, Ante?¡±


    Dante chuckled. ¡°Mr. Fuego, what do you mean by this?¡±


    Jenica squinted. The man was now staring her in the eyes, indicating that he had recovered his sensesfrom her previous kick. She gave him a sly grin. Dante¡¯s face flushed as he caught the sneer on her lips and turned his gazeaway.


    Alex smiled and shook the goblet in his hand. ¡°Should I report my mattersto you?¡± he mocked, raising his naughty finger beneath Jenica¡¯s breast. Jenica froze and swatted the hand away. Alex let out a quietugh.


    ¡°If my guess is right, this woman should be your wife?¡± Dante said.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Alex¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°You knew? That¡¯s interesting,¡± he said, but his voice was cold and emotionless.


    Except for his confidante and the servants at his house, no one knows Alexander is married. Even Alex¡¯s family is unaware that he is currently married.


    And it was one of the reasons Jenica brought her son to the country. She is concerned about her son¡¯s rightful ce because, despite the fact that she and Alex have a marriage license, the man was still considered a bachelor in the eyes of the public.


    So, if the wedding goes on and everyone learns about Shamrock, the public will undoubtedly use her and Sham as being homewreckers.


    It is uwful to marry while still notdivorced, but things change when money and public opinion are involved. She may not have received a divorce letter at this time, but what about in the future? She has no faith in Alex or the people around him.


    Dante burst outughing. ¡°Mr. Fuego, did you forget about your engagement with my sister Gia?¡± The man smiled, but his eyes were chilly. ¡°Have you forgotten what your grandmother asked you to do?¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat, Ante?¡± Alex asked, lowering the ss he was holding on the table and raising his hand. Two men in ck entered. ¡°Drag this bastard out.¡±


    Dante rose up and shook his clothes as the neerplied. ¡°I know the way,¡± Dante said, and a curious smile emerged on his lips. She grimaced, and Alex¡¯s face darkened. Dante waved his hand softly. ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Fuego. I hope you can exin your matterster.¡±


    After chatting, Dante eventually emerged, followed by the men in ck. Alex and Jenica were left inside.


    She brokeaway from the man¡¯sp, but he quickly wrapped his arm around her torso and drew her back. When Jenica¡¯s backnded on him, she could feel her husband¡¯s hot and powerful chest. Her cheeks began to flush.


    Why is this jerk refusing to let her go? So clinging? Whathappened to her sickly and frail husband then?


    ¡°Get your hands off me!¡± she yelled, a bit growling.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Alex asked, his mouth near to her ear. ¡°Why? I haven¡¯t yed with your body yet.¡±


    Jenica was taken aback. Her eyes hardened when she realized what Alex meant. ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡± she smacked his finger on her covered breast. She snarled, ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡±


    ¡°If I say yes, what will you do?¡± the man challenged, smiling sweetly.


    Jenica¡¯s face was as red as a ripe tomato. She pped his face with her fist raised. ¡°Stop fooling around. I¡¯m here because we have something to talk about. Don¡¯t involve your perverted mind in this business!¡± she shrieked.


    Alex¡¯s face reddened as he gripped his injured cheek. The man moved his gaze to her parted lips. As she tried to push him away, he kissed her fiercely. Alex scowled. ¡°What? You¡¯ve grown courage in five years? Where is my submissive wife?¡±


    Jenica smirked and pped him on the other cheek. Alex took a deep breath and escted his punishment. She saw herself lying on the plush sofa while the man pinned her hands over her head.


    Alex let go of her lips to stare at her, causing her to cease struggling and return his hot gaze. She scowled. ¡°What are you looking at?!¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in years, let me take a good look at your face,¡± he said tenderly as he caressed her cheek.


    Jenica was taken aback by the longing in his eyes. Under his stare, her heartbeat sped and her cheeks flushed hot. Jenica¡¯s pulse skipped a beat and she held her breath as Alex drew in closer.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown fat here,¡± Alex observed abruptly, running his fingers over her stomach and waist. His hand reached for her breast. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re bigger now,¡± he continued, giving it a slight squeeze.


    All those great feelings burst like bubbles, and Jenica¡¯s anger rose to the top of her head. ¡°Bastard, get your hands off!¡± she yelled, shoving the man away.


    Alexughed and took both of her hands in his. He pinned them above her head once more and leaned in closer to her, beaming. ¡°I¡¯m not done checking your body. Don¡¯t be too hasty and we¡¯ll get down to our businesster, wife.¡±


    ¡°You bast¡ª¡±


    Alex¡¯s lips brushed up against her cheek. He kissed her on the brow, nose, chin, and lips with butterfly kisses.


    Jenica¡¯s rage faded in an instant, and she could hear her heart hammering loudly. She was agitated. She tried to push her lips away from Alex¡¯s aggressive kiss, but the man was too domineering and wouldn¡¯t let her go for even a second.


    While their lips fought for supremacy, the door unexpectedly opened and a woman showed up. ¡°What the hell! Who is this b*tch seducing my man?! Let go of him, you sl*t!¡± she screamed, her cheeks reddened and puffing furiously.

 Wake up

    The female lead has arrived.


    Jenica caressed Alex¡¯s back softly and reached her hand up to the back of the man¡¯s head. Her eyes darted to Gia¡¯s direction, a smile on her face.


    ¡°You b*tch!¡± said the woman as she dashed over.


    She was simply mocking Gia, but Alex appeared to enjoy it, and she felt their kiss deepen. He grasped her hand, inteced their fingers, and trapped her naughty palm over her head as she softly pushed him.


    Jenica noticed Alex¡¯s lips curling up. She squinted and clung her arms and legs to him, swapping positions. She was now on top, while the many below her, his lips swollen and inmed. She scowled, recalling how she bit his lips earlier.


    ¡°You underestimated me,¡± she said quietly, running her fingertips over her husband¡¯s beautiful cheeks. Alex¡¯s gaze was soft as he twisted his fingers through her hair.


    When she sensed movement on the side, Jenica sat up quickly.


    ¡®Swiss!¡¯


    She took Gia¡¯s hand in hers and smiled as she moved her head to the side. ¡°You can¡¯t afford to hurt me,¡± she said, her eyes narrowing.


    ¡°Y-You, b*tch!¡± Gia eximed, violently pulling back her hand. The woman looked at Alex. ¡°Honey, Kuya said you have a woman. I didn¡¯t believe him but seeing this ugly woman¡­ What do you mean by this?!¡±


    Honey?


    Jenica raised a browand nced down at Alex. Her lips twitched and she held back herughter. She remembered that this man didn¡¯t like it when she called him with lovely words, but is it okay with Gia? Well, well¡­ Her husband was a fraud.


    She kissed Alex on the chest and smiled sweetly at him. ¡°I really like your face, handsome, but¡­¡± Jenica raised her hand to gently pat his cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep with hypocrites,¡± she said modestly before leaving from his top.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Alex asked as she straightened her clothing. He propped himself up with his arm and nced at her.


    She smiled as she raised her brows and turned to face him. ¡°Gonna leave. Your girlfriend is here so you don¡¯t need me anymore. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll visit you again soon.¡±


    Gia¡¯s fist closed while Jenica and Alex talked. She couldn¡¯t believe that a stranger was more beautiful than she was. When Alex ignored her, her mood darkened and she became more envious. His entire attention was on that vile woman.


    ¡°Sl*t!¡± shouted Gia, pointing a finger at Jenica. ¡°How dare you seduce my man!¡±


    Jenica raised her hand and faced Gia. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone ever tell you that it¡¯s not good for a woman to cuss?¡± she asked as she walked past her. ¡°Ahyaa¡­ I didn¡¯t know Mr. Fuego¡¯s fiancee had no ss,¡± she said, shaking her head and grinning widely.


    Gia¡¯s fury rose to the surface. How could that scumbag mock her?


    She swiftly took out the little needles and hurled them at Jenica.


    Thetter raised her brows and tweaked the corner of her mouth. She took a step to the side, and all of the small and sharp needles fell to the floor. Jenica turned to face Gia, shaking her head. ¡°What ame shooter. A child is more sharp-eyed than you, Miss.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°You might want to see a doctor,¡± Jenica suggested, picking up a needle. If she wasn¡¯t used to looking for small objects, she might have overlooked the needle on the ground. ¡°Mmm¡­ This needle is good,¡± she murmured as she pocketed it.


    She gave Gia a thoughtful look before exiting the room.


    Jenica extracted the needle from her pocket and examined it. She¡¯s seen and used a lot of hidden weapons over the years, but this is the first time she¡¯s seen needles. And a toxic one at that. Why doesn¡¯t she try it? Her lips moved.


    She took her smartphone from her pocket and dialed her assistant in another country. ¡°Investigate this thing for me,¡± she said as she hung up the phone, snapping a photo before putting the needle away. She then forwarded it to her assistant.


    She soon received a phone call. ¡°The needle carries poison. The degree of lethality is unknown and it can only be used once. When exposed in the air, the poison loses its lethality and will immediately rot. The only record of this poisonous needle is found in a private ind near Mindoro. It was used to assassinate a small government official.¡±


    ¡°Only one record?¡± She scowled and reached into her pocket for the needle, only to be astonished when she couldn¡¯t locate any.


    ¡°Yes, Agent J. Only one record found because these needles rot inside the victim¡¯s body even without air, and the autopsies can¡¯t detect any metalponents on the corpses. I¡¯m afraid, these poisonous needles are not made of metals but other materials that the human body can absorb.¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted. That¡¯s why, after exposing the needle to air, she couldn¡¯t detect anything in her pocket.


    She arched her brow. ¡°This matter is also one of my missions?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the person on the other end of the line, clearing his throat. ¡°The organization wants you to investigate the ongoing illegal transaction between a local private entity and Jared¡¯s group. As well as to find out who made these poison needles.¡±


    She took a big breath and said, ¡°Roger that.¡± ¡°I still have one request. I want to know who Gia Ante is and investigate the Ante Enterprise behind her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it, Agent J.¡±


    She hung up the phone and stared out the window at the bright city not far away. The wind blew gently as she stood on the rooftop of the hotel where she would spend the night.


    Jenica Laurel is not her sole identity. Most people are unaware that she is also a member of the International Crime Operatives headquartered in Europe. And her first aim in the country is to uncover the transaction carried out by Jared¡¯s group in the country, which is number one on the organization¡¯s wanted list.


    And, in order to protect Shamrock, she will remain at the hotel until the task ispleted.


    She lightly tapped her brow. What a pity. She failed todo what she had nnedtonight: totell Alex about Shamrock, their son. Jenica picked up the phone once more and dialed her husband¡¯s number.


    ¡°Alex, this is Jenica,¡± she said as someone picked up the call.


    For a few seconds, the other line was silent before she heard Alex¡¯s voice. ¡°You left me again. Jenica, do you think I enjoyed being yed at?¡±


    She grinned as she heard the fury in his voice. ¡°Why is it still my fault? I¡¯m not betrothed to some woman who chased me out¡­¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°I called you because I have something to say. If you don¡¯t want to listen, that¡¯s your loss,¡± Jenica replied, oblivious to the man¡¯s growing rage.


    After a few seconds of stillness, he asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Is Gia still there?¡±


    ¡°No. She left after you.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Just wait for me.¡±


    So she returned to the bar, which was only a few blocks away from where she was staying. She was alerted when the smell of blood assaulted her nose and when she entered the VIP room, Jenica discovered a bloodied corpse near the door.


    She walked inside the VIP areaas if she owned the ce, oblivious to the bloody mess near her feet.Looking around, she noticed Alex surrounded by two masked men, each wielding a knife.


    Alex squinted his eyes. ¡°What are you doing here? Run, right now!¡±


    ¡°Oh. Someone wants you dead?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    As far as she knows, no one attempted to kill Alex when he was on the point of death five years ago. But now that the man is in good health, someonedispatched an assassin to murder him? What nonsense!


    ¡°Bro, you deal with that stupid girl, and I¡¯ll deal with Fuego!¡± said one of the assassins.


    The short man hurried towards Jenica. She squinted, unable to believe that someone had the balls to silence her.


    Alex¡¯s face darkened and moved towardsJenica. But the assassin in front of him would not let him leave. Hissing, hedodged the impending sneak attack.


    Because it is a VIP room, no one knows what is going on inside. Jenica will undoubtedly escape if she runs out right now. The thing is, she¡¯s not simply Jenica Laurel.


    Her lips curledand she sprinted towards the approaching assassin. She could see the man¡¯s shock and wonder in his eyes. Yes. Who would rush blindly into danger? Well, only her.


    She pulled the small dagger hidden inside her sleeve and swung it away. Jenica shied away from the assassin¡¯s de and jumped around behind the man. Like a passing wind, a small and deep cut appeared on the assassin¡¯s neck. Blood sttered on the floor.


    A precise cut.


    ¡°Brother!¡± yelled the assassin behind her as he charged towards her.


    With a small and cold smile on her lips, Jenica looked over her shoulder to see the other assassin rushing towards her inplete madness. What a sight it was. She had no intention to dodge the iing assault because she had a n in mind.


    But a stupid bastard shoved her aside and took her spot. Jenica¡¯s eyes grew as she gaped in surprise. ¡°No!¡± she screamed.


    ¡®St¡¯


    Alex¡¯s blood trickled across the floor as the knife pressed against him.


    When Jenica saw her husband kneeling in front of the assassin, she took a deep breath. Thetter had raised the knife and was about to kill Alex when she dashed over to that damn assassin and thrust the dagger into his neck. The man copsed, his eyes wide open.


    Jenica seized her husband¡¯s cold body. ¡°Alex¡­ Alex! Wake up! Wake up!¡±

 Prettier than her

    ¡°The wound on Mr. Fuego¡¯s side is deep. Fortunately, it¡¯s not on his vital organ so his condition is not critical. But he lost a lot of blood so he has to stay in the hospital and we¡¯ll wait for his condition to stabilize,¡± stated the doctor.


    Jenica nodded and looked around the closed surgical room. She pursed her lips and continued to walk back and forth. She contacted Alex¡¯s assistant, who assured her that he was on his way.


    Jenica grimaced as she looked over at the two bodyguards standing silently to the side. These two men emerged out of nowhere as she was taking her husband out of the club.


    The two corpses she saw earlier in the VIP area were the two men that escorted Dante Ante away. Both were reported dead upon arrival.


    ¡°Assassins,¡± she murmured, sinking back into her thoughts.


    ¡°Miss Laurel!¡± calledRenato, Alex¡¯s personal assistant. ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte. There¡¯s a heavy traffic on the highway. How is Mr. Fuego?¡±


    ¡°The operation was sessful, and he¡¯ll be transferred to a private room for observation,¡± she said, looking at the two silent men standing a few meters away. ¡°You know them?¡± she asked, pointing to them.


    Renato frowned as he nced at what she was pointing at. ¡°Ante Private Security.¡±


    ¡°Ante?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow. Gia¡¯s men? Was it just a coincidence that Gia¡¯s men were still around while that woman was nowhere?


    She approached the two with a gloomy expression. ¡°Hey. Did Gia Ante asked you to watch over Alex?¡± she went on to say.


    The two bodyguards bowed to her to show respect, but she knew better. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±


    Jenica smirked and squinted. She sensed something was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was. She sighed and closed her eyes. ¡°Does she have any other instructions for you both?¡±


    ¡°No, Ma¡¯am. Young Miss just wants to keep an eye on Mr. Fuego.¡±


    Jenica sneered. Watch over Alex? Maybe she wants to know if a woman¡¯s buzzing around Alex.


    She said her goodbyes to Renato after staff members moved Alex to the private room. ¡°I guess he¡¯ll be okay. Call his rtives and inform them.¡±


    The assistant paused. He eventually handed over an envelope. ¡°Mrs. Fuego, I know it¡¯s not appropriate for me to give you this. But you might need it.¡±


    As Alex¡¯s personal assistant, he is aware that Jenica is Mr. Fuego¡¯s concealed wife, therefore his call came as no surprise to her. She epted the letter and saw it contained an invitation to the Fuego and Ante ns¡¯ engagement reception.


    She grinned at him with a disdainful look in her eyes. ¡°Thanks,¡± she murmured as she exited the hospital.


    She took a taxi back to her hotel and called her assistant in another country. ¡°Give me theplete details of the guests and the organizers of this engagement party.¡±


    Then she called the home nanny and inquired about Sham¡¯s condition. Jenica exhaled a sigh of relief as thedy responded affirmatively. She had no idea why she was suddenly restless, like if something horrible was about to happen. But she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind when she received critical information from her assistant.


    Gia Ante is the second child of the couple Ante and childhood friend of Alexander Fuego. She flew to the States and studied there, joined Hollywood and be a sensational artist. Three years ago she returned to the country because her grandmother asked her to go back home.


    Her singing career has also flourished in the country. A few months ago, a meet and greet event took ce in the capital and there, Alex and Gia met again. And, just this morning, Gia announced her engagement to the CEO of Fuego Empire. Alex did not deny anything, therefore Gia¡¯s statement became headline news.


    Well, there was still no results in the investigation about Ante Enterprise, but the important information about Gia is enough for now.


    Jenica blinked. Her return to the country was timed perfectly. She chuckled.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it Gia Ante? You attempted to kill me, so let¡¯s see if you can crawl onto my husband¡¯s bed,¡¯ she thought as she smiled at the gleaming city.


    After a few days, it was time for the engagement party. The national news was covering what was going on inside. Some well-known showbiz and business figures arrived to put a face to the capital¡¯s two most powerful ns. Jenica even noticed some international celebrities walking around the hall.


    She was dressed up and wore beautiful jewelry, and Jenica knew she looked different from her previous image. She didn¡¯t like to dress well back then and would always wear in house clothing. Even when Alex escorted her to boutiques, she refused to buy a dress.


    Her lips curved into a rare sweet smile.


    A man approached her unexpectedly and asked, ¡°Miss, are you alone?¡±


    Jenica squinted her eyes as she peered at the neer. Isn¡¯t this Alex¡¯s haughty cousin? She remembered how this man tried to win her over with his so-called charm when he came to Alex¡¯s ce.


    And only this man knew Alex had a hidden wife among all the Fuego.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Her gaze shifted to the side. He didn¡¯t appear to recognize her. Jenica smiled and reached out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Laurel,¡± she introduced herself.


    The man¡¯s eyes widened somewhat at what she did, and he returned her smile. ¡°Robert Fuego, Miss.¡± He winked at her shamelessly.


    When she felt Robert squeeze her palm, the edge of her lips rose. She silently retracted her hand. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re one of the rtives?¡± she inquired, sipping her wine.


    ¡°Kinda,¡± he said with a smile, scratching the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m Alexander¡¯s cousin. Do you want to meet him?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    Robert gave a nasty smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t have a date tonight. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll introduce you as my date to that cousin of mine.¡±


    ¡®The same yboy Robert, I see,¡¯ Jenica thought. She smirked and said, ¡°Sure why not?¡±


    Robert took her to the second floor. Jenica secretly took a look around and noticed that the two ns actually paid hugely for the engagement party. Too bad, it¡¯ll be a wasteter.


    When she felt Robert¡¯s fingers on her waist, her vision dimmed. She took a step to the side and smiled at him. ¡°There are eyes staring at us. I don¡¯t want a scandal.¡±


    Robertughed and threw up his hands in the air. ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    They soon entered the men¡¯s dressing room together. Jenica furrowed her brows and looked at Robert, who seemed oblivious to the hotel staff¡¯s suspicious stares. It¡¯s unusual to see a woman enter the men¡¯s room, but the man next to her looked unconcerned.


    Jenica snorted.


    ¡°Bro! I brought a girl tonight. She¡¯s prettier than your fiancee!¡± Robert eximed as he pushed her to the towering man standing with his back onher.


    Jenica gasped in surprise. This thug who couldn¡¯t handle a woman!

 Raise the glass for a toast

    She would have tripped face first if Alex hadn¡¯t grabbed her arm. Jenica cursed in her mind. She turned to look at Robert, who was scratching his nape andughing apologetically. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said.


    This guy!


    Jenica huffed, blinked, and straightened up. She isn¡¯t a weakdy, but when ites to Alex, she loses her typical self, her poise. She grimaced and took a step back, her gaze drawn elsewhere.


    ¡°Bro! This is Laurel, my date!¡± Robert said as he drew her closer to him.


    Jenica pursed her lips, irritably, and turned to face Alex, who was also frowning at her. ¡°Date?¡± her husbandinquired, smiling.


    She had a horrible feeling when she saw Alex¡¯s smile. Jenica leaned to Robert and murmured, ¡°I want to go back.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Someone grabbed her wrist and dragged her away from Robert before thetter could answer. Jenica¡¯s eyes widened as she looked up at her husband, who was wearing a frown. ¡°Is this your date?¡± Alex inquired, looking down at her. ¡°An unusual woman whocks self-disciple?¡±


    ¡°Bro, a little respect, ¡®kay. That¡¯s my date. Keep your hands off my woman,¡± Robert said as he snatched Jenica¡¯s other hand and yanked her away from Alex¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°Your woman?¡± Alex smirked as he drew her back. He pinched her cheeks softly and murmured in her ear. ¡°So you¡¯re now devoting yourself to your cousin-inw? Wife, should I be happy?¡±


    Jenica¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Why? You¡¯re engaged. Is there a reason for me to still be faithful to you? I¡¯m not a martyr if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking,¡± she smirked back.


    Alex blinked. ¡°So you¡¯re doing this the hard way, huh?¡± he said, grabbing her nape and kissing her lips.


    ¡°Damn, bro! What are you doing!¡± cursed Robert, separating the two of them. ¡°Are you crazy? You have a fiancee!¡±


    ¡°This is none of your business. Get lost!¡± Alex shouted back, pushing Robert away. He took Jenica¡¯s hand in his and led her through a secret door.


    ¡°Alexander Fuego!¡± screamed Robert, huffing furiously. ¡°She¡¯s my girl!¡±


    Alex paused for a moment, chuckling, before closing the door behind them.


    As they looked at each other, silence enveloped them. The man squinted even more. ¡°Exin yourself,¡± he said.


    Jenica smirked, her arms crossed across her chest. ¡°Why should I?¡±


    Alex¡¯s expression deepened, and he gripped both of her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re my wife, Jenica.¡±


    She swatted his hands away and took a step back to avoid his hand. She scowled. ¡°What a shameless man you are, Mr. Fuego! One woman isn¡¯t enough for you, so you¡¯re looking for another despite having a wife?¡± Jenica questioned. ¡°I thought only your body was sick, I didn¡¯t know your illness has gotten into your head.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use me without looking at what you¡¯ve done, Jenica. You abandoned your husband when I needed you most.¡±


    She remained silent for a few secondsbefore turning away. For a brief moment, silence descended upon them, beforeJenica cleared her throat. ¡°I have my reasons.¡±


    ¡°I also have mine,¡± Alex added. He tightened his fist. ¡°Five years have passed since you left me, Jenica. That night was thest treatment session before I¡¯ll finally get rid of my illness. I thought you¡¯ll be by my side when I wake up only to find out that you ran away. You think marrying me is a child¡¯s y that you made fun of me by doing that?¡±


    She took a big breath and avoided looking Alex in the eyes. Alex¡¯s eyes were filled with usations against Jenica because of what happened five years ago. She sighed, her lips pursed. ¡°I wanted freedom,¡± was the only response she could muster.


    Alexughed. He ruffled his hair and fixed his gaze on Jenica. ¡°You think I¡¯ll believe that excuse?¡±


    ¡°Whether you believe it or not, it doesn¡¯t concern me,¡± she said with a sidelong nce at him. ¡°I see that you¡¯re well enough to taunt and threaten me. Since you¡¯re engaged, it¡¯s not good to let others see we¡¯re alone in this room.¡±


    Alex scowled. ¡°You really love to lie. Do you think I¡¯m naive to believe your words?¡±


    Jenica smiled as she gazed at him this time. He understood why she let him drag her into that room.


    For this very reason: The door opened with a bang and Gia entered with several boys and girls of the same age.


    Jenica noticed Robert ring at Alex from behind Gia. Jenica arched her brow and smirked. She knew Robert wouldn¡¯t let her down bringing her husband¡¯s fiancee over the room.


    Well, she just wanted to see Gia¡¯s face flushed in anger. Wew, what a sight it was. Gia¡¯s possessiveness towards her husband was all a joke in her eyes because in the end of the day, Jenica¡¯s the legal wife.


    ¡°You!¡± shouted Gia, pointing a finger at her. ¡°What on earth are you doing with my fiance?¡±


    Jenica turned to the left and smiled at the neer. ¡°Me?¡± she said gently, pointing to herself. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your beloved fiance, huh?¡±


    And walked by Gia, but the madwoman¡¯s entourage suddenly blocked her route. Jenica smiled at them while squinting with clinched teeth. ¡°Get lost!¡± she eximed.


    ¡°Your face is too thick to seduce Kuya Alex!¡± eximed the woman with spectacles. She was staring at her as if Jenica owed her a million dors.


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right! No matter what you do, you will never set foot in Fuego¡¯s mansion. A b*tch like you doesn¡¯t deserve cousin Alex!¡± Another voice cried out.


    Jenica raised the corner of her mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it Fuego¡¯s mansion?¡± she asked, looking at Gia, who was staring at her. Jenica let out a quietugh. ¡°Just a small mansion not worth for my feet to step in.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    She could hear people gasp in disbelief and shock, but she had finally walked out of that suffocating room. Her expression darkened as a sh of light shed across her eyes. She went to the engagement celebration for one purpose only: to humiliate Ante and Fuego¡¯s family.


    She wasn¡¯t only dissatisfied with Alexander five years ago. Many huge families came to the Fuego mansion in the capital to congratte the currentdy of the Fuego n, who is Alexander¡¯s grandmother, after the doctor confirmed that Alex could walk after thest treatment.


    Of course, Alex¡¯s rtives couldn¡¯t visit to his independent house in an exclusive subdivision, so they sent gifts through Alex¡¯s assitant, who then delivered the goods to the house where she lived. And Alex¡¯s grandmother would always summon him to the Fuego house to entertain his ¡°guests,¡± whom Jenica recognized as the young maidens of the capital¡¯s important families.


    When she begged for a divorce, Alex refused to let her leave, but he continued to stand in front of those women, greeting them as guests in the Fuego mansion. Jenica couldn¡¯t deny she was jealous, but she couldn¡¯t do anything because she was supposed to be his ¡°hidden wife,¡± a trophy against his n¡¯s hunger for his fortune, an insurance that his wealth wouldn¡¯t go to his greedy rtives after his death.


    But Alex would constantly console her, promising her that he wouldn¡¯t get those bugs and that he was simply trying to keep the Fuego n under control. Jenica believed him when she heard Alex telling his men to throw away the naked woman who stood in front of him one night.


    She knew Alex didn¡¯t like those young maidens, so when she found out her husband was marrying Gia Ante, she was devastated. What more could she possibly do? She was embarrassed to point a finger in his face since she was the one who abandoned him first.


    But¡­ She averted her gaze. After what happened five years ago, why would she allow them to be happy?


    She chuckled as an unpleasant smile spread across her lips.


    ¡°Haah! What kind of woman is that? Miss Gia is this kind of woman?¡±


    ¡°Quick, quick! Take a picture!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Miss Gia is like this. What a pity. She¡¯s my idol but why did she..?¡±


    Jenica could hear the guests¡¯ whispers as she slowly swirled the goblet in her hand, sipping wine. The projector was kept on, hoping to show the couple¡¯s photos, but to everyone¡¯s amazement, the huge screen disyed Gia¡¯s naked photos.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Take it down!¡± eximed Alex¡¯s grandma, thedy of the Fuego n. The olddy¡¯s cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. It happened at her grandson¡¯s engagement celebration, so Jenica understood her emotions. And she was delighted to be able to see the spectacle sight.


    Gia¡¯s face was pale, and her parents¡¯ faces were unhappy. Even Alex¡¯s face darkened as he stared at the n*de photos.


    ¡°Everyone, this is a misunderstanding,¡± said Gia¡¯s father. ¡°Someone framed my daughter. Wait for a second and we¡¯ll figure it out!¡±


    The room was filled with whispers once more. Jenica became aware of a dark stare following her. She looked around, and her gaze was drawn to Dante Ante¡¯s cruel expression. In that moment, the man appeared to recognize her as the woman in that night, Alex¡¯s wife. So be it.


    She raised her ss to him with a sneer on her lips, asking Dante to a toast. The man¡¯s expression was enraged.

 No longer pure

    Dante took a step in her direction. Jenica¡¯s lips curled into a little smile as she sipped a bit of wine and stared at the man¡¯s dark gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s your scheme,¡± Dante stated as he approached her.


    She set the goblet on the table and looked Dante in the eyes. ¡°What are you saying? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What the hell, woman!¡± he eximed as he pressed his lips together. ¡°Soon I¡¯ll rip that smile from your lips!¡± he said as he walked away.


    Jenica shook her head to the right, her lips curled once again. Her assistant was the one she delegated the task of hacking into the hotel¡¯s security system in order to ce Gia¡¯s naked images. Good luck with the security personnel in tracing the instigator.


    Gia¡¯s father soon returned to the stage. ¡°Everyone, we found out the culprit. We¡¯ll impose proper discipline and ask every media to properly choose what content you¡¯ll publishter.¡±


    Mr. Antte¡¯s threat effectively quiet the visitors. Jenicaughed. She knew this was going to happen. Fuego alone had the power to threaten the media, and now that Ante has ties to the strong n, they can easily dominate the media. Of course, not every media outlet can prevent rumor, right?


    For instance, the social media.


    Her assistant shared the content of the projector photos on social media a while ago, and she anticipates the post to trendter, especially given Gia¡¯s celebrity. She¡¯s also grateful that Gia is an influencer; otherwise, spreading that post would be difficult.


    ¡°What the h*ll is this? Miss Gia¡¯s n*de photos are trending number one on social media? My gosh, they¡¯re insane!¡± said the woman across from her table, her gaze fixed on her phone.


    ¡°Who spread those pictures? Good luck to them.¡±


    ¡°Look, Miss Gia¡¯s photos are on social media. Tsk. Her name is ruined. What a shame for Miss Gia.¡±


    ¡°Half of her fans believe what is written in social media!¡±


    While Jenica was enjoying the good show, the entire hall was in disarray. Her phone suddenly vibrated, and she quietly answered the assistant¡¯s call.


    ¡°Agent J, someone tried to trace the IP address but I blocked that person. I¡¯m afraid, a professional is within the vicinity.¡±


    Jenica pursed her lips and lifted her brow. ¡°Is it one of Jared¡¯s men?¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°With its style of attack, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not from Jared¡¯s men.¡±


    She averted her gaze. ¡°Alright.¡±


    Professional?


    Her assistant¡¯s ability to hack security protocols was not trivial, but then, that person called to let her know that professional¡¯s skill is not to be underestimated. It just means that there is someone inside the hall, or behind Fuego and Ante, who can match up to her ¡®agent¡¯ skills when ites to hacking.


    Her lips formed a line. Who is he or she?


    When Jenica¡¯s gaze met Alex¡¯s, she blinked. The man had been staring at her the entire time, and she had only just realized it. She reprimanded herself in private. She was dubbed the organization¡¯s top agent, but she didn¡¯t notice that someone was staring at her, and it was even her husband?


    Or perhaps, subconsciously, she feltfortable with Alex, which is why her body ignored his stare, knowing that he would not attack her in any way?


    This is not a good sign.


    Jenica moved and attempted to walk out of the hall, but Alex was faster. When she was about to reach the heavily guarded massive doors, the man caught her wrist.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Alex asked, his mouth near to her ear.


    ¡°Get your hands off,¡± she warned, pping his hand.


    However, she unintentionally grazed Alex¡¯s side wound. The man winced, and his face grew pale. Alex was drenched in cold sweat.


    Jenica¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± she inquired, instantly grabbing his arm and assisting him in standing.


    She then realized that Alex had just been released from the hospital, and that the wound might not have healed entirely. She had forgotten about that aspect because Alex seemed powerful for someone who had almost lost his life a few days before.


    Someone suddenly grabbed her hand and shoved her to the ground. She lost her footing but quickly gripped the table and stood tall, gazing sternly at the woman who had shoved her.


    Gia was staring at her with a murderous desire. Jenica raised her brow.


    She expected Gia to embarrass herself in front of the audience again, but the woman instead turned to Alex. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry. I let her hurt you. Your wound is yet to get healed but there are girls who are really restless and want to climb onto your bed. Look, you¡¯re pale. It¡¯s my fault for being too kind to her. I thought she knew her limits but I didn¡¯t expect her to hurt you.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Jenica could sense the hostile eyes directed at her by the people present. She squinted and averted her gaze. Gia said those words to make people think negatively of her. Huh. She¡¯ll see to it that Gia pays up this debt soon!


    ¡°It¡¯s you again?!¡± eximed one of Alex¡¯s cousins. Jenica looked at the girl with the spectacles. That was the female who entered the male dressing room earlier with Gia and insulted her. ¡°You desperate loser! Kuya Alex doesn¡¯t like you but you always run after him and do everything to get his attention. Seriously? There are other single men out there that you can flirt with. Don¡¯t disturb Kuya Alex¡¯s life!¡±


    Before Jenica could respond, she heard the guests murmur, ¡°Too bad, she¡¯s pretty but flirtatious. It¡¯s Mr. Fuego¡¯s engagement party, but she¡¯s not ashamed to show her true colors.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. There are women who can¡¯t live without a man¡¯s touch,¡± one of the guests replied.


    And many more derogatory remarks were directed at her. Jenica¡¯s expression darkened even more as she noticed Robert behind the guests who were staring at her strangely. Surely, he didn¡¯t recognize her, but Jenica hadn¡¯t expected him to be so gullible.


    Jenica scowled. She was suddenly the center of attention, and Gia had escaped the guests¡¯ scrutiny. Good. Very good. How easy it would be for that vile woman to turn the tables around!


    Alex abruptly said, ¡°I want to see who¡¯s bold enough to stay!¡±


    Two massive doors suddenly opened. The visitors hurried out of the hall, leaving the members of the Fuego and Ante ns behind; even Jenica stood quietly to the side.


    ¡°Alexander, what¡¯s this? Who plotted against our family?!¡± thedy of Fuego asked in exhaustion. The elderlydy was unconcerned about Jenica, who sat peacefully on the side.


    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll look into it,¡± Alex answered, asking his cousin to apany the elderly woman to her hotel room.


    Alex was approached by Gia¡¯s father. Mr. Ante lowered his head in front of Alex, saying, ¡°Thank you for forgiving my daughter¡¯s ignorance, Mr. Fuego. I¡¯ll remember this favor.¡±


    Alex scowled. ¡°Teach your daughter to behave or she¡¯ll go home with missing limbs, Mr. Ante.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    The Fuego and Ante families exited the hall one by one, especially after seeing Alex¡¯s grim face. Gia paused for a while, but her father drew her away.


    ¡°So¡­ you found the suspect?¡± Jenica inquired. She had noticed the Ante and Fuego n members¡¯ scrutinizing gazes earlier when they observed her sitting calmly on the side with no ns to go out, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    Alex muttered. ¡°That hotel crew¡¯s just a scapegoat. Someone is behind all of this.¡±


    When she heard him speak those words, the corner of her mouth twitched. Her husband¡¯s brain had to be wired differently. She could figure out anyone but him.


    Jenica became aware of footsteps behind her. When she peered behind her, she noticed Dante Ante approaching her with a gloomy face. Her brow furrowed and the corner of her mouth curled up. The threat from the man was still fresh in her memory.


    ¡°Mr. Fuego, are you still with this woman?¡± Dante asked, stepping in front of her and obstructing her view of Alex.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t learned your lesson, Ante?¡± her husband questioned, approaching Jenica and reaching out to take her hand.


    Jenica smiled mischievously and pulled her hand out of Alex¡¯s grasp. She gazed at Dante with a squint and a smile.


    Dante frowned and said, ¡°You should not associate yourself with this kind of woman, Mr. Fuego.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Jenica lifted her brows and looked at Dante. ¡°What kind of woman am I?¡± she inquired, a little resentful.


    When Alex reached for her hand again, she did not move and allowed him to hold it. Dante¡¯s expression darkened even more when he saw how she acted. Jenica noticed him tightening his fist. So¡­ Does he have a sisterplex?


    Jenicaughed at the idea.


    ¡°Mr. Fuego, my sister is more decent than this woman who¡¯s flirting with you and your cousin Robert! You should choose your woman ording to your status,¡± Dante went on to say.


    Jenica burst outughing. ¡°Decent? You mean Gia Ante?¡± she giggled, pping Alex¡¯s hand away and frowning at both Alex and Dante.


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken¡­ her naked body was seen by everyone inside the hall,¡± she sighed purposefully. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate for a beautiful face like hers, but men might have obtained a copy of her n*des and, well, love Gia¡¯s naked body. Mr. Ante, your sister¡¯s no longer pure and decent. Do you think the same, Mr. Fuego?¡± she questioned, turning to Alex with a threatening look.

 The son鈥檚 missing

    ¡°Shut up, woman!¡± growled Dante. Jenica lifted an eyebrow as he fixed his gaze on her.


    She couldn¡¯t help but smirk in response to the murderous intent in his stare. ¡°Why? Did I say something wrong?¡± she asked pretending to think things over.


    A smug smile appeared on her cherry lips, and she licked it, plumping and shining under the lights. Jenica didn¡¯t realize Alex was looking at her lips when she was tormenting Dante. He had a peculiar look on his face that seemed to promisepunishment.


    Dante had his fists clenched and was going to yank her when Alex spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t think about it, Ante.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Fuego ¡ª¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Alex cast a piercing gaze at Dante. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to make your sister crawl in hell, don¡¯t think you can hurt this woman. She¡¯s mine.¡± He said with a sneer. ¡°You saw what happened earlier.¡±


    Dante clinched his fists and twisted his lips. He suddenly smiled viciously and looked at Jenica after a time. ¡°We¡¯re not done yet, woman. I¡¯ll dig your secrets and serve them to you on a tter until you can¡¯t smile any longer,¡± he promised before walking away.


    Only then could Jenica breathe a sigh of relief. Because of Dante¡¯s intense look, she was holding her breath. If only a single look could kill, she¡¯d be dead by now. She was not easily swayed by threats, but the way the man looked at her gave her the impression that something horrible was about to happen.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you thinking of other men when I¡¯m with you, Jenica.¡±


    She gasped in surprise as Alex grabbed her into his arms and led her into an empty room. ¡°What are you doing? Put me down!¡± she cried, turning around to ensure no one was observing Alex¡¯s actions.


    Jenica still remembered what her assistant told her beforehand. A top hacker capable ofpeting with her helper is employed by either the Fuego or the Ante. She needed to know who that professional was because her mission may be jeopardized if something uncontrolled is in her way.


    In the empty room, there was just one table, and Alex forced her sit at it. The man parted her legs and stood between her inner thighs, making it impossible for her to rise up or flee. She frowned. She felt awkward being that way in front of Alex. That stance is very risky, especially after seeing the man¡¯s stupid smirk.


    When Alex lowered the hem of her dress to reveal her white thighs, her brows creased.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit shameful to lift a woman¡¯s skirt? Mr. Fuego, did you hit your head and start behaving rudely?¡± she mocked. She tried to pushhim back on his stomach, but he didn¡¯t move.


    He was still standing between her thighs, so she leaned back and used her hands to push herself up. He gripped her waist to keep her from moving as she was about to stand on the table. Jenica arched her eyebrows and raised her leg to stomp him away, but Alex held her leg to stop her from doing it the second time. Jenica huffed and tried to kick him with her leg, but the man quickly released her foot and twisted her around with her back to him.


    She eximed in surprise.


    Alex had forced her to lie on her stomach on the table, both hands behind her back, as if she were being arrested. Heughed at her vain attempt to release herself. Jenica¡¯s face darkened as she attempted to free her hands from the man¡¯s grip, but the man was stronger. She clenched her teeth. ¡°Let go!¡±


    Alex went up close and blew into her delicate ear. She scowled at him, tickled by the heat of his breath fanning her ear. Jenica pursed her lips and turned her head sideways to avoid his teasing mouth.


    Jenica shrieked as she felt his lips brush across her nape and softly bite her flesh. His tongue swirled and licked her skin, instantly putting a stop to her struggle. ¡°What the h*ll do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± she blurted out.


    His lips were pressed on her neck. ¡°Seducing you?¡±


    ¡°Bastard,¡± she muttered gently, turning her hidden bracelet. The little dagger pierced Alex¡¯s hand, freeing her wrist from his clutches.


    The man snarled and stepped back. Jenica got to her feet on top of the table and turned to face the man who was staring at her.


    ¡°You know how to hide weapons now, huh?¡± he asked, taking out a ck handkerchief. As drops of blood dropped on the white floor, he cleaned his wounded palm.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to be cautious?¡± she mused.


    Alex locked his gaze on her for a few moments before smirking and warning, ¡°Don¡¯t let me catch you or you¡¯ll lose those hardened wings, my wife.¡± He wrapped the ck handkerchief around his injured hand. ¡°Watch out for Dante Ante. That man is not simple.¡±


    She scowled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Fuego. I know whom I should be cautious. I think I¡¯m more dangerous in your hands than the Antes.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Alex said as he looked around. He took a step out of the room, but before he left, he looked at her. ¡°I know what you did in the hall. Be careful, Jenica.¡±


    She squinted and held her breath for a second. Jenica was certain that thepetent hacker her assistant was fighting was not from Ante. That wasAlex¡¯s team. And she wasn¡¯t sure whether she should be happy or scared about the truth.


    If that individual was from Ante, she¡¯d probably be able to stay up with andbat that expert hacker, but it¡¯s a different scenario when it¡¯s someone from Alex¡¯s team.


    It would be difficult to seize thatpetent hacker because Alex¡¯s influence and authority were unbeatable. But knowing it¡¯s from her husband makes her happy since she knew Alex wouldn¡¯t use his influence to hinder her n.


    Jenica looked down at Alex¡¯s blood-stained ck handkerchief, which was lying on the floor. Her heart ached somewhat, but she kept her determination. She wouldn¡¯t fall for his trick again, but her heart would always skip a beat whenever Alex held her like he had five years ago. Her tender heart caused her a lot of pain, but she was powerless to stop it.


    But¡­ Alex¡¯s habit of caressing her everywhere remained unchanged.


    ¡®Tit-Tat¡¯


    Her inbox received a message. Jenica took out her phone and opened a text message from her assistant.


    ¡®Agent J, there are two strange cars parked in front of your residence. There were no records identified regarding their car registrations.¡¯


    Jenica cursed and jumped down from the table, fleeing the room. She drove her automobile so swiftly that she was able toplete the one-hour drive in thirty minutes. She dialed the nanny¡¯s number several times, but the elderlydy refused to answer.


    ¡®Agent J, a five-year-old boy, entered the car with a woman in her mid-40s.¡¯


    ¡°Sh*t!¡± she yelled again, calling the assistant. The other line responded in less than a second. ¡°Any security system?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°No. The car is manual.¡±


    Jenica clinched her teeth and drove down the alley that served as a shortcut. ¡°Track their location and send me the coordinates!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Agent J. Another top hacker is trying to erase the car¡¯s traces. I can¡¯t ess the CCTVs fifty kilometers away from your house. I lost track of them after a few attempts.¡±


    She arrived at the house and immediately exited the automobile. She took great strides towards the gate, but she came to a stop when she noticed a note on the surveince camera linked to the front gate. Jenica grimaced as she epted it and began reading it.


    ¡®I have custody of your son. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to harm the child.¡¯


    Jenica fist-clenched and gazed around the ce. The kidnappers were cunning. They made no noise, so no one noticed, not even her neighbor. She sucked a breath and clenched her teeth, irritated.


    Her assistant¡¯sputer still had the CCTV connected to it. She was the one who set it up to monitor anyone¡¯s arrival and exit, and the kidnappers didn¡¯t seem to notice because they¡¯d try to disguise their faces if they did.


    ¡°Agent J, we can ask the other agents around the area for intelligence ¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, this is my personal issue, and the HQ should not get involved,¡± she said, looking out at the silent sun setting in the west. ¡°Any information about that nanny you got?¡±


    Her assistant remained quiet for a few seconds and then said, ¡°It¡¯s seems like the nanny who came into your house is a recement. The true nanny is currently in Mindanao to attend a funeral. She asked for a leave the same day you came in the country. Someone tapped into the client¡¯s information and reced your supposedly nanny.¡±


    Jenica clinched her teeth. It suggests that someone intended to steal her son from the start. The annoying thingwas that she couldn¡¯t tell which side had done it. It may be Jared¡¯s men, who are number one on HQ¡¯s wanted list, but it is impossible because her appearance in the country is ssified, so no one knows save her assistant and the organization¡¯s boss.


    She had a feeling it wasn¡¯t because of work. Someone is attempting to kidnap her son in order to lure her into a trap. But who and why are they after her?


    Her lips were trembling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sham. Don¡¯t worry, Mommy will save you¡­¡± she sobbed as she wiped away her tears.


    She looked around and called the assistant again. Her eyes were dark, and she vowed to make whoever was responsible pay. She went on to say, ¡°Tomorrow, Doctor Acinea will arrive in the country and she will stay only for a month. Let the world know.¡±

 The party

    A woman in a red dress moving confidently across a room filled with masculine scents has an alluring quality. The males in the men¡¯s room all stared at the lone woman who entered.


    ¡°Miss?¡± asked the man positioned beside the cubicle.


    With a low curse, Jenica fled into the corner stall and locked it from the inside. She put the earpiece to use and contacted the assistant. Her heart couldn¡¯t slow down.


    ¡°Agent J,¡± her aide said, ¡°I traced suspicious activities inside the hall.¡±


    Jenica squinted her eyes. Of course, she was also aware of it. She knew as soon as she stepped inside that Jared had personnel in high society. But she wasn¡¯t expecting to see her Uncle Marc, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in years.


    She let out a sigh. She responded, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them,¡± and hung up.


    Someone knocked on the cubicle door at that exact moment. ¡°Miss?¡±


    Jenica pressed her lips togetheras she swiftly tucked the earpiece inside her bra. She swiftly pulled the hem of her scarlet gown and removed a little sachet holding wine. She grabbed it, tossed the sachet in the toilet, and flushed it before opening the cubicle door.


    *bleep*


    She flung herself at the man, clutching the necktie tightly, and puked on him.


    ¡°What the hell!¡± shouted the man, grasping her shoulder.


    But she wasn¡¯t expecting to see her Uncle Marc, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in years.


    She let out a sigh. She responded, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them,¡± and hung up.


    Someone knocked on the cubicle door at that exact moment. ¡°Miss?¡±


    Jenica pressed her lips togetheras she swiftly tucked the earpiece inside her bra. She swiftly pulled the hem of her scarlet gown and removed a little sachet holding wine. She grabbed it, tossed the sachet in the toilet, and flushed it before opening the cubicle door.


    *bleep*Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She flung herself at the man, clutching the necktie tightly, and puked on him.


    ¡°What the hell!¡± shouted the man, grasping her shoulder.


    With a swift motion, Jenica shoved the man and exited the men¡¯s room. She took a quick look around and discovered that the person who had been following her had vanished. Jenica smirked. She stepped into the parking space, opened the car door, and climbed inside.


    Inside the car, she changed into a new clothing quite quickly. It was a white evening gown with a foot-long skirt and fabric that hugged her curves. Before getting out of the car, she also put on the ring, earrings, and white ne.


    She gently put on the fox mask she had purchased in Hong Kong a week before. She only decided to put it on now because no one shouldsee Doctor Acinea¡¯s face.


    ¡°Move! Move quickly! That woman is sly; every woman in a red dress is a target!¡± she heard the man in the corridor order. He was dressed in a suit and tie, so she assumed he was a member of the building¡¯s security team.


    Jenica¡¯s lips pursed as she approached Venice Hall, thergest hall in the SMX center building. There will be a high-society gathering for Doctor Acinea¡¯s wee party.


    She went through the locked hallway she had visited before. Outside the door stood five men dressed in tuxedos. They sure are fast to break the news, she thought to herself.


    Just this morning, HQ received information regarding the poisonous needles. At a wedding reception held at the Marion Hall in the SMX center, there was a rumor that arge sum of money was ced on the bride¡¯s head. Upon intercepting the person who epted the mission on the ck market, the HQ agent imed to havee across the poisonous needles that were used to repel people.


    Jenica epted the side task since it was one of her missions even though HQ had only given her the order to watch the wedding festivities.


    Everything got problematic since her Uncle Marc noticed her and wanted to introduce her to some of Jared¡¯s workers, whom she believe her Uncle Marc is unaware of, at the wedding reception which was the thing she hadn¡¯t anticipated.


    She said goodbye to her Uncle, and just as she was about to leave the hall, the bride was assassinated. And the groom pointed her out as the suspect.


    What a pity. Why did the bridee to her before copsing and vomiting blood?


    She quickly fled so that no one would recognize her. That¡¯s when the chase between her and the security guards began. Actually, she was able to release evidence proving that she did not murder the bride, but Jared¡¯s men were present.


    Although the chances of Jared recognizing her are slim, it¡¯s best to be cautious. It¡¯s not the right time to show him her face yet.


    Using the earpiece, she called the assistant. ¡°Send the evidence now,¡± she said before hanging up the phone. HQ¡¯s evidence will show that she did not murder the bride. That was enough to keep the bride¡¯s family from pursuing her, but it didn¡¯t reveal who was to me. Still, all she wanted was to stop that family from pursuing her.


    And what about her Uncle Marc? Jenica let out a sigh. She¡¯ll just call her Uncle the next time they see each other.


    She took a deep breath and entered the Venice hall where Doctor Acinea¡¯s wee party was being held. The corner of her mouth twitched, and she waved to the guests who stood and apuded.


    ¡°Wee to the country, Doctor Acinea! We¡¯re delighted to have you!¡±


    Doctor Acinea is a well-known medical professional throughout the world. She was well-known for her surgical and medical abilities, particrly when she rescued the son of the Count U¡¯s President in a hiking ident five years ago. There was a nationwide search for that doctor, but it was unsessful.


    A yearter, it was revealed that Doctor Acinea had saved the dying wife of the world¡¯s richest billionaire. Acinea¡¯s rescue of Country J¡¯s Prime Minister and her treatment of Country G¡¯s high ranking official were discussed after a few days.


    Following that, the name Acinea became popr. She was sought after and invited by the world¡¯s most powerful countries, but Acinea¡¯s shadow was never seen again.


    Jenica arched her brow. The pce invited her to the wee party, which was held exclusively for her as Doctor Acinea. She had expected the province¡¯s and capital¡¯s most powerful ns to attend, so she was not surprised to see Alex and the Ante siblings there.


    It¡¯s a good thing she was wearing a mask because she was confident that the two Antes wouldn¡¯t recognize her, especially Gia, who approached her after she had finished speaking with the President.


    Gia smiled broadly and her eyes sparkled as she took both of Doctor Acinea¡¯s hands in hers. ¡°Doctor Acinea, I am your super fan!¡± eximed the woman.


    The woman¡¯s grip on Jenica¡¯s hands tightened, raising thetter¡¯s eyebrows. A security guard approached Gia and gently reprimanded her. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t touch Doctor Acinea¡¯s hand.¡±


    Gia¡¯s smile faded as she stared at the neer. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am? I am the daughter of Ante ¨C¡±


    ¡°Gia,¡± Dante scolded as he drew his sister away from Doctor Acinea.


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched as she looked back at the two retreating figures. She then took a look around. There were no suspicious Jared¡¯s staff members inside.


    And, on a rare asion, after greeting the high-ranking officials and some of the powerful families, Jenica was left alone while everyone else was busy forming connections. She went to the corner where no one was looking at her because she preferred to avoid crowded ces. But what she thought was a peaceful environment was infested with someone she didn¡¯t want to see.


    ¡°Do you think you can fool me with that ridiculous mask, wife?¡± Alex asked, swirlingat the contents of his wine ss, his warm gaze fixed on her.


    Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted. ¡°I think you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone, Mister,¡± she denied before turning around.


    She took a step back, but Alex caught her wrist and stopped her. ¡°So, you¡¯re Dr. Acinea.¡±

 Another attempt

    Warning: Gruesome scenes ahead. Please read with caution.


    ¡­


    Jenica clenched her teeth and drew Alex away from everyone¡¯s gaze. She simply came to a halt in a vacant corner and turned to face her husband, who was amused by her outrage.


    She grumbled. ¡°What do you need? Can you just leave me alone?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± he questioned.


    She looked at Alex for a few moments before asking seriously. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Alex remained silent for a second. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you had a background in medicine?¡±


    Jenica arched her brow. ¡°Why? Should I tell you all my secrets at once?¡±


    Alex sighed and cursed quietly. And Jenica understands why the man in front of her is upset.


    Even she would be frustrated if she discovered that her husband was a good healer but didn¡¯t even reach out to help her when she was sick.


    However, that was five years ago. He won¡¯t mind, will he? But it appears she made a mistake.


    Alex gripped her arm tightly. Jenica smirked. ¡°You¡¯re holding me so tight¡ª-¡±


    He unexpectedly kissed her! Her eyes widened and she was about to push him away when she noticed a masked man out of the corner of her eye. Jenica could tell he was practicing martial arts by his stance and posture. Two arnis were tucked behind the man.


    Jenica became aware because no footsteps could be heard with each step of the masked man. It¡¯s an expert!


    She raised her hand to Alex¡¯s head and snatched a handful of his hair while keeping an eye on the strange man out of the corner of her eye. Alex¡¯s lips curled up, obviously enjoying their kiss.


    This guy¡­ She pondered.


    As the masked man lunged towards them, she bit Alex¡¯s lips and pushed him away. The arnis broke when the man smacked it on the floor. The force of the man¡¯s blow would have killed him if she hadn¡¯t pushed him.


    Jenica moved quickly towards the stranger. She attempted to hit his vital points with a technique she learned from the organization, but the man appeared to be well versed in it. He ducked and tossed the broken arnis in her direction.


    That appeared to be an ordinary act of throwing, but it was not. It has an internal force that is only avable to oriental fighters. Jenica clenched her teeth and moved quickly. She would have fallen forward if Alex hadn¡¯t dragged her back.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± he said quietly, then fixed his gaze on the stranger.


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched slightly. ¡°Have you returned to your senses?¡± she sarcastically asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Seemed like your mind¡¯s clear now. You should thank my teeth for that.¡±


    Alexughed as he drew her away from that location. When she looked behind her, she noticed a strange man running after them. She let out a snort. She took Alex¡¯s wrist and and pulled him into a corridor.


    She pushed Alex through an open door before closing it and running in another direction. She intended to let the strange man pursue her while keeping Alex safe. But it appeared that she was overestimating herself.


    The one following her vanished a few seconds after she left Alex behind the door!


    If she isn¡¯t the intended victim, Alex is! Jenica cursed and dashed back to where she had fled.


    She hoped he would survive long enough for her to save him. The only thing she was concerned about was that he didn¡¯t know much about self-defense and that, in the eyes of that expert, Alex was probably just a child ying defense. Could she still catch him alive?


    Before returning to the corridor, she uttered a few more curses. She rushed inside because the door was already open, but she came to a halt when she saw a bloody corpse in the middle.


    Her heart beat faster. Jenica raised her eyes to the man standing a few steps away from the body. He holds the beating heart in his hand.


    Her breathing becamebored. ¡°Alex,¡± she said softly as she approached him.


    Yes. Alex was standing a few steps away from the expert, who was lying on the floor. She already knows what happened without having to retell the scene.


    Alex literally ripped the martial arts expert¡¯s heart out of his body.


    Jenica had witnessed gruesome scenes on the organization¡¯s training grounds, but she had never witnessed anyone snatching a beating heart. They were trained in the organization to draw less blood because the more blood drawn, the more difficult it is to conceal the evidence. However, Alex¡¯s method is too bloody.


    She came to a halt a step away from him. ¡°Alex, we need to leave this ce,¡± she said solemnly as she cast a quick nce at the bloodied corpse.


    She¡¯s an assassin, so she¡¯s not scared of dead bodies. She also knew that if Alex hadn¡¯t killed the man, the man who was now lying on the cold hard floor would have been her husband. The only thing she wonders is who would go to the trouble of sending a martial expert to kill Alex.


    Alex slowly turned to face her, and she noticed his paled face. Alex gave a soft smile. ¡°Finally¡­ You¡¯re here,¡± he said quietly as he knelt.


    Jenica rushed over to help the man. His hand was cold, she noticed. Then she noticed arge wound on his abdomen and back. She sighed and pressed an acupoint on his body to stop the bleeding because she didn¡¯t have any healing materials with her. ¡°You lost too much blood. Why are you smiling like an idiot?¡± she retorted, raising his arm and cing it on her shoulder. She assisted him in standing. ¡°We have to leave. We can¡¯t afford to let them see you in that bloody state,¡± she said.


    But, hey, Alex justughed at what she said. She pinched his side, making him wince. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be too harsh on your husband,¡± Alex winked at her.


    Jenica¡¯s face flushed and she averted her gaze. ¡°Behave or else I¡¯ll leave you here!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to leave me again, Jenica. I can¡¯t afford to lose you for the second time,¡± Alex said with a smile.


    Jenica is unustomed to his sad tone. She remained silent and avoided the conversation. ¡°By the way, how did you kill that expert with your bare hands earlier? Even I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Why are youparing yourself to me? Have you also killed someone? Are you hiding another secret?¡± Alex inquired, a small smile on his lips. ¡°Come on, you can trust me.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She pursed her lips and took his arm off her shoulder. She shoved him into the car and dialed Alex¡¯s assistant¡¯s number. ¡°Come pick up your master and bring this idiot to the hospital!¡± she eximed angrily as she walked away.


    Alex didn¡¯t stop her from leaving because he was in pain in his injured stomach and back. He expelled air.


    Jenica cast a nce at him. When she asked how he killed the martial arts expert, she knew Alex had changed the subject. He¡¯s keeping a secret from her, and she doesn¡¯t have time to find out what her ex-husband¡¯s secret is. The most important thing now is to figure out who wants to murder Alex and return to the wee party.


    She took her time making her way to the VIP parking lot. She wore another flowing ck gown with a ck gem ne and earrings. She got out of the car, wearing the mask, and returned to the party.


    The guests greeted her cheerfully. Only Gia and her parents were present when she looked around. Dante is nowhere to be found. For a brief moment, Jenica fixed her gaze on the floor.


    ¡°Doctor Acinea,¡± said a man.


    Jenica smiled as she looked up at the neer. The man extended his hand and shook hands with her. ¡°Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Doctor. I am Jobert Labastida, a governor from the South. May I speak to you in private?¡±


    Jenica cast a nce at the security guards who approached her. She followed the man who introduced himself as Jobert after he nodded. She led him to a private room within Venice Hall. Two security guards stand guard outside the private room to ensure that the conversation inside remains private.


    This could be a set-up for Doctor Acinea and anyone else who wants to speak with her privately. And she enjoyedit.


    She drew her legs together and looked at Jobert. ¡°How can I assist you?¡± she inquired directly.


    Jobert was stunned for a few more seconds by frankness before smiling. ¡°This might be a littleplicated but only you can help us, Doctor.¡±


    Jenica arched her brow. She closed her eyes and said, ¡°Speak.I can understand yournguage. You can speak with it.¡±


    She could see the man¡¯s admiration on his face. Jobert shut his eyes for a momentand began telling his story. ¡°One month ago, my wife suddenly fell ill. There was no doctor who could treat her so we went to a witch doctor. He said that my wife was bewitched. We did what that witch doctor told us but to my surprise, the illness of my wife only got worse the next day.¡± Robert pursed his lips.


    Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted. ¡°And what did you do?¡±


    ¡°I took a gun and stormed to the witch doctor¡¯s house but before we got there, I received a news that a disease is spreading in the town. My wife had the same symptoms so I reported the incident to the Health Department. But until now there is still nothing cure for that symptom and the doctors couldn¡¯t find out what kind of disease my wife and countrymen got.¡± Jobert looked at her with a brow furrowed. ¡°Doctor, I know you are knowledgeable when ites to medicine so I want to ask you for help.¡±


    Jenica shifted her gaze to the left. ¡°What will I get in return?¡± she wondered.


    Jobert paused for a moment. He sighed as he looked at her. ¡°There is a vastnd in our town. I will give the title of thend to you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Jenica contemted. This man is a true businessman. He wants to give hernd title instead because she is a famous doctor with plenty of money. Unfortunately, the reward is not what she is looking for. Jenica grinned. ¡°I don¡¯tcknd titles,¡± she politely declined his offer.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Jobert muttered. ¡°What do you want, Doctor? I¡¯ll give it as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯re a governor in the south, right?¡± she blurted out. The smile on Jenica¡¯s lips widened as Jobert nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t need yournd or money, but rmend my service to your friends.¡±


    Jobert remained motionless for a few seconds. ¡°Doctor, do you know what you are talking about? I have a lot of properties around the country which you can choose from.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, raising her hand and smiling broadly. ¡°I will only stay for a month so I don¡¯t n to acquire properties in the country. Just rmend me to your friends and I¡¯ll cure your wife.¡±


    Between properties and influence, Jenica requires more influence, whether political ormercial. And Jobert¡¯s turfis a great ce to start.


    To begin her missionand find her missing son, she must expand her influence throughout the country.

 Recruited a new sidekick

    ¡°Are you sure about this, Agent J?¡± her assistant asked.


    Jenica raised the corner of her lips as she adjusted the fox mask on her face. She was standing in front of the vanity mirror, waiting for a call from Jobert. ¡°Didn¡¯t I teach you to be professional in your work? I don¡¯t need an assistant who dictates me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Because the fox mask only covers half of her face, anyone could only see half of her sharp nose and full lips. She took out the n*delipstick and applied it to her lips. ¡°How¡¯s Alex Fuego?¡±


    ¡°He wasst seen by our spies at Fuego Hospital. After that, there¡¯s no news about Mr. Fuego.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, adjusting her hair. ¡°Those babies can¡¯t get their jobs done,¡± she sneered.


    ¡°The truth Agent J, our spies can¡¯t get past Fuego Hospital. Not only on Fuego Hospital but all of Fuego Empire¡¯s establishment.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted and she lowered theb on the table. ¡°Then¡­ How did you trace him before?¡±


    ¡°Our spies sessfully tailed him after he got out of Fuego¡¯s establishment. But after that, we couldn¡¯t reach him again.¡±


    Jenica let out a sigh. ¡°Leave him. What about the Ante Enterprise?¡±


    ¡°Still no news, Agent J.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s interesting. As time passes, our intelligence department bes ipetent. Should I report them to the head agent?¡± she joked, then looked down at her cell phone when it rang. Jobert has called. She expelled air. ¡°Call me again if you have news, but don¡¯t bother me with unnecessary calls.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Agent J.¡±


    She took out the earpiece and answered the phone. ¡°Hello, Jobert.¡±


    On the other end of the line, Jenica heard Jobert¡¯s faintugh. ¡°Doctor Acinea, I have dispatched my men to our agreed ce.¡±


    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll be there in a minute,¡± she said before hanging up.


    Her hand reached for the keys and she drove away from the vige where she was staying. She drove a car to the agreed-upon location with Jobert, which was only a few minutes¡¯ walk from her vige house. She got out of the car and looked at the nearby helicopter. It appears to have justnded.


    ¡°Doctor Acinea, I came to escort you as Governor Jobert instructed,¡± a man approached her and showed her his ID card. Jenica smiled and nodded to the man as she handed the car keys to the vige housekeeper. She had already dispatched the old man to that location in order to drive her car back to the parking lot.


    The man bowed respectfully to her. ¡°This way, Doctor,¡± he said, pointing to the helicopter.


    The helicopter quickly rose into the air and flew away. Jenica remained silent in the air, asionally looking down. She was preupied with something.


    The helicopter soon descended on a vast farm. Thending¡¯s winds caused the pipes not far away to dance. Jobert¡¯s men helped her down the stairs.


    ¡°Doctor Acinea!¡± eximed Jobert, as some of his staff approached her. ¡°Wee to my manor! Please follow me!¡±


    She followed Jobert to the sprawling mansion in the heart of the hacienda. There are many trees nearby, and the cool breeze asionally kisses her cheek.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your wife?¡± she inquired of Jobert.


    The man paused briefly before continuing his walk. ¡°She¡¯s in the other house, Doc.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    The maids were friendly to her. When she smiled at them, their cheeks flushed. Robert escorted her to a clean room.


    ¡°Are you okay with this room, Doctor?¡±


    She nodded as she moved her gaze around. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    Robert smiled broadly and said goodbye, allowing her to rest. She just stared at his retreating back until the door closed behind her. Her smile had vanished from her lips.


    She sat down on the bed and took out a scanner to scan the entire room. She didn¡¯t leave anything out, including under the bed, the ceiling, and the personal bathroom. Everything is in order. In that room, there was no tap wire or hidden camera.


    Jenicay down on the soft bed and closed her eyes. Someone eventually opened the dancing curtain and jumped into the room.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°My great ancestor C has finallye,¡± Jenica said as she opened her eyes. ¡°You¡¯rete.¡±


    Carlos sighed and sat in the chair next to the vanity mirror. ¡°20 armed men, 10 maids, and 15 horsemen. There are two snipers on the top floor of the mansion. And a bulletproof armed vehicle inside the abandoned garage.¡±


    Jenica smirked and raised her brows. ¡°Just the same C I know,¡± sheplimented.


    ¡°Of course. Who else will survey the area for you?¡± Carlos asked as he looked around the room. ¡°Change your assistant in another country. It can¡¯t even help you here.¡±


    ¡°Why? Can you help with intelligence?¡±


    Carlos¡¯ lips twitched slightly. ¡°I found out something about Jobert¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°Spill.¡±


    ¡°She is the daughter of an official in the capital. The two were childhood friends. Jobert first married the baranggay captain¡¯s daughter in the next town, but a yearter the woman died. Six months after the death of his first wife, Jobert marriedhis current wife now. They have been together for two years but have no children.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± she said, raising the corners of her lips and looking at Carlos. ¡°Someone¡¯sing.¡±


    Carlos dashed under the bed. Then there was a knock on the door. Jenica chuckled and walked to the door. She was still wearing a mask, so she felt at ease in public. When Jenica opened it, a maid appeared in front of her eyes. The girl was carrying a tray with tea, chocte drink, and pandesals on it.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, have a snack first.¡±


    Jenica grinned. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said as she epted the food tray that was handed to her. She shut and locked the door before walking over to the center table and cing the tray there.


    Carlos dragged himself out of bed, a frown on his face. ¡°Are you teasing me, Agent J?¡±


    Jenica let out a softugh. ¡°Did I tell you to hide under the bed?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± He approached the center table and took a pandesal. He took out a needle and inserted it into the soft bread. ¡°No poison.¡± Healso didn¡¯t skip the tea and chocte drink. ¡°There¡¯s no poison either. You can dig into it, Agent J.¡±


    Jenica raised the corner of her mouth. ¡°Why not be my sidekick in this mission?¡±


    Carlos fixed his gaze on her. His pupils constricted. ¡°What are you nning?¡±


    But she didn¡¯t respond and instead took out her phone. She instructed the assistant to submit a request to the head agent. She will use Agent C as a sidekick on the mission.


    ¡°Pack your things. Tomorrow,e here and introduce yourself as my assistant. I already got confirmation from the head agent office,¡± Jenica said, her smile widening.


    ¡°Say you¡¯re just kidding, Agent J.¡±


    She smiled as she shook her head and fell onto the bed. ¡°You¡¯llplete this mission with me.¡±


    Carlos¡¯ eyes widened, his brow furrowed, and his face became solemn. Why is he having bad luck right now?


    Agent J is one of the organization¡¯s most despised secret agents because she makes herpanion on missions a poison checker. Her partner in a high society mission fell into aa during herst mission in Europe. Since then, no one wants to be Agent J¡¯s partner, despite the fact that she has a 98 percent sess rate in every dangerous mission assigned by HQ.


    That¡¯s why she only got a distant assistant who is only responsible for intelligence and cannot fight physically. Agent J has always invited only a few agents to apany her on missions, so there are times when she has to do everything herself.


    But Carlos has no idea why he found himself in front of Jobert¡¯s mansion the next day. He¡¯s dressed in a doctor¡¯s gown, has thick sses, braces on his teeth, and pimples on his face. He also has a suitcase that was popr during his grandparents¡¯ time.


    ¡°This is my assistant, Kaloy, and he will be with me from now on,¡± Agent J said, a big smile on her lips. She gave him a sly look.


    Carlos blushed and averted his gaze.


    Because HQ has one rule for sidekicks: they must not draw attention to themselves or steal the spotlight from the main agents.


    As a result, all of Agent J¡¯s previous sidekicks were like ugly witches.

 Who poisoned you?

    Warning: The following scenes are not suitable for youngsters. A gruesome scene awaits. Please proceed with caution when reading.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡­


    Although the rooster has not yet crow, Jenica¡¯s eyes are wide open. She wears the mask even while she sleeps. It is important to be cautious because mishap will not knock. The cold breeze came in through the open window and danced across the curtain, which had been pushed open with one hand.


    *g*


    As a man in ck entered the room, soft footsteps were heard. Jenica¡¯s hand shook rapidly. She pulled out a dagger and hurled it at the neer.


    The man avoided it. ¡°Agent J, it¡¯s me!¡± Carlos¡¯familiar voice echoed throughout the room.


    Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted as she dashed towards the robber. Carlos¡¯s eyes widened as he swung to avoid Agent J¡¯s impending fist. The woman¡¯s two fingers were ready to stick to his vital spots when he quickly lifted his hand to defend himself.


    They exchanged punches for a few minutes before Carlos stopped,gasping. ¡°I lost! I lost!¡± he yelled angrily.


    Jenica retracted her fist and straightened up. Carlos wiped sweat from his brow. ¡°You¡¯re terrible, Agent J. You know I¡¯m physically weak. I¡¯m just a spy, not an assassin!¡± it said.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t youe here to ask for a beating?¡± she sarcastically inquired as she took a step towards the bathroom.


    Carlos had followed her and was standing outside the door. ¡°I came here to check on you, Agent J.You could have been devoured by a crow outside your room.¡±


    Jenica chuckled, knowing Jobert¡¯s men were watching outside her room, but she didn¡¯t mind because she knew she could knock out the secret guards hidden in the mansion¡¯s dark corners. It¡¯s like a naive newbie fighting an expert of espionage, she can point out where the secret guards are hiding with her eyes closed.


    She lowered her face mask and peeked over her shoulder. ¡°Do I want to watch while I¡¯m taking a shower?¡± she asked, teasinghim with her question.


    Carlos¡¯ face flushed. It wasn¡¯t his first time seeing Agent J¡¯s face, but he couldn¡¯t help but admire the woman¡¯s exposed face. For a brief while, he was stunned.


    Jenica frowned and shut the door in front of Carlos. She took a bath and reapplied her mask. When she emerged from the restroom, she was dressed in a ck crop top, leather jacket, leather pants, and boots. Before leaving the room, she tied her hair back. The maid was ready to knock to ask her to breakfast.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jobert?¡± she inquired.


    The maidbowed briefly. ¡°Sir Jobert is at the dining table, ma¡¯am. He is waiting for you to have breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Okay, lead the way.¡±


    Jenica went after the maid. She soon arrived at the dining table and noticed Jobert, who was deep in contemtion. He didn¡¯t even notice she was sitting in the seat across from him.


    Jenica made a sly grin. ¡°You dare to space out in front of me, Governor? So unlike you,¡± she said with a giggle. She took a peek at the rice and the food on the table.


    That¡¯s when Jobert snapped and smiled sweetly. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about something, Doctor.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Care to share?¡± she asked, propping her head up with her hand. She gave him a warm grin.


    He groaned and shook his head. ¡°Where¡¯s your assistant, Doctor Acinea?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Carlos then appeared in front of them, grinning from ear to ear like a dog. ¡°Good morning, Doc! Good morning, Governor!¡±


    Jobert just stared at the gardener who was following Carlos. Jobert dismissed the gardener with a faint grimace as the gardener shook his head. The gardener bowed and took a step away from the table.


    That brief exchange between Jobert and the gardener did not miss Jenica¡¯s notice. But she didn¡¯t say anything and simply ced the meal on her te. She poured down a caldereta that had been served on Jobert¡¯s te.


    Jobert did not seem to notice her unusual ¡°food choice¡± because he began talking about what had happened in town in the past few days.


    Jenica simply smiled and winked at Carlos. Her assistant, like her, consumed rice and caldereta. And because they were both taught by the same organization, they secretly agreed to consume only three bites.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why the cases of people getting sick in the town are getting worse. The provincial hospital can barely handle the increasing number of cases. It is certain that in the next few days the spreading disease will be designated as an epidemic.¡± Jobert breathed a sigh of relief and reached for a cup of coffee. ¡°Doctor,ter we will go to town,¡± he added as he drank from the cup.


    Jenica gave a nod. ¡°I n to take a look today.¡±


    She¡¯dpleted her breakfast by then and excused herself to go upstairs to get dressed. She also told her assistant to get ready. They ascended the stairs together. Jobert lowered his gaze to his steaming cup of coffee.


    The governor escorted them to a reputable hospital. Each department is clean, and it is clear that the local government takes care of the hospital due to some sophisticated technology used by the staff.


    Jenica was the first to discover the hospital¡¯s shortage of personnel. She only sees a few nurses and physicians, with the asional patient rushing in. In the long run, the amount ofbor will tire the personnel. The scenario is a little concerning.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there another hospital in town?¡± she inquired, sneaking a peek around the wards. Jobert made a shaky motion with his head. Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take some of the patients to the hospital in the next town?¡±


    ¡°This is the only hospital with modern technology in the entire province. That¡¯s why all victims of the spreading disease are admitted here.¡±


    ¡°I see. Where¡¯s thetest patient?¡± she inquired.


    Jobert escorted her to a separate room. When she entered the room, she was greeted by a strong odor, which originated from the patient, who was trembling in bed. Jenica raised her brows and signaled to Carlos.


    ¡°Doc,¡± he said, reaching into his suitcase for the face mask and gloves. Carlos also presented Jobert with a face mask.


    Before approaching the patient, Jenica put it on. While Jobert and Carlos stood by the side, she silently examined the patient. After a while, she came to a halt and gestured to Jobert. The three of them exited the private room together.


    Jenica removed the gloves and face mask and discarded them. She turned to face Jobert. ¡°I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush; is there a factory nearby?¡± she inquired frankly.


    Jobert¡¯s pupils dted somewhat before narrowing. ¡°There is af-factory, Doctor Acinea. Why did you ask?¡±


    She grinned as she gazed at Jobert. ¡°I want to take a look.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± His expression turned conflicted. He sighed after a while. ¡°If you ask me, it¡¯s fine Doctor, but I¡¯m not sure if the owner will allow us now that the disease is spreading.¡± ¡°The owner of the factory doesn¡¯t want to let us in because his staff might get infected. Why, doctor?Is there any link between the factory and the disease?¡±


    ¡°I thought that person works in that kind of ce,¡± Jenica shook her head, then looked around again. ¡°I think my work at the hospital is done.Let¡¯s visit your wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Jobert chuckled excitedly as he led them out of the hospital. ¡°You work fast, Doctor.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, boss! Doctor Acinea was incredibly swift to treat!¡± apuded Carlos, who had just spoken.


    ¡°Now you know how to talk!¡± Jobert joked to Carlosbefore asking about Doctor Acinea, but no matter what question Jobert asked, he couldn¡¯t get the answer he needed.


    Doctor Acinea¡¯s assistant is both tongue-tied and not stupid!


    Jenica just shook her head and left to take a shower for a while. When she walked into the cubicle, she took out the earpiece and dialed the assistant.


    ¡°Send me the map of this town,¡± she said.


    She had a map of the entire province in two seconds. Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted. ording to the map, there is a river that runs across the entire province, with a portion of it close to the factory. And themunity nearby was infected with a deadly sickness.


    ¡°Check this factory. I want everything I need to know.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Agent J.¡±


    She then exited the bathroom and walked to the waiting automobile. They went to the other residence, which was indicated by the governor. It is still a mansion in the middle of nothing. The first thing she noticed was that there was no security guard or maid patrolling the area. Only an old man who offered her a food appeared.


    ¡°You have seen the symptoms at the hospital, Doctor Acinea.¡± Jobert let out a sigh. ¡°My wife has been bedridden for a few weeks, so don¡¯t be surprised,¡± he exined as he pushed open the door.


    When the pungent odor of rotting flesh hit Jenica, she came to a halt. Carlos lost his cool and grabbed an air purifier. He gave her one and put on the other.


    Jenica silently put on what Carlos had given her and stared at Jobert, who seemed unconcerned with the unusual odor.


    Her two brows touched as she moved closer to the woman on the bed.


    Thedy is more than simply bones and skin. Its skin deteriorates and bes immobile. She would have assumed the woman in the bed was a corpse if she hadn¡¯t noticed the rise and fall of her chest.


    ¡°Doctor Acinea,¡± Carlos called.


    She ignored him and pulled out scissors and a syringe. She turned to face Jobert. ¡°I need to examine your wife. You might find it disturbing.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he urged firmly, taking a seat nearby.


    She gave Carlos a brief nce before turning away.


    Jenica probed the woman with a needle at first, but there was no response. Then she cut a small piece of its dposing skin. The woman grumbled and frowned slightly. Jobert rose to his feet. ¡°Doctor Acinea!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. Doctor Acinea knows what she¡¯s doing,¡± Carlosmented.


    She gave the patient an anesthetic injection and then obtained samples of her body fluids and skin. She then put the items away and motioned for the two men toe out.


    ¡°Why?¡± Jobert inquired.


    ¡°I need to examine your wife¡¯s entire body. Please leave the room with my assistant.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m her husband!¡±


    She locked her gaze on Jobert. Because of her piercing look, the governor was afraid and restless, so he didn¡¯t object when Carlos led him out. ¡°Boss, the Doctor will take care of it; we can¡¯t help, so it¡¯s better if we just listen.¡±


    Jenica frowned even more as the two eventually came out. She put off her air purifier and took a tablet that numbed her sense of smell for twenty minutes.


    She movedher lips close tothe woman¡¯s ear. ¡°Can you hear me, Miss?¡± she asked.


    Jenica waited a few minutes until the woman¡¯s eyes slowly opened. She stared her in the eyes and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Jenica lowered her gaze. ¡°Who poisoned you?¡± she questioned directly.


    A few tears spilled from the woman¡¯s eyes. Jenica¡¯s lips were pressed together. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll cure you. If you want to take revenge on that person who did this to you, try to live.¡±


    ¡°A-Ante¡­¡±


    Jenica came to a halt and gazed at the woman. Ante?


    What is Gia Ante¡¯s family¡¯s connection to this case?

 His three women

    ¡°Make a room in the hospital for your wife; I¡¯ll see her tomorrow morning,¡± she said as she exited the room.


    Jobert remained silent for a few seconds before asking cautiously. ¡°You can¡­ Treat my wife?¡±


    Her lips raised and her head nted to the right. ¡°Thest time I checked, you had high confidence that I could heal your wife. Now that I can, you doubt my abilities?¡±


    ¡°Haiyaaa, I said so. Doctor Acinea can heal your wife, boss. That¡¯s approved! I¡¯ll call the hospital right away!¡± Carlos said excitedly and dialed the number.


    Jenica¡¯s lips trembled slightly. Don¡¯t steal the spotlight from the primary agent, the HQ said, but don¡¯t act stupid and uninformed! And what¡¯s the deal with Haiyaa? And what¡¯s the deal with Haiyaa? He even took a chef¡¯s famous expression.


    ¡°But, Doctor,¡± Jobert frowned, ¡°What is wrong with my wife?¡± He lifted his brows and gave her a stern look.


    Jenica gave a sweet smile. ¡°Your wife was poisoned, Jobert.¡±


    ¡°Poisoned?¡± The crease on his brow deepened. ¡°Who poisoned her?!¡±


    ¡°I also wanna know who is sinister to put poison in her food.¡±


    Jobert blinked and averted his gaze. Jenica¡¯s smile widened as she gazed around at the concealed guards in the corner. Despite the fact that there are no maids, she is aware that there are five hidden guards concealing and guarding the woman within the room. It sounds sweet, but the man beside her has suspicious intentions.


    As a result, when she excused herself to visit the restroom, she quickly phoned the assistant. ¡°Any news?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send the information to you, Agent J.¡±


    ¡°Good. Also look for this man¡¯s background, and look into his first and second wife¡¯s background as well.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    She hung up and opened the phone. There is information on the factory written there. It¡¯s a rubber products factory from the 1990s. Except for the gas poisoning of its employees fifteen years ago, there have been no strange actions in recent years. The victims¡¯ families sued the owner, but thewsuit was ultimately abandoned after the two sides reached an agreement.


    When she read thest bit of information, Jenica lifted her brows. Ante Enterprise purchased the aforementioned factory fifteen years ago. She reviewed the factory¡¯s recent activity and found nothing odd except gas poisoning.


    She didn¡¯t think Ante was hiding anything within it.


    That night, she considered going to the factory with Carlos. The man couldn¡¯t even properly smile. Jenica¡¯s smile grew. ¡°What? Are you afraid of breaking in?¡± she teased.


    His expression darkened. ¡°You said there was a gas poisoning. Maybe you should make me your human shield, Agent J, huh? I hope not!¡±


    Jenica shook her head, ¡°Pfft.¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be a coward. At least you get a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Your teammates are avoiding you at HQ,¡± he said quietly, and Jenica could hear him.


    ¡°Are you saying something, Agent C?¡±


    ¡°No, Ma¡¯am!¡± he said hurriedly, shaking his head.


    She rolled her eyes and jumped up the high wall after making sure no one was looking around. ¡°They¡¯re toox in this area,¡± she remarked before donning the night vision goggles. As Carlos jumped in, she looked around.


    ¡°The security guard looks asleep, Agent J. We¡¯re lucky tonight!¡± he said.


    Jenica¡¯s lips trembled slightly. ¡°What are you? A burr?¡±


    ¡°Agent J, you can¡¯t take jokes now?¡±


    Jenica brushed him aside and pulled out some small bat-like devices. These devices were flying throughout this area. She obtained the structural n of the building, including the areas where the security guards are stationed, using their 3D vision. Jenica raised the corner of her mouth. Excellent work.


    So she began investigating while attempting to avoid the security personnel. And if they can¡¯t be avoided, it¡¯s up to Carlos to keep them at bay.


    Before Carlos turned to face her, the final muscr man copsed in front of him. ¡°Are there more on the way, Agent J?¡± a breathless question.


    She cast a peek at the sweaty Carlos. Her lips trembled slightly. ¡°Youck exercise. Use this to train your body well.¡±


    Carlos¡¯ eyes widened as he realized what was going on. ¡°Are you leading those cretins to us?¡± Jenica shrugged, causing Carlos¡¯ face to flush with displeasure. ¡°What a heartless woman!¡± he growled, bracing himself for another brawl.


    Jenica didn¡¯t care because she was too busy collecting samples of water and rubber-makingponents. She also analyzed the mercury levels in each ingredient and discovered that they were greater than the rmended limit. Has it always been thisway?


    She motioned for Carlos to follow her when she had obtained the samples. They made their way together to the contaminated water reservoir near the factory at the end of the alley.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The h*ell,¡± Carlos said quietly.


    Jenica¡¯s gaze became more intense. Her intuition was correct.


    Because the facilitycks a sufficient sewage infrastructure, waste and contaminated water are discharged into the river. The river water is used for bathing and cooking. Long-term exposure to mercury, even if just in trace amounts, will result in poisoning after a while. That is what happens to the residents of thatmunity.


    Jobert¡¯s wife happened to be the first to be poisoned. And who is going to poison the governor¡¯s wife?


    Carlos was taken away from the river and into the woods by her. When she was certain that no one was looking, she put on the earpiece and called the assistant. ¡°Still no news?¡±


    ¡°Just arrived in my inbox, Agent J. I will forward it to you.¡±


    She then received the information she had requested.


    Jobert¡¯s first wife, as Carlos stated, was a simple woman. A barangay captain¡¯s daughter from the opposite town who once visited Jobert¡¯s residence. They fell in love and married after only a few weeks.


    Jobert and his second wife met in the capital two years after he married his first wife. Jobert¡¯s first wife died a few weekster as a result of a terrible illness. Jobert and his second wife married six monthster.


    When she read thest report, Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    The governor met a woman in the capital two years after he and his second wife married. After a month, his second wife became ill. And the stuff following that is what she already knows.


    ¡°Looks like that governor is doing something amazing, huh?¡± Carlos eximed as he read the information on his phone.


    Jenica let out a quietugh. ¡°Something fishy is going on; looks like we¡¯ll have to return to the mansion,¡± she smiled.


    They went back to Jobert¡¯s mansion together. They made certain that no hidden guards noticed.


    Jenica awoke early the next day. She knotted her hair and exited the room while still wearing the mask. The maids weed her. She simply smiled and walked to the garden.


    Many exotic flowers have been brought from other countries. She was just admiring at the flowers when the gardener who had been following Carlos the day before approached her. She¡¯d never forget the man¡¯s brief interaction with Jobert at breakfast that morning.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you looking for something?¡± he inquired, smiling.


    Jenica turned to face the gardener. Except for the fact that he was wearing gloves, his appearance and presence were unremarkable. Sheughed. ¡°I just want to do a breathing exercise. The flowers here are beautiful. Did you nt them?¡±


    The gardener let out a gentleugh. ¡°I did to some, and Sir Jobert to the rest.¡±


    ¡°Does Jobert know how to nt?¡± she wondered, plucking a bloom. ¡°This, is he the one who nted it?¡±


    When the gardener saw how she carelessly plucked the bloom, he grimaced, but she didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°How did you know, Ma¡¯am?¡± he wondered.


    Jenica¡¯s lips broadened with a smile. ¡°Only a few flowers have lush leaves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the way it is,¡± he exined before offering to show her around the garden. Jenica did not object. She said her goodbyes to the gardener as the sun rose in the east. ¡°Should I apany you to the mansion, ma¡¯am?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going straight to the bathroom to take a shower; just keep working,¡± she added without waiting for his response.


    She promptly put on the earpiece and opened the miniptop when she returned to her room. She retrieved the photographs she had covertly taken with the little camera concealed in her mask. The photo of the nts beneath the luxuriant flowers was thenpared to a database of toxic nts.


    Everything matched.


    Jenica let out a sigh. Jobert¡¯s second wife was poisoned by a shrub in the garden. Jobert had put the luxuriant flowers to hide the toxic nts growing beneath them, she knew.


    In other words, the vibrant flowers in the garden were really a ruse. nts used to poison Jobert¡¯s second wife were genuinely nted there. It was impossible for thetter not to be aware of it, so the governor was her first suspect.


    Someone suddenly knocked on her chamber door. Jenica hurriedly stowed the items and opened the door. A maid summoned her for breakfast. She followed her. Carlos was already at the table, pleasantly conversing with Jobert.


    She prepared for the operation after breakfast. Carlos scowled as he nced at her. ¡°Doctor, aren¡¯t we leaving yet?¡± he said, observing that she had no intention of getting into the automobile that would transport them to the hospital.


    She stared at the assistant, then at Jobert. ¡°I want to drive the car,¡± she expressed her desire. Jobert had no choice but to give her what she requested.


    ¡°Did you find out anything, Agent J?¡± Carlos inquired warily after checking the automobile for tapped wires. Her lips had lost their smile.


    She gave a nod. ¡°There¡¯s a big possibility that Jobert poisoned his wife.¡±


    ¡°In that case, there¡¯s a good chance Jobert murdered his first wife in order to marry his second wife now,¡± Carlos said, pulling out a photograph of Jobert with a woman in red dress. ¡°This is the woman he is targeting now in the capital. She will definitely be his third wife if his second wife will pass away.¡±


    Jenica took a look at the picture before turning the driving wheel. ¡°She¡¯s Yvette Ante, Gia Ante¡¯s third cousin.¡± She said with a sneer. ¡°Just how small the world is.¡±


    Carlos smirked. ¡°But if Jobert wanted to kill his wife, why did Jobert contact you? He should know that there is a high possibility that you can heal his wife.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not his idea,¡± Jenica said with a wondering smile on her lips. ¡°It was Ante¡¯s idea to keep Doctor Acinea in the country; Jobert used his wife as an excuse to bring me here, but he didn¡¯t expect me to cure his wife so soon. But guess what I discovered yesterday while searching for his wife¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Carlos asked, looking at her.


    ¡°There is a trace of a poison needle inside his wife¡¯s body. Just the information I require right now. It seems like Jobert is not as simple as we think .

 Strange treatment

    Jenica and Carlos were in the operating room for several hours. When they came out, an unsmiling Jobert greeted them. ¡°How¡¯s my wife?¡± asked the governor.


    Before confronting the man, Jenica removed her gloves and mask and said, ¡°Sess.¡± She cast a brief nce around the room at the few nurses who remained. ¡°She¡¯s gonna be fine.¡±


    Jobert couldn¡¯t move for a few seconds and then nodded. ¡°Good¡­ It¡¯s good.¡±


    Jenica said her goodbyes and proceeded to the doctor¡¯s quarters. Carlos followed her, his face flushed. She grinned as she nced at him. ¡°Why are you looking like you¡¯ve just experienced death? Hmm?¡±


    In hushed tones, he whispered, ¡°Agen¡ª Doctor, is it really necessary to skin the patient alive?¡± His voice has a slight tremble.


    Jenica pressed her lips together. Her aide appeared to be taken away by the scene within. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do except that thing. We need to get rid of her skin lesions and we can only do so if we¡¯ll peel of her outer skin.¡± She smiled as she nced at him. ¡°It¡¯s your first time so it¡¯s understandable.¡±


    Jenicaughed since Carlos didn¡¯t say anything. She was aware that he would have sleepless nights. Fortunately, the nurses that assisted her were experts who appeared to have prior expertise. She¡¯s now wondering where Jobert obtained those gals.


    After dressing, she spoke briefly with the resident doctor who would be caring for the patient in the private room. Then she went in search of Jobert. ¡°Now that I had treated your wife, my work on her is finished. Regr doctors can take care of her and I rmend to let her stay in the hospital until she fully recovers.¡±


    Jobert paused for a time, unsure what to say. Jenica grinned. ¡°About your people¡¯s sickness, I think you are very clear about this matter.¡±


    Jobert¡¯s lips formed a nt. ¡°What do you mean, Doctor Acinea?¡±


    ¡°They have the same symptoms with your wife, so your people were also poisoned. You need to find the root cause of this mass poisoning.¡±


    Jobert clenched his teeth and averted his gaze. ¡°I will do as you suggest, Doctor.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Jenica said, her smile widening. ¡°By the way, I saw those lovely flowers in your garden. I¡¯d like to gather some to treat the poison.¡±


    ¡°You did visit the garden?¡± he asked, returning his gaze to her. ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°It was earlier this morning. I was simply performing a breathing exercise when I noticed the flowers and decided to take one. Then I learn that it can keep poison from spreading throughout the body, so I¡¯ll ask for some.¡±


    Jobert grimaced briefly before shaking his head, ¡°I can¡¯t give you those flowers. They are my wife¡¯s favorites. But if it can keep the poison away, I¡¯ll buy more.¡±


    ¡°Okay. And provide me a separate area where I may conduct the experiment.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Do you know how to concoct medicine, Doctor?¡±


    Jenicaughed. ¡°I am a master of poison, and of course I can treat poison with poison, Jobert,¡± shesaid, hersmile widening again when Jobert hesitated. ¡°But if you don¡¯t trust me, I won¡¯t force you. Just find someone from Oriental Alchemist to treat your people. I¡¯m afraid, ordinary doctors can¡¯t cure this poison.¡±


    Jobert¡¯s pupils dted. ¡°Oriental Alchemist?¡± Jenica simply grinned and waved farewell. Jobert¡¯s mouth was slightly wide as he watched her leaving figure.


    Of course, he recognizes Oriental Alchemist. He knows what it is since he has a tie to the capital. Because of their unique manner of treating poisons, this organization is known as the Poison Monsters. Although he had no idea whether the organization was real or a fable, when he heard it from Doctor Acinea, he felt that the Oriental Alchemist was real.


    A peculiar smile emerged on his lips, and he promptly called someone he knew in the capital to inform them of what he had discovered.


    Jenica, on the other hand, nced at the cabin built by Jobert¡¯s crew in the center of the paddy field. Her lips trembled slightly. It¡¯s a few meters away from the mansion, and because its walls are only a patchwork of bamboo, anyone can see what¡¯s within.


    ¡°Doctor, the items you listed earlier are ready,¡± one of the staff members stated.


    She raised her hand and nodded to dismiss them. When the wind blew, Jenica was trapped within the swaying hut. She was concerned that if the wind picked up, it would blow the roof off. ¡°Is he testing my patience now that I¡¯ve treated his wife?¡± she mused as she examined the flowers inside the box.


    Jenica needed to make a medication quickly so she could finish the work.


    After a while, she heard Carlos¡¯cheerful voice calling her. As she sealed the five newly produced tablets, she pursed her lips. When Carlos walked in, she turned to face the door. He gazed around the hut, and Jenica¡¯s eyes beckoned to him.


    Carlos¡¯ smile had vanished from his lips. ¡°There appears to be a secret room inside the governor¡¯s room. That appears to be where the poison needles are kept.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she said, showing him the sealed pills. ¡°I made this pill to counteract the lethality of the poison needle.I calcted based on the small data I obtained from his wife¡¯spoison needle.¡±


    ¡°The report said the poison needle won¡¯tst long in the air,¡± Carlos said, looking at the tablets. ¡°How did you research that?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t extract it from her body,¡± she sighed, a gleam in her eyes. ¡°Because the second wife loved the flowers in the garden before she was poisoned by the poison needle, the poison needle had a slow decay inside her body. Her body was able to fight because of her modest immunity to that lethal poison due to her exposure to the flowers.That is why she is still living today. Jobert didn¡¯t know that these flowers can counterattack the poison needles, so he sent me a lot.¡± Jenica stared down at the flower. ¡°If he knew, he¡¯d try to prevent me from discovering a treatment for poison needles.¡±


    Carlos¡¯ eyes widened, and Jenica gave him a pointed nce. ¡°They¡¯re watching us from afar. Even if they couldn¡¯t hear us, act like Kaloy,¡± she warned.


    Just then, Carlos burst outughing, saying, ¡°Brilliant, Doctor! I honestly didn¡¯t imagine your thinking was as keen as a knife!¡± He smiled from ear to ear. ¡°If the symptoms of Jobert¡¯s wife are the same as those of the people who were poisoned by the river, does that mean that they were also poisoned by the poison needle?¡±


    Jenica¡¯s lips trembled slightly. ¡°No. It¡¯s not necessarily poison needle¡¯s fault, but the ingredients used to create them.¡±


    Carlos¡¯ pupils constricted and he began to dance. Jenica gave the man a terrified expression. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Tsk. Of course, as Kaloy, you cheer while making pills.¡±


    Her lips twitched. She only shook her head and began making another batch of pills while exining her theory about the incident. ¡°You know the poisonous nts in Jobert¡¯s garden?¡±


    ¡°Oh. What¡¯s in there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the ingredients in poisonous needle.So the symptoms are simr to those of Jobert¡¯s wife, but the lethality is lower. Because it was mixed with a little mercury from the manufacturing, there was a huge reaction.¡±


    ¡°Youmean, that solid waste by the river¡­¡± Carlos¡¯s eyes widened as he danced around the door.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the residue of crushed poisonous nts in Jobert¡¯s garden,¡± Jenica exined as she looked down, disguising her emotions. ¡°That¡¯s why there was mass poisoning because solid waste was recently piled up on the river bank. And Jobert might be unaware of this.¡±


    ¡°It looks like someone forgot to put the trash in the right ce.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. And it won¡¯t be long before he learns about the solid waste and takes action.¡±


    ¡°So Agent J, the factory makes the poisonous needles?¡±


    With a little smile on her lips, she shook her head. ¡°No. It¡¯s the ce where they crush that poisonous nts to get its pulp, and transport that to another ce. Let¡¯s say, that ce is where they prepare the ingredients but certainly not the ce where they make the product.¡±


    Carlos let out a sigh. ¡°So we have to go to the neighboring town to find another colony of poison needle making?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Jenica said as Carlos¡¯s expression darkened while pounding on the door. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they themselves wille to show me the next location site.¡±


    ¡°You mean?¡±


    ¡°Just because I hinted to Jobert that I have a connection with Oriental Alchemist doesn¡¯t mean I was careless.¡± Her lips formed a weird smile.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we do something to shut down the factory? You know, they¡¯re the reason people got sick!¡± Carloseximed.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that now or else we¡¯ll alert the enemy.I know Jobert is a smart person, and he will remove the poison that is in the river. He will certainly stop the spread, especially since he doesn¡¯t want to let the Pce know about the spreading disease, because by the time the Pce investigates, the factory¡¯s secret operation will be exposed. Jobert won¡¯t let that happen because he doesn¡¯t want to lose his connection with the Ante who are in the capital. It¡¯s his negotiating chip to keep Yvette Ante¡¯s neck.¡±


    ¡°Hayyy, I have no idea why the female Yvette hit Jobert. I¡¯m clearly more attractive than that elderly dude.¡±


    Jenica choked on her own saliva and nced at Carlos from head to toe. The man¡¯s face flushed. ¡°W-why are you staring at me like that?¡±


    ¡°You? Handsome?¡± she asked, a naughty smirk on her face.


    ¡°Get your eyes checked!¡± Carlos said as he marched away from the door. Your vision is hazy!¡± He yelled loudly.


    Jenica burst outughing.

 The beggar with a necklace

    True to her words, the sickness was terminated a few dayster after she gave Jobert the medicine she had created. Carlos informed her that Jobert had the solid trash collected by the river and buried at the base of the mountain. The governor has also restricted water extraction from the river near the factory for a year.


    People grumbled, so Jobert erected arge tank in which they could get water. The water in the tank originates from a spring that connects to the river. Jobert¡¯s office has not received anyints since then.


    ¡°What about his wife?¡± she inquired, smearing crimson lipstick across her lips.


    Carlos closed his eyes and nced at her lips. ¡°Still recovering in the hospital. Regarding Yvette and Jobert, the two have been at odds for a few days because of the issue at the factory that Jobert wanted to close for a while but Yvette¡¯s family did not agree. Until now the two sides are in a cold war and the factory isstill open.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Agent J, there are two calls from the capital. One is from Guam Corporation. They say the acting CEO wants to talk to you. The secondcall is from Fuego Business Empire. Alexander Fuego wants to talk to Doctor Acinea.¡±


    She came to a halt and turned to face Carlos. ¡°Did Alexander Fuego say anything else?¡±


    Carlos gave her a thoughtful nce. ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything else.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Did Jobert use his political power to hide you from other influential ns?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she said, shaking her head and smiling. ¡°He¡¯s just doing what he¡¯s ordered to do.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed as she put on the mask. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go to the next town,¡± she said as she walked out of the room. Carlos chased afterher.


    She and Carlos entered the secret area inside Jobert¡¯s room the otherone night. She discovered a hundred lethal needles ced in a sealed clear box there. She took the poisonous needles box and inserted the fake lethal needles she had created inside.


    They then exited the room. She bid goodbye to Jobert the next day because she was done treating his wife and the folks. However, she was notified that someone in the nearby province wished to seek assistance. Even though Jenica stated that she did not require money ornd title, Jobert nheless granted her twenty hectares ofnd in the province¡¯s north and one hundred million.


    She refused the man¡¯s offer, but Carlos epted the box containing the check andnd title. Jenica simply shook herhead.


    She has nothing to do with anything Jobert wants to do with his wife. She has already assisted the woman; now it is up to her to ovee her illness.


    Jenica also notices that Jobert¡¯s murdering intent against his wife is not as strong, possibly because she is still the daughter of an official in the capital so she is still useful in his eyes.It is up to the woman whether she wishes to exact revenge.


    ¡°You won¡¯t respond to twopeting corporations?¡± Carlos inquired.


    Jenica simply shook her head and smiled as she exited the hotel. She will travel to the next province. She caressed the little package with the lethal needles hidden inside her sleeves.


    Her joy was short-lived, however, when she noticed a mother and her toddler joyfully eating ice cream.


    ¡°Mom, when will Papae home?¡± the child inquired of his mother.


    The mother stroked the child¡¯s head softly. ¡°Next week, Sham. You must be a good boy when your Papaes. When you are a good boy, you will have a kiss from me!¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The youngster smiled broadly. ¡°Mama, you should kiss me on the cheeks! My ssmate said that kissing on the cheeks gives good boy points!¡±


    The mother shook her head and giggled.


    ¡°Agent J?¡± Carlos inquired.


    Jenica regained herposure. She just realized she was stunned when she looked at the mother and child. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she remarked as she walked into the parking lot.


    But Carlos stopped her and pointed to her cheek. ¡°You¡¯re crying, Agent.¡±


    She swiftly reimed her wrist and wiped her damp cheek. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go,¡± she murmured as she went rapidly to her car.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Agent?¡± Carlos inquired. ¡°Just tell me, I¡¯ll listen¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± she said angrily at Carlos. ¡°Don¡¯t act like a friend, Agent C. You didn¡¯t even know my name, so just shut the h*ll up!¡± she eximed as she climbed into her car and sped away.


    As he watched the woman¡¯s automobile pull away, Carlos was taken aback. That¡¯s correct. Why did he cross the line if he isn¡¯t friends with Agent J? He doesn¡¯t even know what that girl¡¯s name is, and yet he feels the need to talk to her?


    What is he, a naive adolescent who has no idea what¡¯s going on in the world?


    ¡°F*ck,¡± he grumbled, then hopped into his own automobile and chased down Agent J¡¯s car.


    Meanwhile, Jenica¡¯s eyes remained crimson from suppressed tears. Then tears started pouring almost immediately. Despite her tears, she reached for the earpiece and put it on while holding the driving wheel with her other hand.


    ¡°Agent J,¡± the assistant said.


    ¡°No news about that stupid Nanny center?¡±


    ¡°As usual, Agent J. No other information about that person who disguised herself as a nanny. The head agent seems to notice that our side is searching for someone outside of mission. It won¡¯t be long before he knows this.¡±


    Her teeth clenched. ¡°Stop digging that nanny¡¯s information. I¡¯ll take care of my matters.¡±


    ¡°But Agent J¡ª¡±


    ¡°What? Your intelligence is useless so I¡¯ll take care of my matters. Got it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Agent J.¡±


    She took a deep breath and hung up the phone. She cursed a few times.


    She used to believe she could do it all. She has the HQ to back her up and gather the information she requires for the task. But now that her assistant is practically helpless in her son¡¯s kidnapping case, those feelings from years before resurface like tidalwaves ¡ª hopelessness.


    Perhaps she¡¯s ustomed to receiving all of the information that provides her an advantage over the opposition in a single phone call. Perhaps she has be overly reliant on HQ and has forgotten that there are some things it cannot provide her with, such as independence.


    The ability to stand on one¡¯s own two feet. Because HQ absolutely prohibits doing things that are not in ordance with the mission, soshe has the assistant secretly investigate the nanny who abductedSham. If the top agent finds out, he will delegate this mission to someone else.


    And she won¡¯t let that happen, especially now that her first step toward finding her son is taking shape ¡ª her influence in the South is gradually growing.


    Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about Sham. When she saw the child, who was the same age as her son and had the samename, the pain in her heart returned. She wished she hadn¡¯t brought Sham to the country when she was on a mission.


    It was entirely her fault!


    ¡°Sh*t!¡± she yelled repeatedly.


    And because she was preupied, she didn¡¯t notice the youngster crossing the street. When she almost ran over the young beggar, her heart stopped beating. Fortunately, she was able to stop the car in time.


    She jumped out of the car and dashed towards the boy. ¡°Are you all right?¡± she questioned instantly, checking the body for damage. But she¡¯s not sure because his body is covered in dirt.


    For a few moments, the boy was dumbfounded and just stared at her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she inquired once again.


    The youngster simply shook his head and began crying. She was ready to wee him to the car to drive him to the hospital when she noticed the boy¡¯s ne.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes widened as she immediately untied the ne from hisneck. When he saw what she had in her possession, he yelled and grabbed the ne before fleeing.


    Jenica was surprised for a moment, and when she understood what had happened, she dashed after the young beggar. Sh*t!


    She can¡¯t possibly be mistaken. Sham wore that ne! She make ita personalized ne, so no one else in the world will have the same one!


    It means only one thing. That boy is aware of her son¡¯s whereabouts!

 I was pregnant when I left you

    She ran up to the youngster and held him quickly to stop him from running. ¡°Shhh¡­. I won¡¯t hurt you,¡± she said quietly.


    The child finally stopped weeping, and his brow wrinkled as he passed out. Jenica walked back to the car, holding the youngster in her arms. Carlos approached the boy and looked at his appearance. ¡°Agent J?¡±


    ¡°Look for a vacant hotel room in the next town.¡±


    Carlos didn¡¯t inquire why and just did what she said. Jenica sat the child in the passenger seat and buckled the seatbelt before turning around and getting into the car. She drove away, leaving Carlos on the road once more.


    ¡°Hearltess,¡± he mumbled before getting into the car and driving it after Agent J.


    They soon arrived in the next town. Jenica drove the toddler to the hotel and bathed and clothed him with care. When she observed his wless appearance, she took a deep breath.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ That one looks like a rich kid, Agent J. He has a cleanplexion and resembles me,¡± Carlos frowned.


    ¡°Like you?¡± she asked, looking up at the man.


    He nodded, ¡°Yes.We¡¯re both handsome.¡±


    Jenica locked her gaze on Carlos for a few seconds before huffing and rolling her eyes. Her chest heaved even more when she stared down at the ne. The rectangr pendant bore the name ¡°Sham¡± etched on it, thus she was certain it belonged to Sham.


    But what if Sham and this boy met? She became even more tense. What is her son¡¯s current situation? She took a deep breath and bit her lower lip.


    Jenica rushed up to the boy as soon as he regained consciousness. ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± she inquired, handing him a ss of water.


    Because the youngster drank the water rapidly, she replenished it and returned it to him. He eventually returned the ss with half of the water.


    She fed the boy first since she noticed he was staring at the cookies on the center table. He looked at her after he finished eating. Jenica inhaled deeply. She was hesitant to ask about Sham¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Child, what is your name?¡± Carlos asked, seeing her nervousness.


    Jenica swallowed and rxed. She should not let her emotions dictate her reasoning.


    ¡°It¡¯s June.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Carlos said as he handed him a cookie. ¡°Do you like it?¡± the man inquired. The child nodded, and the smile on his lips widened. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you when you answer the question of the woman in front of you. Deal?¡± The young man nodded.


    Carlos gave her a brief nce before gently walking away. Jenica swallowed again, trying to mask her nervousness. ¡°Where did you get this ne?¡± she questioned, holding it up.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    When the boy saw the ne, his eyes became red and he burst into tears. Jenica couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. She was at a loss for words as she observed the child¡¯s behavior. Did something awful happen to Sham for the youngster to act this way?


    ¡°Agent J,¡± Carlos said to her.


    She took a deep breath and grinned as if she¡¯d done it dozens of times before. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Here, cookies.¡± She offered him cookies, which quieted the kid. For a brief moment, she closed her eyes. ¡°Do you know where the owner of this ne is? If you answer I will give you all the cookies on the table.¡±


    ¡°S-Sham just gave me the ne before a man took him away.¡±


    Jenica paused for a beat before asking again. ¡°Is the man you¡¯re talking about the tall man¡­¡± She described the men she observed on the CCTV camera outside the house where she and Sham were staying. Jenica felt cold when the boy nodded. ¡°Then¡­ Where did youst see them?¡± she questioned, holding her breath.


    ¡°They¡¯re bad! They wanted to take me but Sham pushed me before that bad man could get me. Sham gave the ne when they left us in the big car for a while.¡±


    Jenica and Carlos exchanged nces. Thetter promptly took out his phone and looked up the most current events in that town. Carlos muttered a curse. ¡°Agent J, that child is the missing son of the Mondragon couple, who belong to the privileged families in this town. And they are your next target.¡±


    She took a nce at the child. ¡°When you saw Sham, was he dressed properly? The bad man wasn¡¯t hurting him?¡±


    ¡°They pped Sham in the face because Sham wanted to leave me on the road but the bad men didn¡¯t want to. Then Sham said he was hungry but they didn¡¯t want to feed him so Sham was always crying.¡±


    Her teeth clenched. Her eyes wet, so she stood up and waved goodbye for a few moments. Carlos¡¯ gaze followed her, but he remained inside with the boy.


    Jenica went into the bathroom and shut the door. That¡¯s when she let out the restrained sobs and straightened up. She continuously med herself. She then decided to contact the person she believed could only help her.


    ¡°Alex,¡± she said over the phone.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to call me so soon. Are you done having fun in the South?¡± He sarcastically asked her.


    But she had no intention of arguing with him right now since she was ovee by her feelings of guilt and self-reproach. ¡°I-I want to say something¡­¡± She bit her lip and continued, ¡°I wanted to tell you before but I didn¡¯t have the chance.But I truly need your help this time.¡± She winced at thest phrase.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Alex asked after a little pause.¡± She could hear the concern in his voice, and she burst into tears as Alex¡¯s voice became more urgent. ¡°Jenica, open your GPS and stay where you are. I¡¯lle get you.¡±


    She followed his instructions and then called Carlos, telling him to return to herroom with the child. Her assistant didn¡¯t ask why because he could tell she had just cried because her voice was hoarse.


    She emerged from the restroom a few minutester and stood in front of the vanity mirror. She straightened herself after removing the tear-soaked mask. She couldn¡¯t, however, hide her swelling eyes. Sighing, she sat at the foot of the bed. Jenica had fallen asleep without realizing it.


    She awoke instantly as she heard footsteps inside the room. Jenica jumped to her feet and charged at the neer. She raised her fist and was about to sever the intruder¡¯s head when she noticed her husband¡¯s face, and they both stared at each other.


    ¡°A-Alex?¡± she grumbled. Only then did she recall calling the man before falling asleep.


    He reached for her face and stroked his fingerover her puffy eyes. ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± he asked firmly.


    Jenica pursed her lips and clenched her hand. She was going to confess about their two children when she felt embarrassed. She believes she is unqualified to be Sham¡¯s mother because she is too irresponsible and conceited to hide their child, but she is also incapable of protecting the child.


    Sham was in her care when he was abducted. What kind of mother is she?


    She averted her gaze and pushed his hand away from her face. Jenica frowned and bit her bottom lip. She wanted to tell Alex the truth, but she was terrified of the consequences.


    What will he say about her? Will he hold it against her? Will he appear dissatisfied with her? Will he take Sham once they have found the boy?


    ¡°Jenica,¡± Alex called.


    She tightened her hand and exhaled deeply. In either case, it¡¯s extremely important to findSham as soon as possible.


    She raised her head to Alex and revealed the secret she had been keeping for years. ¡°Five years ago¡­ I ran away.¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°I was pregnant with your child when I left you, Alex.¡±

 Opps, I broke your bone

    ¡°What?¡± Alex asked, grabbing her shoulder. ¡°We had a child?¡±


    She nodded and averted her gaze. ¡°He¡¯s five years old now and a sweet little boy.¡±


    Alex took his hand off her shoulder and ran it through his own hair. He inhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jenica.I wasn¡¯t there when you needed me.¡± Alex swore softly and closed his eyes firmly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have stopped looking for you then. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m sorry, wife.¡±


    Jenica bit her lower lip and nced down when he said it. ¡°I should be the one saying sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I was a coward before so I didn¡¯t introduce you to my family. I shouldn¡¯t have hidden the fact that we¡¯re married, Jenica.¡± Alex said with a sigh and pulled her in a tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was afraid that you would get entangled in my family¡¯s trouble and I intend to introduce you to them when I have solved who wants to bring down the Fuego family. I don¡¯t want anyone threatening my wife¡¯s life. But I underestimated those bastards.¡±


    Jenica shut her eyes. Her feelings for Alex were even more confusing. She enjoys being in his arms, but she is scared of what would happen if she jumps off the cliff entirely. Alexander Fuego is a dangerous man she will never be able to defeat.


    However, this is also the only person who can assist her in locating Sham. She¡¯ll acknowledge it. Despite the fact that she has many connections outside the country as a result of her secret identities, there are still locations and worlds in politics and business that she failed to visit. Alex will show her how far a Fuego can rise in high society.


    Alex¡¯s lips touched the side of her head. ¡°Where is he? I want to see our child.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s happy feelings vanished like a bubble. Reality struck her right away.


    She pushed Alex and lowered her gaze. ¡°I lost him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Her vision was fuzzy due to the impending tears, but she stopped crying in front of him. ¡°Sham was kidnapped. I tried everything to find him but I don¡¯t have enough influence to do so.¡± She turned to gaze at Alex. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for your help. Please find our son!¡±


    Alex gave her a brief look before asking. ¡°Are you deceiving me again, Jenica?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she eximed, wiping her damp cheek. ¡°Why would I?¡±


    Alex took a deep breath and reached into his pocket for his phone. He spoke to someone for a while before looking at her with a stiff jaw. ¡°I¡¯ll choose to believe you this time, wife, and I hope you won¡¯t let me down again,¡± Alex stated before turning and leaving the room.


    Jenica shut her eyes tightly and took another deep inhale. She chuckled bitterly and grinned. Of course, Alex isn¡¯t going to believe her immediately now because he knows she¡¯s been keeping a lot from him. That man is wary.


    But, c¡¯mon, what the hell! Why, of all times, would he be wary now that Sham needs help!


    She cursed several times before dialing Carlos¡¯ number. Jenica summoned the man to her room so that they could discuss what they would do the next day and how they would return the child.


    Carlos walked in, carrying the sleeping child. The man scratched the back of his neck and smiled cruelly. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to sleep in my room, Agent J. That¡¯s why I brought him here.¡±


    ¡°Put him on the bed,¡± she murmured as she sat in the chair across from the center table.


    Carlos did as she said and was about to approach her when the door opened and Alex walked in as if he owned the ce. Carlos approached the neer swiftly and exchanged blows with her husband.


    Her teeth clenched. ¡°Kaloy, enough!¡± But Carlos didn¡¯t give up and continued to roundhouse kick Alex. Thetter defended himself swiftly and looked at her usingly.


    Well¡­ Jenica gulped. What exactly does he mean by that terrifying re?Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She sat back in her chair, arms folded. She has no intention of stopping hersidekick from beating Alex right now. How could he look at her as if she killed his son?


    Carlos had defeated her husband, who was nowying on the floor, just as she had predicted. Carlos asked, looking at Jenica breathlessly. ¡°What to do with this intruder, Doctor Acinea?¡±


    As Alexy gasping on the floor, Jenica nced at him with narrowed eyes. Carlos seemed to have done no real harm and simply ensured that Alex could not recuperate for some time. She expelled air.


    ¡°He¡¯s Alexander Fuego,¡± she stated, reaching for the water on the table and taking a sip.


    ¡°Alexander Fuego?¡± Carlos hastily took the phone from his pocket and ran a fast search. His eyes widened and he gaped after a time. He screamed, ¡°The owner of the Fuego Empire?¡±


    Jenica gave a nod. ¡°Surprise?¡± she eximed. She evenughed to mock her sidekick, who always let his fist speak first.


    ¡°Sh*t!¡± Carlos swiftly assisted Alex in standing properly. ¡°You did not introduce yourself, Sir. I apologize for the punch in the face. I¡¯ll cover the hospital bill ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t afford to pay my hospital bill? Who are you, bastard?¡± Alex demanded fiercely, firmly withdrawing his arm from Carlos. ¡°Are you attempting to kidnap my wife ¨C¡±


    Jenica interrupted Alex, saying, ¡°That¡¯s my assistant Kaloy.¡±


    ¡°What are your ns with her?¡± Alex asked, his gaze narrowing at Carlos. ¡°Speak up or I¡¯ll cut your tongue off!¡±


    ¡°What n do I have?¡± Carlos fakeughed and raised his hand saying, ¡°Bro, chill. I didn¡¯t intend to hit you.¡±


    ¡°All right, enough drama.¡± Jenica stood up and was ready to approach the two when the child on the bed began to cry.


    She rushed up to the kid. He appeared to be having a nightmare. Jenica tenderly sang to him while patting his small butt. She motioned to the two guys not to make any noise after ensuring that the youngster had fallen asleep again.


    But Alex had been suppressing his own rage. ¡°Is that the child Sham you¡¯re referring to, Jenica? And you have the audacity to im he¡¯s my son when he¡¯s actually this bastard¡¯s son?¡± he asked, clenching his teeth and pointing at Carlos.


    Carlos opened his eyes and raised both hands. ¡°That¡¯s not my son,¡± he said tly.


    Alex gave a mocking smirk before turning to face Carlos. ¡°Tell me how you fucked my wife, you bastard! And you got her pregnant?¡±


    ¡°W-Wife? P-Pregnant?¡± Carlos remarked coldly before breaking out in a cold sweat. What kind of wife? Even if the chief agent kneels in front of him, he will not marry Agent J. He may die without knowing how!


    When he looked across at Agent J, her face was darker than the butt of the pot he used in the previous mission. Carlos faked augh and then walked away. ¡°Looks like you made a mistake. Doctor Acinea is not my wife!¡±


    Alex grabbed Carlos¡¯ clothing and lifted him by the cor. ¡°Did you enjoy f*cking my wife, huh? F*ck you!¡± Alex stomped on Carlos¡¯s face. Thetter quickly dropped. Alex continually stomped and kicked him.


    Carlos writhed in anguish as he rolled away.


    Sh*t! Who says Alexander Fuego is prim and proper and has no fighting experience? That fist is much bigger than their head agent¡¯s! It was only one strike, but it felt like a hundred fists punched him in the face!


    Alex took an immense breath and smiled at Jenica, who was standing next to him. The woman took a step back. Alex, how did he thrash her assistant like that?


    ¡°You!¡± eximed Jenica. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± she said, looking at Carlos, who was shivering on the floor. ¡°You beat up my assistant? Do you know that he still has work tomorrow? Who will assist me then?!¡± She cried out, furious.


    Alex took a step closer to her. Jenica retreated till her feet slipped and she fell onto the sofa. Jenica¡¯s heart raced faster as she nced at Alex, whose face was barely a hair¡¯s breadth away from hers.


    She swiftly returned her attention to Carlos. ¡°Stand up and get out of here! Bring that child!¡± she yelled. Despite his pained expression, the assistant instantly carried out her instructions.


    Alex reached for her dress strap, but she swiftly snatched his hand. ¡°Stop fooling around!¡± she eximed.


    ¡°Huh.¡± The man moved his face closer to hers. ¡°You are mine, Jenica. Don¡¯t let any bastard strip you! Only I have that right! You understand?¡±


    Jenica noticed Carlos exiting the room with the youngster out of the corner of her eye. She switched her focus to Alex, whose expression was still gloomy, whenshe was certain the two were gone.


    Jenica grinned. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be the same submissive wife? Dream on!¡±


    She pushed him to the ground at that point. Alex held her and turned them around. Jenica eventually found herself on top of the man.


    As she tugged on his necktie, a smile formed on her lips. When Alex¡¯s lips parted, sheughed. ¡°I¡¯m still in charge of this situation,¡± she added as she licked her lips.


    She knelt down and heldthe thing between his thighs. Alex¡¯s pupils constricted and his jaw clenched. Jenicaughed once more. ¡°Look at you, honey. You still like my touch, don¡¯t you?¡± She stroked it again before letting go. Her smile vanished, and she quickly bound his two hands with his necktie.


    Alex smirked. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    She withdrew from above him and proceeded to the center table to retrieve the ss of water she had left behind earlier. She gulped it down her mouth rapidly. Jenica could feel her cheeks getting hot.


    Alex couldn¡¯t walk five years ago, so when it came to bed, Jenica was the dominant one. Others regard her as a ¡°submissive wife,¡± but as night falls, she ties Alex to the bed and expects him not toin. Those were wild and passionate nights. She lowered her gaze.


    She hasn¡¯t slept with her husband in a couple years. Even if she tries to push it out of her mind, she can¡¯t deny that she misses his touch.


    Someone ced an arm around her waist without warning. She instinctively elbowed that person and flung him on his back in one rapid motion.


    *Bang!*


    Alex copsed on the floor, his face darkening even more. The force of the fall pained his back. Oh, no. He only wants to hug Jenica, but why is it so difficult?


    ¡°Err¡­ Sorry,¡± Jenica said quietly as she attendedto her husband. ¡°Don¡¯t surprise me so I don¡¯t hurt you.¡± She examined his body. ¡°Oops, it looks like I broke your bone. Hold on, I¡¯ll call an ambnce,¡± she teased, reaching for the phone on the side.

 Pretending assistant

    Alex¡¯s assistant gave her a crude smile and turned to face her. ¡°Mrs. Fuego, it looks like Mr. Fuego¡¯s fall is bad. How about he spend the night here first?¡±


    She folded her arms and twitched the corner of her mouth. ¡°Hecan. But hehave to stay and I¡¯ll change rooms.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Alex¡¯s personal assistant shook his head and sadly stared at her. ¡°I talked to the front desk earlier. They said there are no more vacant rooms, Mrs. Fuego.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, turning to face Alex, who was staring at hersilently as hey like a king on herbed. ¡°That¡¯s it. That¡¯s easy to solve. I¡¯ll just change hotels!¡±


    Alex and his personal assistant exchanged nces. The personal assistant grimaced, a worried expression on his face. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re going to have a hard time, Mrs. Fuego. The festival ising up so many people from other towns havee to visit. All the hotels are already booked in advance.¡±


    She raised her brow and took the phone from her pocket. She dialed the number for a local hotel. Before they got in town, Carlos had given hera list of hotels. He added that she might need it if they went out in town.


    Jenica giggled quietly to herself. That one appears to be useful.


    But her joyful attitude was short-lived because, as the personal assistant exined, there were no rooms avable in another hotel. She hung up the phone and then gazed at Alex who just smiled at her.She knows it¡¯s her husband¡¯s intentions, thus there are no vacantrooms in other hotels.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just call the ambnce, this time for real!¡± she gritted her teeth.


    She had phoned Alex¡¯s assistant earlier because she knew he would be looking after her husband. However, it appeared that they both agreed to make things tough for her. She was ready to call an ambnce while snorting, when the assistant immediately grabbed the phone she was holding.


    Jenica frowned, and her body moved before she could think. Her hand yanked on the man¡¯s cor and elbowed him in the stomach. She raised her palm and struck his critical spot, knocking him out. With a thud, the assistant¡¯s body tumbled to the floor. Jenica bit her lower lip and blinked. Did she go too far?


    ¡°You hit my assistant,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°How should I punish you, wife?¡±


    ¡°Punish?¡± Her lips twitched, and she cast a peek at her husband. ¡°You can¡¯t even stand up on that bed. Just shut up, boy!¡± she blurted out. Alex¡¯s face darkened, and Jenica¡¯s brows came together. ¡°What? Do you have anything else to say?¡± she asked, challenging him.


    His lips formed a line, and he averted his gaze. He didn¡¯t say anything further, so Jenica grinned from ear to ear before lifting up the assistant and ced him on the sofa. She walked up to the bed and grabbed Alex¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked with a frown but did not withdraw his hand from her.


    ¡°I¡¯m just checking to see if you can still walk. Maybe you¡¯ll ask me forpensationter, huh?¡±


    Alex¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s easy. Just keep mepany.¡±


    ¡°My time is precious,¡± she remarked before letting go of his hand.


    She gave Alex a thorough check-up thatsted many minutes, while the man simply stared at her face in silence. She gazed up at Alex after the check-up. ¡°Just rest tonight. You¡¯ll be fine when you wake up,¡± she stated, turning to walk away when Alex grabbed her shoulder and drew her to lie down next to him. ¡°What the¨C¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired? Sleep beside me,¡± he urged, drawing her closer to him.


    Jenica grabbed her breath as her forehead contacted his chest, her heart racing. Her cheeks were hot, and she knew she was flushing like a ripe tomato even though she couldn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t sleep in the same bed,¡± she admonished, and while she intended to be stern, her words came out meekly.


    Jenica waited for the man¡¯s response but heard nothing. She noticed that he had closed his eyes and was breathing steadily when she looked up. Alex appears to have dozed off.


    She couldn¡¯t help but lift a finger and softly stroke her sleeping husband¡¯s sharp nose and thin lips as she watched him sleep. Jenica suddenly realized what she was doing and hurriedly removed her finger. She lowered it and nibbled her bottom lip.


    She should quit thinking about this man. She forced herself to sleep in Alex¡¯s arms, closing her eyes.


    Alex opened his eyesafter Jenica eventually fell asleep. He lowered his gaze to the woman in his arms. He leaned down to nt a quick kiss on the top of Jenica¡¯s head before closing his eyes again.


    Jenica awoke the next morning without Alex by her side. She stood up swiftly and looked around. She noticed a letter from Alex on the bedside table. She took it, read it, and then ignited a lighter to burn it before going to the bathroom.


    ¡­


    June Mondragon, the son of the Pocion-based Mondragon couple. The toddler was kidnapped a month ago, and no one knew where he was until Jenica spotted him on the road after Sham shoved him out of the car transporting the two children to who knows where.


    Jenica peered down the road where June had indicated the abductor¡¯s car had disappeared. She pressed her lips together.


    ¡°Agent J, that road leads nowhere. Two kilometers ahead is a cliff. There are no other housing establishments ormunities within a one-kilometer radius of the cliff,¡± Carlos said as he scanned the intelligence acquired.


    She took a deep breath. ¡°Any other routes?¡±


    ¡°ording to the map, there is one: an abandoned road 500 meters from the cliff. It takes around a hundred kilometers to get to the next town because it goes around a mountain. The administration forbids automobiles from using the road since it is prone to idents due tondslides that frequently ur on the mountain¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°Those cretins,¡± she tightened her fist, ¡°send me the specifics.All of it,¡± she said.


    Carlos paused for a time before obeying Jenica¡¯smand, then muttered, ¡°Agent J, do you and Alexander Fuego know each other?¡±he inquired.


    Jenica turned to June, who was munching and devouring her ice cream under the shade of an oldtree, and toCarlos, who was standing under another tree.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you we¡¯re only business partners and not friends?Why should you be concerned about whether or not I know him?¡±


    Carlos loweredthe phone and gave her a serious look. ¡°Agent, I¡¯m not intruding into your private life,¡± he said. ¡°But¡­¡± he paused, then groaned, ¡°HQ is looking into the Fuego Empire. Our spies had previously been unable to enter the Fuegos¡¯ den, so this time there was an all-out mission. Three high-level agents were dispatched to the country to investigate the Fuego Empire.¡±


    Jenica was taken aback and swiftly turned to Carlos, ¡°Top Agents?¡±¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said, turning aside. ¡°Didn¡¯t your assistant tell you?¡±¡±


    Jenica tightened her fist and contacted the assistant, asking why it hadn¡¯t informed her of the all-out mission.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Agent J.The upper management prefers that you focus on your missionand not on others.¡±


    Nosy? Those friggin old geezers! She was upset because they had kept it from her, but knowing that her assistant has hidden things from her, it¡¯s difficult for her to fully trust this assistant.


    ¡°Fine. Is there any news?¡± she inquired, knowing that facing this cretin head on would be futile.


    ¡°Yes. Fortunately, we received information. Alexander Fuego is currently not in the capital. Our spies followed him south before losing him again.¡±


    ¡°Is that your news?¡±¡± Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. When the assistant hummed to agree, she snorted. ¡°Useless!¡± She remarked before hanging up.


    Giving her Alex¡¯s general location? What a waste of time, knowing that she knew the specific location of that bastard husband of hers.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    But why the all-out mission this time?


    It just didn¡¯t make sense that the more time she spent on her mission, the less credible her assistant became.


    Jenica gathered all of the information about the road and the kidnappers and ryed it to Alex. She has provided all of the information needed to locate Sham.


    Right now, the HQ wants her to focus on the assignment, so she won¡¯t have time to hunt for Sham, especially since she¡¯s being guarded bythe HQ. She also can¡¯t ess HQ¡¯s resources, thus she should put her trust in Alex.


    ¡°Agent J, we have to go,¡±Carlos remindedas he looked around at the many groups of individuals headed in their direction.


    She nodded and headed straight to the car. June was scooped up by Carlos. Jenica got into the car and took the wheel, with Carlos in the passenger seat and June in the backseat. She drove to Pocion, where the Mondragons lived.


    Friendly guards and servants greeted them. Jenica lifted her brows under the mask before turning to Carlos, holding June in her arms. Because the child¡¯s face was obscured, the staff did not recognize him right away.


    And when she was greeted warmly, Jenica realized it had to be Jobert who had informed the Mondragon family that she and her assistantwere on their way.


    ¡°Doctor, Ma¡¯am said you understand ournguage and are kind, and Ma¡¯am appears to be correct!¡± eximed the mid-50s maid.


    The Mondragon and Jobert appeared to have told them ahead of time. When the maid stated the next thing, the corner of her mouth raised and then vanished.


    ¡°Your assistant also seems to be telling the truth that you are a beautiful beauty. Even though your face is covered, I know you are as beautiful as a goddess, Doctor!¡±


    Jenica paused for a while and turned to face Carlos. Their gazes locked. She closed her eyes and took a long breath before turning to face the maid in front of her. escorting them inside. ¡°Assistant?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°Yes, Doc. I¡¯m talking about him!¡± the maid said gleefully as she pointed to a man wearing eyesses, cheap clothes, and a watch sitting calmly on the sofa. He, like Carlos, brought a suitcase.


    Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted. Who on earth would pretend to be Doctor Acinea¡¯s assistant without her permission?

 Stabbing incident inside the store

    ¡°You are here, Doctor Acinea!¡± said the woman in her thirties. When she approached Jenica, she smiled and extended her hand for a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m Samantha Mondragon, and Governor Jobert is my friend!¡± she blurted out.


    With a slight smile on her lips, Jenica softly epted the woman¡¯s handshake. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯m Acinea.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. Come on, Doc. Please take a seat and be at ease!¡± Samantha said to the maid on standby, ¡°Make the snacks and drinks, and hurry up,¡± she said, her eyes straining.


    The maid hastily bowed and dashed off somewhere. Jenica lowered her gaze to hide the glint shed acrosseyesbefore taking a seat and sat. She gazed up at her strange¡®assistant¡¯ who had appeared out of nowhere. Because the man was staring at her, she raised an eyebrow at him, despite the fact that he couldn¡¯t see her motion due to the mask.


    ¡°You are Doctor Acinea¡¯s second assistant?¡± Samantha inquired, smiling as she mistook Agent C for the doctor¡¯s other assistant. ¡°Come, please have a seat. You can put the child on the sofa or I¡¯ll call someone to fetch him and put him on the bed upstairs?¡± Samantha asked.


    Jenica and Carlos exchanged nces. Carlosughed. He was irritated that he had been mistaken for the ¡®other¡¯ assistant when, in fact, it was that strange man who had stolen his identity as Doctor Acinea¡¯s true assistant.


    Jenica secretly nced at her fake assistant, who was sipping tea and staring at her. She couldn¡¯t blow off her cover right now, so even though she was wary of this unusual man, she opted to ignore his presence.


    She sighed and turned to face Samantha. ¡°This¡­ I have a importantmessage for you.


    Samantha¡¯s smile vanished and she dismissed the housekeepers around. When there was no outsider, the woman¡¯s smile returned and she inquired, ¡°What is it?¡±Samantha giggled as Jenica stared at the fake assistant, adding, ¡°He¡¯s your assistant, not someone else¡¯s.¡±


    Jenica was now apprehensive that this unusual man was one of Jobert¡¯s men who had been told to follow her, knowing Samantha, who was under Jobert¡¯s tutge, spoke for him. In any case, she won¡¯t reveal anything about herself until she knows who this man is. ¡°We fortunately saw your child while on our way,¡± she said, pointing to the child in Carlos¡¯ arms. ¡°We brought June Mondragon back.¡±


    Samanthan rose up as the smile on her lips faded. She approached Carlos quickly and removed the handkerchief that was covering the child¡¯s face. Samantha hesitated for a few seconds before tears streamed down her cheeks one by one. Samantha burst out crying, ¡°M-my son is back!¡±


    Jenica shook her head at Carlos, preventing him from handing over the kid to Samantha, who began crying. Hearing Samantha wailing loudly, the corner of her lips twitched. June cries in the same way. She was, in fact, the child¡¯s mother.


    Gray Mondragon, the current head of the Mondragon family, arrived as a result of Samantha¡¯s incessant wailing. And it appears that he was uninformed ofthevisitor to his estate, as he instantly ordered the guards to throwthem out.


    ¡°Bastards!¡± Gray cursedfiercely before attending to Samantha.


    The corner of her lips twitched. ?Two security guards approached her and led her outside.


    Samantha burst out cryingas she saw Carlos and the childbeing led outside. ¡°My s-son, June!¡± sheeximed.


    Gray took a deep breath and turned to face them with a gloomy expression. ¡°Lock them up on the shed and call the police! They¡¯re the ones who kidnapped my son!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Son of a b*tch! We didn¡¯t kidnap your son!¡± Carlos yelled fiercely, turning to face Samantha. ¡°Hey you, stop crying over and exin to your husband! If you don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t give you your child!¡±


    Gray¡¯s face grew red with rage as he charged at Carlos. Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed as she approached the assistant to grab the childfrom him before moving back to give space forthe two guys hitting each other. She noticed the false assistant approaching her out of the corner of her eye and surreptitiously frowned at him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she askedquietly.


    The man smiled at her as he raised his eyesses. He put his lips to her ear, as if he was whispering to Jenica. ¡°Guess,¡± he said.


    Jenica was taken aback, and her eyes widened. ¡°Alex?!¡± she whispered in shock.


    ¡°What a lovely expression. Do you like my surprise?¡± he questioned, lifting his brows.


    Jenica¡¯s expression was perplexed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she retorted, furious. ¡°And what¡¯s with that old fashioned look?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m your husband, so I should be the one assisting you, not some random dog,¡± he added, turning to face Carlos who was punching Gray Mondragon¡¯s face.


    Her lips trembled slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll talkter,¡± she murmured when she noticed Samantha was upset as she stared at her battered husband.


    ¡°No! What are you doing? Get off!¡± Samantha eximed furiously before charging at Carlos.


    She was striking her assistant, who could only move and defend himself. Carlos turned to her for assistance. Alex was ahead of her before she could say anything. ¡°Stop hurting Doctor Acinea¡¯s assistant, Mrs. Mondragon.¡±


    Samantha regained awareness and turned to face Carlos, whose cheeks and arms were flushed from the power of her punches. She eximed, covering her mouth with both hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Carlos grimaced. All he received was a sorry after all the misery she caused?


    Finally, Jenica treated Samantha¡¯s husband and chastised her assistantfor punchingGrey¡¯sface that it turned swollen. ¡°Damn it, Doc! He attacked me first!¡± eximed Carlos.


    Jenica simply stared and blinked at him, telling him to quit causing troublewith her eyes. She then turned to face the couplewho were staring at the helpless child dozing on the sofa. June didn¡¯t wake up after all the uproar. He, like his mother, is a heavy sleeper, as Grey Mondragon joked earlier.


    Jenica swallowed and cleared her throat. ¡°Now that we brought back your son ¨C¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Give me a price for bringing my son back,¡± Gray Mondragon cut her off mid-sentence. Gray appeared to have misunderstood Jenica¡¯s gloomyexpression, so he said, ¡°If money is not enough, I can give younds and an ind under my name.¡±


    Carlos perked up his ears. ¡°Ind?¡± he inquired, excitedly.


    Gray shrugged and nodded, ¡°Yes.I have an ind in Scarborough Shoal. I can give it to you if you like,¡± he said.


    ¡°White sand beach ¡ª¡±


    Jenica interrupted Carlos¡¯ fantasy by asking, ¡°Do I appear to be poor?¡±


    Gray Mondragon nodded as he looked between Carlos and Alex, who looked like abandoned kittens. ¡°Yes. Youck money and I can give you a lot.¡±


    The smile on Carlos¡¯ lips vanished as Alex closed his eyes. Jenica¡¯s lips quiver just a little. That appears to be the case. Gray assumed she didn¡¯t have the money to give her two assistants a makeover because they looked like trash.


    ck lines emerged on her forehead. Good. Very good!


    The two men seated on either side of her noticed the abrupt drop in temperature. They both swallowed and turned away at the same time.


    Gray became aware of the peculiar mood created by the three people sitting opposite him. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°Ah, husband¡­¡± Samantha said, faking a smile. ¡°Doctor Acinea has a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Gray¡¯s eyes narrowed as he turned to face Jenica. ¡°Doctor, you are new to business so take my advice. You should give your men enough money to spend for themselves otherwise they will look for another job that will pay more for their service. Don¡¯t be too stingy with money. You can earn more if you have productive workers working for you.¡±


    The surroundings have be more awkward. Carlos burst outughing and raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine with the sry. I don¡¯t need a lot of money!¡±


    ¡°Likewise, I don¡¯t require any more,¡± Alex stated.


    Gray made a shaky motion with his head. ¡°Look at these two. You just say you don¡¯t need it but you should demand a reasonable payment for your service. There¡¯s no free meal nowadays!¡±


    The two mem could no longer save the situation.


    So, after giving them a room, Jenicainvited the two men into her room. They were awkwardly standing at the foot of the bed, unable to look at her directly. Jenica¡¯s pupils constricted and she grinned. ¡°So¡­ your sry is so small that you can¡¯t afford to fix yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Doctor, I¡¯m fine with this style.¡°It¡¯s better this way so girls don¡¯t chase me down with my good looks,¡± Carlos exined.


    Jenica sighed as Alex gazed at Carlos without saying anything.¡±Excuses!¡± she eximed angrily.¡°Follow me!¡± she addedas she exited the room.


    Samantha was concerned when Jenica informed her that she would be gone for a while with her assistants. The woman offeredto give her two additionalbodyguards but Jenica declined.


    It¡¯s the day before the festival, so many businesses are open in the za. Jenica walked discreetly while the two assistants followed her around, then entered the boutique with two guys following after her.


    ¡°Good day, Ma¡¯am!¡±The salesperson smiled and inquired as to what she desired.


    ¡°Make them look like humans,¡± she said, pointing to the two men behind her.


    Alex kept his mouth shut as Carlos choked on his own saliva. The salesperson was unsure whether to grin or not. Finally, she directed the two guys to the fitting room, while another salesperson directed Jenica to the boutique¡¯splimentary hair salon.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is the new product of our store,¡± the woman stated cheerfully as she brushed her hair.


    Jenica examined the merchandise and listened to the woman talking about it. It¡¯s a natural shampoo that she ims is a local product from the Mondragon Store. Jenica sensed the usual pharmaceutical odor when the woman opened the bottle.


    ¡°You said that shampoo is a herbal shampoo from Mondragon Store?¡± she inquired, secretly scanning the room. ¡°Only your store has this product?¡±


    After nodding, the woman put shampoo into the little container. ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t know, our boutique has a partnership with the Mondragon Store so you can be sure that we use legit products. If you avail the VIP membership, you can get even more free products and free services you will enjoy on your next visit to our boutique, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    So all of that bluster for a single VIP membership. But it¡¯s all good. Because she now knew what to do.


    She wasn¡¯t expecting to find a lethal needleponent in that tiny bottle of shampoo. Even if it was only a small fraction of the juice from dangerous herbs, she could still smell it.


    The woman looked her in the eyes and asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, may I remove your mask?¡±


    Jenica arched her brow. She was about to refuse when she heard a crash from the other room.


    ¡°Ahh! Thief!¡± eximed the saleswoman who was guiding Carlos and Alex.


    Jenica jumped to her feet and dashed towards the source of the cry. She watched Alex on the floor, blood streaming from his wounded side, as Carlos carelessly hit a strangeman in the face.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to peek your perverted eyes, make it a sissy so you don¡¯t get a beating like this!¡± Carlos yelled angrily, kicking the man who copsed from the power of his punch.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she questioned, frowning,and dashed to help Alex, only to inhale a frigid breath. ¡°He¡¯s losing too much blood!¡±

 Strange fetish

    ¡°Doctor Acinea, the ambnce ising,¡± Carlos stated solemnly. As he watched Alex lying bleeding, his face became moist and restless.


    Sh*t. He doesn¡¯t care if that man dies, but not in the hands of Doctor Acinea! Yes, he knows Alexander Fuego is the imposter since Agent J texted him earlier. What the hell? That¡¯s a great Alexander Fuego, and if he dies at the hands of Doctor Acinea, their ns will be destroyed.


    Carlos took a peek around and realized that there were no strangers. The two boutique saledies appear to have requested for assistance outdoors. There was no security guard in that store, possibly because the boutique was guarded by the Mondragon Store, and no one dared to stir trouble.


    Alex¡¯s wound was swiftly treated by Jenica. Because the man is still conscious, he grimaces now and again. Jenica frowned. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Carlos lowered his voice. ¡°The aggressive man entered the store and went straight to the fitting room where we were; it appears he was targeting Mr. Fuego because he pulled out a knife when he saw him,¡± Carlos said, pulling hisphone from his pocket. ¡°His name is Arnold Guting. He¡¯s a gangster leader in the area with connections to the¡­ capital,¡± Carlos said, and Jenica immediately realized what he meant.


    ¡°No CCTVs?¡± she inquired.


    Carlos let out a snort. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice anything when we first entered the fitting room.¡± Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. Of course, there is no CCTV in the fitting room! Seeing that Agent J¡¯s face darkened, Carlosughed fakely and raised his hand, ¡°Just chill, Doc. There is no CCTV inside the store.¡±


    ¡°Is there a witness to what happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Carlos said. She red at him so he scratched the back of his neck. ¡°The shopkeeper didn¡¯t see the stabbing. But we can press the gangster leader. Mr. Fuego is conscious, he will be the one to point out who stabbed him.¡±


    Jenica finished the first aid and was about to stand up but Alex grabbed her hand. He looked at her firmly. Her heart skipped a beat. In the end, she didn¡¯t stand up anymore and waited for the ambnce while holding her husband¡¯s hand.


    She had called Alex¡¯s assistant ahead of time, so when Alex was put into the ambnce, his personal assistant acted as his guardian and entered the ambnce. Carlos and Jenica were left at the store.


    ¡°You can treat Mr. Fuego, Agent J. Why didn¡¯t you do it when you¡¯re a doctor?¡± Carlos inquired.


    Her eyes were filled with anguish, and she gradually looked down at her trembling hand. Alex had held her hand earlier and didn¡¯t want to let go since he could feel the coldness of her palm.


    It¡¯s an emergency, and when she imed Alex was losing too much blood, she wasn¡¯t kidding. If she hadn¡¯t acted quickly, her husband would have been taken to the hospital as a dead body.


    Alex knew her and took her hand to reassure her. She may have remained calm before to treat his wounds, but she is aware that she is preventingherself from breaking downin front of Carlos and Alex.


    And this is the reason why she won¡¯t operate him. She is not in the right condition to operate on Alex so she will trust his assistant and another doctor. Also, HQ will turn its attention to her fake assistant if she also rushes to the hospital and she doesn¡¯t want them to know that the missing owner of Fuego Empire is hiding by her side.


    ¡°Doctor Acinea!¡± She heard Samantha¡¯s call and quickly walked close to her. ¡°I heard about what happened. Are you hurt?¡± the woman asked then took her hand and inspected it.


    Right. Doctor Acinea¡¯s hand should never be injured.


    Jenica smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m okay. But my assistant met an ident inside the store.¡±


    Samantha let go of her hand and breathe deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened. I¡¯llpensate your assistant and I¡¯ll put that stupid man behind bars!¡± she said angrily then turned to the police. ¡°Make him rot in prison!¡± shemanded.


    The two policemen looked at each other. The one with young looking face smiled. ¡°We have due process, Mrs. Mondragon. It¡¯s up to the court to decide if the suspect will be imprisoned for life. Please excuse us,¡± he said and the two policemen left hurriedly. Maybe they didn¡¯t want to y dumb in front of a rich madam like Samantha who knows nothing of the due process.


    Samantha¡¯s face was confused while Carlos looked away, trying to stop hisughter.


    The saledy of the boutique approached Jenica and handed her something. ¡°Maam, please take it as ourpensation for what happened. We¡¯re very sorry. We will make sure this incident will not happen again,¡± she promised.


    Jenica looked at the saledy. She knows it¡¯s not their fault but she didn¡¯t have the mood to even fake a smile for her. She silently epted the VIP membership card. Jenica got a free VIP card worth ten million and she didn¡¯t know what to feel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be toox in security,¡± she coldly said.


    The woman was trembling upon hearing her cold words. She nodded, said goodbye, and bowed before leaving quickly. Jenica looked around and noticed that many people had gathered not far away and were watching what happened. She pursed her lips and walked away.


    Carlos and Samantha followed her. They returned to the Mondragon mansion where Grey was waiting. The man¡¯s face was dark.


    ¡°It¡¯s our fault for not overseeing things,¡± he said and massaged the side of his forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for your assistant¡¯s hospital bill.¡±


    The corner of her lips twitched. ¡°I shall pay his bills, Mr. Mondragon. Thanks, but I can afford it.¡±


    ¡°Just take it,¡± he said indifferently. ¡°That¡¯s only a drop in my ocean of wealth.¡±


    Carlos choked on his own saliva and raised the corners of his lips. This Grey Mondragon really knows how to unt his wealth.


    ¡°By the way, who in your family is sick?¡± she asked.


    Since this happened, she wanted to treat the patient and leave this ce as soon as possible.


    The small smile on Samantha¡¯s lips disappeared and Gray¡¯s eyes narrowed. Thetter shrugged and looked away. ¡°It¡¯s my father. He¡¯s on his sick bed and needs immediate treatment. But no doctor can treat his illness.¡± Gray stared at Jenica. ¡°I heard you¡¯re the famous Doctor Acinea. I hope you will live up to my expectations.¡±


    She looked deeper at Grey. Was he challenging her? A grimace appeared on the corner of her lips. ¡°Of course. Shall I pay him a visit?¡±


    Just then she found herself in front of a golden door. Samantha looked at her gently and warned, ¡°Doctor, he¡¯s not on his right mind. He might hurt you so please beware,¡± she said before opening the door.


    As soon as Jenica entered, she frowned at the strong smell of medicinal herbs. The curtains are down so the room was very dark and only thempshade on the side of the bed illuminated the whole area. There was an air purifier that emitted smoke next to the bed.


    She secretly looked at Carlos who also looked at her. He took out a small knife and sliced ??his own arm slightly before covering it with a long sleeve. Jenica took out a pill and secretly ate it before facing Samantha.


    The woman was standing at the foot of the bed and was looking at the old man sleeping soundly on the bed. She stood beside it. ¡°This is Celino Mondragon?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes. He is.¡± Samantha looked down. ¡°It¡¯s been five years since Papa got sick. Since then, he doesn¡¯te out of the room anymore and doesn¡¯t want light so the curtains are down. He¡¯s also afraid of water and he¡¯ll drool sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Symptoms of rabies,¡± Carlos said with a serious expression on his face. ¡°Do you have a dog?¡±


    Samantha shook her head. ¡°We never had a dog because father hates them.¡±


    Jenica looked at Samantha for a moment before speaking. ¡°I want to take a closer look at him. Please step outside, Mrs. Mondragon.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t know this, Doctor, but every time he¡¯ll wake up, father willsh out. Twenty butlers can¡¯t stop him in his mad state.¡±


    She smiled at the woman. ¡°I can manage. He¡¯s not my first patient to have this kind of illness.¡±


    Samantha stared at her for a few seconds before sighing. She stepped out of the room and closed the door. Jenica quickly took out the small dagger and sliced ??her arm.


    She controlled the force and angle of the cut so that no blood came out. But the pain was enough to awaken her spirit. That¡¯s what Carlos did earlier so the smell of blood didn¡¯t spread in the room.


    ¡°Did you smell that?¡± she asked then approached the old man. She took out an optical shlight and crouched down. She opened the old man¡¯s eyes and focused on the light. ¡°Someone wants this poor man to never wake up,¡± she said then released the old man¡¯s eyelids.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Carlos approached the bedside table and took the air purifier. ¡°The smell ising from here, Agent J.¡±


    She looked at the thing in his hand and grinned. Carlos gave it to her. Jenica epted the small air purifier and opened it to take a looked inside. It contained hallucinogenic herb leaves. The corner of her lips twitched and she turned off the air purifier before handing it back to Carlos who returned it to the bedside table.


    ¡°That leaf induces the mind to rx,¡± she said then took the old man¡¯s pulse. ¡°Prolonged exposure leads to hallucination, frenzy, fear of bright light, and hydrophobia.¡± She let go and removed the nket that was covering the old body. ¡°That¡¯s why no doctor can diagnose him because the symptoms are so deceptive. At first nce it¡¯s rabies, butter the doctors will realize that the disease is not rabies. They always fail to see the right diagnosis because it is forbidden to undress the old man.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Carlos looked at Agent J who was undressing the old man¡¯s pants. ¡°Wait a minute, Agent J. If you¡¯re getting h*rny, don¡¯t do it with the old man! That¡¯s guaranteed to be full of wrinkles and his thing won¡¯t stand up!¡±


    Jenica stopped undressing the old man and red at Carlos. ¡°You want to die?¡±


    Carlosughed wildly and raised both hands. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not against your fetish. But have mercy on the old man, Agent J!¡±


    ¡°You piece of sh*t! Get out!¡± she yelled, annoyed, and threw a dagger at Carlos.


    He swiftly grabbed the dagger and tucked it into his clothing. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll go. Hurry up, Agent J. Gray Mondragon might catch you and you¡¯ll be his stepmother in no time!¡± heughed.

 My husband, how is he?

    There is a red lump on Celino Mondragon¡¯s inner thigh and just as she expected, there are traces of a poisonous needle on his body. But that was only a small percentage and the symptoms were still in the early stages so it was not like Jobert¡¯s wife who was being dposed alive. She was sure the old man had just been poisoned, about thirty minutes before she entered the room. She fed him a pill that cured Jobert¡¯s people.


    She dressed the old man and looked around. The corner of her lips twitched as she approached the ceiling-to-floor curtain. She removed it and let the sunlight enter the room.


    ¡°Uhh,¡± said the old man with his eyes closed.


    Jenica watched as the old man slowly regained consciousness. The smell of the hallucinogenic herb waspletely gone so his trance returned.


    ¡°Uhh! Mmm!¡±


    The old man quickly covered himself to avoid the sunlight. Jenica stood up and approached the bed. She removed the nket and exposed the trembling old man.


    His sharp gaze turned to her and in an instant he suddenly jumped in her direction and raised his long ws to scratch her. Jenica frowned and avoided the old man. She hit his nape and caught him as he dropped from the air.


    ¡°Too troublesome,¡± she whispered when he kicked her before she could catch the old man. Jenica quickly defended as the old man fell to the floor. He gasped suddenly.


    Jenica frowned and attended to the old man. She hit his acupoints to stop it from moving and thrashed around. The old man was not in his right mind and it seems that the harmful substance damaged his cognitive ability causing him to act ording to his natural instinct to attack the person who opened the curtain.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think you shouldpensate me for trying to kill me?¡± she then fed the old man a pill. ¡°Rest first. When you wake up, you¡¯ll be fine, Mr. Mondragon.¡±


    Just then, she carried the old man back to the bed. Suddenly the door opened and Gray entered. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my father, Doctor Acinea!¡± he shouted, voice full of anger.


    Jenica frowned at the sleeping old man and turned to the neer. Gray was followed by his wife Samantha and some maids. There were also two butlers behind them.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and folded her arms. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Mr. Grey?¡± she asked.


    Gray motioned to the maid in the back. The maid quickly approached Jenica and gave her a phone. She epted it and watched the CCTV footage where the old man jumped on her direction and she hit him on the back of the head.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re an excellent doctor. You disappoint me, Doctor Acinea!¡± Gray yelled, his face was reddish due to suppressed rage.


    Jenica returned the phone to the maid and secretly looked around the room. There above, firmly nted in the corner of the ceiling, was a small camera. Sh*t. She miscalcted everything! She didn¡¯t notice anyone watching her earlier.


    Jenica, you¡¯re being careless!


    Sighing, she closed her eyes for a moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt your father, Mr. Grey. It¡¯s part of the treatment process to restrain a mentally ill person.¡±


    ¡°Mentally ill?¡± His face contorted and heughed. ¡°Good. Very good! Guards, escort Doctor Acinea out of this mansion!¡± Gray ordered.


    The two guards approached her so Jenica raised her hand. ¡°I can walk on my own,¡± she said then stepped out of the room. She stopped for a moment and turned to Gray. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t regret it, Mr. Gray Mondragon,¡± she said then left the room with a smile.


    The smile disappeared from her lips and her gaze deepened as she walked down the long hallway. Carlos wasn¡¯t there and he didn¡¯t notify her that Grey¡¯s group wasing. Something¡¯s wrong!


    She turned to the two butlers escorting her. ¡°Where¡¯s my assistant?¡± she asked. But the two did not answer her. Oh well.


    When her feet stepped on the road, the huge gate of the mansion closed. Jenica walked away and secretly looked around. After making sure no one was looking, she took out the earpiece and called the assistant.


    ¡°Locate Agent C,¡± she ordered.


    ¡°Roger that,¡± said the assistant.


    She didn¡¯t wait long because the assistant immediately gave Carlos¡¯ coordinates. Jenica squinted when she realized that her sidekick was in the hospital.


    ¡°This fast?¡± she whispered and took a taxi to the abandoned parking lot where her car was. She had ordered Carlos to park her car in the abandoned parking lot because she knew this time woulde.


    The only thing she couldn¡¯t ept was that she was led by the nose! That¡¯s an unfair fight!


    She huffed and drove the car to the hospital where Alex was confined and where Carlos was at that time. When she got there, she found her sidekick unconscious in the hospital bed.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked the nurse.


    The nurse looked at her. ¡°Rtive?¡± Jenica nodded and the woman said, ¡°A man rushed here. He said the patient was seen bruised and bleeding in the vacant lot on the square.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s that guy?¡±


    ¡°He bought something for a while,¡± the nurse replied before she bid goodbye.


    Jenica frowned and approached Carlos. She took his pulse and her face darkened. ¡°Fractured bones, injured liver, trauma in the head,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s crippled now and it¡¯s your fault, Agent J,¡± a voice suddenly said.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes widened. Damn! Someone came behind her and she didn¡¯t notice! Just how did this man did it?


    She quickly turned to face him. He was wearing a hoodie and faded pants. And a big smile was stered on his lips.


    ¡°Agent Z,¡± Jenica greeted with a dark gaze. She¡¯s now sure that the man standing before her was the one who brought Agent C to the hospital.


    The smile grew on the man¡¯s lips and Jenica¡¯s eyes squinted.


    Agent Z, the HQ¡¯s top 1 agent. Like the other top agents, she does not know the real name of this strange man because the personal information of top agents is confidential. He is the only agent with a 100 percent sess rate in every mission. And the number of times it goes back to HQ could only be counted on one hand so she¡¯s not familiar with him.


    Agent Z approaches the lying Agent C and folds his arms. ¡°Such a low grade agent. I expect more from you, Agent J.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here, Agent Z?¡±


    ¡°Got some clean-up mission, sweetheart.¡± Jenica narrowed her eyes again so Agent Zughed. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to offend you but I think you need to focus on your mission.¡±


    ¡°I am doing my mission.¡±


    Agent Z shook his head and crouched down to bring his face closer to hers. ¡°The head thinks you need help so Ie here to your rescue.¡±


    She clenched her fist and looked away. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Go back to the capital. Focus on Jared¡¯s group and I¡¯ll be the one to find the mastermind behind the poisonous needles.¡± He looked at her. ¡°Do it now.¡±


    Jenica took a deep breath. ¡°The head wants to transfer my mission to you? Why?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± asked Agent Z. He smiled dangerously at her. ¡°You told the enemy about your association with Oriental Alchemist. Do you know that Doctor Acinea¡¯s good reputation is now on the brink of copse? A doctor shouldn¡¯t associate herself with poisons but you let the enemy find out your weakness.¡±


    ¡°Enemy? You mean Jared?¡± she asked with a frown.


    ¡°It seems like you now realize it? Tsk, tsk.¡± Agent Z shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re too reckless, Agent J. The head agent wants Doctor Acinea to never appear in public until this issue subsides.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± she said with a clenched fist. Then she left the room and walked away.


    She wanted to go and checked Alex¡¯s conditon but she couldn¡¯t. The HQ staff spread out inside that hospital. She knows because Agent Z is here. And where Agent Z is, that¡¯s where the elite assistants are.


    So she immediately went to the parking lot and started the car. After a while, she hit the steering wheel. Her teeth clenched tightly and her eyes were red.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Goodness, Jenica! You took the wrong gamble with Jobert!


    She quickly took the earpiece and called the assistant. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me? Why did you keep such important information from me?!¡± she asked.


    ¡°Agent J, I got the news toote. The head agent clearly warned us not to let the enemy know that Doctor Acinea has something to do with Oriental Alchemist. I was shocked when I received the news.¡±


    Jenica closed her eyes tightly and bit her lower lip. ¡°I don¡¯t mean that! But why didn¡¯t you tell me that Jobert has connections with Jared!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Agent J. It was my fault for finding it toote.¡±


    She breathed deeply. So frustrating yet she couldn¡¯t me it all to her assistant since it was she who revealed to Jobert the truth about Acinea¡¯s connection with the Oriental Alchemist. ¡°So Jared¡¯s group has a hand behind the poisonous needles?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Agent J. I can¡¯t verify this restricted information since the mission about poisonous needles has been transferred to another agent.¡±


    Jenica cursed. Her hand holding the steering wheel turned white. That¡¯s why Grey Mondragon had the courage to kick her out of his mansion because her reputation in the medical world was ruined. And Samantha must be the one who framed her because she was ordered to discard the services of Doctor Acinea!


    Jared knew that Oriental Alchemist has something to do with the HQ. So Jared clearly assumes that Doctor Acinea has a connection to HQ. So he ordered his subordinate, Samantha Mondragon, not to befriend Doctor Acinea and contain her in the country.


    Sh*t. She took a wrong step this time!


    So the one behind Jobert begging Doctor Acinea to stay in the South was Jared and not the Ante!


    ¡°Find out if Ante n is one of Jared¡¯s men,¡± she ordered.


    ¡°This¡­ I can¡¯t confirm it Agent J since the investigation about Ante Enterprise is not yet done.¡±


    ¡°What the h*ll! Find it out sooner!¡± she yelled and hung up.


    She threw the earpiece on the passenger seat and elerated the car. Then she took out her phone to call Alex¡¯s personal assistant.


    ¡°Mrs. Fuego?¡± he greeted.


    Jenica sighed. ¡°Alex, my husband,¡­ How is he?¡±

 Code X

    ¡°Mr. Fuego was brought back to the capital for immediate operation, Mrs. Fuego. He¡¯s inside the operating room for twelve hours now.¡±


    Jenica closed her eyes. Renato, Alex¡¯s assistant, called and told her earlier that her husband told him her identity as Doctor Acinea. Well, she couldn¡¯t do anything about it. In any case, Renato was tongue-tied.


    ¡°Call me after the operation,¡± she said.


    ¡°Alright, Mrs. Fuego.¡±


    ¡°Wait. Does his family know?¡±


    Renato was silent for a few seconds before he answered, ¡°Mr. Fuego wants to keep a low profile now, so he asked me to keep it a secret.¡±


    Jenica understood what he meant and sighed. ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± she said before saying goodbye and hanging up.


    She drove the car towards the cliff where the traces of her son¡¯s abductors ended. Jenica stood on the edge of the cliff and looked at the sea that glistened under the rays of the sun. The salty sea breeze blew past her and she closed her eyes.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sham, it might take long before I¡¯ll find you. I¡¯m sorry, my son.¡± Tears fell from her eyes. ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll make those who hurt you pay someday.¡±


    After some time, she drove the car back to the capital.


    Because the poisonous needle incident is connected to the mansion of Jobert and Yvette Ante, she intends to start the work on Gia Ante¡¯s third cousin. Jenica is sure that Jobert and Jared are connected, but she is not sure what role Yvette Ante¡¯s family ys. Thest time she checked, the Antes bought the factory where an ingredient of the poisonous needle was made and Jobert and Yvette¡¯s family even had a cold war because thetter did not agree to close the factory.


    Such aplicated rtionship. She sighed. Good thing that the bride who was killed at her own wedding reception during Doctor Acinea¡¯s wee party is apatriot of Yvette. She remembered seeing Jared¡¯s men attending the wedding reception and she knew her next target would be the bride¡¯s family.


    She put on the earpiece. ¡°Give me aplete details on Desmana n in Laguna. And their rtionship with Jared. Also, bring me a chopper. I¡¯ll fly back to capital right now.¡±


    ¡°Roger that,¡± said her assistant.


    The car sped up and headed for an empty lot where the chopper delivered by the HQ¡¯s mennded. She gave the car key to one of the HQ staff before jumping up the chopper. It drove her to the capital in three hours.


    Her assistant called after the choppernded. Jenica put on the earpiece as she walked the distance between her and the waiting car. ¡°Agent J, Desmana n is one of the prominent families in Laguna. The murdered bride is the eldest daughter of the Patriarch and her groom is the young master of La Trinidad n, a prestigious n in Cavite. The murdered bride is the childhood sweetheart of the groom and they¡¯re betrothed before they¡¯re born because both of their mothers were best of friends.¡±


    ¡°And who posted a head warrant for the bride at the ck market?¡± she asked then got into the car and quickly drove out of Man.


    ¡°Surprisingly, it¡¯s not from the two ns but from Ante in Laguna.¡±


    The car stopped at the red light and Jenica frowned. ¡°Ante ced a head warrant on Desmana Patriarch¡¯s eldest daughter? Are you certain of this information?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s confirmed by our spies sent in the ck market.¡± The assistant added, ¡°Seven years ago, Miss Yvette Ante were involved in a sex scandal in a well-known motel in Taguig. Yvette Ante was sleeping with the groom of the murdered bride. After that incident, the rtionship between Desmana and Ante grew apart until the Desmana announced the marriage between the two families, the Desmana and the La Trinidad. It¡¯s when Yvette ced a head warrant on the bride.¡±


    Jenica gaze deepened as she started the car when the traffic light turned green. So that exins why the man who was tasked to post that head warrant had poison needles as his weapon.


    That guy was sent by Yvette Ante. The poison needles were surely came from Jobert¡¯s mansion but she was not sure if that man was really Yvette¡¯s staff or the woman just borrowed a staff from Jobert and she¡¯s oblivious to the poisonous needle¡¯s existence.


    ¡°Is that guy in the ck market one of Yvette¡¯s men?¡± she asked. ¡°Or did she hire that man for that job?¡±


    ¡°ording to the intelligence, Yvette did hire that man from Governor Jobert in South.¡±


    Jenica grinned as a glint shed across her eyes.


    The factory is not the only reason why Jobert doesn¡¯t want to let go of Yvette and why Yvette can¡¯t reject Jobert.


    It¡¯s because of the fact that Yvette Ante killed someone and Jobert knows about it. Yvette won¡¯t let Jobert run amok knowing her secrets. The Desmana will also go after Yvette if they find out that she is the one who killed the bride.


    On the other hand, Jobert needs the factory owned by the Antes to carry out the secret tool making of poison needles.


    The two were using each other and there¡¯s a possibility that they were not aware of each other¡¯s secret.


    Yvette may not know that Jobert is only using her for the factory, and Jobert may not know that Yvette has a secret rtionship with the young master of La Trinidad in Cavite.


    She closed her eyes. ¡°Did the young master of La Trinidad and Yvette secretly see each other after the scandal?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Agent J. They were secretly seeing each other but the bride didn¡¯t know it. Six months ago, Jobert promised Yvette to kill the bride on her wedding day in exchange for Yvette being his secret girlfriend.¡±


    Her car entered the municipality of Laguna, the town of Desmana and Yvette Ante¡¯s family.


    She raised her eyebrows. ¡°So Jobert didn¡¯t know why Yvette hated the bride?¡±


    ¡°That must be the case, Agent J.¡±


    ¡°I see. Keep an eye on Yvette¡¯s movement,¡± she ordered.


    Jenica booked a room at a nearby hotel. As usual, she checked first if there was a hidden camera or if there was a wire tapped inside before taking out theptop and typing.


    ¡°What¡¯s the status of Desmana Group of Companies?¡± she asked the assistant while logging into a secret website.


    ¡°Recently, Desmana Group experienced a huge data breach that made them lose almost a billion. It seems like they¡¯re having trouble with their data security. A group of hackers are attacking them and Desmana Group is looking for highly skilled individuals to work for them in the field ofwork security,¡± said the assistant.


    The edge of Jenica¡¯s lips curved. ¡°Perfect,¡± she said then finally entered the secret website.


    ¡­.


    Desmana Group¡¯s Presidential Office.


    Suddenly his cell phone lit up. Bryce frowned then picked it up. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Sir! Our staff has contacted Code X.¡±


    He sat up straight and his eyes widened. ¡°You said Code X?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±


    Bryce cursed and immediately opened theptop. He quickly login to the secret website. He was a VIP member of such a website so he immediately received an announcement from the website¡¯s admin that he was none other than Code X ¡ª the mysterious hacker that the bigpanies were trying to find but all failed.


    It was just a fortunate encounter that he had ess to the website that Code X himself made in exchange for the ten billion. The good thing though, he has the privilege of talking to the legendary Code X via voice message.


    ¡°Hello, Code X. I¡¯m Bryce Desmana from Desmana Group of Companies. Please forgive me for disturbing your peace but I really need your help. I hope I will have the opportunity to talk with you in person regarding this matter.¡±


    A few minutester, Code X replied.

 How dare you bring your woman here?

    ¡°Mr. Desmana, I¡¯m not fond of lousy business,¡± Code X answered.


    Bryce forced a smile and immediately gestured to the assistant. ¡°This is not a lousy business. We are willing to give you a huge sum in exchange of your service,¡± he answered back. ¡°We are also willing to give you ten percent share of thepany as our token of gratitude and willingness to work with you, Code X.¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the hotel.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and read the follow-up information given by the assistant about the Desmana Group. It turns out, there is a snake in thepany that wants to bring Desmana down. That snake gave a valuable information to Desmana¡¯s enemy. And a few days after, an unknown group of hackers attacked Desmana which made them lose almost a billion.


    Desmana seems desperate to take Code X¡¯s services and make her a shareholder. Such a bold and smart move from the Company President. If Code X bes a shareholder of Desmana, they will have someone to tap to when another data breach will happen because being a shareholder will oblige Code X to uphold thepany¡¯s welfare.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She clicked her tongue. ¡°Talking on the phone is not sincere enough, Mr. Desmana.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe it so I will invite you for a dinner tomorrow evening at Shangr Resto. We can talk more about this business, Code X.¡±


    Jenicaughed softly. ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll ept your invitation?¡±


    Bryce was silent for a moment before closing his eyes. ¡°I have a gut feeling you¡¯ll agree, won¡¯t you?¡±


    A big smile appeared on Jenica¡¯s lips. Of course, she will ept Bryce Desmana¡¯s offer because in the first ce, her target is thepany behind him. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll ept.¡±


    The next day, Jenica dressed in a summer dress with a summer hat on her head. She also wore sses and had a mole ced above her left checkbone. Her brown eyes were hidden under the blue contact lens she was wearing and a shoulder bag was hanging on her right shoulder.


    She looks like a tourist in that situation. With a smile on her lips, shemuted to the Resto that Bryce told her to. From time to time, she¡¯ll take a picture of the scenery passing by. However, hidden in the eyes of the others, she¡¯s secretlymunicating with her assistant.


    Soon she reached the restaurant. She raised her eyebrows when a waitress approached her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, wee to Shangr Resto.¡±


    ¡°Reservation for Mr. Bryce Desmana,¡± she said.


    The woman was stunned for a moment before she led her into the VIP room upstairs. Bryce was already there and when he saw her, the man frowned. He stood up and approached her. ¡°Code X?¡± he hesitantly said. Bryce seemed not confident, doubting her identity as the infamous hacker.


    ¡°En.¡± Jenica chuckled. ¡°Mr. Desmana, nice to meet you,¡± she said then extended her hand in front of him.


    Bryce epted her handshake and a smile grew on his lips. ¡°Likewise, Code X. Please have a seat.¡±


    Of course, he will treat her kindly. Jenica smiled and sat across from her chair. ¡°So care to share your business?¡± she asked.


    As soon as she entered earlier, she secretly looked inside. She didn¡¯t find any hidden camera or any secret guards hiding around the corner. Jenica was d of the trust Bryce put on her and she thought highly of him. This man knew what he was doing.


    He smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± And looked directly into her eyes. ¡°I need your help. Mypany is losing millions because someone leaked our future ns and a group of hackers is attacking our system. I know that you are very good in handling these cases and I am willing to give youpany shares if you help us. Whatever I told you over the phone was true.¡±


    Jenica reached for the wine ss and swirled its content. ¡°Why should I help you, Mr. Desmana? You see, everyone¡¯s coveting my skills. I can get more benefits from otherpanies if I present myself. That ten percentpany shares? It¡¯s not enticing enough for me,¡± she said then smiled widely to him.


    Bryce clenched his fist and looked away. After a while he looked at her again. ¡°What do you want, Code X? Wealth? Fame?¡±


    Jenica shook her head and ced the winess on the table. ¡°What do you mean wealth? I have enough money to spend for a lifetime. Fame? Don¡¯t you know I am more famous than celebrities in the eyes of the likes of you¡­ Mr. President?¡± She chuckled seeing her contorted face. ¡°What I want is what you can give me, Mr. Desmana.¡±


    Bryce looked deeply at her. Of course, the man clearly knew what she wanted from him.


    ¡°Do you want power?¡± he asked even though he already know.


    Jenica didn¡¯t answer and just looked at him with a smile. Bryce clenched his fist. ¡°Well, I can give you the highest position after me.¡±


    ¡°Nah. I want yours, would you like to give it?¡± she asked. Bryce pressed his lips together so sheughed. ¡°Of course I¡¯m kidding. The highest position after you is not bad.¡±


    Bryce sighed in relief. ¡°Is that enough?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°I have been traveling abroad for years and just came to the country when you called me.¡± Jenica sighed. ¡°I¡¯m tired and having a headache and I haven¡¯t bought a house nor booked a hotel yet¡­¡±


    The corner of Bryce¡¯s lips twitched. He knew that Code X was hinting him at something, but he didn¡¯t have a choice but to bite the bullet. ¡°You can stay in my house while working for thepany.¡±


    Jenica smiled widely. ¡°You¡¯re generous, Mr. Desmana. I¡¯ll work hard for you.¡±


    Bryce looked away and called the waiter. They ate their dinner in silence. After a while, they both left the restaurant together.


    Jenica had a big smile on her lips and Bryce¡¯s face was emotionless. She secretly turned her gaze to the empty lot next to the restaurant when she saw something, and the corners of her lips curled.


    She got into Bryce¡¯s car and sat in the passenger seat. It was Bryce who personally drove the car in order to orient her of the things she needed to know before working for thepany.


    ¡°Should we sign the contract tomorrow ¨C¡±


    She cut Bryce¡¯s words. ¡°No need for a contract. I don¡¯t n to stay in the country so I will leave after a month.¡±


    Bryce was silent for a second before hepromised. Well, he couldn¡¯t keep Code X in the country, can he?


    Jenica recognized the way to the Desmana mansion.


    Bryce suddenly said, ¡°Code X, my family is not aware of this yet, and they might make things difficult for you.¡±


    ¡°Call me Jane, Mr. Desmana.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Jane.¡± He called awkwardly and handed over a family token. ¡°Keep this.¡±


    She epted what he gave and looked at it. ¡°Family token?¡± She raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°That will protect you inside the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Jenica chuckled. ¡°Why? Do you keep a beast inside your home?¡±


    Bryce¡¯s face darkened so Jenicaughed. She stopped teasing the poor man and looked outside the window. It waste at night so there were only a few people walking on the road.


    The lightsing from the establishments were dazzling in the middle of the night, and the cool breeze was blowing gently from the open window of the car. It gently caress her cheeks.


    Soon the car entered a huge gate. Two words were engraved on the arch above.


    ¡®Desmana Manor¡¯


    Jenica squinted and got out of the car when it stopped opposite the front door. Five maids simultaneously bowed before her as she stood there. ¡°Wee back, Young Master.¡±


    Bryce raised his hand and led her into the mansion. She was taken aback to see all the Desmana n members in the living room.


    Jenica had asked her assistant to give her the details of the Desmana n members before she decided to meet up with Bryce, so she could name them all upon entering the mansion.


    The woman in her mid-20s stood up. Frowning, she folded her arms and asked in a loud voice, ¡°Bryce, how dare you bring your woman home?¡±

 No chance to speak

    Bryce¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What are you doing here, Irene?¡±


    Jenica secretly looked around and raised the corners of her lips. Irene Mondragon, the fiancee of Bryce Desmana. And yes, Gray Mondragon¡¯s cousin will be married to the president of the Desmana Group. Such a small world.


    The old woman sitting on the high chair in the living room raised her eyebrows. Jenica is sure that this is Bryce¡¯s mother and the current matriarch of the Desmana family.


    ¡°I told you, Bryce, don¡¯t bring a woman into my house!¡± snorted the old man.


    Bryce pursed his lips. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not what you think ¨C¡±


    ¡°Oh stop defending that gold digger, Bryce!¡± Irene suddenly snapped and threw a few pictures at the man. ¡°My assistant sent me those photos. How dare you cheat behind my back? Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡±


    The pictures that Irene threwnded on the floor. Bryce looked down at the pictures and his face darkened. ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you not to put paparazzi on me?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Irene¡¯s sharp gaze turned to him. ¡°Are you afraid of me finding out your mistresses?¡±


    Jenica sighed. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you but your little wealth won¡¯t entice me to seduce the young master of Desmana.¡± Everyone looked at her when she suddenly chirped in. Feeling their stares on her face, she blinked and grinned. ¡°I¡¯m Jane Lau, the new Vice President of Desmana Group.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± cried the Desmanas.


    Jenica smiled crudely and looked away. It was Bryce who exined and introduced her as a recruited professional who would help thepany. She was not in the mood to y pretend with these hypocrites so she cheerfully followed the maid that Bryce had asked to lead her into her new room.


    ¡°Miss, if you need anything, just press the button on the side of the bed,¡± reminded the maid.


    She just smiled and closed the door. As usual, she checked the entire room before taking out theptop. She put on the earpiece and called the assistant. ¡°Check Irene Mondragon if she has a connection with Jared.¡±


    ¡°Roger that,¡± said the assistant. ¡°By the way Agent J, Alexander Fuego is back in the capital.¡±


    The corner of her lips twitched. Of course she knew. ¡°Got it,¡± she said then hung up.


    She logged in to the secret website. Jenica didn¡¯t inform HQ that she had created a secret website because she had ns to make epting hacking missions a part-time job. It was her who personally gave ess to business magnates in every country she visited due of her missions.


    At that time there were only two members and over the years of her recruitment, it grew to fifty members. And each of these members have powerful influences that could shake a city¡¯s entire economy.


    There was nothing unusual on the website except that there was a mission posted privately for Code X, her.


    When she opened the notification status, Jenica raised an eyebrow. That is about the shipment of poisonous needles to the South. Two trucks are currently missing and their contents are poisonous needles that were supposed to be transported to the capital.


    Jenica gaze deepend and quickly searched the database for the name of the one who submitted the mission and her eyes widened.


    It¡¯s Dante Ante!


    ¡°What a surprise!¡± she uttered andughed. She quickly replied to Dante.


    Code X: Do you want me to check who stole those trucks?


    Anonymous: No. I want you to trace those trucks. Here¡¯s the te numbers.


    Dante gave the truck¡¯s te number before it went offline. The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips twitched. She didn¡¯t remember giving Dante ess to the website. She propped her head with her hand while staring at the monitor. How did that man get into her membership?


    She squinted as she stared at the series of te numbers. Well, what would she do now?


    Jenica tapped something on theptop andter essed satellite images of the area where the two trucks werest seen. She also entered the CCTV footages in the nearby area and barangay until she saw the truck.


    The corner of her lips twitched. The satellite image she got was a real-time image so she saw Agent Z and his elite assistants lowering the boxes of poisonous needles.


    She picked up the phone and was about to call Agent Z but she stopped. How will she exin about Dante¡¯s request? She has no ns to inform HQ of her identity as Code X and this sideline.


    In the end, she didn¡¯t call Agent Z and just gave the address where the trucks were parked to Dante Ante.


    Anonymous: Good job.


    She blinked when she read Dante¡¯s reply to her. If the HQ had not assigned the mission of the poisonous needles to another agent, this would surely be a big hint for her to enter the den of instigators. But right now? Her expression turned sour and she logged out of the secret website.


    She¡¯s not a saint to let others steal her hard work.


    Just then someone knocked on the door of the room. Jenica opened it only to see the maid standing outside.


    ¡°Miss, Sir Bryce summoned you,¡± she announced.


    Jenica peeked on her shoulder to look inside for a moment before following the maid to the study room at the end of the hallway in second floor. The maid opened the door and she stepped inside.


    There she saw Bryce behind therge wooden table. He was looking down on a piece of paper, looking serious as he read it. She strode forward and sat on the visitor¡¯sir. Bryce put down what he was reading and looked at her.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with the amodation?¡± he asked.


    The corners of her lips rose and she shrugged. ¡°I am, but for your family members? I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Did they make things hard for you?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Sheughed and raised a brow to the man with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Your family does not pose a threat to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. If they make things hard for you, use my family token. It¡¯s equivalent of seeing me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Jenica looked around inside the study. ¡°Why did you call for me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s another attempt of disrupting thepany¡¯swork. We lost a hundred million.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± She smiled at Bryce. ¡°Can I y now?¡± she asked.


    Bryce looked at her for a moment before beckoning her toe closer. She didn¡¯t flinch when she went behind the desk and bent over to theptop that the man had opened. Jenica saw the currentpany¡¯s stock market.


    ¡°Yourpany¡¯s stock market value is unstable,¡± shemented.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°It has always been,¡± said Bryce.


    She looked at the man. Only then did she notice that her face was only a hair¡¯s breadth away from his. Jenica blinked and simply turned her face away. ¡°Alright. Give me yourptop. I¡¯ll chase away those bad guys.¡±


    Bryce looked up at her. ¡°What reward do you want to receive?¡± he asked before giving her theptop.


    The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips twitched. She looked at the man again and smiled widely. Then she crouched down and brought her face close to his. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s bad to be too kind. Maybeter on, you¡¯ll just wake up one day to find your house gone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can¡¯t steal my ancestral house,¡± he said.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Jenica retorted,ughing before walking to the sofa with theptop in her hands. She sat and started working.


    She stabilized thepany¡¯s internal system first and started chasing the intruders. It was five versus one so Jenica had a bit of a hard time. It¡¯s not that those intruders were strong but they bullied her with numbers. Of course, she has a lot of confidence to beat those small bugs, it¡¯s just harder than usual because she¡¯s alone.


    ¡°Done!¡± she said after several hours of dealing with the hackers. She looked at Bryce. ¡°Last time, I already ensured thepany¡¯s firewall. Supposedly, your security shouldn¡¯t have been bypassed so quickly by those idiots.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s an inside job?¡± Bryce¡¯s face contorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart.¡± She smiled and stood up. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a look at yourpany¡¯s server? We might pick up treasures along the way?¡±


    ¡®Treasures my ass,¡¯ Bryce thought to himself.


    He could do nothing but take Jenica out of the mansion and into thepany. When the Desmanas saw that Bryce was leaving with Jenica, their faces soured.


    It was Bryce¡¯s fiancee who called out first. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going with this suspicious woman, Bryce?!¡±


    Jenica helplessly looked at Irene Mondragon whose nose was puffing up in annoyance. She smiled at the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. You look ugly!¡±


    ¡°B*tch!¡± Irene was mad and was about to attack Jenica when the Desmanas¡¯ daughter-inw stopped her.


    The daughter-inw shook her head at Irene before looking at her. The woman had the nerve to look at her from head to toe. The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips twitched. The Desmana has a good heart to let their daughter-inw find fault with the Young Master¡¯s guest.


    ¡°Bryce, you have a fiancee and the people know about it. It won¡¯t be good for your reputation if you keep hanging out with a woman of unknown origin even if this woman ims to have a way to help our family¡¯spany.¡±


    Ah, what a reasonable excuse. Jenica has to take a second look at this daughter-inw. It seems that Bryce is not the only ¡®smart¡¯ in this household.


    Bryce smiled at the woman. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± He looked at Irene before turning his gaze again to the daughter-inw of the Desmanas. ¡°I¡¯ll be backter. Since my fiancee is here, sister, you can bring her around the ce to take a look.¡±


    ¡°No problem. Just know your limits,¡± the woman said and simply looked at Jenica as if warning her.


    Jenica smiled at the woman before following Bryce out of the mansion.


    ¡°Your sister-inw seems close to you,¡± she said to Bryce when she got into his car.


    ¡°She¡¯s a good woman,¡± Bryce said before driving the car to thepany.


    It was Bryce who drove the car himself because he wanted to talk with Jenica in private about his ns for thepany. She listened to him and gavements from time to time.


    When they arrived at thepany, they were immediately greeted by the board of directors who were looking down on Jenica.


    ¡°Mr. President, isn¡¯t it inappropriate to appoint someone in the Vice President¡¯s position without asking the board¡¯s opinion?¡± asked a man in his mid-50s. He might be the head of the board of directors.


    Her assistant gave her the identity of the old man. And she¡¯s not surprised to know that this old man is the uncle of Irene Mondragon. If the board knows that she and Bryce will visit thepany, then someone has tipped these old men off. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Irene told the head of the board of their uing visit.


    Jenica knows that the current Vice President of the Desmanas has the surname Mondragon. Of course, the rtives of Gray Mondragon should take care of each other. It¡¯s just interesting that Mondragon¡¯s holding a high position in Desmana Group.


    Suddenly the door of the meeting room opened and the acting Vice President of the Desmana Group entered. It was a man in his mid-30s. He was ring at Jenica. ¡°Mr. President! I won¡¯t agree to let someone unknown take my position. It is risky to let a woman hold a position in thepany!¡±


    Jenica blinked. ¡°Hey, are you looking down on women?¡± The corner of the man¡¯s lips twitched so she smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not in the 80s anymore. Women can fight for a position nowadays. And some might be better than you, Sir.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t disagree with the President if he will appoint someone whom I know is capable of holding this position. But for you?¡± His face was messed up. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are and your capabilities. Are you sure you can hold this position longer than I?¡±


    A smile spread across Jenica¡¯s lips and she looked at Bryce. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the President must ask permission to the Vice President before making a decision for thepany. It seems like this position can trample the President¡¯s office.¡±


    The faces of the Vice President and the board of directors soured. This woman is clearly sowing discord between them!


    ¡°My father is not someone you can make fun of, Miss!¡± A woman entered the meeting room with a strict expression.


    The board of directors stood up together and smiled at the neer. ¡°Miss Mondragon! Are you back for good?¡± asked the head of the board.


    The newly arrived woman smiled and looked around the people present inside the meeting room, and her gaze stopped at Jenica. ¡°Although my body is not yet recovered, but I heard something unpleasant is going on in thepany. So I decided to appear and take back my position else someone might steal my hard work. I guess, I¡¯m not wrong.¡± Her sharp gaze made Jenica grimace secretly. ¡°So this woman is the one causing ruckus inside thepany? How dare you? Guards! Throw her out of thepany!¡±


    Jenica was speechless for a moment. Come on, that woman didn¡¯t even give her a chance to speak!

 Had lost the war without you knowing why

    ¡°Wait!¡± Jenica shouted when she saw the guards approaching her. She looked at the newly arrived woman and squinted at her. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The corners of the woman¡¯s lips rose and folded her arms against her chest. ¡°I¡¯m the real Vice President of Desmana Group, Bree Mondragon. My father, whom you¡¯re making fun of earlier is the acting Vice President. The president should know that I did not do anything to strip me off my position so the incident of you taking over is a joke.¡±


    Jenica took a deep breath and looked at Bryce. ¡°I see.¡± Her eyes narrowed at him. ¡°The president must have forgotten about Miss Bree. In that case, I won¡¯t take over this position. Then President, I won¡¯t disturb you. Please excuse me,¡± Jenica said and walked out of the meeting room.


    ¡°Wait, Code¨C Miss Jane!¡± Bryce said and took a big step out of the meeting room.


    Bree¡¯s face scrunched up as she watched Bryce¡¯s regretful expression. ¡°What the h*ll¡¯s happening? Tell me!¡± she said to the board of directors.


    The head of the board sighed and spoke about thepany¡¯s major data breach that had urred in recent months. And he also told her that the President ims that Jane Lau will help the Desmana Group so he will give the professional woman a position in thepany.


    Bree¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That woman is not simple.¡± She turned to the assistant and whispered. ¡°Do a background check on Jane Lau. I want to know everything about her.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the assistant and immediately called someone.


    On the other hand, Jenica was walking out of thepany. She heard Bryce calling her from behind but she didn¡¯t turn around or even stop. There was a small smile on her lips that immediately disappeared when a number of employees were watched the ruckus she and Bryce made in the hallway.


    Bryce gritted his teeth. It¡¯s not easy for him to tame Code X and that freaking Bree Mondragon has to ruin his ns for thepany! He really does not understand why the former president gave the vice president position to that girl. That woman is a thorn in his path to be a sessfulpany president. What¡¯s even more annoying is that he doesn¡¯t even have support from the board of directors to kick Bree out of thepany.


    One has to know that more than half of the board of directors were from the Mondragon, and the current head of the board is also a Mondragon!


    Desmana Group but it¡¯s Mondragon sitting in high positions? What a joke!


    So he did everything to poach someone to his side, and Code X is the perfect person for it! He bribed a group of professional hackers to ¡°hack¡± thepany¡¯s system and a huge data breach was done ording to his n. He then contacted Code X to ¡°help¡± him defend hispany and he was d that Code X personally went to him to offer her service.


    He thought that with Code X¡¯s big contribution, it would be easy to put the woman in the Vice President position, but who would have thought that Bree Mondragon and her father, as well as the head of the board of directors won¡¯t let go of the VP position?


    ¡°Miss Jane! Please wait!¡± he shouted and ran after Code X. His employees were looking at him but he didn¡¯t care. He quickly stood in front of the woman to block her. ¡°Please, listen to me. Don¡¯t let their words affect our cooperation.¡±


    Jenica raised her eyebrows as she watched Bryce in front of her. The man was panting hard and a slight blush was seen on his face. It looks like he ran to chase her.


    She looked sideways. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked. But of course, she knew what he wanted with her.


    Bryce swallowed. ¡°About earlier, I still want you to take over the position. But give me some time and I¡¯ll clean thepany.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I see. But I think it¡¯s not easy to clean yourpany, Mr. Desmana.¡± She shrugged and stared at the man intently, causing Bryce to be ufortable. Jenica smiled again. ¡°And I realize that you are more than what meets the eye.¡±


    Bryce froze on his spot, realizing that Code X knew what he had done to thepany. He smiled, and eventuallyughed to himself. ¡°Of course, you find it out sooner. I can¡¯t hide a thing from the infamous hacker, can I?¡±


    Only a small smile appeared on Jenica¡¯s lips. Bryce sighed and gestured for her to follow him. The man took her to thepany¡¯s server room. Jenica raised her eyebrows and looked inside.


    ¡°You know that Desmana Group is arge corporation and you might have heard of some rumors about us. But I trust you know what¡¯s going on behind the curtains, Code X?¡± He turned to her for a moment before looking back at the front. ¡°The verypany my family made is run by another n.¡±


    ¡°Mondragon,¡± she affirmed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Bryce sighed. ¡°It started seven years ago when my sister got involved in a s*x scandal in Taguig. My sister was engaged to the young master of La Trinidad n in Cavite.¡± His fist clenched. ¡°That man cheated on my sister with that woman Yvette Ante. Because of the incident, my n and the Ante n became enemies whether it was business or connection. Our ns were at each other¡¯s necks, until Mondragon n from the South extended a help to us. Because of the help of the Mondragons, we defeated the Antes here in Laguna, but not the prominent Ante n in the capital.¡±


    ¡°And since then, your n is indebted to the Mondragon n, am I right?¡± she asked then checked a server. ¡°And debt is the reason why there are many Mondragons in the Desmana Group. You let them rule over your familypany for the sake of that little help years ago.¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t hide a thing from you.¡± Bryceughed helplessly. ¡°It was our mistake that lead to this messy situation. Today, not a single Desmana is sitting in high positions in thepany because my family members work as lowly employees in our own familypany. Isn¡¯t that funny?¡± He sneered. ¡°And the Mondragon has the guts to threaten me to hand over thepany. They think that because Irene Mondragon is my fiancee, it won¡¯t be long before they can gain control of my position. They push me to marry that woman so she can take over my position and I, the current President of Desmana Group, will be her puppet to do her bid.¡±


    Jenica turned to Bryce and stared at the man for a few seconds before she opened her mouth to speak. ¡°So you attacked yourpany yourself.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Bryceughed. ¡°I hired those hackers to let those scumbags feel helpless.¡± His gaze traveled towards her. ¡°I n to hire you and put you after my position but the Mondragon won¡¯t agree. So I need your help, Code X.¡±


    ¡°Why should I help you?¡± She folded her arms and leaned against the not far wall. A small smile appeared on the corner of her lips.


    Bryce¡¯s mouth twitched and he sighed helplessly. ¡°I heard that you are enigmatic and nobody has seen your face. But here you are, standing before me. I know from the moment you agreed for a meet-up, it¡¯s not me who needs you but you¡­ needs my help .¡±


    There was silence between them for a few seconds. A glint shed in Jenica¡¯s eyes that immediately disappeared. Then a grin was stered on her lips and sheughed. ¡°Mr. Desmana, you make me look at you in a different light!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me, but I hope it won¡¯t affect the Desmana Group,¡± said Bryce.


    Jenica waved her hand. ¡°Your littlepany is not my target.¡± She saw a displeased expression on Bryce¡¯s face so she chuckled. ¡°I will tell you what I want after we send those leeches away from yourpany.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your n?¡±


    She grinned at him and roamed her eyes around the server room. There was no one inside that cold room and she knew why. It is one of the most restricted areas in thepany after the President¡¯s office, so no one dares to casually enter inside. It¡¯s way safer than in Bryce¡¯s office where there might be ears hiding somewhere. At least in the server room, there are no tapped wires because who would spy on a room full ofpany servers?


    After all, the usual meeting ce for important gatherings should be at the top of the building and not in the underground where the server room is located.


    ¡°Before asking for my n, do you know why the Mondragon extended a helping hand to your n?¡± she asked.


    Bryce frowned. ¡°They might be eyeing the Desmana Group long ago. They just used our fight with Ante as an excuse to enter thepany.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s reasonable to think of that scenario, but¡­ Mondragon is arge n in the South and has enough power and influence to affect the economy of the South. Why would they eye a smallpany in Laguna? And if they want to extend their influence in the North, they will fight for a ce in the capital and not in this province.¡± Jenica stared at his dumbfounded face. ¡°Do you think something¡¯s not right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Do you think Desmana has won over the Ante? If Ante has a powerful n backing them up in the capital, do you think they will give up the fight?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that Ante was defeated by you so they are not openly opposing your family n, but they are quiet now because they¡¯re watching the show.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Desmana, you¡¯re naive to think that Desmana is more powerful than Ante and your family has defeated them.¡± Jenica smiled at the man. ¡°Have you realized now that Mondragon is slowly eating up yourpany? And why would they eat yourpany when they have a big bowl of foods in the South?¡±


    ¡°Code X, I don¡¯t like to hear you beating around the bush.¡±


    Jenicaughed. ¡°Are you afraid of what you¡¯re thinking now, Mr. Desmana?¡± She looked away, the corner of her lips curling up. ¡°Ante is clever to send the Mondragon on your side. They are enjoying the show as yourpany is dying at the hands of your so-called benefactors. Clearly, Ante has the upper hand and quietly won the fight while your family n¡­ has lost this war without you knowing why.¡±

 It hurts!

    Bryce was silent for a moment so the smile on Jenica¡¯s lips widened. Her eyes narrowed and stared at the man. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be afraid of those leeches. They¡¯re not the main Mondragon family because I found out that Bree Mondragon, her father, and some of the board of directors are just third grade Mondragon.¡±


    Bryce¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You mean they want to eat mypany because they can¡¯tpete in the South?¡±


    ¡°If not, then why do they have to be leeches in yourpany?¡± She chuckled. ¡°The main family is not concerned about what the other branch is doing so they might not know that the third Mondragon branch is garnering influence in the North. If this third branch is ying in the capital, the main family might do something to stop them .¡±


    The capital is a tricky ce for those who want to establish power and influence from the other ces. One wrong step and everything might crumble under the power of the most influential families that control the government and the economy in the capital. It¡¯s a deep water and Jenica knows that Mondragon is not ready to enter the capital¡¯s pool of powers.


    ¡°What should I do?¡± Bryce asked with a clenched fist.


    ¡°Tear them apart and watch those dogs bark at each other,¡± Jenica replied with a smile. When she saw Bryce frowning even more, sheughed softly. She grabbed the phone from her pocket. ¡°Do you know that your so-called fiancee is one of the third branch young misses?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The Mondragon Patriarch agreed to this engagement.¡±


    Jenica stared at the phone for a few seconds before smiling and raising her face to look at the man. ¡°Do you know how Irene Mondragon and Joseph Ante met?¡±


    ¡°Joseph Ante?¡± Bryce¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That bastard,¡± his teeth clenched together. ¡°What about him?¡±


    Jenica didn¡¯t answer Bryce¡¯s question and just looked in the direction of the server room door. A few momentster, it opened and Jenica heard the quick footsteps of heels on the floor.


    ¡°Bryce!¡± shouted a familiar voice. The edge of Jenica¡¯s lips curled. After a while, Irene¡¯s dark expression appeared in front of them. ¡°How dare you cheat behind my back!¡±


    ¡°Irene,¡± greeted Bryce. ¡°I told you to stop looking for me at thepany. And where¡¯s my sister-inw?¡±


    ¡°Stop looking for you? Why? So you can chase after this b*tch¡¯s ass?!¡±


    ¡°Irene!¡± scolded the man. ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene here.¡±


    Ireneughed. The woman threw sharp res at her and Jenica shrugged her shoulders. She didn¡¯t expect that Bree¡¯s actions were faster than a cheetah.


    ¡°I¡¯m making a scene?¡± Irene burst outughing. ¡°Should I just smile while my fiance is doing nasty things with a woman?¡±


    Bryce¡¯s two eyebrows met. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense? My fiance is with a woman in this room and people are talking behind my back!¡± shouted Irene.


    Jenica sighed. ¡°We¡¯re innocent,¡± she said.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Irene snorted at her then turned her gaze to Bryce again. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Bryce? A lot of people saw you chasing after this woman and you even brought her inside this room! They are saying that you are cheating behind my back and I didn¡¯t believe it at first but what¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Go back home, Irene.¡±


    ¡°No! I want to know what are you two doing!¡±


    The wrinkles on Bryce¡¯s forehead deepened. ¡°We¡¯re talking confidential things about thepany. It¡¯s not convenient for you to hear it, Irene. Go back.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯ll be your wife someday so I have the right to hear it!¡± shouted Irene. Jenicaughed so the woman¡¯s evil look turned to her. ¡°B*tch! You have the guts tough at me?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯mughing at you, so what?¡± she said with a smile. The corner of Bryce¡¯s lips twitched but eventually he didn¡¯t scold her.


    Irene clenched her fist and quickly rushed towards her. Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. She side-stepped, making Irene fall forward when she tried to push her back. Irene yelped but no matter what, Bryce didn¡¯t go forward to save her.


    The woman fell to the cold floor, face first. A few nasty curses came out of the woman¡¯s mouth as she stood up and quickly rush at Jenica again.


    Bryce saw his fiancee acting like a madwoman and attacking Code X. He wanted to stop his fiancee but he thought otherwise and didn¡¯t move. He knew that Code X has the ability to defend herself and he wants to watch it with his eyes. Seeing a helpless expression on Code X¡¯s face, Bryce chuckled in amusement.


    Irene¡¯s eyes narrowed and stood straight for a moment. Jenica raised her eyebrows when she felt Irene¡¯s aura change. Earlier, Irene was like a madwoman but now, it seemed like Jenica is facing a master in martial art.


    ¡®Hmm, interesting,¡¯ she said in her mind and prepared herself.


    Irene rushed and a glint shed in Jenica¡¯s eyes. They exchanged attacks and she couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by the woman¡¯s attacks. The woman was attacking her vital parts that could kill her in an instant when hit. First attempt was a coincidence, but consecutive attacks on her vital parts were not. Irene really wanted to kill her. Jenica looked deeper at the woman while defending.


    Bryce seemed to notice something¡¯s wrong so he immediately spoke. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Irene.¡±


    But the woman didn¡¯t seem to hear him. It continued to attack and Jenica squinted, staring at Irene¡¯s bloodshot eyes. The corners of her lips curled up.


    When Irene raised her right leg to kick her side, Jenica caught the woman¡¯s foot and raised it above the woman¡¯s head. Irene¡¯s eyes widened as pain hit her. Standing with one foot while the other is raised overhead, Irene had no choice but to turn her body and raise her left leg to kick Jenica¡¯s face.


    Jenica chuckled and let go of Irene¡¯s foot making the woman almost fell face first again. Irene put her palm on the floor and pushed her body up. Irene knew that she couldn¡¯t win over Jenica so she tried to escape. But before she could get away, Jenica was already standing behind her.


    ¡®Little fox,¡¯ said Jenica in her mind.


    Chuckling, she hit Irene¡¯s sleep acupoint. Irene¡¯s knees wobbled and Jenica immediately caught her. She peeked over her shoulder and frowned at Bryce. ¡°Mr. Desmana, don¡¯t you pity a weak female like me? Should youe and pick your fiancee up?¡±


    The corner of his lips twitched. Phew! Weak? Thatdy¡¯s hand had hit his fiancee unconscious. He did realize that Code X was truly not an ordinary woman, to be able to protect herself amidst having a sensitive identity that both private and the government institutions were afraid of.


    Jenica let Bryce lift Irene onto his arms. They left the server room together while the man carried the unconscious woman. Jenica raised her eyebrows when she saw five men waiting outside, all wearing blue uniforms.


    When they saw Bryce, they bowed and greeted him. Jenica followed Bryce who just nodded at the men. ¡°Who are they?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Workers on that room. I didn¡¯t let them enter earlier.¡±


    Oh. So that¡¯s why there was no one inside the server room. It turned out Bryce let them out and Jenica didn¡¯t notice when the Bryce sent the order. Anyway, it¡¯s not the urgent problem right now. She looked at the sleeping Irene. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with your fiancee. It¡¯s better to check her condition.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll call the family doctor over.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± she said and stepped closer to Bryce to whisper to him. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone find out that she fainted in my hands.¡±


    The man¡¯s sharp gaze turned to Jenica so she smiled at him. Bryce snorted and walked to the private elevator. The man took her to the top floor and onto his office.


    Bryce went straight to a secret door on the side of the office and went inside. Jenica¡¯s lips curled and quickly followed the man. She saw a clean room with a king sized bed in the middle.


    Bryceid Irene on the bed before he turned to her. ¡°What are you nning now?¡± he asked.


    She waved her hand and walked close to the bed. She leaned slightly to take Irene¡¯s pulse. After a while, she looked back at Bryce. ¡°Someone tampered with your fiancee¡¯s meal. A kind of dr*g that will make someone highly agitated. That¡¯s why she looks like a madwoman earlier. If I didn¡¯t find out that something¡¯s wrong with her and make her sleep, that drug will damage a part of her brain making her a useless fool.¡±


    ¡°What? Such a thing is possible?¡± Bryce asked dumbfounded. He stared at his fiancee sleeping on his bed with aplicated expression.


    Jenica clicked her tongue. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯ll lose yourposure because of this woman.¡±


    Bryce sighed and looked away. ¡°Even if she¡¯s a Mondragon, she¡¯s still my fiancee. I don¡¯t want to see her be a fool.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s why I ask you if you know how Irene Mondragon and Joseph Ante met.¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me? That bastard is not a simple handicapped,¡± Bryce said with clenched fists. His jaw clenched.


    Seeing his angry face, Jenica¡¯s eyes shed with a glint. ¡°Then what¡¯s your rtionship with that Joseph?¡±


    ¡°My rival in everything!¡± Bryce snorted angrily. ¡°He always steals what¡¯s mine and that bastard almost ruined the Desmana Group.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then do you ¡ª¡±


    ¡°He is Irene¡¯s ex-boyfriend.¡± An evil grin appeared on Bryce¡¯s lips. ¡°The reason why I didn¡¯t oppose them shoving this woman¡¯s ass in my life. I will make that bastard vomit blood when I bed his woman!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Jenicaughed so Bryce turned to her. She grabbed the phone from her pocket and opened it. She threw the phone his way and the man caught it mid air. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked and looked down at the phone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty in your n. Before you marry his woman, Joseph Ante has slept with your fianceest week. He¡¯s truly a remarkable handicapped,¡± she said sarcastically.


    Bryce took a deep breath and casually threw the cell phone on the floor. Jenica looked deeper and moved quickly to catch the phone before it broke. What a joke! It¡¯s a limited edition phone that she bought in the US during herst mission. She doesn¡¯t want to buy a phone again just because there is a man who can¡¯t control his own anger.


    ¡°That bastard!¡± Bryce shouted and angrily turned to the sleeping girl. He quickly approached the bed. He removed the nket and shove Irene to the floor.


    ¡°Oh! Ouch! It hurts!¡± Irene shouted as she abruptly sat and red at Bryce.

 Threatened to sign

    Irene looked up, ring at Bryce, with a dark face. The woman¡¯s eyebrows met and she pressed her lips together. ¡°Damn! Did you just throw me away like a rag doll?!¡± she yelled.


    Bryce raised his hand and pped Irene¡¯s cheek, hard. The woman¡¯s face turned to the left and a reddish handprint appeared on her cheek. Irene drew a breath and looked wide-eyed at the man standing in front of her. ¡°W-Why did you p me?¡± she asked, trembling. There were tears in the corners of her eyes.


    Jenica frowned, displeased at what she saw. ¡°Mr. Desmana, even though that woman slept with your mortal enemy, she¡¯s still your fiancee and a woman. Your hand is too heavy for her.¡±


    Bryce took a deep breath and turned around. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see your face. Leave!¡± he shouted.


    Irene quickly stood and ran towards the door. The woman left the room and Jenica raised her eyebrows. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that your employee will see what your fiancee looks like, Mr. Desmana?¡±


    Bryce sneered. ¡°My people will escort her straight to the basement. You don¡¯t have to worry about my reputation. I¡¯m not a kind-hearted man who will eat a loss.¡±


    Jenica looked around inside and noticed the hidden camera in the corner of the room. She knew that it was Bryce who installed it so she didn¡¯t bother to ask him.


    After a few seconds of silence, she turned her gaze back to him. She was surprised to see Bryce¡¯s eyes watering. He¡¯s crying?


    ¡°Damn!¡± he cursed and messed up his hair. ¡°I should¡¯ve let my men investigate that damned Ante!¡±


    Jenica was at a loss for words. Seeing him cry like this, she got reminded by her child who always throws tantrums if he¡¯s aggrieved.


    ¡®Sham,¡¯ she said in her mind and looked away. Sadness crossed her eyes but immediately disappeared when Bryce turned to her.


    ¡°Code X, how did you know all of that?¡± he asked.


    Jenica raised a brow. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡±


    Just then Bryceughed. Hisugh was full of bitterness and Jenica didn¡¯t talk until some time. She coughed a bit. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve known what those unfaithful couple did, it¡¯s time to use them to shake Ante Enterprise to the core.¡±


    Bryce squinted. ¡°What are you nning?¡±


    ¡°Seriously? I thought you didn¡¯t care about Irene Mondragon?¡± She narrowed her eyes when she heard reluctance in his voice, and looked at him from head to toe. ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable smearing dirt on her reputation, then we¡¯ll not do it.¡±


    ¡°Reluctant?¡± The corner of his lips twitched. ¡°I am not! Let¡¯s proceed with your n!¡±


    ¡­


    Desmana Mansion.


    The sunlight had just entered the open window when there was amotion inside the big mansion. All the maids looked at their phone in hand. From time to time they would whisper to each other andughed together.


    That was the scene that Jenica saw in the kitchen. When the servants saw her, they did not even greet her and continued to gossip.


    ¡°Great, Miss Irene is really sexy, isn¡¯t she? The fairness of her skin,¡± whispered one of the maids.


    ¡°Yes. Then look at that man, the size of his muscles. It must feel good to experience a headlock from him!¡±


    Theyughed again.


    The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips rose and quietly brewed coffee on the side. After a while, she heard quick footsteps in the living room and suddenly the inside of the mansion became silent.


    ¡°Bryce! Bryce! Look at this photo! Irene¡¯s cheating on you with that Ante man!¡± shouted a woman, and Jenica recognized it as one of Bryce¡¯s cousins.


    ¡°I know! I saw that photo!¡± Bryce snorted angrily.


    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s why that girl didn¡¯te homest night! Maybe she slept in Joseph Ante¡¯s bed!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± said Bryce.


    ¡°What? No! Grandma needs to know this!¡± The woman ignored Bryce¡¯s mad words, and Jenica just heard quick footsteps going up the stairs. The woman maybe going to the old madam¡¯s room.


    Jenica raised her cup of steaming coffee and took a sip. Because she was an agent, she could hear the conversation in the living room even though the kitchen was a little far away. She had no ns to show her face to the Desmanas while they were in trouble because they would surely me her.


    When she went up the stairs after some time, a servant called her. ¡°Miss Jane, Se?ora is calling you.¡±


    Jenica sighed and followed the maid. She took her to the dining area where the members of the Desmanas were currently sitting at a long table. She saw Bryce on the other end with silent and dark face. Jenica¡¯s face also darkened.


    ¡°Please have a sit,¡± the old woman sitting at the front of the table said in a serious tone. She was sure it was Bryce¡¯s grandmother.


    Jenica sat in the empty seat and looked up at the old woman. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Bryce told us that it¡¯s you who found those photos of Irene and Joseph Ante.¡± The old woman¡¯s face soured but continued to speak. ¡°You have skills to help my grandson solve his problems.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to help him.¡±


    The old woman smiled at her words. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, please sign this paper.¡± This prompted a maid to immediately approach Jenica to hand over a document. ¡°This is a confidential agreement that you need to sign if you want to work for my grandson,¡± the old woman added.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and stared down at the paper she was holding. It was indeed a confidentiality agreement between her and Desmana Group. There was no problem if she sign a confidentiality agreement because it was indeed important in the nature of her job, bu there was a term inserted in the paper that made her raise a brow.


    She looked back at the old woman. ¡°You want me to dedicate my life to serve Desmana Group?¡± she asked with a smile.


    When Bryce heard her words, he looked at the old woman wide-eyed. ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Young man, we should never let go of the people like Miss Jane Lau. She¡¯s a great asset to thepany that will help us reach great heights!¡± the old woman reasoned merrily.


    Jenica looked deeper at the old woman and the smile on her lips did not diminish at all. ¡°I can¡¯t sign this agreement,¡± she said then threw the paper on the table.


    The women gasped and the men frowned at what she did. The old woman¡¯s expression didn¡¯t even change as if she was expecting Jenica¡¯s behavior. The smile on the old woman¡¯s lips widened instead.


    After a while, eight men wearing butler uniforms entered. They stood around Jenica with no expression on their faces. When the Desmanas saw the eight burly men sorrounding her, they all giggled and gloated on her misfortune of going against the old madam.


    The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips curled as she looked coldly at the old woman. ¡°You want to force my hand to sign that paper?¡± she asked.


    ¡°They won¡¯t force you if you¡¯ll do it willingly,¡± said the old woman. ¡°Even though my aides couldn¡¯t find the details of your person, Miss Jane, but I believe you can¡¯t win against the eight masters. They will not act against you if you sign the papers now.¡±


    Jenica looked around the eight men surrounding her and she sneered. Bryce¡¯s facial expression darkened and he looked at the old madam. ¡°Grandma, stop this bullsh*t. Jane won¡¯t sign anything!¡±


    The old woman¡¯s sharp gaze turned to Bryce. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know the current state of the Desmana Group? You are the President but you can¡¯t make any decision without the approval of those old geezers!¡±


    ¡°Grandma,¡± the daughter-inw of the Desmanas called softly. ¡°Don¡¯t me Bryce. Afterall, we can¡¯t force someone to sign those papers even if we are desperate to have a suitable person to handle those men.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed and looked at the daughter-inw who suddenly joined the conversation. At first, the woman seemed like speaking up for her, but for someone whose really desperate to pin her onto Desmana¡¯s door, it¡¯s an instigation. As expected, the wrinkles on the old wpman¡¯s forehead deepened and she looked at Jenica greedily.


    ¡°Miss Jane, forgive us but you need to sign that agreement! I will not let you take a step outside that door unless you sign it!¡± yelled the old woman in a stern tone.


    Jenicazily looked at the Desmanas presently sitting around the table, but not a single one wanted to speak up for her. Even that daughter-inw was smiling while talking to Bryce whose face was dark.


    Ah. What a bunch of ingrates and hypocrites.


    One thing she hated was forcing her to do something she doesn¡¯t want to do. And these people have the guts to threaten her! Jenica¡¯s jaw clenched.


    She peered down at the papers on the table. She just needs to blink and that paper will be torn into pieces in her hands. But she still needs something from the Desmana Group, that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t tear their faces now.


    But soon¡­ soon she¡¯ll make them pay!Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Miss Jane,¡± Bryce suddenly called. Jenica looked at him and saw that he was still hesitant, but eventually spoke. ¡°After our cooperation, I¡¯ll let you go. I promise,¡± he said.


    Jenica smiled gently. How could she forget the fact that Jane Lau was not her real name? And Bryce knew it from the start that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t oppose his grandmother¡¯s scheme.


    But so what? The mere fact that these bastards dare to threaten her to sign those damn papers was something unforgivable!


    Smiling a little, Jenica lifted the fountain pen beside the paper and signed the lower left of the agreement before giving it to the man beside her. Then she stood and took big steps to leave the dining table without a single bit of reluctance.


    ¡°Madam Desmana, here¡¯s the agreement,¡± the man said politely and gave to the old woman the signed papers.


    The old woman epted the paper with a smile and looked at Jane Lau¡¯s signature. But her smile disappeared from her lips and her eyes widened.


    ¡°Grandma, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Bryce asked.


    The old woman threw the paper in Bryce¡¯s face and angrily left the dining table. Bryce frowned and peered down at the paper only for the corner of his lips twitched.


    On the lower left of the paper where the signature should have been ced, it was written inrge letters: DAMN YOU.

 He鈥檚 nervous

    ¡°It happened before the wedding so our family won¡¯t be responsible for this scandal!¡± Bryce said angrily in front of the Mondragons.


    After the scandal pictures of Irene Mondragon and Joseph Ante spread, the Desmana Group released an official statement without Bryce¡¯s knowledge and consent.


    ording to the official statement, the pictures were not real and were made up by people who wanted to bring down thepany. The Desmana Group also took responsibility for what happened and said Ante Enterprise had nothing to do with it.


    Even a child knew that the Desmana Group has protected the reputation of the Ante. And it all happened without Bryce¡¯s consent that¡¯s why he was so angry while facing the board of directors including the Vice President, Bree Mondragon.


    Jenica lowered her head and looked around. She could see the gloating in the eyes of the people present inside the meeting room. The only thing she couldn¡¯t read was Bree Mondragon¡¯s face. That woman¡¯s too cunning and too cautious that she remained calm even under Bryce scrutinising gaze.


    ¡°But we released a statement to control the situation, Mr. President! The picture has spread on social media, so we better speak up than remain silent. If we didn¡¯t do anything, Ante might be ahead of us in releasing the statement and the situation will only get worse!¡±


    ¡°Are you implying I should be thankful for your initiative, Mr. Mondragon?¡± Bryce asked the man who spoke. This was one of the boards of directors who always oppose the President.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The man was silent for a moment. Bryce sneered and roamed his eyes around. ¡°Because you all are eager to protect the Ante, why don¡¯t you pack your things and enter Ante Enterprise?¡±


    The man blinked and turned his pleading eyes onto the head of the board¡¯s direction. The old man frowned and was about to speak when Bree Mondragon spoke first, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, go pack your things and don¡¯te back.¡±


    Everyone looked at Bree with wide eyes except Bryce and Jenica. The man stood, disbelief was written all over his face. ¡°What do you mean, Miss VP?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand?¡± Bree asked with a smile and shot a cold look in the man¡¯s direction. ¡°Would you like me to repeat myself?¡±


    Frustrated, the man shook his head and quietly left the meeting room. Bree looked at Bryce and smiled from ear to ear, as if what happened was just dismissing a fly and not a member of the board. ¡°I just dismissed that annoying man, Mr. President. Did I appease your anger now?¡±


    Jenica looked meaningfully at Bree before looking back at Bryce. A small smile yed on her lips. That¡¯s it. The woman knew how to retreat to take advantage. Now that the man who was fired earlier has been dismissed, Bryce has no reason to criticize the board of directors for what they did.


    Even though Bryce¡¯s temper hadn¡¯tpletely appeased, Bryce couldn¡¯t do anything but calm down and n what to do next. He cleared a throat. ¡°Irene Mondragon has an illicit affair with Joseph Ante. Since this is the case, I¡¯ll officially dissolve my marriage agreement with Irene. From now on, she and I will no longer be rted!¡±


    The room was silent for a few seconds before the board of directors voiced their grievances one by one. They didn¡¯t want to dissolve the marriage agreement because it was said to be a big loss to thepany.


    This time, the head himself raised the grievance. ¡°You can¡¯t do this, Mr. President! Irene is a Mondragon. Is it a bit inappropriate to dissolve your marriage agreement with her?¡±


    Bryce smiled. ¡°Inappropriate? When that woman slept with that bastard, did she think it was inappropriate?¡±


    The head wanted to speak but Bree shut him up, so he could only keep quiet. The woman then looked at Bryce. ¡°If the president wants to dissolve the marriage agreement, we can¡¯t do anything about it. After all, it was Irene who cheated first.¡±


    Jenica raised her eyebrows at Bree¡¯s words. The head of the board of directors frowned and the members looked at each other. The head of the board lowered his voice and asked Bree, ¡°Do you agree with the President¡¯s idea?¡±


    Bree smiled and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s just agree to the president so we can still maintain the harmony. All right?¡±


    The board of directors could only nod. But even though the board of directors finally agreed, it still didn¡¯t stop Bryce¡¯s face from darkening. These old geezers! They listen more to the Vice President than to him, the President?


    Bryceughed sarcastically. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled! Irene Mondragon and I will have nothing to do with each other from now on! Meeting adjourned!¡±


    Bryce face was dark as he marched out of the meeting room. Jenica stood and was about to follow him when Bree stopped her. Thetter looked at the board of directors, and they quickly exited the room, until it¡¯s only Jenica and Bree who were left inside.


    Bree spoke first. ¡°How much did he pay you to work for him?¡± she asked.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows at her words and looked at the woman. Even though she was sitting, the cold elegance couldn¡¯t hide Bree Mondragon¡¯s aura as a leader. Jenica coughed a bit. ¡°What do you mean, Ms. Mondragon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me. I don¡¯t know who you are but I know that you have the ability.¡± Bree stood and looked at her over. ¡°You support that man but look at you, he can¡¯t give you a position in thepany. With your intellect, it¡¯s not hard to know that within thispany, I hold more power than him. So I give you the chance to choose whose master would you like to follow. A powerless master or me?¡± Bree smiled before turning and leaving the meeting room.


    Jenica¡¯s deep gaze followed Bree¡¯s back until the woman was out of sight. That¡¯s when Jenica¡¯s lips curled up. She chuckled and shook her head.


    Oh, so that¡¯s the reason why Bree Mondragon was showing off earlier. The woman wanted to poach her out of Bryce¡¯s control.


    Well, Jenica could admit that she admired Bree for having the guts to fight head-on with thepany¡¯s president.


    Suddenly, the meeting room¡¯s door opened and a man peered inside. ¡°Miss Jane,¡± he called. ¡°Mr. President is looking for you.¡±


    Jenica nodded and followed Bryce¡¯s bodyguard. When she entered his office, she couldn¡¯t help but raised her eyebrows.


    The office was full of mess. There were many broken bottles and papers scattered on the floor. Jenica looked at the man sitting behind the table. His eyes were closed and his head was leaning against the headrest of the swivel chair.


    ¡°Did she offer you a price?¡± Bryce asked tiredly. He didn¡¯t even look at her or sit properly.


    Jenica walked closer to the big table and sat in the chair opposite it. She looked at the man with a small smile on her lips. ¡°Yes.¡±


    That¡¯s when Bryce opened his eyes and looked at her. ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Jenica said with a smile. ¡°I told you that I am not after the position in thepany.¡±


    Bryce looked deeply at her. ¡°Tell me what you really want,¡± he said.


    She chuckled. ¡°You will know soon,¡± she said and looked at the scattered items on the floor. ¡°Cancelling your marriage agreement with Irene is just the beginning. We haven¡¯t started colliding head-on with the Ante and you can¡¯t keep your calm. Mr. President, you seem impatient nowadays,¡± she joked.


    Bryce snorted. ¡°Help me get rid of those bastards!¡±


    Jenica shook her head. ¡°Then let¡¯s watch the show.¡±


    The ¡®show¡¯ that Jenica referred to happened a few days after the Desmana Group released a statement canceling the marriage agreement of Desmana and Mondragon.


    The sun has just risen in the east but the servants in the mansion were already worried about theing guest.


    ording to the butler, the head of the Mondragon n, Grey Mondragon, will be visiting from the South with his wife, Samantha. Even children knew why they would visit so the atmosphere inside the mansion became tense. The Desmanas also wake up early to prepare.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave the room untilter. I¡¯ll let someone deliver your food in your room,¡± said Bryce.


    Jenica looked at the man. ¡°What are you nning this time?¡±


    ¡°Grey Mondragon knows you exist and he¡¯ll question you in front of my family.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that great then? You can clear my name of any malicious motives.¡±


    Bryce turned to her. The expression on his face was unreadable. After a while, the man sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t be too impulsive. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s only about the canceled marriage agreement or it¡¯s about the Desmana Group.¡±


    ¡°Why guess?¡± Jenica looked at the rising sun in the east. ¡°When he¡¯s here for both?¡±


    Before Bryce could speak again, they heard quick footsteps going to the balcony where they were. Soon a hurried servant appeared at the door.


    ¡°Sir Bryce! Sir Joseph Ante will visit today with Miss Irene Mondragon. Maam L just received a message and Maam is telling you to get ready,¡± said the maid.


    Bryce¡¯s two eyebrows met and he raised his hand. The servant bowed before saying goodbye and disappearing from sight. Jenica nced at the man whose face was darker than the bottom of a pot.


    ¡°I never thought that L has a way to contact those two,¡± she said,ughing at Bryce¡¯s face that looked like he had eaten a bad meal.


    L Mondragon, the daughter-inw of the Desmanas. The woman is the wife of one of Bryce¡¯s brothers.


    Bryce said that Desmana¡¯s daughter-inw is a good woman but she thinks otherwise. L is a cunning and clever woman. She knows how to retreat and when to advance and there are several times the woman borrow the mouth of the Desmanas to attack Jenica, like what happened at the dinner table a few nights ago when she was forced to sign the questionable confidentiality agreement.


    That woman is a Mondragon, so even if Bryce and Irene¡¯s wedding is cancelled, the rtionship between the two ns will not be broken. This is also the reason why Bree agreed to cancel the marriage agreement of the Bryce and Irene without hesitation.


    ¡°L has a reason why she¡¯s still contacting Irene.¡± Bryce sighed again. ¡°She and Irene came from the same n so it¡¯s not surprising to know it but that bastard¡­¡± His fist clenched.


    Jenica shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s a good show to watch,¡± she said, smirking, though she¡¯s skeptical of Bryce¡¯s assumption on L and Irene¡¯s ¡®close¡¯ rtionship.


    At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, Grey Mondragon arrived at the mansion with Samantha. The two only brought two bodyguards but from their stance and posture it could be seen that it was not just any bodyguard. These men were martial artist experts!


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at the screen. She followed Bryce¡¯s order to stay inside the room because she didn¡¯t want the two guests to see her evem under the disguise of Code X. She hadn¡¯t forgotten how these two treated her as a disposable pawn while she¡¯s working in the South.


    She had nted hidden cameras in every corner of the mansion so even if she locked herself in the room, she could still see what¡¯s happening in the living room. It¡¯s a pity she didn¡¯t install a voice recorder so she couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about.


    Jenica sighed. Bryce didn¡¯t know about those hidden cameras so she could¡¯t ask him a favor to activate his phone¡¯s microphone to record their voices.


    So she could only watch the real-time footage and read the motion of Grey¡¯s mouth in order to know what they¡¯re talking about.


    Jenica was munching chips while watching the footage, when the servants of the mansion suddenly erked up.


    A man sitting on a wheelchair entered the grand door with a woman by his side. Jenica saw how Bryce shot up in an instant. His fists were clenched and his whole body trembled for a second. If she¡¯s not a doctor, she might misunderstood Bryce¡¯s behavior as surprise and anger. But she knew that Bryce was nervous.


    Jenica could also see the shock on the faces of the Desmana except for L who knows Joseph and Irene¡¯s visit beforehand.

 Two naked bodies under the sheets

    Speaking of the couple who went viral in a night, even though the Antes didn¡¯t release an official statement and even though Irene didn¡¯t show up after Bryce pped her in the office, the two didn¡¯t lose their confidence. They have their heads held high as they walked closer to the group of surprised and bitter people watching them enter the huge mansion.


    The Desmana matriarch was the first to recover from the shock. ¡°What is the young master of Ante doing in our humble abode?¡± the old man asked sarcastically.


    Joseph¡¯s wheelchair stopped in front of Bryce. The neer looked at the old woman and smiled broadly. ¡°Mrs. Desmana, when my woman entered my house, my mother gave her a seat. But ¡ª¡± Joseph looked around the living room. ¡°I don¡¯t see any chair for my wife. Is this how you treat your guest?¡± the man asked with a smile.


    The Desmanas were silent for a moment before the matriarch spoke. ¡°Watch your tongue, young man!¡± she warned. ¡°How dare you enter my house after the scandal you caused?¡± The old woman looked at Irene. ¡°And this shameless woman dared to take a step in my mansion after cheating on my grandson?¡±


    ¡°L, didn¡¯t you inform Mrs. Desmana that I would be visiting?¡± Joseph asked the daughter-inw with a smile.


    Everyone looked at L who looked away. ¡°I told Bryce. Since he¡¯s the young master, he knows what to do,¡± said the woman.


    ¡°Bryce, you didn¡¯t tell me?¡± the old woman asked angrily.


    Bryce kept his eyes on L. A glint shed in his eyes before he looked away. ¡°I forgot to tell you, Grandma.¡±


    The old woman took a deep breath and looked at Grey Mondragon. ¡°Please excuse us for this embarrassing scene.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, Madam Desmana.¡± Gray looked at Irene. ¡°It¡¯s my good niece who caused this mess.¡±


    A few seconds of silence enveloped the inside before Samantha cleared a throat. ¡°Young Master Ante, I heard a lot about you. Finally, I¡¯m able to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Joseph turned to Samantha. ¡°What did you hear about me?¡±


    ¡°That you are a promising young man who sealed almost a hundred business deals in one year after sitting as the CEO of Ante Enterprise in Laguna,¡± Samantha answered with a smile. ¡°I am in awe of your decisiveness and leadership.¡±


    A subtle change could be seen in the faces of Desmana present in the scene. Bryce pressed his lips together because he knew what Samantha Mondragon was implying. But his ¡®ipetence¡¯ was caused by the woman¡¯s branch family so why would she jest him?


    Without waiting for Grey Mondragon¡¯s words, Bryce ordered a maid to get a spare chair for Irene. When the woman sat down, Bryce asked what Joseph¡¯s purpose was.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Joseph smirked and looked at Samantha. ¡°I think Mr. And Mrs. Mondragon are here because of the canceled marriage agreement. Since you all know that I and Irene had slept together, I want to take her as my wife.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ can¡¯t be,¡± L whispered but because it was quiet everyone heard her.


    ¡°Why? Irene is a Mondragon and since the Desmana won¡¯t take her in, I¡¯ll take her to my house,¡± said Joseph. ¡°You won¡¯t object to it right, Mrs. Mondragon?¡±


    Samantha smiled from ear to ear. ¡°No. If you want to marry my niece, then it¡¯s good. Right, husband?¡± she asked and turned to Grey.


    Grey¡¯s eyes narrowed before nodding when Samantha raised an eyebrow because he didn¡¯t immediately agree. The man sighed. ¡°When do you n to marry my niece?¡± Grey asked.


    ¡°Mr. Mondragon, this is not the right ce to talk about the wedding,¡± the matriarch snapped. The old woman¡¯s face soured. ¡°Young Master Ante, you can talk about your wedding in Ante mansion but certainly not in mine. If you don¡¯t have any business to talk to, someone will see you out.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Does this old woman sending him away? Joseph raised his eyebrows thenughed loudly. ¡°You just reminded me, Mrs. Desmana, of the business I had to deal with Bryce.¡± He looked at Bryce. ¡°I remembered that you¡¯ve dismissed someone from the board of directors and told him toe to me. Well, the very same man is working at mypany now and he¡¯s a very good employee.¡±


    Bryce clenched his fist at his words, his eyes narrowed. ¡°Oh? You must thank my Vice President for giving you such an outstanding dog.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I must thank her because that outstanding dog did me a favor of securing a deal with Fuego Empire in the capital. Now, the Ante¡¯s main branch thinks highly of me,¡± Joseph said happily. Seeing that Bryce¡¯s face couldn¡¯t be painted, the manughed. ¡°But it seems like I and my woman are not wee in your house, Mr. Desmana. I shall bid my goodbye and send my regards to Miss Bree Mondragon. Tell her I¡¯ll visit her one of these days to properly say my thanks,¡± Joseph said before turning the wheelchair around and running it out of the mansion. Irene silently followed the man like a model wife.


    Bryce clenched his fist and forced a smile to look at Grey Mondragon. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for having you watch such a farce, Mr. Mondragon. Why don¡¯t we eat first before continuing our business?¡± he asked.


    Gray just smiled. Just then the Desmanas and the Mondragon couple went to the dining room together.


    Jenica clicked her tongue. She was still skeptical of what Joseph told earlier.


    As far as she knows, the Ante in Laguna is just a small branch living like a local tyrant and has no real connection with the main branch in the capital. So it¡¯s surprising to know that Fuego Empire in the capital decided to extend a hand to this local tyrant.


    Her eyes narrowed and she called her assistant. ¡°What¡¯s happening in the Fuego Empire?¡± she asked.


    The assistant was silent for a few seconds before answering. ¡°There¡¯s a new acting CEO of Fuego Empire. It was announced this morning that Alexander Fuego is sick and needs medical attention for the next months. His uncle Renege is now the acting CEO and he ns to help ns outside of the capital to extend the Empire¡¯s influence.¡±


    ¡°Oh? He¡¯s sick?¡± Jenica raised her eyebrows. It had been a few weeks since shest talked to the man. Thest time she checked, he was dying in the hospital because of the assassin who approached him while they were in the South. Her jaw clenched. ¡°Do you know where¡¯s Alexander Fuego now?¡±


    ¡°Our spies haven¡¯t found Alexander Fuego yet. The information about the new acting CEOes from the official statement of the saidpany this morning. There¡¯s a shift in the power that¡¯s why some of our top agents sessfully infiltrated Fuego Empire but they haven¡¯t sent news back to the HQ.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s teeth clenched. ¡°Do a background check on Joseph Ante as well as the recent news on Ante Enterprise in Laguna.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    She hung up and narrowed her eyes, looking at the footage on theptop screen. The Desmanas are currently eating at the long dining table with the Mondragon couple. But Jenica¡¯s thoughts are not in the footage.


    She¡¯s thinking about her bastard husband. Renato, Alex¡¯s personal assistant, did not call her again and a few days have passed since he informed her that Alex was undergoing surgery in the capital. Jenica forgpt this matter because of this mission in Laguna.


    She pped her forehead and quickly reached for her personal phone. Jenica called Alex¡¯s personal number but he didn¡¯t answer her call. Jenica¡¯s eyebrows met. What¡¯s happening with that man?


    So she called Renato¡¯s number several times before someone answered on the other line. Before she could speak, she heard a hoarse voice of a woman on the other line.


    ¡°B*tch! Do you not want your life? You¡¯re disturbing my sleep!¡±


    Jenica blinked and frowned. If she¡¯s not mistaken, that¡¯s Gia Ante¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Speak what you want or I¡¯ll kill you for waking me up!¡± Gia shouted in annoyance.


    Jenica pressed her lips together. Gia has Renato¡¯s phone? What does it mean? Did something really happen to her bastard husband? And how could Gia use Renato¡¯s phone?


    She opened her mouth to speak when she heard a man¡¯s voice on the other line. ¡°Are you this noisy when you wake up?¡± he asked, annoyed.


    Jenica¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard Alex¡¯s voice alongside Gia¡¯s. Her husband¡¯s voice was also hoarse, and she pictured out two naked bodies under the sheets.

 Walked straight into a trap

    Jenica dropped the call. She didn¡¯t move or say a word for a few seconds. It was as if she had been doused with cold water as she remembered hearing Alex¡¯s hoarse voice on the other line. She clenched her fist and frowned.


    She knows that in the eyes of the public, the two are engaged so there is nothing wrong with that. But she is currently married to Alex because she hasn¡¯t signed a divorce paper yet. So that bastard husband of hers has the guts to fool around?


    Jenica pressed her lips together.


    The Mondragon couple said their goodbyes at half past one in the afternoon. Just then, Jenica left the room and looked for Bryce. The man was even surprised when he saw her. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± he asked.


    Jenica nced briefly at L who was standing on the side and looking at her with a small smile on her lips. Shee felt bad as she looked at the woman¡¯s smiling face, but she had something more important to do right now.


    She turned her gaze back at Bryce. ¡°Let¡¯s talk in private.¡±


    L raised her eyebrows but didn¡¯t say a word. Jenica took the man to the corner where there was no one and faced the young man. ¡°We need to start our n sooner,¡± she said seriously.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, noticing that Jenica was aggitated.


    She looked away and calmed herself down. She¡¯s an agent for years yet she couldn¡¯t control her emotions when ites to her bastard husband? Ah, what a troublesome man!


    She gritted her teeth and hid her tight knuckles behind her back. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll start our n.¡±


    Bryce looked deeply at her. ¡°If you need help, I can lend a hand.¡±


    She looked at him straight in the eye. After a while, the edge of her lips curled. ¡°Don¡¯t bother. You can¡¯t help me, Mr. Desmana.¡±


    Bryce shrugged and changed the subject. ¡°How to pluck those Mondragons from mypany and drag the Ante down?¡±


    Jenica smiled. A glint shed across her eyes.


    The next day, the wedding between Joseph Ante and Irene Mondragon trended on social media. But instead of ¡°congrattions¡±, the two received curses and insults in thements section.


    It is not known who spread the word, but the s*x scandal that spread seven years ago ¡ª the scandal involving Yvette and the young master of La Trinidad in Cavite has been resurfaced. ording to the public post, the woman in the video is Joseph Ante¡¯s sister who is a homewrecker and the reason why Desmana¡¯s eldest daughter ended her rtionship with the young master of La Trinidad.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    And just like what happened before, Joseph Ante stole Bryce Desmana¡¯s fiancee, breaking a couple¡¯s rtionship. Many in thements are cursing the Ante family because of two incidents. But Bryce has yet to read all the negativements on social media because he is currently in thepany with Jenica.


    ¡°Mr. Desmana, I don¡¯t know a thing about this! Please investigate! I am innocent!¡± shouted one of the board of directors.


    This is one of the new members that Bree brought inst month. As Joseph promised, he visited Bree¡¯s mansion and made friends. Because of this, Bryce had an excuse to investigate the personnel that Bree brought into thepany.


    And with Jenica¡¯s help, all the secret theft of funds and corruption by the Vice President¡¯s staff were uncovered. And even though Bree¡¯s face darkened, the woman couldn¡¯t do anything but be silent and let Bryce do his will. That man is surely stepping on her face yet she can¡¯t retaliate!


    ¡°I am also innocent, Mr. President! I don¡¯t do a thing!¡± yelled another female member.


    Bryce¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Oh? A hundred million funds is on your hands, Ms. Damasco. You should not lie between your teeth.¡±


    The woman clenched her fist and looked at Bree. Thetter¡¯s eyes narrowed so the Damasco woman could do nothing but ept all the usations against her. ¡°Then I¡¯ll give it back to thepany! Just don¡¯t kick me out of my position, Mr. President, for the sake of the Vice President!¡± Then the woman bowed in front of Bryce.


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched and she gave a meaningful nce at Bree who¡¯s face paled seeing the woman¡¯s action. She chuckled. ¡°So you¡¯re in cahoots with the Vice President?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes I ¨C¡± Before the woman could finish speaking, she received a strong p from the head of directors.


    ¡°Shut up! You embezzled the funds and we¡¯ll throw you into prison!¡± shouted the old man.


    The woman was stunned after that heavy p. After a while, her eyes watered. ¡°Uncle ¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me uncle! I don¡¯t have a niece like you!¡±


    Bryce watched the show with interest and Jenica shook her head, amused by the drama. The two know that Bree is the mastermind of the embezzlement, but to protect the Vice President, the old man pushes his niece onto the spotlight to catch all the punishment.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± Bryce suddenly said. ¡°That woman stole thepany¡¯s money and I won¡¯t let the one behind her escape the punishment!¡± he said before showing the video on the projector showing the transaction between Bree and the woman.


    Bree¡¯s face was pale and the eyes of the head of directors widened.


    ¡°As you all see, it¡¯s the Vice President who instigated this woman to steal our money. What should we do?¡± Bryce asked everyone. His voice was cold but his eyes revealed mischief.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± shouted the old man. ¡°Bree, exin to them! You are framed!¡±


    Bree frowned and turned to the woman. ¡°You gave them this video?¡±


    The woman suddenlyughed and pointed at Bree. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s me!¡± The woman looked at Bree with crazed eyes. ¡°Ever since you asked me to embezzle funds of thispany, I¡¯ve been keeping this video in case I got busted so I can drag you all to hell with me!¡±


    The face of the head of the directors paled even more after hearing this. He was about to hit the woman again when thetter pointed a finger at him. ¡°And you, old man, you want to protect that Bree more than me?¡± The womanughed. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± She smiled widely and looked around. ¡°Everyone, I am the illegitimate daughter of this man! He slept with my mother behind his wife¡¯s back when he went to a business trip in the North.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed as she observed the pale face of the head of the directors. He also pointed a finger at the woman as his mouth fell open. Disbelief was clearly written on his face.


    A crack appeared on the ice cold face of Bree while everyone was pointing a finger andughing behind the old man¡¯s back.


    The corner of Bryce¡¯s lips curled and nced at Jenica for a moment, reverence and appreciation shed across his eyes. And yes, it¡¯s Jenica who uncovered that secret for the sake of today¡¯s show.


    This old man¡¯s wife is a member of Mondragon, and clearly, this old man is just a live-in son-inw of Bree¡¯s n. Even Jenica is surprised to know that this old man is nothing in the eyes of his wife.


    This is the reason why he protects Bree so much, because Bree is a direct descendant of Mondragon¡¯s branch family and the old man is tasked to take care of her while ying in the North. So it¡¯s not surprising that he would rather sacrifice his illegitimate daughter for the sake of Bree Mondragon.


    But because of his decision to push his daughter away, his daughter decided to drag them all to hell with her.


    ¡°Take back your words!¡± shouted the old man and grimaced while clutching his chest. ¡°You are lying!¡±


    The woman raised her eyebrows. ¡°What? You won¡¯t acknowledge me? That¡¯s fine. I have secured a DNA test and everyone,e and see if what I said is a lie!¡±


    The old man turned even paler. A glint shed across Jenica¡¯s eyes and she stood. She quickly stepped towards the old man and was about to take his pulse when the old man swatted her hand away. He red at her, and if looks could kill, she might be lying six feet underground now.


    ¡°Old man, let me take your pulse!¡± she said with raised eyebrows. The old man raised his hand and was about to p her in the face when Jenica simply side stepped to avoid his hand. She pressed her lips together. ¡°Your hearbeat is fast and you are having difficulties in breathing. Your chest also hurts and your muscles are cold. Clearly, these are the signs that you are having a heart attack. And if you don¡¯t let me take your pulse, for the next five minutes, it might be toote to save your pitiful ass.¡±


    The old man gritted his teeth and turned around. He took a step away but he hadn¡¯t taken two steps when he fell off the stand. Jenica rolled her eyes and performed immediate first aid to the unconscious patient. She nced briefly at Bryce. ¡°Call an ambnce now or you might lose him.¡± What she means is¡­ Bryce might lose a pawn against the Mondragon.


    Even against his will, Bryce still called an ambnce. He nced at Bree who was sitting quietly at the side while staring directly at the old man¡¯s illegitimate daughter. The members of the board of directors have been silent for a while, still shocked by the speed of the incident.


    Jenica frowned when she noticed something and her eyes turned cold.


    Soon the ambnce finally arrived. But the old man was dered dead-on-arrival. Jenica¡¯s face darkened even more after hearing this and looked seriously at Bryce.


    Before she could speak with him, Bree Mondragon spoke first. ¡°That¡¯s her! Arrest that woman. She¡¯s thest person who touched the dead old man and the members of the board are the witnesses!¡± she shouted as she pointed her index finger at Jenica. A small smile was hanging on her lips.


    Jenica¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she saw Bree¡¯s small smile. She only realized by now that she had walked straight into a trap prepared by Bree Mondragon, catching her off-guard.

 Not for the eyes of ordinary

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, ma¡¯am?¡± asked the colonel sitting across from her.


    After Bree used her in front of the hospital, she was taken to the nearby Police Station to get her statement on what happened. The edge of Jenica¡¯s lips curled. ¡°Jane Lau,¡± she answered.


    Even though Jane Lau is not her real name, but being a top expert herself, it¡¯s easy for her to store records of ¡®Jane Lau¡¯ in different government databases in order to verify Jane Lau¡¯s existence. So it¡¯s not surprising that the colonel didn¡¯t find it suspicious to hear her ¡®name¡¯ and proceeded to ask more questions regarding on the incident.


    The colonel wrote something on the paper he was holding and asked about the old man. Jenica answered those questions and after a few minutes she was given permission to leave the station.


    Jenica looked around outside the station and saw Bryce talking to L not far away. She walked her distance to the two and L was the first to notice her. The woman red at her secretly and Jenica raised her eyebrows, curling the corner of her lips a little bit. Did she disappoint L for freely walking outside the Police Station?


    ¡°When the autopsy report is out, the Mondragon will file a case against the Desmana,¡± L said to Bryce while looking at Jenica. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that this woman will only cause you trouble, Bryce?¡±


    Bryce frowned. ¡°It has nothing to do with Ms. Lau, sister-inw. It¡¯s a terminal illness and I can vouch for Miss Lau¡¯s innocence of this matter.¡±


    Lte sneered at him. ¡°Fire her when this matter ends. My uncle doesn¡¯t like what you are doing, Bryce. He said you are being too willful to find someone to go againt Bree in thepany, and look what you¡¯ve done, someone died in the hands of that woman!¡± said L and pointed at Jenica.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and folded her arms. The uncle it refers to is Grey Mondragon. Of course, Grey doesn¡¯t know that Jane Lau and Doctor Acinea are the same person so she¡¯s not surprised that man is antagonizing her. ¡°Your uncle?¡± Jenica smiled. ¡°Why should Bryce listen to your uncle, Miss L? Bryce knows how to run hispany. He doesn¡¯t need anyone to teach him how to manage it.¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m not talking to you,¡± said L.


    She shook her head. ¡°You are raising a finger on me so why should I keep my mouth shut?¡±


    Bryce sighed and looked at Jenica. ¡°Did they give you a hard time inside?¡±


    Jenica shook her head and looked around when she felt someone watching her. She frowned slightly. She didn¡¯t feel threatened by that tant stare but she felt ufortable, as if the person staring at her from the dark knew her.


    ¡°Miss Jane?¡± Bryce called when he noticed that her attention wasn¡¯t there.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said and walked first.


    L wanted to speak, but Bryce nced at her with a warning gaze. The woman pursed her lips and walked after them.


    Jenica frowned even more when that feeling of being stared at didn¡¯t disappear until she got out of the car. Her gaze deepened and looked out the window. She saw a man who she thought was about her age. He was sitting on the bench and was holding a newspaper, looking straight at her way. If she wasn¡¯t sure the car was tinted, she would assume the man could see her inside.


    But¡­ who is he? She was not familiar with that man. And why were his eyes full ofplex emotions while looking at her? She¡¯s puzzled, especially when her heart skipped a beat while staring at the man. As if she knew him before but she had forgotten him.


    The car sped off and she never saw the man again. But she has a hunch that the next time they meet, she will be a different person.


    When they arrived at the mansion, thedy of the Desmanas met her. The old woman glsred at her and Jenica raised her eyebrows. What made this old woman mad again?


    ¡°Bryce, let¡¯s talk!¡± said the old woman before turning around and walking towards the small study room on the first floor.


    Bryce excused himself and followed thedy while she and L were left in the living room. When she nced at the woman, she was also looking at her evilly.


    Some members of the Desmanas passed by and they also looked at her badly. Sje couldn¡¯t help but frown. For a moment, she wondered if this family was worth helping. If only Bryce wasn¡¯t kind, she would have really left the Desmanas to return to the capital. She¡¯s tired of dealing with people who were really difficult to please, so she went up the stairs and headed to her room.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    But her face darkened when she noticed that the door to her room was open. When she went inside, she saw the mess on the floor and bed. And right there, she knew that someone barged into her room and messed with her things.


    ¡°Bastards,¡± she said, gritting her teeth.


    She walked to her open bag where theptop should be inside, but there was none. Her wallet was also taken where her ID cards as Doctor Acinea were kept.


    Jenica¡¯s face darkened even more and stepped out of the room.


    She went down to the living room and saw Bryce with his grandmother. The other family members surrounded the two and when she looked at the center table, she saw herptop and ID card lying there silently.


    ¡°Miss Jane Lau,¡± the olddy called her scornfully.


    With no emotion on her face, she walked closer to the old woman. ¡°Who messed with my things?¡± she asked and looked at each of the members of Desmana family.


    It might be because if her stoic expression that they all looked away, afraid to meet her eyes. She sneered. These scums!


    The old woman scoffed at her unfriendly tone. ¡°My daughters did the right thing! If they hadn¡¯t rummaged through your things, the truth wouldn¡¯t have been revealed!¡±


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and sneered. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m curious what this truth is all about?¡±


    ¡°Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card is with you!¡± The old woman turned to Bryce. ¡°I told you that this woman is no good! Look, she even stole Doctor Acinea¡¯s stuff!¡±


    Bryce frowned. ¡°Grandma, is this what you want to ask me? I believe Miss Jane is not that kind of person.¡±


    ¡°Are you hearing yourself, Bryce?¡± the old woman shouted angrily and threw the ID card at him. ¡°Look what this woman did! She stole Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card and who is Doctor Acinea? She¡¯s a well-known doctor that even the President is afraid to offend!¡± The old woman pointed a finger at Jenica. ¡°She stole something from the doctor and when someone knows it, even if your deceased grandfather is here, the whole Desmana is finished!¡±


    The whole mansion fell silent after the old woman angry words. Bryce looked at Jenica. His face was serious when he asked her, ¡°Miss Lau, please exin why this card is with you,¡± he said and held up the small ID card.


    A glint shed across her eyes while staring at the small card. It was Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card to the Oriental Alchemist organization that¡¯s based in the capital. But there is no picture on that card and only the logo of Oriental Alchemist and the name ¡°Doctor Acinea¡± is printed on the front side of the ID card.


    And thinking back, during the times she appeared in public as Doctor Acinea, she was wearing a mask. Also, the public did not know that Doctor Acinea is a part to the Oriental Alchemist organization, and if they did, a third grade family like Desmana in this town of Laguna could not possibly know of such a secretive organization hiding in the deep waters of the capital.


    In other words, none of the Desmanas should know that Doctor Acinea is a member of the Oriental Alchemist organization and no one should know about that organization.


    Unless¡­ someone hinted them about it.


    Jenica turned her gaze to L who was looking at her. There was a small smile on the woman¡¯s lips. Well, her gaze told her the woman thought there¡¯s no wrong rummaging someone else¡¯s belongings, because Jenica could see the gloating in the woman¡¯s eyes.


    L won¡¯t do this thing unless she¡¯s instructed to. And she had long expected that this woman would do something. It¡¯s just surprising that Bree took this long before she took an action.


    ¡°Do you all think I stole Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card?¡± Jenica asked and swept a nce at the card on Bryce¡¯s hand. ¡°Have you seen that ID card in Doctor Acinea¡¯s hand? Or do you think ¡®Doctor Acinea¡¯ is her true name? Do you know what that logo represents?¡± she asked with raised eyebrows.


    The Desmanas were silent for a moment and looked at L. The woman¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°That should be Doctor Acinea¡¯s card,¡± L said, her voice full of confidence.


    The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips rose. ¡°Oh? How sure are you? Have you met Doctor Acinea?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± L said loudly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Doctor Acinea in the capital when she visited the country months ago.¡± When she saw that they did not believe her, she frowned. ¡°I was invited in the official gathering in the capital for Doctor Acinea. I saw her wearing a fox mask.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a proof? Thest time I checked, Desmana n didn¡¯t attend the gathering,¡± she said. As far as she remembered, she did not see L at that gathering. But maybe, the woman was there but she never noticed her.


    Well, L didn¡¯t like her doubtful gaze because the woman¡¯s face changed. Even the other Desmana members darkened their faces.


    ¡°My father and Tito Grey Mondragon was there. Even if I was married to Desmana, I am still a Mondragon. Tito Grey let me attend the gathering.¡± Lte scoffed. ¡°Why am I exining to you? Someone like you can¡¯t attend Doctor Acinea¡¯s wee party even if you want to.¡±


    Jenica thought for a moment about what L said. If Grey Mondragon was also present, he probably already knew that Doctor Acinea was going to the South to heal Jobert¡¯s wife. It just means that it was Grey himself who talked to Jobert to direct Doctor Acinea to his mansion after her mission at the governor¡¯s house.


    Ah, she was fooled by these two old scum. She thought it was Jobert who wanted to establish more connection with her, but it turned out, it was Grey who reached out first.


    ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± asked L, ridicule was evident in her voice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak now, Miss Jane Lau? Exin to us why you have Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card and let us check yourptop. Who knows you have illegal things stored in yourptop against us?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Open this woman¡¯sptop, Bryce. Knowing that she has Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card, who knows what things she did behind our backs?¡± replied the old Desmanady.


    Jenica looked at Bryce, waiting to hear his reply. To her surprise, Bryce agreed to open herptop in front of the Desmanas. Well, that¡¯s unexpected.


    Bryce should know that she is Code X, and the things in herptop are not for the eyes of ordinary people like his nsmen. If he knows what¡¯s best for him and his family, he should stop them.


    If they really open herptop to look what¡¯s in it, they are forcing her to kill them all in order to keep the secrets inside.

 I need your help

    ¡°You all want to look at my things?¡± she asked with a small smile on her lips, then she looked at Bryce. ¡°What do you think, Mr. Desmana? Is it really good for them to check what¡¯s inside?¡± she asked again, teasing him.


    ¡°Just¨C¡± Bryce swallowed when both of their gazes met. It seemed that he realized what she meant by her re and he turned his gaze away first. ¡°Stop harassing her, Grandma. She knows nothing and this ID card might just be a hoax. Miss Jane and Doctor Acinea might not know each other nor have met so how can she steal something from the doctor? We all know that Doctor Acinea is not an ordinary doctor when she is able to hide from the eyes of the government and private institutions,¡± Bryce said seriously.


    L sneered. ¡°I saw that ID card in Doctor Acinea¡¯s hand. You all should believe me!¡±


    Jenica turned her gaze to L. She frowned slightly. In that gathering, she didn¡¯t show the ID card so it was impossible for L to see it if she was really present at the wee party.


    Jenica chuckled. ¡°I brought this ID card from a street vendor because I am familiar with the logo. Miss L, do you know what that logo in the ID represents?¡± she asked, squinting a little.


    The woman pursed her lips. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. I just know that I saw it in Doctor Acinea¡¯s hand that night.¡±


    Jenica sneered at her reply. She now realized that L is lying and that someone instructed her to spout nonsense. L did not see her carrying the ID card that night nor did she know what the card was for. She just wanted to use her.


    What she worried about is if someone captured the ID and spread it on the inte or if L informed Bree or Grey about the ID card. She can¡¯t escape from the suspicious minds of those two Mondragons.


    ¡°Seeing that card in Doctor Acinea¡¯s hand?¡± Jenica scoffed. ¡°Have you met the doctor face to face? Or gotten too close to her so you know what she was holding in that night? And why would the doctor hold her ID card while enjoying the party? Was she afraid that no one would recognize her so she was waving her ID card when someone came close to her?¡±


    Stifledughter was heard around. L¡¯s face turned red at Jenica¡¯s words. Of course, who would not recognize Doctor Acinea in her wee party?


    ¡°You are saying nonsense! If you don¡¯t believe me, ask my uncle!¡± said Lte. The woman red at her looking away, huffing mad.


    The old woman¡¯s face stiffened hearing L¡¯s words. Who has the guts to call Grey Mondragon after the head of directors died inside Desmana Group of Company¡¯s office?


    Well, Jenica did them a small favor and called Grey Mondragon in front of them. Wearing a small smile on her lips, she greeted Grey. ¡°Hello, Mr. Mondragon. It¡¯s me, Jane Lau.¡±


    Some gasps were heard all around, and everyone except Bryce looked at her badly, but Jenica wasn¡¯t affected at all. She waited for Grey to speak.


    ¡°Are you that woman Mr. Desmana brought to the Desmana Group?¡± Grey asked emotionlessly.


    Jenica smiled. It¡¯s the first time she spoke to Gray Mondragon as Jane Lau and the man didn¡¯t recognize her voice at all. Of course, she had eaten a pill to distort her original voice that¡¯s why those who have met Doctor Acinea won¡¯t think that Jane Lau and the famous doctor are rted to each other. So she wascent even though L was at the party.


    ¡°I am.¡± Jenica smiled.


    She could imagine Grey sneering on the phone. ¡°They are using you of killing the son-inw of Mondragon. Miss Jane Lau, are you this brave to call me or you don¡¯t know how severe the situation is to kill someone from my Mondragon n?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Grey, don¡¯t jump into conclusions without looking at the autopsy report. All I did was to give the old man a first aid and nothing more.¡±


    Grayughed. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll believe you? Ady who just appeared out of nowhere to break the bond between my n and the Desmana¡­ I think you¡¯re too delusional that you¡¯ve gained the upperhand, Miss Jane.¡±


    ¡°Am I delusional?¡± Jenica chuckled. ¡°In the first ce, it¡¯s not the bond between yours and Bryce¡¯s n that is at stake, Mr. Grey. Look how your rtionship with the Ante¡¯s gone? Do you still remember how Irene seduced Joseph Ante? Can you protect your niece against the Ante¡¯s anger?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your call to worry about my niece.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know. I just asked. Maybe you need to call your niece before it¡¯s toote, right?¡± She heard Gray inhaled a cold breath and seemed to be holding back his anger. Jenica chuckled. ¡°By the way, your niece L is spouting nonsense that she saw Doctor Acinea on the doctor¡¯s wee party months ago. She was using me of stealing something from the famous doctor. So I want to ask if you also saw Doctor Acinea¡¯s waving her ID card at the guests that night?¡± Jenica looked at L whose face went pale. The smile on her lips grew wider. ¡°I forgot to mention that I was also invited at the wee party and had seen Doctor Acinea with my naked eyes.¡±


    Bryce widened his eyes in disbelief. Code X was invited in that party? Everyone knows that only the powerful and exclusive ns have the right to attend the party hosted by the government, but Code X was invited?


    Bryce wasn¡¯t the only one surprised. Even the Desmana members widened their eyes and stared at her. This pathetic looking woman was a guest in Doctor Acinea¡¯s wee party? Old Lady Desmana wanted to speak but Jane Lau was still talking to Grey Mondragon on the phone so she kept her mouth shut and waited for the call to end.


    Gray was silent for a few seconds before he spoke again. ¡°What ID card are you talking about? Doctor Acinea is a famous doctor and she doesn¡¯t need one to validate her presence in that night,¡± said Gray angrily. He seemed to realize that L was lying.


    Jenica looked meaningfully at L who was restless in her seat. She made sure the call was on hands-free so the Desmanas could hear what Gray said.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s all I want to ask of you, Mr. Mondragon. We¡¯ll patiently wait for the autopsy report,¡± Jenica said before hanging up. She looked at olddy Desmana and smiled. ¡°See? Your daughter-inw is clearly lying. Doctor Acinea was not waving her ID card so howe this woman is insisting that my small card is from the famous doctor, when she didn¡¯t see it in the doctor¡¯s hand? ¡±


    The old waman¡¯s face contorted. ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding! I¡¯m tired. Escort me to my room!¡± the old woman ordered angrily.


    L¡¯s face turned even paler and stood up. ¡°Wait ¨C¡±


    ¡°As for you, Miss L,¡± said Jenica and smiled at the woman. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk in private? There are things I want to ask you in person.¡±


    Lte red at her. Jenica secretly flicked her finger containing a small needle towards L and the woman widened her eyes while staring at her. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said and stepped out of the mansion first.


    L broke into a cold sweat as she stopped herself from following Jenica. But no matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t stop her body from following the woman, as if someone else was controlling her body. She couldn¡¯t even open her mouth to ask Bryce for help when ¡°she¡± stepped past him.


    Bryce looked at the retreating figure of Code X. He didn¡¯t know but as his cooperation with the woman went on and on, it was as if the distance between the two of them was getting farther and farther apart. Now that he knew Code X was invited in the wee party that even he, the president of Desmana Group, didn¡¯t get an invitation to, he was at a loss for words. It¡¯s like he was pped by the fact that he still doesn¡¯t have enough power to enter the capital that everyone dreams of.


    ¡­


    Jenica took L to the garden where there were many nts of roses and different kinds of flowers. Unlike Jobert¡¯s garden in the South, she did not find even one medicinal nt here.


    Jenica checked her surroundings first before turning back to face L. The woman was drenched in cold sweat. Jenica¡¯s lips twitched as she waved her hand. The small needle returned to her finger as she controlled the woman¡¯s body to follow her.


    L took a deep breath. ¡°Freak! What did you do to me?!¡± she said hysterically and touched her neck while ring at Jenica.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a small trick. Nothing¡¯s serious,¡± she said.


    ¡°Small trick?! You have the guts to do it under the gaze of everyone?!¡±


    Jenica frowned. She didn¡¯t have time to calm L down so with a wave of her hand, the woman was stunned. The woman¡¯s chestnut-colored eyes became empty like she felt nothing at all.


    When Jenica saw L¡¯s well-behaved manner, she nodded in satisfaction. As an Oriental Alchemist, she was capable of concocting liquid medicine that can make someone spill their secrets.


    ¡°Who asked you to mess with my things?¡± Jenica asked.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Bree Mondragon,¡± L said emotionlessly. Her facial expression didn¡¯t even change.


    ¡°Who told you about Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card?¡±


    ¡°No one. I assume it was Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID to mess with Jane Lau.¡±


    Jenica frowned even more. ¡°Did you send a photo of that ID card to Bree?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s jaw clenched and she cussed softly under her breath. She had guessed it. It¡¯s not really good to let people like L lurk by her side.


    Pursing her lips, she flicked her finger and threw a needle containing medicine to L¡¯s arm, and after a few seconds, she took it back. ¡°Go back and forget what I asked you about.¡±


    At that time, L walked back inside the mansion absent-mindedly. When the woman stepped inside the mansion, she returned to her senses. She looked around the mansion curiously. Thest thing she remembered was that she was talking to a maid in the garden.


    When her husband asked what she and Jane talked about, L shook her head. ¡°That woman was arrogant to leave me in the garden! Don¡¯t ask about her again,¡± she said, gritting her teeth. L didn¡¯t know where her intense irritation came from while thinking of Jane Lau¡¯s face.


    On the other hand, Jenica was left standing in the garden. She was thinking of what L had said. Bree got a copy of Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card and she knew that cunning woman had started her investigation. She sighed, feeling frustrated over the another unnecessary mess.


    Jenica quickly walked in the mansion to get theptop and wallet that she had left in the living room. Then she quickly left the mansion and hailed a taxi.


    She had sent a text message to Bryce, telling him she¡¯ll go somewhere for a while and wille back tomorrow.


    The taxi stopped at the famous club house in the center of Laguna. After she paid the fare, she silently walked inside. There were no customers and she only saw the cleaning crews working around the ce. Ah, it¡¯s still morning.


    ¡°Give me a turner in the head and lover to the moon,¡± she told the bartender.


    The bartender looked up and stared at her for a few seconds, before urging her to follow him into a secret door.


    After a few detours they reached the heavy metal double doors. The man brought his face to an iris scanner and when his identity was verified, the door opened.


    Jenica stepped inside. She saw a man sitting on an elevated chair at the middle of the huge room, smoking a cigarette. He smiled when their gazes met.


    ¡°What a surprise to find an HQ agent in my territory. What are you? An assassin?¡± He puffed out a smoke through his mouth. ¡°A spy? Or both?¡±


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched and she sneered. ¡°No need to guess. I¡¯m here to bargain with you. If you¡¯re not avable, I will find someone else.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± The man grinned. ¡°You are the one asking for help. Don¡¯t brag your a$$ in my turf, youngss.¡±

 The world of mafia

    People might know a thing or two about the secret organization of notorious assassins that was responsible for assassinating corrupt officials and wanted criminals around the world. But far beyond the world of assassination is the world that the public does not know. A world that even the government doesn¡¯t dare to mess with.


    It¡¯s the underground world of the mafia.


    Since Jenica is one of the HQ members, she knows something about mafia organizations. But because the world she lives in is different from theirs, the information she holds is not that deep.


    She also just realized that there is a Mafia Don in Laguna known to HQ. Because her identity as Doctor Acinea is too sensitive, HQ decided to contact the Mafia Don in that area to help her in her mission.


    The man stared at her for a few seconds before curling the corner of his lips. ¡°I never thought that you are a beautiful woman, Doctor Acinea. If I had known earlier, I should have waited for you before marrying my wife.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched and ck lines appeared on her temple. ¡°As you know, I need your help to stop Bree Mondragon¡¯s investigation on Doctor Acinea¡¯s identity. I know that you have ears and eyes everywhere in Laguna so it¡¯s easy for you to track the private investigator responsible for this task.¡±


    The man raised his eyebrows. ¡°What do I get in return, Miss Jane Lau?¡± he asked. His voice was mocking her and his eyes were cold.


    ¡°I will treat your wife, Don.¡±


    In an instant, the man was in front of her and his strong hand was on her neck. ¡°What do you know about my wife, Miss Jane?¡± he coldly asked, emphasizing the ¡®wife¡¯ word.


    Jenica held the hand that was choking her. With a flick of her finger, a needle as thin as hair inserted itself onto the man¡¯s wrist. The man¡¯s face was confused and he immediately let go.


    *cough* *cough*


    Jenica held her own neck while coughing. She gritted her teeth and raised her hateful re at the man. ¡°Just because you¡¯re a don, you can kill whoever you want?¡± She stood properly and straightened her disheveled clothes. ¡°Remember that before I became a doctor, I was a poison master. If you touch me again, you might not know how you die,¡± she warned the man.


    ¡°You dare to poison me?¡± he asked angrily when he noticed that his arm was turning purple. ¡°Give me the antidote!¡±


    Jenica sneered. ¡°Do the end of our bargain first. Stop that private investigator and I¡¯ll cure you. Also, stop Bree Mondragon from asking help from Mondragon n in the South and I¡¯ll cure your wife. A favor for a favor. Do do we have a deal?¡± she asked with a smile, but her eyes were cold looking straight into the man¡¯s eyes.


    She never let anyone who hurt her go unpunished.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t agree, you won¡¯t give me the antidote?¡± asked the man, sneering at her.


    Jenica smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you still have 24 hours before you die. I¡¯ll be back tomorrow morning to ask for the result of our bargain.¡± She turned around and was about to walk out the door. Before she finally stepped out, she turned to the man who had fallen on the floor and was pale. ¡°I need to remind you, that poison is made for torture so prepare yourself. Also, it was newly made by me so no other poison master has the cure. It will take a week for a poison master to produce a cure but only if you are still alive to take it.¡± She smiled before finally stepping out and the door closed automatically.


    A cold glint shed across her eyes. Now that she solved the problem of private investigator, it was now time to pay Bree a visit.


    So that night, she quietly jumped into the vi where Bree was staying. She flew the little spybugs into the house to get the structural blueprint of the house while she hid in the height of a tree just a few steps from the high gate of Bree¡¯s house.


    Like what she did at the factory in the South, she learned the exact location of the dog and security guards patrolling the inside of therge gate. She sneaked inside and avoided the areas where the security guards and security cameras were. She also used a medicinal nt to rub on her body so that the dog would not catch her scent.


    After a few seconds, she silently entered the open balcony of Bree¡¯s room. The woman was sleeping on the bed and it looked like she was having a nightmare because her head was tossing and turning and she was sweating.


    Jenica¡¯s gaze deepened. Maybe the heavens were helping her. She raised her hand and spread the liquid medicine she used earlier on L.


    ¡°I¡¯m fortunate to find you in distress or else this medicine might not work,¡± she whispered.


    Even if her medicine works magically like a truth spell, but there is certain requirement to meet in order for it to be effective. And that is¡­ the victim should be in a state of frenzy. Earlier, L was agitated that¡¯s why it was effective, and now, Bree was having a nightmare so it should also activate the liquid medicine.


    ¡°Wake up,¡± she said to Bree.


    Bree quickly sat up and looked around breathlessly. Her brow furrowed but before she could speak, the expression on her face calmed down. Jenica then knew that her medicine did it.


    But she also knew that Bree will wake up sooner than L because this woman has a cold heart and strong mind. She must ask fast and leave immediately.


    ¡°What did L send you?¡± Jenica asked.


    While she was asking Bree, she picked up the phone on the bedside table and opened it with the help of her bypassing device. She looked for Bree and L¡¯s convo and deleted the text convo about the ID card. Then all the information saved on the woman¡¯s phone was copied on her phone.


    ¡°Doctor Acinea¡¯s ID card,¡± Bree answered her question.


    ¡°Do you believe it so?¡± she asked again while busy copying the contents of Bree¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Not really. So I hired someone to investigate where that ID card came from.¡±


    ¡°Did you recognize the logo in the ID card?¡±


    After she copied all the information, she put the woman¡¯s phone back on the bedside table and then faced Bree who was dumbfounded while answering her question.


    ¡°No. But it was familiar.¡±


    Jenica pursed her lips and raised her hand. ¡°Forget about the ID card and what L had said about Jane Lau¡¯s strange personal things. Don¡¯t investigate the ID card and forget that you hired a private investigator to investigate this matter.¡±


    Just then she quickly picked up the needle again and jumped onto the open balcony.


    Because of her haste, she did not see the movement of Bree¡¯s eyes following her direction. A cold glint shed across the woman¡¯s eyes and a cold smile appeared on her lips.


    ¡­


    Jenica was in a good mood the next morning. She had sessfully stopped the picture from spreading and got an intel on Bree¡¯s phone. Well, she was luckyst night.


    And as she promised the Mafia Don, she returned to the club house the next day for the two of them to fulfill the end of the bargain. She saw the man frowning as he sat on the chair.


    The man¡¯s shoulder-length auburn hair was in a mess and his face was pale. He was shooting daggers at her with his sharp re.


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Okay, okay. I am here to give you the antidote so stop killing me with your eyes, Don.¡±


    The man huffed and threw a small envelope to her. ¡°Now give me the antidote,ss!¡±


    Jenica caught the envelope and immediately opened it. She saw a photo of a man, whom she assumed was the private investigator, and some broken pictures of the ID card. ¡°Did you kill him?¡± she asked, frowning.


    ¡°What?¡± the man sneered. ¡°Are you regretting bargaining with me now?¡±


    Jenica carelessly threw the envelope inside the paper shredder and looked at the man. She walked closer to him.


    The man tried to throw her away but she was quick to hit his acupoint rendering him motionless on his seat. Jenica smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you?¡± she asked and flicked a finger his forehead. ¡°I know your body more than you, Don. With a flick of my finger, a mighty mafia don like you might end up a handicap for the rest of your life. Do you want that?¡±


    The Mafia Don¡¯s face soured and looked deeply at her. But because Jenica rendered him motionless on his seat, he decided to shut his mouth.


    Jenicaughed softly before she opened the man¡¯s mouth and fed him a medicine. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine after an hour. And for the time being, I¡¯ll visit your wife to cure her.¡± She grabbed something from his pocket and held out a family token. ¡°I¡¯ll borrow this.¡±


    She then stepped out of that room.


    The man waited an hour before he felt his body again. Even though his knees were numb, he forced himself to step out of the room and immediately called his men to stop Doctor Acinea from what that woman was nning to his wife.


    ¡°Boss, that woman has left.¡±


    The man cursed and quickly drove the car back to his house. He ran to his wife¡¯s room and when he opened the door, he saw his wife awake and leaning on the headboard of the bed.


    The woman turned to him and smiled. ¡°Honey, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a while. Doctor Acinea said you¡¯d being home and she wasn¡¯t wrong.¡±


    The man¡¯s vision blurred due to impending tears and he took big steps towards his wife, hugging her tightly and passionately in his arms.


    When he looked at the bedside table, he saw the family token that Doctor Acinea had ¡°borrowed¡± from him and a letter.


    ~~~


    Dear Don,


    I cured your wife so do the end of our bargain. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll stay home for the rest of your life.


    ¨C Doctor Acinea


    ~~~


    The man¡¯s face darkened upon reading the Doctor¡¯s note. No one has ever threatened him and made him run back home like this!

 Another woman

    Jenica returned to the Desmanas¡¯ mansion and immediately looked for Bryce. She believed that she had cleaned the mess L created for her. And it was a bonus that she got evidence against Bree from the information she copied from her phone.


    She already checked the file containing Bree¡¯s inbox history and surely, she got a handful of evidence against her. She just needs to give Bryce the evidence to finish her promise to the man.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Bryce asked with a frown. He was reading something on the phone and he didn¡¯t even look up at her.


    Jenica put her phone on the table and looked seriously at the busy man. ¡°I got evidence against the Mondragon. You can do your ns now.¡±


    That¡¯s when Bryce looked up, his eyes confused and in awe. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡­


    Bree Mondragon was invited by the Prosecutor¡¯s office. Bryce has presented the evidence against Bree to the court and has formally filed charges against the woman.


    And while the Mafia Don of Laguna is holding the frontline, making sure that Bree doesn¡¯t get help from the South, the court proceedings hasn¡¯t reached the ears of Gray Mondragon yet.


    It was toote when Gray found out that Bree was charged because the case was in the final hearing. He quickly sent a team to investigate what happened upon receiving the news.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this Mr. Desmana?¡± Gray said angrily and nced at Joseph Ante who was silent next to him, before turning his gaze back to Bryce standing in front of him. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of this hearing until today!¡±


    Jenica secretly sighed.


    It turned out Mondragon was not the only one the Mafia Don was keeping an eye on. He was also keeping the Antes in check, blocking the news of Bree¡¯s court trial, so both the Ante and Mondragon failed to give Bree help on time.


    A private hearing happened so Bryce had kept the information about the previous hearings in secret, and the Mafia Don had kept the Ante branch family busy with their falling stock market so it¡¯s not surprising that no one informed Grey Mondragon of the matter, especially when his spies in the Desmana Group was cleaned through.


    ¡°Bree Mondragon has done evil things to thepany, Mr. Mondragon. I am also disheartened to know this,¡± Bryce said sadly, but his eyes revealed mirth.


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched. If she didn¡¯t know Bryce personally, she would really think what he was saying was true.


    Grey sneered. ¡°If you are truly sad, you should have informed me before submitting the evidence against my niece!¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be,¡± Bryce said and looked at Grey. ¡°The evidence is not only pointing to Bree as the one who instigated the crime, but also pointing to the whole Mondragon n as the mastermind behind this.¡± Bryce sighed. ¡°Mr. Mondragon, this matter might implicate your whole n so please forgive my boldness to use the evidence against Bree as not to implicate your n. In fact, it¡¯s better to sacrifice one person than to drag the weak women and children in jail. ¡±


    Gray was left speechless after Bryce¡¯s analogy. Seeing that he made the man speechless, Bryce excused himself with a smile hanging on his lips. Jenica followed him.


    Joseph, who was nearby, moved his wheelchair towards Gray who was standing stiffly. He cleared his throat. ¡°Mr. Mondragon, this matter¡­ is not as simple as you think,¡± said Joseph and looked around, making sure that no one was listening to them.


    Gray looked down at Joseph sitting in the wheelchair. ¡°Your family¡¯s the true mastermind!¡± Gray eximed. ¡°I just followed what your father instructed me to do but look what happened? You failed to inform me of this huge matter, Mr. Ante!¡±


    Joseph¡¯s face darkened. ¡°It¡¯s not that I failed to ry this huge conspiracy, but I am not able to send a message to you these past few weeks.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Grey asked and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Someone is helping that bastard behind the scenes. And it is someone we can¡¯t afford to offend!¡± said Joseph, clenching his jaw in annoyance.


    ¡°Is it a government official?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Joseph stared into Grey¡¯s eyes. ¡°This mysterious man¡¯s influence exceeds that of a mere local government official. I believe this man has the whole Laguna in his hands.¡± Joseph cleared his throat. ¡°In fact, the troubles my Ante n was facing these past few weeks, I think that mysterious man was behind all of it.¡±


    Grey was silent. He kept his rage in check while seeing Bryce Desmana¡¯s grinning widely while talking to his family members who attended the court hearing.


    That bastard has the guts to smile at this time?


    Grey shifted his gaze to Jane Lau who was standing next to Bryce and his feelings worsened. He remembered what that woman said a few weeks ago. Grey secretly took a peek down at Joseph Ante who was silent beside him.


    He had gathered informationst month. Joseph mistreats his niece Irene and treats her like a servant.


    Grey realized that this young handicap is stepping on his face when he mistreats his niece. But because his n and the Ante branch family decided to cooperate years ago, he turned a blind eye on this issue as long as the public don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening behind doors.


    But this? Sending his other outstanding niece to prison?


    It¡¯s not just his face that the Desmanas are trampling on, but also the dignity and reputation of his n. But what Grey hates the most is the hypocrite Ante branch family.


    Those hypocrites were the ones who wanted to deal with the Desmana, but they borrowed a knife from him to do it. And after his ns were foiled, they chose to remain silent and turned a blind eye?


    Huh. Why did he agree to deal with Desmana when he had no grievances against this n?


    Gray clenched his fists and turned back his back on Joseph. ¡°Mr. Ante, today is the end of our cooperaton. My n has nothing to do with your n anymore. Tell your father not to expect anything from Mondragon again,¡± he said before marching out of the courtroom.


    The cooperation between the Antes and the Mondragons was broken because of Bree Mondragon¡¯s case. And it was something Jenica has been working on for the past weeks.


    Jenica smiled and looked at Bryce, raising her wine ss for a toast. ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Desmana. You¡¯ve sessfully snatched back the power in your hands.¡±


    Bryce smiled broadly and raised the wine ss before gulping it down. He¡¯s a little bit tipsy but still manages to stay clear-headed just to toast with Code X.


    ¡°Code X, you¡¯ve done a good job.¡±


    Jenica lowered the winess and looked at the man with a smile. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, let¡¯s talk about thepensation.¡±


    ¡°Whatpensation?¡± Bryce asked. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want my money?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget what I¡¯ve told you?¡± Jenica rolled her eyes. ¡°I want yourpany¡¯s help dealing with Ante.¡±


    Bryce smiled thenughed. ¡°Dealing with Ante? Do you know what you¡¯re talking about, Code X?¡± He leaned forward and smiled foolishly at the woman sitting on the couch opposite him. ¡°That n has the support of its main branch in the capital. If you want to deal with them, this smallpany of mine is not enough to strike them down.¡±


    Jenica chuckled at the man smiling at her. ¡°Are you certain I can¡¯t deal with that little Ante branch?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Bryce raised an eyebrow. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was not drunk and he still knew what he was doing. He knew it¡¯s unlike him to act brazen in front of Code X but the alcohol was making him do things he normally ¡®won¡¯t¡¯ do. ¡°What are your ns then?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple ¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, the door of the VIP room opened and a woman in her early twenties walked in gracefully. She looked around inside and when her eyes stopped on Bryce, she grinned widely.


    ¡°Ice, long time no see!¡± she chirped happily with a smile and took big steps closer to where Bryce was sitting.


    Bryce frowned hearing a familiar voice. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted with a beautiful face leaning close to him. He could smell the faint feminine scent and the woman¡¯s warm breath was fanning his right ear.


    For a moment, Bryce was in a daze.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows while watching what was happening between the two. She reached for the winess and took a sip, swirling the contents inside while thinking. This woman¡¯s familiar.


    ¡°Daisy?¡± Bryce said.


    ¡°Oh? You still remember me? Hmmp!¡± The woman stood straight and crossed her arms against her chest. ¡°I heard you got a fiancee who cheated on you. Heh. That¡¯s what you got for being impatient. You promised to wait for me but in the end, you¡¯re the first one who broke the promise between us! What a bastard!¡±


    Jenica curled the corner of her lips. Without Mondragon on the scene, Bryce now held all the power in Desmana Group. He was no pushover nor weaker than the Patriarch of the small Ante branch, but this woman has the guts to cuss Bryce Desmana? Interesting.


    Jenica looked away and was about to take another sip of the wine when a memory strucked her speechless. A glint shed across her eyes as she pressed her lips together.


    No wonder, she found this woman familiar. This woman was Agent D, a low ranking agent of HQ.


    But what¡¯s this woman doing in Laguna? Thest time she checked, Agent D was one of Agent Z¡¯s recent sidekicks for his mission. Unless, Agent Z¡¯s nning to visit Laguna?


    Jenica mmed her hand on the table. Damn it!


    That arrogant bastard who dared to snatch her side mission is messing with her again?!

 My godson is missing

    ¡°Ante is striving in liquor and food industry,¡± said Jenica and skipped the slide to the next page. ¡°If we want to defeat this small branch, Desmana needs to offer something that can sweep the market and catch Ante off-guard.¡±


    Daisy cast her gaze down while Bryce looked deeper into the presentation. They are currently in the conference room of the Desmana Group main building.


    She knew that Daisy recognized her as Agent J, but the girl did not voluntarily approach her as Agent D, but introduced herself as Bryce¡¯s childhood sweetheart who had flown to the States and had just returned to the country.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Jenica knew that Daisy went to Laguna because Agent Z assigned this task to her. That man set his eyes in Laguna because of the clues of the poisonous needles hovering above the Ante¡¯s branch family.


    Just like what she had known before Agent Z snatched her side mission, all the clues about the mastermind of the poisonous needles are pointing from the South to the North where the capital is. So she already had a hunch that Agent Z is going to the North.


    The thing she hated about that arrogant Agent Z was the fact that he sent his sidekick to Laguna after she sessfully broke the rtionship between the Ante branch family and the Mondragon. Now, there¡¯s no direct connection between the North and the South, so Jenica and Agent Z are free to do as they pleased. She knew that arrogant bastard just waited for her to act out and freeload on the aftermath of sending Bree Mondragon into prison.


    Ah. What an annoying bastard!


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ Bryce willpete aggressively with the Ante in the market?¡± Daisy rified.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and looked at the woman. ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t like the idea, Miss Daisy?¡±


    Daisy looked away. A suspicious redness appeared on the woman¡¯s cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s quite good actually.¡±


    ¡°Since you think it¡¯s good, you can supervise this project.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Daisy widened her eyes and pointed a finger at herself. ¡°Me? Supervise? Miss Jane, you must be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°Bryce and I had discussed this n and we both agree to appoint you as project manager.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Daisy frowned and looked at Bryce. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good. I¡¯m not a Desmana!¡±


    Jenica curled the corner of her lips. ¡°But you are the current Vice President. Isn¡¯t it a good reason for you to take this project? You can prove yourself worthy of that position, Miss Daisy.¡±


    After the great purging in the Desmana Group, the position of Vice President became vacant. Bryce wanted to appoint Jenica to that position but she refused.


    Bryce also didn¡¯t want to give the valuable position to one of his family members yet, because he knew that no one¡¯s able to hold the position that Bree had upied for years. So when Jenica suggested that Daisy be made Vice President, Bryce did not hesitate and immediately appointed his childhood sweetheart as temporary Vice President.


    Well, Daisy had the credentials for that position. She became the Vice President of argepany abroad before resigning and returning home to the country. So no one would question why Bryce gave Daisy a valuable position.


    Daisy pursed her lips, crossed her arms against her chest, and looked away. ¡°Fine.¡±


    The smile grew on Jenica¡¯s lips, squinting her eyes a little. She knew Daisy went to Laguna to fight for the position of Desmana Group¡¯s Vice President. Yes, Jenica was kind to ¡°help¡± Agent Z¡¯s sidekick secure the position. And she would definitely ask that bastard to return the favor someday.


    Bryce grinned and showed his support for Daisy.


    ¡­


    ¡°Do you find me attractive, Agent J?¡± asked Agent Z with a smile. His smile was dazzling, if not for his threatening re.


    The corner of her lips twitched. ¡°Well, if you can retract your sharp gaze, I might consider it,¡± she replied and smiled back at him.


    The man dropped the menu he was holding on the table and looked directly into her eyes for a few seconds. Jenica didn¡¯t shy away from his cold gaze, but she raised her head instead ¡ª showing dominance against the hateful bastard.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Agent Z said before raising his hand to call over a waiter and order.


    A few minutes passed before the food were served on the table. After serving all the dishes, the waiter came out of the VIP room.


    Jenica coughed a bit and said, ¡°Now that your sidekick secured her position in Desmana Group with my help, you should repay the favor, Agent Z.¡±


    Agent Z sneered. ¡°Oh? I never thought one day you¡¯ll force me to repay your uncalled help, Agent.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s cheeks were red with embarrassment. Of course, she knew Daisy could do the job because Agent Z won¡¯t work with useless people. It¡¯s just that she bet Daisy into action so Agent Z will have no choice but to repay her ¡°kindness¡± and well, this bastard is still the same as always ¡ª hateful.


    ¡°Cursing me in your head? You¡¯ve got courage, huh?¡± Agent Z said and took a bite of food.


    Jenica smiled sheepishly. ¡°Who is cursing you? I am happy to work with the number one agent.¡±


    The man smiled again. ¡°Lying between your teeth won¡¯t make you a sessful agent. It¡¯s better to resign early than to smear HQ¡¯s reputation with your lousy tactics.¡±


    Jenica cursed several times in her mind but she didn¡¯t show it. In fact, this was the first time the two of them crossed paths because of a mission. They¡¯re both aloof agents who work in their own ways so Jenica is finding it hard to work it out with this man.


    ¡°I admit I don¡¯t like you, Agent Z.¡± She breathed deeply. ¡°But I need your help.¡±


    Agent Z lowered the spoon and fork he was holding and looked up at her. ¡°A top agent asking for my help? Aren¡¯t you ashamed, Agent J?¡± he asked with a smile.


    Jenica clenched her fist. ¡°A few weeks ago, I got entangled with a Mafia Don. I need your help to cover me up while I work on my mission in this ce.¡±


    Agent Z raised his eyebrows at what he heard. ¡°Mafia¡­¡± A dangerous glint shed across his eyes. ¡°Do you know what you are talking about, Agent J?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She sighed. ¡°The HQ sent me a little detail of the Mafia Don¡¯s wife. And I used that detail to ask for his help. Now, he is hunting me.¡±


    A grave expression appeared on Agent Z¡¯s face. ¡°Did you overdo it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I admit I¡¯ve gone overboard. Although the HQ asked me to contact and negotiate with the Mafia Don, but time was tight so instead of a peaceful negotiation, I ended up threatening the man.¡±


    Agent Z suddenly mmed the table and the cutlery jumped. With a flick of his hand, a small knife was sent flying towards Jenica.


    Her heart skipped a beat for a second before she heard a ¡®swish¡¯ past behind her ear. Then she heard a crash behind her.


    ¡°You seem distracted by that Mafia¡¯s pursuit to not notice anything amiss,¡± Agent Z said seriously.


    Jenica quickly stood and looked at the thing behind her. She saw a corpse of an assassin lying on the cold floor. The dead body was wearing a mask and had a mark on his neck. And she¡¯s too familiar with that mark ¡ª the notorious mark of Jared¡¯s group. She clenched her fist. Someone was listening to their conversation!


    ¡°With your carelessness, it seems like this matter is quite serious.¡± Agent Z stood and approached the corpse. He spread a white powder over the dead body and it all gradually melted including the corpse¡¯s clothes and devices.


    Jenica sighed. ¡°He¡¯s sending a master to tail me,¡± she said, pertaining to the Mafia Don. ¡°The HQ might not know about this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hope for the HQ¡¯s help this time, Agent J. They won¡¯t interfere when ites to the Mafia.¡±


    Jenica frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    Agent Z did not answer her question and walked out of the VIP room. ¡°Do your mission and I¡¯ll take care of the Mafia Don,¡± he said before finally leaving the room.


    Jenica closed her eyes and massaged her temple. She didn¡¯t notice anyone else inside the VIP room. Why? Is her skill deteriorating?


    She took her phone out from her pocket when it vibrated. Her assistant sent her a picture of her husband Alex and his fiancee Gia walking in the outskirt of the capital.


    But they¡¯re not the ones that caught her attention. Jenica squinted. A little boy was captured sitting on the edge of the elegant establishment. His clothes were full of holes, his hair was long, and his face was dirty.


    But even with his appearance, Jenica couldn¡¯t be mistaken. That kid looks like Shamrock!


    What¡¯s more, Alex seemed like he didn¡¯t recognize the child near him. She cursed her husband in mind, but thinking back, she failed to show him a picture of Sham. Jenica touched her forehead in distress.


    She frantically called Renato¡¯s number but Alex¡¯s assistant was not answering the calls. Alex¡¯s number was out of reach so she had no choice but to call her assistant.


    ¡°Agent J,¡± greeted her assistant.


    Jenica sighed secretly. ¡°Any news on Alexander Fuego?¡±


    The assistant was silent for a few seconds before answering, ¡°The acting CEO is still in power and Mr. Fuego hasn¡¯t made a public appearance in the past months.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How about the picture you¡¯ve sent recently?¡±


    ¡°It was taken in the capital¡¯s suburbs by one of our spies. Mr. Fuego took Miss Ante in the suburbs to buy a birthday gift for the Fuego¡¯s Old Madam¡¯s uing birthday party next month.¡±


    Jenica pressed her lips together. She clenched her fist. ¡°Send me the exact location where the photo was taken.¡±


    ¡°Agent J, I know that you have personal business that you need to solve but the higher ups are worried that you¡¯ve taken a lot of time to do the mission. The head agent is asking me why your progress is slower than the other Agents who were deployed in the country with the same timeframe as you.¡±


    Her jaw clenched. ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do unnecessary moves and expect fast progress soon.¡±


    ¡°That will do. Good luck, Agent J.¡±


    Jenica hung up the call and bitterly smiled. She made the right decision to clean up the Desmana Group on her own. With the eyes of the HQ staring at her every moves, she¡¯ll be questioned if they knew of her identity as Code X.


    Now that Agent Z is here in Laguna, it will be easier for her to clean up the Ante branch. In theing days, she¡¯ll overturn Ante with the help of the Desmana Group and after that, she¡¯ll punish the Desmana n who bullied her.


    But for now, she can¡¯t rest until she finds the boy in the picture. Should the boy be her son or not, she must find him!


    She drew a breathe. Her hands and feet were tied to her mission, especially now that Agent Z¡¯s watching her every move and the Mafia Don is chasing after her.


    Jenica feels so powerless again, even if she has multiple secret identities that everyone will die to have for.


    With a resolute gaze, she called the person she knew could help her find the boy in the photo, even if things will onlyplicate once that woman will step foot in the country again.


    ¡°Carol,e back and help me find my son,¡± Jenica said.


    Yes. She¡¯s asking her only friend and Sham¡¯s favorite godmother to fly back to the country. Carol, the only woman who stood for her when her husband failed to protect her five years ago.


    ¡°Jenica! I have waited for months before I received your go signal toe back. But why are you calling me now?!¡± The woman cursed like there¡¯s no tomorrow. ¡°So is it true that f*cking husband of yours is getting engaged? After five years and after you¡¯ve birthed his son, he can¡¯t keep his pen*s in check? Wow, he¡¯s a piece of sh*t that even my mother wants to flush in the toilet!¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± she snapped, grimacing at the woman¡¯s words. ¡°Didn¡¯t your doctor ask you to control your blood pressure?¡±


    ¡°My dear, Jenica. If only I had known that you were so obedient, I wish I wouldn¡¯t have joked about you marrying that dying scumbag!¡±


    The corner of her lips twitched. ¡°I know, I know. It¡¯s my fault. But Sham is missing and it¡¯s not convenient for me to look for him now. Can youe back and help me ¡ª¡±


    ¡°What the hell! My godson is missing?!¡±

 Tragic fate of her son(1)

    Caroline Esteban is Jenica¡¯s best friend since high school. When they were both students, they were called ¡®opposite duo¡¯ in school. Carol who was a ¡®jester¡¯ while she was the ¡®silent¡¯ one.


    When Jenica¡¯s parents was killed due to a car ident, Carol became her only support to continue living. There were times when Jenica was in her lowest during the time of her grief, but Carol would always push her back into reality. So out of concern, Carol¡¯s mother decided to let her stay in their house until both she and Carol had graduated college and each had found a job.


    However, she was used of fraud by thepany she was working for and paid arge amount of money even though she was not the one who stole the money. It was Carol who helped her raised funds by doing high paying part-time jobs at a high ss bar house as a waitress.


    Jenica was opposed to the idea of working on a bar house but she forced herself to rece Carol with her job in that ce after she got fired at work.


    Just one night, while they were celebrating her birthday, Carol joke with her, ¡°Just look for a rich, old, and dying man, so when he die, you will inherit his wealth!¡± Carol said and giggled.


    Jenica didn¡¯t know what got into her head that night, but she stalked the entire bar in search of a rich target.


    ¡°Hello, Sir! Maybe you want a wife? I¡¯m willing to apply for the job!¡± Jenica offered,ughing merrily at the VIP room she had entered.


    She drank two strong shots and she seemed to have a low alcohol tolerance that night. Maybe because she¡¯s still mourning for the two million she had paid just to silence thepany who falsely sued her and her ex-workmate who really stole that amount.


    If only her skills were on par with the top experts, then she would shove the evidence of the false im onto their stupid a$$es. That mf higher-ups who would believe the manager more than the lowly employee¡­


    ¡°You want to be our wife?¡± a man asked amusedly then looked at hispanion. ¡°Single dogs,e and take a look! A girl wants to be your b*tch!¡± he joked.


    The menughed. Jenica raised her eyebrows. She understood why those men wereughing at her words, so she approached the center table where there was a bottle of wine and threw it at the man who spoke rudely first. But she had no strength to throw it at his face and the bottle ended up shattering on the floor.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Silence hovered the room before a man joked, ¡°Woah! Be careful, Miss. You can¡¯t afford even that man¡¯s fingers!¡± He smiled foolishly, clearly a drunk one. ¡°But well done!¡± he praised her.


    But not all of the men inside were happy to watch such a farce. A man in his mid-30s frowned at Jenica and asked his men to drag her away.


    Looking at the bulky men moving closer to unsuspecting woman, the man in the dark frowned. With a raise of his hand, two men in suits stopped the bulky men and protected the woman who was giggling while dancing in the music hovering around the ce.


    Without noticing the earlier dangerous situation, Jenica smiled softly and took out a calling card from her pocket. She pped it onto the man¡¯s cheek. ¡°I like your face. Here¡¯s my number, boy. It¡¯s your loss if you won¡¯t call me,¡± she said andughed before she heartlessly left the VIP room, leaving the man in the sorry state.


    The man looked at someone hiding in the dark. ¡°Mr. Fuego, why did your men¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my prey,¡± someone in the dark answered.


    The men inside the room were silent and didn¡¯t try to ridicule the woman who just barged in without a notice. And one of the men in suits got Jenica¡¯s calling card and gave it to the man in the dark who was called Mr. Fuego.


    The next day, Jenica was surprised when someone knocked on the door of the apartment she was staying. She saw the pale man sitting in the wheelchair and his assistant.


    Jenica found out that the name of the man on the wheelchair was Alexander Fuego, and she was not the only one who gaped staring at the sickly man. Even Carol who slept in her apartment was stunned when she heard the man¡¯s marriage proposal. And who¡¯s Alexander Fuego? He¡¯s the richest man in the country!


    So after a private discussion on the marriage of convenience proposed by Mr. Fuego, Jenica immediately agreed while thinking that she got a jackpot this time. Yet, after years of being a Fuego¡¯s wife, she still decided to run away from the man.


    ¡­


    ¡°Jen! Where¡¯s that Fuego bastard? I thought that one was rich? Why can¡¯t he find my godson, huh?!¡± Carol shouted angrily inside the taxi.


    Jenica sighed and patted her shoulder. ¡°Calm down. I¡¯m doing my best to find Sham.¡±


    ¡°What the hell did you think and youe back to the country with Sham? Aren¡¯t you hiding Sham in another country? It¡¯s been five years and you¡¯re living well but why did you¡­¡± Carol took a deep breath. ¡°Sham¡¯s life is good. That bastard husband of yours can just remarry and forget ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sham needs a father. He has the right to know,¡± she cut Carol¡¯s words, secretly looking at the silent taxi driver ahead. Why was this woman so loud?


    But thinking of Carol¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh and clench her fist.


    Carol didn¡¯t know about her hidden identities she¡¯s been using for the past five years. The woman thought she was just a small time business owner abroad so Jenica understood why Carol would nag her of her decision toe back, when she didn¡¯t know of her missions assigned by HQ to her.


    If she hadn¡¯t heard that Alex was getting married, she wouldn¡¯t have brought Sham to the country. And now, she¡¯s regretting her impulsiveness. But it¡¯s safer for Carol to know less.


    ¡°Right to know?¡± Carol sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve been your friend all these years. How can I not know when you¡¯re lying? Just tell me that you still love him so you came home to the country when you found out he is getting married to that b*tch!¡±


    Jenica choked on her own saliva. She grimaced and shook her head. ¡°What are you talking about? I dide back for my son¡¯s sake. You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Let¡¯s see if I¡¯m talking nonsense when we meet that bastard!¡±


    Jenica sighed, frowning a little. ¡°Not now. I still have work to do.¡± She looked down at the watch on her wrist. ¡°Stay in a hotel for now. I¡¯lle find you three dayster.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Carol frowned. ¡°Jenica, are you out of your mind? Your child is missing but why are you so calm? Shouldn¡¯t we start looking for the child right now?!¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I can¡¯t do anything right now. I already asked Alex for help and he¡¯s working his best to find Sham. I promise, I¡¯lle pick you up in three days,¡± she said.


    Carol stared at her for a few seconds before sighing. ¡°Fine. I will also call my acquaintances for help. Give me a picture of Sham and yours so I can ask someone to pay for the local news ¨C¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Jenica looked away. ¡°Let¡¯s find Sham secretly. Don¡¯t let the media know of my son¡¯s situation. He¡¯ll be in great danger once the Fuego knew of his existence.¡±


    Carol¡¯s face darkened even more but she didn¡¯t say a word anymore and moved to call her acquaintance at the Police station. Jenica pressed her lips together.


    The truth is, she doesn¡¯t want anyone to recognize her in this mission. She knew that Jared has men in the high society and there¡¯s a high probability that he would know about her son, and as an Agent, she must prevent anyone to know her ¡®weakness¡¯ specially now that she¡¯s on a mission.


    Also, the HQ would recognize her right away and they will definitely question her. Most importantly, there are still hidden dangers lurking behind the Fuego family so she has no ns to introduce her son to Alex¡¯s n for now.

 Tragic fate of her son(2)

    Jenica pressed a finger on the side of her forehead. Her head hurts thinking of those people whom she should guard Sham against from. If only she wasn¡¯t desperate now, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten Carol into trouble. But what could she do?


    She reached for an envelope inside the bag and handed it to Carol after the woman ended her call. ¡°Here, please help me find this boy in the picture. The picture was taken in the capital¡¯s outskirt.¡±


    Carol immediately epted the envelope and opened it. She stared at the picture for a few seconds then raised her eyebrows. ¡°Who is this boy?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t notice anything?¡± she asked and looked at the picture. She removed the figure of Alex and Gia from the picture so only a dirty boy wearing torn clothes could be seen there.


    ¡°Why? Is there something I need to see?¡± Carol asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think he resembles Sham?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Carol brought the picture closer to her face. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like Sham.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s still dirty. But imagine him dressing neatly, he looks like Sham!¡±


    Carol shook her head. ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t think so. Why are you looking for this boy? Don¡¯t tell me you want to adopt this boy in ce of my precious godson? Jenica, I won¡¯t let you neglect my godson for the sake of a stranger!¡±


    Jenica pursed her lips. ¡°Remember the stillborn twin of Sham?¡± She swallowed and frowned, worry was evident in her eyes. ¡°He might be the stillborn twin of my son.¡±


    Carol was quiet for a few seconds, butter she hastily looked at her way. ¡°Jenica!¡± she called out, aggitated, when she realized what Jenica was saying. ¡°If that¡¯s true¡­¡± Her eyes widened and her lips parted.


    Jenica nodded. ¡°So please find him.¡±


    Carol took a deep breath and nodded as well. ¡°I will.¡± She looked at the taxi driver and asked him to pull the car over. ¡°I¡¯ll text youter after I find that child,¡± Carol promised before she hurriedly got out of the taxi and took another taxi back to the capital.


    Jenica looked at the rearview mirror and saw the departing taxi that her friend was riding in and sighed. After that, she got off at a mall and entered a dressing room. There she changed her clothes and put on a disguise before going out and taking a taxi to Laguna.


    She closed her eyes tightly as she remembered how she gave birth to Sham five years ago.


    ¡­


    It was raining that night and he was outside the apartment house. Thendy evicted her because she hadn¡¯t paid the rent. The muddy road was difficult to traverse to for a heavily pregnant woman like Jenica.


    She has been moving from ce to ce for four months just to escape Alex. But no matter where she hide, it was as if there were eyes following her because after a few weeks of moving into a ce, her pursuer would find her eventually.


    Raindrops fell on her face when she raised her head onto the dark sky.


    This should be the seventh apartment she had stayed in and she¡¯s getting tired. But knowing that someone from Alex¡¯s n secretly threatened her if shee back to her husband, Jenica pressed her lips together and tried her best to walk forward.


    For her son¡¯s sake, she must run away from her husband!


    ¡°Ah,¡± Jenica moaned softly and grabbed the pole when her stomach ached.


    When she looked down, she noticed blood running down her legs. Her heart skipped a beat and her face paled. It looked like she would birth that night.


    The wind gusted stronger and the downpour got heavier. Jenica shivered but she endured the cold to stand by the side of the road.


    She¡¯s afraid but she still prepared herself when a car pulled up near her. Her pale fade paled even more when she thought it was one of Alex¡¯s men, but she heard a familiar voice under the rain.


    ¡°Jen!¡±


    It was Shimen.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes lit with hope and was about to stand up when she felt a pang in her stomach and she weakly groaned, trembling in pain. Shimen seemed to have noticed her condition because he ran hastily into her direction and held her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here¡­ breathe, Jen¡­ breathe,¡± Shimen said, worried, and took off his coat to put it onto the ground. He helped her lowered herself and position her in afortable manner.


    ¡°Jen, I know it¡¯s hard but you need to calm down. You can do it,¡± Shimen encouraged after taking her pulse.


    Since he¡¯s a doctor, Jenica put her trust onto him and did what he asked of her.


    Shebored for a few minutes before the first child of the twins came out, but she did not hear the baby¡¯s cry. When she looked at Shimen, the man shook his head to tell her the first baby didn¡¯t survive.


    Jenica weakly shed a tear.


    ¡°Jen, you need to gather strength for the next one ¨C¡±


    Before Shimen could finish his words, they heard engines fast approaching their location. Shimen looked deeply at her and without hesitation, he lifted her onto his arms and put her on the passenger seat of his car.


    ¡°Shin¡­ the child,¡± she cried and looked at the little baby left on the side of the road. She wanted to pick the dead baby up but she had no strength to even lift a finger.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We need to go, Jen. Your pursuers are here,¡± Shimen said before driving the car away from that ce.


    Jenica gritted her teeth as tears streamed down her face. She endured her heartache as she felt another contraction on her stomach.


    Shimen took her to his house where she gave birth to Shamrock. And a few dayster, she flew to another country along with her son with the help of Shimen and his mother.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡­.


    And even after five years, she still hasn¡¯t forgotten the pitiful stillborn on the side of the road that she heartlessly abandoned.


    A tear fell from the corner of her eyes which she quickly wiped away. If her hunch¡¯s correct, then Jenica didn¡¯t know if she still have the face to appear in front of her abandoned son.

 Family token

    The Ante branch was caught off-guard by the sudden move of Desmana in the stagnant market. Since the Mondragons have been purged out from thepany, Ante lost a ¡®spy¡¯ inside so they did not immediately take steps to answer the other side.


    During those times, Daisy did not stop attacking the stock market of the Antepany pushing the family in the corner. And Jenica knew why Agent Z instructed Daisy to do so.


    Agent Z wants to force the Antes to contact their higher up, the one whom they were both chasing after. Knowing that Yvette Ante has an unclear rtionship with the one behind the poisonous needles, Agent Z wanted to know who¡¯s the backer of the said woman.


    Jenica knew that she had the same objective as Agent Z so with him around, things would end well. Just like what he did to her while she¡¯s fighting with the Mondragons, she just stepped back and watched the good show. But the sudden call of the old Desmana¡¯s Madam disrupted her peaceful days.


    The old madam¡¯s face was serious. The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips twitched. She had noticed that Desmana members were all present except for Bryce.


    Jenica sighed and raised her eyebrows. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The old woman snorted. ¡°The familywyer informed us that Gray Mondragon got the autopsy report. That old man has died of poison and the Mondragon is filing a case against the Desmana.¡±


    Oh. About the old man¡¯s case. Well, Jenica forgot that issue until that moment.


    Before she could utter a word, L beat her into it


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s unfortunate for us to encounter such bad luck after someone entered thepany to cause trouble.¡± L looked at Jenica. ¡°Miss Jane, you must be responsible for the old man¡¯s death. You¡¯ve implicated the Desmana because you¡¯ve touched the old man¡¯s body before he died.¡±


    ¡°Yes! You are the suspect,¡± replied one of the Desmanas.


    ¡°Right. It¡¯s her fault for being too nosy. If only she hadn¡¯t approached the old man, Desmana wouldn¡¯t have been med by the Mondragons!¡±


    Many of the Desmana present in the living room expressed their agreement with L¡¯s words. Thetter secretly smirked at her. Jenica just watched them make a funny y.


    ¡°So you want me to turn myself in at the police station?¡± Jenica asked.


    ¡°Yes. You should go to the precinct right now,¡± said the old woman. ¡°If you want to protect Bryce, turn yourself in and take the me.¡±


    Jenica raised her hand to hide the grin hanging on her lips. ¡°Oh my! You called me for such a shameful request? Madam, you must be kidding me!¡±


    ¡°What? Are you disobeying the madam? To tell you Miss Jane, you shouldn¡¯t challenge Madam¡¯s authority,¡± L said. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve done your job, it¡¯s time for Bryce to disregard you. Madam is giving you the chance to prove yourself worthy. Maybe the president will take pity on you and bail you out of the jail.¡±


    Huh. Jenica sneered. Bail for a murder case? What is L taking her for? A grade school student?


    ¡°I believe Mr. Desmana is an upright man and won¡¯t abandon his people even if they oust their usefulness. Am I right, Madam?¡± Jenica asked and turned to old Desmana.


    The old woman¡¯s face was confused.


    If she¡¯ll disagree, she will ruin Bryce¡¯s reputation. And if she¡¯ll agree, she will oppose L. Hmmm! This b*tch just won¡¯t shut up!


    Madam Desmana gritted her teeth and looked away, not daring to nod nor shake her head. Jenica smiled broadly and turned to L.


    ¡°So what I¡¯m saying Miss L, I don¡¯t dare to take the me. If Gray Mondragon wants to file a case against Desmana, he must have a valid evidence to do so.¡± She raised an eyebrow and looked at the people around her one by one. ¡°If one of you haven¡¯t touched that old man, it¡¯s not your call to worry. But it¡¯s a different situation if one of you did.¡±


    The corner of L¡¯s lips twitched and folded her arms. The old woman frowned at her words. ¡°How dare you use us of murder? It must be you who wants to kill that old man so you can pin the crime to us! This is ridiculous!¡± The old woman looked at her the burly men nearby. ¡°Don¡¯t be hesitant! Capture and beat her up!¡±


    The small smile on Jenica¡¯s lips disappeared and she looked seriously at the ten men who had been standing nearby. She had already guessed that they were just waiting for an order from the old woman.


    ¡°Madam, think it carefully. I am the President¡¯s guest. Is this how you treat your guest?¡± she asked. Her tone was mocking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her, Madam!¡± L said angrily. ¡°She wants to escape the punishment. Just think of what will happen to Desmana Group now that thepany is in the middle of war against Ante if the case filed by Mondragon is added to Bryce¡¯s worries? We need to lessen his burden and sacrificing Jane Lau is the best thing to do to stop my Uncle from stabbing us from the back!¡±


    The old woman seemed to believe what L said and she looked haughtily at Jenica. ¡°Beat this woman as a warning. Don¡¯t overdo it. If you identally kill her, you¡¯ll have to answer me!¡±


    Jenica blinked and nced the approaching men. If she¡¯s not wrong, these men were experts in martial arts.


    Of course, as an assassin and spy herself, it¡¯s easy for her to knock out a martial artist. But if ten will rush at her at the same time, she¡¯s not sure if she could win the fight. Jenica frowned.


    The malicious smile on L¡¯s lips widened. These men were not ordinary guards because they¡¯re members of the elite squad that Desmana hired to protect their family assets. She had instigated the old woman to call the elite squad because ordinary guards are no match for Jane Lau, just like what happened during that dinner when they forced her to sign a contract.


    ¡°Mister, don¡¯t hit the woman¡¯s face otherwise I¡¯ll be sorry for her if she couldn¡¯t find another man to seduce,¡± L mocked before the fight would break.


    Some of the Desmanasughed while Jenica scoffed. This damned woman¡¯s using her of using her face to seduce men. And look at those pretentious faces?


    When Bree Mondragon was still in her position, they were cautious in front of her. And now that the Mondragons are no longer in the Desmana Group, the true colors of these damned Desmana were revealed at the same time.


    Huh. Jenica will surely return this ¡®gift¡¯ to themter.


    She didn¡¯t have time to answer L because ten men rushed to her at the same time. Jenica squinted her eyes and moved sideways before raising her leg to hit the man¡¯s neck. The first man fell face first on the floor.


    The Desmanas were stunned by her strength and even the nine remaining masters couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°What the h*ll was that?¡± asked one of the Desmanas in a whisper.


    ¡°She just knocked that man out!¡±


    ¡°Who is she? Where did Kuya Bryce meet that girl?¡±


    L gritted her teeth. She didn¡¯t believe that Jane Lau could knock out the remaining nine members of the elite squad. But as the fight dragged on, her confidence dropped little by little. L looked at the five men lying on the floor.


    No! She wouldn¡¯t let Jane Lau win!


    L secretly looked around and when she made sure no one was watching, she secretly took out a poisonous needle. The edge of her lips curled and she sent it flying in the direction of Jane Lau using a small device that she immediately hid in her pocket.


    Jenica sensed the danger approaching her back but she was currently punching the brusque man. She gritted her teeth and tried to side-stepped but the man noticed that and thought she¡¯s preparing for a secret move again so he quickly moved his fist to stop her from what she was nning.


    Jenica couldn¡¯t help but return to her ce earlier. At the same time, the poisonous needle sank into her back. Her body twitched at the sudden intrusion of a strange object. Her muscles went cold.


    The brusque man¡¯s eyebrows rose when he noticed that Jenica tensed so he grinned and sent his fist flying straight to her face. Jenica dodged the fist and quickly retreated, giving both of them enough space.


    The brusque man¡¯s eyes narrowed at what she did. ¡°What? Are you a coward?¡± he asked in a yful tone, almost mocking.


    Coward? She? Jenica sneered. If someone didn¡¯t sneak attacked her, she would have pped his face until he couldn¡¯t recognize himself in the mirror.


    Jenica turned back and first noticed the smiling L. She could see the gloating in the woman¡¯s eyes and Jenica squinted. She knew that L was the one who did it.


    When the Desmanas noticed that Jenica didn¡¯t want to rush into the fight again, theyughed at each other.


    ¡°Look! That damned woman lost!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Why she¡¯s standing there? And what is that man doing? The fight is not over yet! Fight her!¡±


    ¡°I think she got scared when she almost got punched in the face so she retreated and didn¡¯t want to fight anymore. What a coward! Hahaha!¡±


    Jenica felt the numbness spreading on her back from the ce where the needle had inserted itself so she had to leave that ce. She tried to walk away but L didn¡¯t let her go.


    ¡°Miss Jane! Where do you think you¡¯re going? The fight is not yet over!¡± she asked, teasing her.


    Jenica nced coldly at the cunning woman. ¡°You can¡¯t stop me if I want to walk away.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± L turned to the five men, frowning. ¡°What are you waiting for? Beat that woman!¡± L yelled, displeased at the men¡¯sck of initiative.


    The remaining five men looked at each other and rushed forward.


    Jenica pursed her lips and with a flick of her finger, she was holding the family token that Bryce had lent her before. ¡°Who dares to attack me behind the President¡¯s back?¡± she asked in a powerful tone.


    The five men¡¯s eyes widened when the saw the family token that symbolized absolute authority over all of Desmana¡¯s assets, and quickly stopped rushing in. Together they knelt down and bowed in front of her.


    When old woman saw the family token, her face turned pale. She stood up and pointed a finger at Jenica, trembling. ¡°Where did you get that token?!¡±

 Mafia鈥檚 token

    Jenica turned to the old woman and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, Old Madam.¡±


    She took big steps out of the mansion. Using the family token, she instructed the family driver to take her to a famous clubhouse.


    While inside the car, she bit her lip and mobilized her internal force to prevent the poison from spreading inside her body. She sent a message to her assistant to notify Agent Z of the clubhouse¡¯s location.


    Jenica closed her eyes to calm the strong beating of her heart. Soon the car stopped at the clubhouse and she immediately got out of the car.


    She went straight to the VIP room she had booked earlier and took a seat on the sofa. Jenica didn¡¯t wait long for Agent Z to appear.


    When the man entered the VIP room and saw her as pale as a corpse, he quickly stepped behind the sofa. He inserted his inner force through her back to help her seal the poison.


    ¡°Who used those damned needles?¡± he asked after a few minutes. He didn¡¯t ask if the inserted needle was pulled out because he knew those needles will rot inside the body within a few seconds of flesh contact.


    Jenica opened her eyes and blew out air. She looked at the man who sat across from her. ¡°L Mondragon. During my mission in South, I discovered traces of poisonous needles in a chain of Mondragon Store.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Agent Z¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I have secured an evidence of Mondragon¡¯s involvement in those damned needles case. But I didn¡¯t expect you, a top agent, to fall for a silly trick,¡± he said yfully.


    Jenica knew that Agent Z was mocking her for ipetence but she didn¡¯t care. The poison inside her body is sealed but that doesn¡¯t mean she is safe from danger. It was a ticking bomb that could kill her at any time.


    But she need to examine the kind of poison brought by that poisonous needle. She was not sure if the poison is the same as the one she detoxified in the South or not, so it¡¯s not safe to take an antidote for now.


    When Agent Z saw that she had no ns to joke around, he lost his interest and instead took out a folder. He threw it in her way and Jenica caught it, taking out its contents.


    ¡°It¡¯s the evidence I¡¯ve gathered about Ante¡¯s branch and Jared¡¯s cooperation. But that is only half of the evidence and you need to find the other half before you can use it against them,¡± said Agent Z.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and looked straight into the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°You have the other half, right?¡± she asked.


    He smiled and did not answer. Jenica snorted and kept the folder. Then she grabbed the phone from her pocket and fiddled with it for a moment before showing the screenshot of the chat history of Code X and Anonymous to Agent Z.


    ¡°Months ago, I¡¯ve got an intel that someone from the capital asked Code X to find missing trucks that should contain those poisonous needles.¡±


    ¡°Code X?¡± Agent Z raised a brow. ¡°How did you contact Code X?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± she said with a smile.


    Agent Z has little impression of Code X. Code X is unknown to the public and only fifty members of its secret membership know how to contact the mysterious hacker.


    Even HQ did not know how to contact the hacker who once attacked the small intelligence system cluster of its branch in Singapore. The only message Code X left for HQ was ¡®sorry, my client don¡¯t like you dogs snooping around.¡¯


    Agent Z once encountered Code X when the hacker stole the intelligence he had worked so hard to obtain.


    And knowing Jenica has the way to contact Code X, Agent Z sees her in the different light but only for a second. He snorted. ¡°That damned hacker?¡± He smiled dangerously at her. ¡°Give me that damned hacker¡¯s contact, Agent J.¡±


    Jenica blinked and that¡¯s when she remembered her encounter with Agent Z years ago. But it was just an ident and she was just starting out then in the industry. She was only practicing her skills, but never have she imagined that she¡¯ll identally stole the confidential data that Agent Z was carrying.


    At that moment, she learned that the organization named International Crime Operatives is not just a detective agency, but nurtures assassins and spies as well. It was also during that time that she had the idea of joining the organization.


    But it¡¯s just a passing thought that she forgot when she had mourned for her deceased parents for several years. And when she flew to another country to escape Alex, it¡¯s when she had the opportunity to join the organization. Equipped with her prior skills in hacking, and a little bit knowledge in poison and medicine, it was easy for Jenica to climb the ranking of top agents within a span of five years. In the said organization did her skills were honed to the highest potential.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have Code X¡¯s contact,¡± Jenica said and looked away.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Agent Z raised his eyebrows. ¡°You can¡¯t get what you need if you don¡¯t give me what I want, Agent J.¡±


    She gritted her teeth. Why did she forget? But howe this man still remember that damn incident? It¡¯s been years since it happened and even she has almost forgotten that!


    With a sigh, she took out a ck calling card and gave it to Agent Z. ¡°This is my membership card for Code X¡¯s website. You can¡¯t contact Code X if you won¡¯t use that card.¡± She pursed her lips, annoyed, and looked at him. ¡°Now, give me the other half,¡± she urged.


    Agent Z threw another folder hidden in his coat and he stood up. ¡°If you dare to deceive me, you¡¯ll regret it, Agent J,¡± he warned before stepping out of the VIP room.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Jenica was left inside with a dark face. She didn¡¯t know if giving that so-called membership card to Agent Z is good or not. But she does need the evidence right now, even if she can find half of it, but she won¡¯t waste her time if Agent Z has found it already.


    She sighed andid two separate pieces of evidence on the table. the first one was a picture while the other was a receipt. Jenica raised a brow and her eyes darkened when she realized what those things were pointing to.


    Yvette Ante wasmunicating with one of Jared¡¯s staff. The picture showed Yvette talking to a man in a cafe. And the receipt was for the poisonous needles that Yvette bought from the man.


    It seemed like the man in the picture¡¯s just an ordinary man under Jared and have no important position so he was able to sell ten poisonous needles to the woman. Knowing Jared¡¯s previous transaction, he doesn¡¯t just sell illegal items like those damned needles that easy.


    Jenica¡¯s temple throbbed and she massaged it for a few seconds. So the Ante branch had no direct connection to Jared.


    Yvette Ante might know a thing about those poisonous needles, but the woman doesn¡¯t know that her secret boyfriend, Jobert Labastida, is the supplier of those damned needles.


    The first ingredient of the poisonous needlees from Jobert¡¯s turf. But Jenica doesn¡¯t know where they are being transported after Jobert. She had found a clue in Mondragon Store before that side mission was transferred to Agent Z. So that man seems to know where the next process is.


    And Jenica also knew that Jobert is one of Jared¡¯s men. So Jared must have a hand in making those needles.


    ¡°It¡¯s too troublesome,¡± Jenica whispered and sighed.


    Now that she knew Yvette Mondragon¡¯s true rtionship with Jared, her mission in Laguna¡¯s over. She need to clean up the mess she¡¯ll left in the area.


    Jenica was about to stand up when the VIP room door suddenly opened. A Mafia Don came in with a cold smile. Jenica¡¯s eyes widened. The man nced coldly at her as he walked in and sat on the sofa like a king. Uh, how did he find her?


    ¡°Doctor Acinea, I apud your ability to hide!¡± his words soundedpliment but his eyes were cold and his tone was mocking.


    Jenica¡¯s face was confused. That sly Agent Z let this scumbag find her after getting the thing he needed from her? Is he treating her like a trash that he could dispose of whenever she ousts her usefulness?


    Jenica clenched her fist. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked.


    Annoyance passed through the mafia don¡¯s eyes. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said then stood up and left the VIP room.


    The corner of her lips twitched but she couldn¡¯t do anything but to obey his order. Jenica¡¯s sure that the mafia won¡¯t kill her. Because if he wanted to, she would have been lying on the floor by now.


    The man brought her back to his house which raised Jenica¡¯s eyebrows. When she saw the mafia don¡¯s wife with a radiant smile, she realized that it was the man¡¯s wife who wanted to find Doctor Acinea and not the antipathetic man. She breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Doctor!¡± the woman greeted happily and approached her with a smile. She extended her hand in front of Jenica. ¡°I¡¯m d to see you again!¡±


    Jenica smiled back at the woman and epted her handshake. ¡°I got a lot of things to do. If not for your husband¡¯s kind invitation, I¡¯ll surely forget my promise. I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said with an apologetic smile.


    In fact, shepletely forgot her promise to the woman. So it might be the reason why the Mafia Don was following her around. Jenica just assumed that the man was mad at her for toying with him, so he had a martial artist follow her. But who in the right mind would use a martial artist way above her level to ¡®invite¡¯ her back to the mafia don¡¯s house?


    Who wouldn¡¯t be afraid if a master is relentlessly pursuing her?


    The woman red at her husband before she pulled her to sit at the table. Jenica cleared a throat. ¡°How¡¯s your health?¡±


    The woman happily told the story of her seemingly miraculous recovery and praised Jenica over and over again for her great skills. Jenica helplessly gave the woman a smile and a nod until she asked her what she wanted as a ¡®reward¡¯ for what she did.


    ¡°Your husband alreadypensated me. No need to give me more,¡± she denied.


    ¡®Reward? We¡¯ll no thanks. Your husband¡¯s ring at me like I owe him a billion bucks!¡¯ Jenica thought and secretly grimaced.


    The woman shook her head. ¡°That won¡¯t do, Doctor. He shouldpensate you as my husband, but I as the patient must alsopensate you.¡±


    How absurd to hear the woman¡¯s kind words. Jenica stole a nce at the Mafia Don sitting not faraway and leaned a little bit closer to the woman. ¡°How did you and your husband meet?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The woman didn¡¯t expect her to ask about it, butter smiled and chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s a friend of my brother. We met and fell in love at first sight.¡±


    Love at first sight?


    Jenica grimaced. ¡°It must be tough spending a night with that bast ¨C¡± When she saw the woman¡¯s loving gaze to her husband, she changed her words. ¡°with your husband.¡±


    ¡°Of course. There are a lot of woman eyeing my husband and I can¡¯t¡­¡± The woman sighed. ¡°Well Doctor, you must ept my gift. I won¡¯t take no for an answer!¡±


    So Jenica could do nothing but to ept the woman¡¯s gift, which was a special token.


    ¡°This is my token,¡± said the woman. ¡°It canmand half of my husband¡¯s men so whenever you need help, just use it.¡±


    Jenica was stunned for a moment but recovered immediately. She stared at the woman seriously. ¡°This thing is too valuable,¡± she said and was about to return the token but the woman shook her head.


    ¡°Just take it. I will feel sad if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Jenica looked at the Mafia Don who was standing on the side. He has folded his arms and his face soured upon looking at the token in her hands. Without hesitation, she epted the token which earned her a death re from the man.


    Heh. The Mafia Don didn¡¯t like to give her that token but he wouldn¡¯t voice out his grievances to his wife who was very fond of Jenica.

 Done giving them face(1)

    With a token in hand, Jenica walked out of the huge mansion with a small smile hanging on her lips. She¡¯s happy to have that token that can mobilize hundreds of men under the Mafia Don. It was an unexpected gain.


    Jenica only realized by now that Agent Z allowed the Mafia Don to find her because he found out about the mafia don¡¯s intentions towards her. Huh. That arrogant Agent Z didn¡¯t inform her!


    She hailed a taxi and traveled to the Desmana Group. She needed to talk to Bryce and found out from Daisy what Agent Z¡¯s n next.


    But upon arriving at the main building of thepany, she saw that reporters were surrounding Bryce. Jenica halted and watched the scene from afar, wondering if someone from Desmana had led the reporters in front of the main building or this work was from the Mondragon to pressure the Desmana Group?


    ¡°Mr. Desmana, is it true that one of your staff was poisoned?¡±


    ¡°Is it true that the member of the Board of Directors was deliberately killed by one of the Desmanas?¡±


    ¡°What do you have to say about Gray Mondragon suing the entire Desmana Group?¡±


    One of his bodyguards stood in front of Bryce to block reporters who wanted to get close to the President. ¡°Everyone, we¡¯ll hold a press conferenceter. Please coordinate with our media officer for slots,¡± the bodyguard said.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Then the bodyguards guided Bryce inside the main building. Jenica looked around and noticed some suspicious people whom she deduced were from the Ante lurking around the area. She raised a brow and thought something must be going on behind the rivalry and Agent Z knew of it but decided to do nothing.


    Jenica chuckled. It was not possible to bring downpletely the Ante branch especially when the main branch in the capital won¡¯t let it happen. Agent Z knew of it so he was just teasing the branch family to shake them up but the Desmana might be thinking otherwise. They might thought that it¡¯s an opportunity to bring down their rival since they got her and Daisy to work for them.


    But sorry. Her mission in Laguna was over so she would no longer interfere in the family rivalry of the two ns. Also, she¡¯s not interested in solving future problems for those ungrateful people. They still owe her for bullying her.


    Jenica looked for Bryce in the office and saw him talking to Daisy. When the woman saw her, she greeted her with a smile. ¡°Miss Jane, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I want to talk with Mr. Desmana,¡± she said.


    Daisy shrugged and left the office. Only she and Bryce were left behind. The man looked at her. ¡°What do you want to talk about, Code X?¡±


    Jenica pursed her lips. ¡°Do you know what your family intends to do with this chaotic situation?¡±


    He frowned. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked when he noticed that Jenica was angry.


    ¡°What else?¡± She faked a smile. ¡°Your family wants to sacrifice me to end Mondragon¡¯s im onto your family. Mr. Desmana, do you agree with their decision?¡±


    Bryce was silent for a moment before sighing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, Code X. I don¡¯t know what my family is nning but if it¡¯s you, I know you can manage this situation.¡±


    Jenica raised her eyebrows. ¡°Do you mean¡­ you agree to let me take the me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I agree,¡± he said and touched the bridge of his nose. ¡°But your name ¡ª Jane Lau ¡ª is not a true name, isn¡¯t it? If you can take the me, you can just run away and use another identity. But if I or my family will take the me, we can¡¯t run away and hide ourselves.¡±


    A glint shed across Jenica¡¯s eyes and after a few seconds of silence, she chuckled. ¡°But I didn¡¯t do anything to that old man. Why should I take the me for you or your family?¡±


    ¡°Code X, you need my help and I will offer mypany¡¯s help if you¡¯ll take the me. I promise ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your family threatened me to sign a contract. They backstabbed me multiple times while I was staying in your mansion. They called ten elite squad members to attack me. And someone poisoned me. Mr. Desmana, do you think I still want to help your damned family?¡±


    ¡°Code X, please watch your words.¡±


    Jenica smirked. ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it true?¡± she asked with a smile.


    ¡°But you still need my help ¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think so?¡± she cut his words. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help anymore, Mr. Desmana. So don¡¯t you dare y tricks on me.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say, Code X? Are you looking down on me?¡± Bryce asked darkly. ¡°Is what L is saying true? That you are looking down on me and Desmana Group?¡±


    Jenica stared at Bryce for a few seconds. What an odd man. Why did she help this man who forgot to put his feet on the ground when he tasted victory?


    She sighed. ¡°It seemed like our cooperation must end here, Mr. Desmana.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, frowning. After a while, his face darkened again. ¡°Alright. It seems like my smallpany can¡¯t satisfy you, Code X.¡±


    Jenica was left speechless. It seemed like L sessfully poisoned Bryce¡¯s mind to think negatively of her. But she was not in the mood to correct his thinking so she left the disappointed Bryce in his office and looked for Daisy.


    ¡°Miss Jane, what can I do for you?¡± the woman asked with a smile.


    ¡°Is Agent Z nning to go to the capital?¡±


    The smile disappeared from Daisy¡¯s lips and was reced by a serious expression. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± she said then left Daisy¡¯s office.


    Jenica bet that Daisy will remain in Laguna and only Agent Z and his other forces will move to the capital. So she nned to move to the capital tomorrow.


    But the Desmanas didn¡¯t let her sleep well that night. As soon as she entered the mansion, more than ten men were waiting for her. All of them held weapons in their hands.


    Jenica folded her arms and turned to L with a dark face, ring at her to death. ¡°So this is how you apologize,¡± she said sarcastically and smiled at the woman. ¡°I¡¯m quite touched.¡±

 Done giving them face(2)

    ¡°Shut up, Jane Lau! How dare you steal the Patriach¡¯s token? Give it back to me or else I¡¯ll let these men deal with you!¡± shouted L.


    Jenica hid her smile behind her hand. ¡°Oh really? I didn¡¯t know I¡¯ve stolen something from your family. Are you confused?¡±


    L gaze deepend and gestured to the staff. ¡°Catch that woman and make her kneel,¡± she ordered.


    Then the men made a move towards Jenica.


    Jenica shook her head. She just returned to the mansion to collect her things and had no intention of staying another night. She¡¯s done giving Bryce¡¯s family the patience not to do anything to them for the sake of one of Code X¡¯s members. But now, she won¡¯t give them a chance to bully her again.


    So she moved to meet the fistsing at her. Jenica easily knocked down the men one by one and when she was the only one left standing, she looked at L with a smile. ¡°Anyone else?¡± she asked.


    L¡¯s fist was clenched and she rushed at her. Jenica raised her eyebrows then she smiled teasingly at the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to fight? Ah, I never knew the Mondragon spared an effort to teach you martial art,¡± she said and dodged L¡¯s iing kick.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± L screamed. The woman kicked and punched Jenica harder. But no matter what L did, she couldn¡¯t reach her. L¡¯s face went dark.


    Jenica blew out air and with a wave of her hand, L fell on the ground. She looked down on the woman sprawled on the floor with a little smile. ¡°A mere woman like you can¡¯t defeat me,¡± she told her truthfully and stepped towards the stairs.


    The maids who saw what happened gave way to her in fear. Even some of the members of the Desmanas were silent and looked away.


    After she got the equipment, she left the mansion without hesitation. She had already booked a hotel earlier so she went to the town center and contacted her assistant.


    ¡°Any recent news on Mondragon?¡± Jenica asked. The connection between the Mondragon and Jared was still unclear. She¡¯s suspicious knowing that Jared has a hand in manufacturing those poisonous needles.


    ¡°There is one, Agent J. Our spies in the South reported that Bree Mondragon¡¯s immediate family seems to frequently contact someone in the capital after the woman was put into jail. But our people can¡¯t find a trace of Jared in the intercepted signal, rather the frequent calls have something to do with a child abduction from the capital to the South.¡±


    Suddenly, Jenica¡¯s heart beat fast when she heard it. ¡°You said child abduction? Can you verify this information?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you the picture of the child taken by them.¡±


    Jenica took a deep breath before opening the newly arrived multimedia message in the inbox. Her knees went weak when she saw the picture. It was her child, Sham!


    The boy was lying on the king sized bed and he was reading a book. Although her child seems clean and well-fed in the picture, she¡¯s still notcent.


    ¡°Where did they take this photo?¡± she asked and forced herself to calm down.


    ¡°Bree Mondragon¡¯s immediate family sent that picture to that person in the capital. They confessed on the intercepted message that the child is under them and promised to transport the child to the capital if those people will help them free Bree Mondragon from prison.¡±


    Jenica clenched her fist. How dare they discuss her son like he¡¯s some sort of goods!


    ¡°Does Gray Mondragon know about this?¡±


    ¡°No. The family is secretlymunicating with that person in the capital.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Good info.¡± Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°It seemed like I have to pay that woman a visitter.¡±


    If her guess was correct, Bree Mondragon¡¯s family kidnapped Samantha and Grey¡¯s son. It just so happened that her son was transported from the capital to the South on the same day and it gave Sham the chance to push the child out of the vehicle the kidnappers confined them to.


    And by chance, Jenica saw the child that her son, Sham, saved and brought that child back to the Mondragon residence ¡ª which foiled Bree Mondragon¡¯s immediate family ns on the said child.


    ¡°Prepare me an evidence on Bree Mondragon¡¯s n to kidnap June Mondragon. Also, prepare the evidence on Yvette Ante¡¯s involvement in the Eldest Miss of Desmana¡¯s assassination. I want them all tonight,¡± she ordered.


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    Jenica put down the phone and took a deep breath. She was still in shock after knowing that her child was in the hands of the Mondragon. It was upsetting to know that Sham is right in front of her yet she failed to realize it. She felt being cheated by Bree Mondragon and it was unforgivable!


    She woke up early the next morning, and went out to visit Bree Mondragon in the prison. When the woman saw her, instead of anger and shame, Bree smiled as if she was expecting her toe.


    Jenica frowned. ¡°Miss Bree, I¡¯ve received a message that you¡¯vemitted a heinous crime in the capital.¡±


    Bree raised an eyebrow at her words. ¡°Well, I¡¯m locked in this filthy ce. What can a mere prisoner do?¡± she asked with a silly smile on her face.


    ¡°Your family kidnapped June Mondragon, the child heir of your n, and nned to sell the child as a ve,¡± said Jenica. Surprised sh across Bree Mondragom¡¯s face and Jenica¡¯s smile widened but her eyes were as cold as ice. ¡°They also kidnapped a child from the capital and the said child is under the care of your immediate family. What do you think will happen if I¡¯ll expose your family ns to Grey Mondragon?¡±


    Bree burst outughing. ¡°You¡¯re funny. How can you use my family without evidence?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve secured more than enough evidence to send your immediate family into prison so all of you can celebrate the holiday inside the cold cell,¡± she said as she smiled widely at the woman.


    Bree was stunned for a moment, then snarled at her. ¡°I dare youy a hand on them and I¡¯ll haunt you to death!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait. But if you tell me where that child from the capital is, I might consider sealing the news,¡± said Jenica.


    Bree stared at her before she smiled mischievously. ¡°You seem eager to find your missing child, Jenica Laurel.¡±


    Jenica stared at Bree, hiding the surprise, suspicion, and anger in her eyes.

 Bet with the Mafia

    Jenica would admit she got nervous when Bree called her full name but she didn¡¯t show it in her face. Instead, a small smile was on the corner of her lips but her fist hidden under the table was clenched.


    ¡°What Jenica Laurel? You must be mistaken,¡± she denied.


    The smile on Bree¡¯s lips only grew wider. ¡°Don¡¯t deny it. I¡¯ve gone high and low to pull off your mask and I won.¡± Bree licked her lips and smiled wickedly at her. ¡°I know your real name is Jenica Laurel, an orphan and a loser who worked in the corporate and disgraced herself having stolen money from your boss.¡±


    A glint shed across Jenica¡¯s eyes. How did Bree Mondragon know about her true name? Did someone tip her off?


    Jenica suddenly thought of the man in front of the Police Station who did stare at her as if he knew her. Was her gut feeling true? That the man knew her from the start and told Bree about it?


    But she didn¡¯t know the man!


    ¡°So, what else did you find about me?¡± she asked, finally confirming Bree¡¯s words.


    Bree¡¯s eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand. The woman chuckled. ¡°So it¡¯s true! You are Jenica Laurel, the loser who begged money in the local newspaper years ago!¡±


    Jenica¡¯s gaze deepened. This woman has the guts to remind her of her dark past. But she¡¯s more concerned about the man outside the Police Station that day. Jenica knew the man was the reason why Bree found out her real name. She¡¯s ufortable knowing that someone knows her yet not the other way around.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Jenica smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not here to introduce myself, Miss Bree. But you must know that I¡¯m seriously throwing your family into prison if you won¡¯t tell me where the child is.¡±


    Bree smirked. ¡°Well,¡± the woman leaned towards her, ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    Jenica was about to stand up so Bree frowned. ¡°I said I don¡¯t know, okay? It¡¯s my parents who epted that task from that mysterious man in the capital.¡±


    Man in the capital? Jenica frowned even more. ¡°Someone asked you to kidnap my child?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not me who abducted that child but someone contacted me to hide the child in the South. It¡¯s not my idea to kidnap someone¡¯s child and why should I target your son?¡± Bree sneered. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not definitely my fault that your child got kidnapped. In the first ce, it¡¯s your job to take care of your son. It¡¯s not me who didn¡¯t do their job well.¡±


    Even though she was annoyed by the wordsing out of the woman¡¯s mouth, Bree was right. She¡¯s to me for why Sham was kidnapped. If only she¡¯s not too conceited to bring her son back knowing that she has a mission in the country, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    But who wanted to kidnap Sham? ording to her assistant, Jared and Mondragon have no direct connection. So Jared probably wasn¡¯t the one who came up with the n to abduct her son.


    She hasn¡¯t offended a lot of people when she came back to the country months ago. It¡¯s only the main Ante branch whom she teased a little.


    She nced at Bree who was also looking at her. Jenica could see the gloating in the woman¡¯s eyes but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°Give me the name of that person who contacted you.¡±


    ¡°Why should i?¡± Bree folded her arms. ¡°There¡¯s no free meal nowadays.¡±


    Jenica pursed her lips. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You know it, Miss Jenica. Don¡¯t ask anymore,¡± she said with a smile.


    She drew a breathe. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to your family.¡±


    The smile on Bree¡¯s lips grew wider. ¡°Okay! Well¡­¡± The woman thought for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know who exactly is that person, but he knows that I am working in Desmana Group because of the agreement my n has with the Ante branch. He just gave me the address and instruction where to ship off the child.¡±


    Jenica clenched her fist. Were they treating her son like goods? Unforgivable!


    ¡°Did someone give your number to that person?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­. I don¡¯t think so. That person is not rted to the Ante branch but he knew what was my connection with those hypocrites, so out of fear, I did what he told me.¡±


    Jenica thought. In that case, she couldn¡¯t get a name out of Bree¡¯s mouth either. But she had decided what to do next.


    She stood and left the visiting area. Bree, who was left inside, shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promise! Don¡¯t touch them!¡±


    Jenica just smiled and drove the car out of the prisonpound. She headed to the bar owned by the Mafia Don. The man was surprised to see her.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Doctor Acinea?¡± he asked gruffly and folded his arms.


    A small smile appeared on her lips as she sat in the chair across from him. She poured a drink into an empty ss and took a sip of wine. ¡°I want your help again,¡± she said.


    The man raised a brow and leaned forward. ¡°I don¡¯t do charity works. If you want my help, give me an equivalent amount!¡±


    Jenica took out the token given by his wife. ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    The man frowned and took the token from her hands. ¡°Is this how you casually bet my token to a stranger?¡±


    ¡°Are you a stranger?¡± she asked with raised eyebrows. His face went darker and Jenica smiled widely. ¡°Don, if you won¡¯t help me then I¡¯ll turn to your wife. I bet she¡¯s a good woman whom I can trust.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare involve my wife in your mess!¡± The man sneered. ¡°I heard those Desmana brats want you to surrender yourself to save their faces. Speak. Do you want to annihte the whole n or maybe ruin the Desmana Group?¡±


    Oh how casually he said those words as if he¡¯s stepping on ants. Jenica just smiled wider. She must be right to ask for this man¡¯s help!


    She wanted to travel to the South but she couldn¡¯t. HQ won¡¯t let her go back to the South without a lead on her mission. And she knew that Sham might not be in the South anymore.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t intend to make a move on Desmana right now.¡± Jenica pointed a finger on the token.

 Bet with the Mafia(2)

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it back to you if you can help me trace Bree Mondragon¡¯s whereabouts for the past year. And if she has ever shipped things to the South and if she received something from the capital. I want names, Don.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The man raised his eyebrows then grinned. ¡°Uncovering the Mondragon¡¯s transaction with someone in the capital will cost me a lot. Won¡¯t it be a shame to bet only MY token?¡±


    The corner of her lips twitched and she sighed. ¡°Fine, take this,¡± she said then ced a calling card on the center table. ¡°It¡¯s a membership to Code X¡¯s secret website. If you don¡¯t know Code X, you can ask around. They know who that person is.¡±


    The man held out the calling card and stared at it. After a while heughed with joy. ¡°So Doctor Acinea and that infamous Code X are somewhat rted? How interesting,¡± he said.


    Jenica didn¡¯tment anymore and left first. She promised the man that she would return the next day for his information.


    Jenica stood under the full moon and looked up at the sky. Stars couldn¡¯t be seen because of the bright moon hanging above. The wind blew and danced her loose hair.


    ¡°Things are gettingplicated,¡± she whispered into the air.


    Since there¡¯s no visible connection between Mondragon and Jared, she cannot use HQ¡¯s resources to investigate Bree Mondragon¡¯s connection to the capital. But maybe it¡¯s a good thing because HQ won¡¯t know that she¡¯s secretly looking for her missing son.


    She¡¯s notfortable involving her personal matters in the mission. And now that she had a lead on where Sham was, the thorn in her heart lessened.


    And after finding her son, it¡¯s time to fulfill her revenge.


    But¡­ What is Alex doing?


    It¡¯s been months since she asked him to find Sham but he¡¯s not sending her clues where the child is. She held that small hope for Alex but as day passed by, her trust in the man is decreasing. Or it might be Alex didn¡¯t believe her in the first ce and just gave her false hope? Is he fooling her?


    Jenica clenched her fist. Next month, she will go to the Fuegos¡¯ mansion to talk to the man. And might check what¡¯s happening with that damn bastard and that Gia Ante.


    She already had the evidence against Ante and Mondragon, and was just waiting for the information from the Mafia Don.


    So the next day, she went early to the Mafia Don¡¯s den and saw him frowning while reading the paper on his hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± she asked and sat opposite him.


    The man handed her the paper and looked straight into her eyes. ¡°My men reported that someone from the capital indeed shipped something to Laguna which Bree Mondragon epted. And the woman shipped that thing out of this town and onto the South.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Bree is indeed telling the truth,¡± she said as she looked over the information written on the paper. After a while, Jenica frowned. ¡°But what¡¯s the matter with these censored names? Didn¡¯t I ask you to give me the names of the one behind Bree Mondragon?¡±


    ¡°Those names are indeed the ones who instigated Bree Mondragon.¡± The man sighed. ¡°But do you know who are those bastards behind that woman?¡±


    Jenica raised her eyebrows. ¡°It seems like they haveplicated background.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Those men are part of a mafia organization in the capital.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jenica asked, raising her gaze to the man. ¡°Mafia?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I wonder what is that thing from the capital that made you go after a mafia organization, Doctor Acinea.¡± The man grinned at her.


    Mafia.


    Even the HQ¡¯s careful dealing with those organization. Thest thing she expected was the mafia organization being involved in her missing son¡¯s case.


    But why did those notorious organization have to do with the abduction of her son? Jenica did not offend anyone from that notorious organization aftering back to the country.


    She clenched her fist again and looked at the paper. ¡°Just give me names.¡±


    The man gave her the paper with four names written on it. Jenica was not familiar with those names. But while thinking what to do with those names, the man handed over the token that his wife had given her ¡ª which she had given back to him. Jenica raised her eyebrows. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Take it if you want to go after that mafia. Give me a good show when you return to the capital, Doctor Acinea.¡±


    Jenica stared at the grinning man. A mischievous glint shed across his eyes which she had caught. She squinted, reaching her hand to get the token back.


    She knew that the token was a hot potato that she should discard as soon as possible, but she couldn¡¯t deny that the fact she needed the token especially if she¡¯ll gonna enter the world of the mafias.


    When she left the Mafia Don¡¯s turf, she called the assistant. ¡°Release the evidences against Ante branch and Bree¡¯s immediate family.¡± Jenica smiled wickedly while roaming her eyes around the ce. ¡°My gifts for them,¡± she whispered before ending the call.


    After knowing that Yvette Ante is the one who caused the death of their Eldest Miss, the Desmana n won¡¯t let her go. It will be the start of full scale war between those two ns.


    On the other hand, Samantha Mondragon won¡¯t let Bree¡¯s immediate family go unpunished upon knowing the truth. The Mondragon n won¡¯t have a peaceful time for the next years.


    It¡¯s the best ending she had in mind for these three ns. Well, she promised Bree she wouldn¡¯t touch her parents, but it doesn¡¯t mean that Samantha won¡¯t do anything.


    It¡¯s the same with the Desmana. She wanted to create trouble for those ungrateful hypocrites. Jenica knew the main Ante branch wouldn¡¯t take it lying down when the branch family would get bullied to the point of tarnishing the reputation of their family names. So there would be a long war between these two big families in Laguna and she would like to know who will emerge victorious in the battle she had prepared for them all.

 Carol and Agent Z(1)

    Jenica traveled to the capital without informing Bryce Desmana. She believes Daisy will take care of that man. For now, she has more pressing things to do.


    ¡°Agent Z was involved in a car ident while doing his mission. The HQ wants you to go after Agent Z,¡± her assistant said from the other end of call.


    Jenica frowned. ¡°No one was nearby to help that man?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the problem. Agent Z disconnected all of his tracking devices so our people can¡¯t find him. Thest signal Agent sent wasst night, by the shore of Man Bay. A few hours after that, our people sent a distress signal to the HQ when they discovered Agent Z¡¯s wrecked car in the local news. There was no one inside the car when the ident happened.¡±


    Jenica bit her lower lip. She couldn¡¯t have imagined that Agent Z would escape under the watchful eye of HQ. But she apud that man¡¯s confidence and sly tactic to deceive the organization.


    But what was his reason for doing so?


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go find him,¡± she promised.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You can look for Agent Z when you are done with your mission. The HQ wants you to speed up and to finish the mission within six months from now.¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± Jenica whispered and frowned.


    She only has six months toplete the mission involving Jared. But that man¡¯s too cunning!


    But finding Agent Z¡¯s more important. Only by having that man could Jenica had the confidence to continue the mission since Agent Z knew how to solve the poisonous needle matter which Jared was involved into.


    So when she got back to the capital, she first looked for Agent Z¡¯s special assistants. ¡°Guide me where the ident happened,.


    Since HQ assigned Jenica the mission to find Agent Z, they couldn¡¯t do anything but follow her orders. Jenica also asked about the progress of Agent Z¡¯s mission and the assistant also gave the folder that contained the information Agent Z had obtained over the past months.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. The folder containsplete information about poisonous needles and the people behind their production in the South.


    First, to Jobert Falcon Labastida, the governor in the South and the one who persuaded Jenica to visit South. The governor is making the first ingredient of the poisonous needle at the Ante branch Factory.


    The processed raw material is transported to the independent Mondragon Store and mix it with other chemicals. It is Samantha Mondragon who lead the making of the second process. And surprisingly, Samantha Mondragon and Jared have no direct connection.


    Samantha just obeyed Jobert¡¯s order to frame Doctor Acinea when Jenica revealed to Jobert that she¡¯s an oriental alchemist member and when the man realized that oriental alchemist has something to do with HQ.


    Then the ingredient is transported to other processes that are being led by various influential ns in the South. These families were under Jobert Labastida¡¯smand and have no direct connection with Jared.


    The report also stated that only Jobert has the direct connection with Jared in the South.


    If her guess is correct, it means that Jared has direct control over the production of poisonous needles. He might be the mastermind behind these damned needles or someone was instructing him to do so.


    The trace of the needles in the South was cut-off after thest influential n, and Agent Z had to find Jared because thest clue were hinting at the damned man.


    When Jenica showed Agent Z the chat history of Anonymous and Code X, there was another clue to the mastermind beside Jared. So he traveled to the capital but in less than a week, Agent Z was involved in an ident and is now currently missing.


    Jenica sighed. She was not sure if Agent Z already knew who was Anonymous in the chat history. She didn¡¯t want to ask his assistants because she wasn¡¯t sure if Agent Z told them about her connection with Code X. If she¡¯ll ask, they will certainly get suspicious.


    Jenica and Agent Z both knew that it was better to keep Code X¡¯s contact information from the HQ, especially when Code X once offended the organization. They might also be used of being aplices with the damned hacker.


    This ident might be rted to Dante Ante but it was not safe to assume without facts. So she needed to find Agent Z as soon as possible.


    So Jenica went to the scene of the ident. Unbeknownst to Agent Z¡¯s assistants and the authorities, she found a secret hint inside the wrecked car that Agent Z was still alive.


    ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself for a bit. Continue your search around the area,¡± she ordered Agent Z¡¯s assistants.


    The men under Agent Z frowned but didn¡¯t say anything. Jenica puffed out an air and walked to her car. She grabbed the sh drive she saw at the secret footpartment of the wrecked car from her pocket and plugged it to herptop and browse its contents.


    It was a video footage of Agent Z hanging around the Ante mansion in the capital. Jenica sighed and shook her head.


    How capable was that man to know who was Anonymous by just reading the chat history? As far as she knew, Agent Z has never contacted Code X. Nor has he registered on her secret website. So how did he know it was Dante Ante?


    Suddenly her personal phone rang. That¡¯s the phone she used in covet missions as Agent Z, medical missions as Doctor Acinea, and Code X¡¯s contact medium.


    Someone entered her inbox. ording to the message, her secret men found Agent Z¡¯s equipment in the jungle ¡ª one mile from where she was.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows and asked him to watch it over. Well, as an infamous hacker, she has hired secret staff to act as her eyes and ears in areas beyond the reach of technology.


    She drove the car to Code X¡¯s assistant location. Jenica also made sure to turn off all the tracking devices attached to her. She didn¡¯t even miss the phone and left the car outside the forest. She went inside with only the small emergency light. Using the improvised tracker she made, she finally found the man in the heart of the forest.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the outskirts of the capital. What is that man doing in this ce?¡± Jenica asked annoyed.

 Carol and Agent Z(2)

    ¡°Code X, a woman was looking after him. That woman is from the capital and found Agent Z lying in the pool of blood a few hundred meters from the ident site.¡±


    ¡°Woman?¡± Jenica reached for the binocrs handed to her by the staff and looked into the distance where she noticed a light.


    There she saw the familiar figure of Carol as she pretended to light a bonfire. Jenica was stunned for a moment.


    What is Carol doing in this freaking ce?!


    With a frown, she gave the binocr back to her assistant and quickly walked towards her friend who had no idea who¡¯s the man she¡¯s been taking care of. ¡°Carol!¡± she called, frowning.


    The woman jumped in shock and hastily looked over her shoulder to see the one calling her. Carol frowned at first because she couldn¡¯t see clearly the face of the neer, but when the light from the bonfire illuminated Jenica¡¯s face, Carol¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Jenica? Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?!¡±


    Jenica stood in front of Carol and looked at the man lying not far away. Agent Z seemed unconscious and Jenica could smell the faint scent of blood around.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that! What happened? And why are you with that man?¡±


    Carol went silent and after a few moments, her eyes watered and she suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Jenica, you are right! The child in the picture is Sham¡¯s twin. I¡¯ve secured a DNA test with the sample you¡¯ve given me. But¡­¡±


    Jenica remembered about the child in the picture that her assistant had sent. She couldn¡¯t afford to go to the suburbs of the capital so she sent Carol back to the country and asked her to find the boy. She even gave her friend her DNA sample and now her hunch was right.


    The boy was truly one of her sons!


    Carol looked for a piece of paper inside her belongings and handed to her the DNA result. Jenica¡¯s hand trembled upon receiving the paper as she looked at it. Indeed, the result was positive.


    Her lips trembled as she looked up and asked Carol, ¡°Where is he? Where¡¯s my son?¡±


    The happy smile on Carol¡¯s lips gradually decreased. The woman cast her gaze down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t get the boy. A syndicate took him.¡±


    ¡°What? Syndicate?¡± Jenica¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Exin it to me!¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Carol sighed and asked her to sit on the wide rock she had prepared earlier. ¡°Jen, a syndicate sheltered the child. The child was begging because of the orders of the people who sheltered him.¡± Carol bit her lower lip. ¡°When I first saw him, he begged for me to give him a coin. I didn¡¯t talk to him that day because a man took him away. Then I always wait for him in the same ce where I saw him first and in the very next day, the boy came. I talked to him for a few days but he kept his mouth shut about the syndicate until one day, he begged me to give him a thousand. He said his dad would beat him if he didn¡¯t get the money. Well¡­ he did get it himself. He took my wallet with him when he ran away.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s lips twitched at her words. ¡°What the h*ll! Who taught him to steal?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Carol closed her eyes and looked away from her with reddened cheeks. ¡°I ran after the child until I got lost in the slums. That¡¯s where I met that man,¡± said Carol and pointed to the unconscious Agent Z.


    The frown on Jenica¡¯s forehead deepened. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°That man was bleeding when I saw him lying in the trash. He was still conscious when he suddenly pulled me to run away from that ce. He said the syndicate was chasing him and both of our lives were in danger. He brought me here to forest but that man passed out this morning.¡±


    Jenica pursed her lips and scoffed at Agent Z. He got the guts to mock her ipetence but look at who was lying motionless on the ground?


    ¡°Pack your things. It¡¯s not safe to stay in this forest at night.¡± She knelt down by Agent Z¡¯s side and was about to take his pulse when the man¡¯s hand suddenly moved to grab her finger.


    If she¡¯s not fast in her reflex, her fingers might be broken by now. Damn!


    She¡¯s sure that Agent Z was unconscious, but his body was reacting to any external stimuli. Just how careful was Agent Z that even his subconscious mind tried to protect himself?!


    She stood and looked at Carol. ¡°Can you move him a bit?¡±


    Carol snorted and approached the man. She effortlessly pushed the man away from the bonfire. ¡°What now?¡± she asked, her voice sounded annoyed.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows at what she saw. Agent Z¡¯s body was not reacting to Carol¡¯s touch. Her expression darkened and she gestured Carol not to leave her ce. ¡°Why are you with him anyway? You could have just left this man in this forest,¡± she said curiously and added, ¡°Touch his arm for a bit,¡± she asked before quickly taking the man¡¯s pulse.


    After a while she blew out air. At least, Agent Z¡¯s life was not in danger. It looked like he took some medicine earlier so that he wouldn¡¯t run out of blood.


    ¡°Then how did you know I¡¯m here? And you seem to know this man. Care to share?¡± Carol asked in return.


    Jenica pressed her lips together. ¡°He¡¯s just a random dog I need to return to his owner,¡± she answered and gestured to the dark.


    Carol was surprised when she saw the sudden appearance of a stranger in the middle of the jungle but Jenica assured her. She saw in her friend¡¯s eyes the doubt but she just told her that the stranger was someone whom the unconcious man knew. Even though Carol didn¡¯t fully believe her, but the woman was sensible enough to not ask again.


    With the help of her assistant who was nearby, they carried the unconcious man out of the jungle.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find an inn,¡± said Jenica.


    But Agent Z spoke, suddenly regaining consciousness. ¡°N-No need. Go to this ce and don¡¯t contact anyone,¡± was the man¡¯sstmand before losing consciousness again.

 Smiling like they were friends

    The address given by Agent Z is a mansion in the middle of the jungle. It¡¯s two miles away from the busiest business district in the capital. There was a maid in the mansion who opened the door for them.


    The maid served them something to eat, which Carol received without hesitation. Jenica¡¯s assistant looked at her awkwardly, asking for permission to eat.


    Her lips twitched and her eyes rolled. The assistant smiled and reached the center table for food.


    Jenica looked around inside the mansion. She noticed devices installed in hidden corners to prevent signal transmission from the outside. She raised a brow.


    They waited for several hours before Agent Z woke up. When the man saw Carol, his face soured. ¡°You¡¯re still here,¡± he said ndly before sitting on the sofa opposite to Jenica.


    Carol blinked. ¡°You have the face to get rude? You¡¯re the reason why I¡¯m stuck in trouble!¡±


    Agent Z raised his hand and a maid approached. She bowed down slightly next to him. ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Give them rooms,¡± Agent Z said.


    Carol huffed but she couldn¡¯t do anything but follow the maid to the second floor of the mansion. Jenica also asked her assistant to follow the two upstairs.


    Only she and Agent Z were left at the living room, while the man was staring at her with a serious face. Jenica raised a brow. ¡°What did you find?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The mastermind behind those damned needles is not Jared but someone more powerful. It involves a mafia syndicate.¡±


    Jenica cast her gaze down. ¡°I see. But what are you doing in the slums?¡±


    ¡°They have a hideout in that area. If not for,¡± Agent Z sneered. ¡°That woman, I might have infiltrated their hideout by now.¡±


    It looked like Carol ruined Agent Z¡¯s n. Jenica chuckled. ¡°Okay, but do you know the name of that syndicate?¡±


    ¡°Pigeons.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The organization name is Pigeons, same name as a famous chips brand.¡±


    Oh, what an unusual name.


    Jenica stared at Agent Z who raised an eyebrow. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You were unconscious when I found you in the middle of the woods. The HQ is also worried about you running away after your assistants found your wrecked car but you were nowhere. Are you nning to run away, Agent Z?¡± she teased.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± the man asked with a smile.


    Jenica smiled at him too. ¡°You should be honest with me since I¡¯m tasked to bring you back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Agent Z denied. ¡°Just let them know I¡¯m still breathing.¡±


    ¡°So, that unconscious state is your doing?¡±


    ¡°Of course. How can I deceive those bastards if I can¡¯t take a little loss?¡± Agent Z said, huffing madly. ¡°I asked you not to bring me to the hospital because that mafia syndicate controls arge area in the outskirts. I don¡¯t n to step within their territory yet.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Jenica looked away. ¡°I believe you¡¯ve had an encounter with Jared himself. Can you give me his whereabouts?¡±


    The edge of Agent Z¡¯s lips curved. ¡°Unless you offer me something of equivalent value.¡±


    Jenica pressed her lips together. This man is really careful not to be taken advantage of. With a frown, she grabbed something from her pocket which was a bottle containing two pills. ¡°That is a pill for curing the aftereffects. I know you¡¯ve taken a poison to weaken your body but seriously, can you think of another way to infiltrate their hideout?¡±


    She already diagnosed the man when she took his pulse earlier. He took a poison to hide his true health¡¯s condition. And it might be the reason why he¡¯s unconscious for the whole night.


    But damaging one¡¯s health to ensure the mission¡¯s sess is not a good idea. How could he protect himself if he¡¯s weak?


    ¡°Are you worried?¡± Agent Z teased. ¡°As an agent, you can¡¯t afford that feeling.¡±


    The corner of her lips twitched. ¡°Anyway, I will tell the HQ you¡¯re alive and still working on your mission.¡±


    Agent Z just raised his hand while chuckling, gesturing her to go on. Jenica blinked and called her assistant to give an update to the agency. As Code X herself, Agent Z¡¯s devices to cut offmunication from the outside couldn¡¯t stop her.


    The next day, Jenica said goodbye to Carol. Her friend was nagging her because she wanted to go with her but Jenica didn¡¯t agree.


    ¡°Stay here. That man,¡± Jenica pointed to Agent Z. ¡°¨C is my friend. He will ensure your safety.¡±


    ¡°But ¨C¡±


    ¡°They have seen your face so before the authorities could take down that syndicate, you are not safe in the city. Sham will be sad knowing that you got hurt.¡±


    Carol sighed. ¡°Fine. Promise me, safety first, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said with a smile and pointed her pinky finger in front of Agent Z.


    The corner of thetter¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You,¡± the man looked at Jenica. ¡°Just go. I want to take a rest.¡±


    Carol¡¯s face darkened at Agent Z¡¯s words and she berated him earning a scowl from the man. But Agent Z seemed not to take Carol¡¯s words to heart.


    Jenicaughed and shook her head before driving the car out of the huge gate, separating the huge mansion from the outside world.


    She had sessfully bartered with Agent Z. In exchange for the medicine she gave him, he did give her the location where Jared currently lives.


    Jenica was surprised at first because of how fast Agent Z¡¯s mission progressed. She couldn¡¯t even find Jared¡¯s exact location without help from her assistant, but Agent Z was able to find hisir in just a few weeks, without depending on HQ!


    As expected from the top one agent of HQ. Jenica cast her gaze down on the map and raised an eyebrow.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    If she¡¯s not mistaken, Jared¡¯s current location is a subdivision. And this familiar subdivision is the same subdivision where Alex¡¯s house is!


    Her grip on the steering wheel tightened and her jaws clenched. After a while, Jenicaughed. ¡°What a coincidence!¡±


    If that¡¯s the case, she has to go back to being Alexander¡¯s wife. What a hassle. She sighed.


    The car stopped at a hotel and Jenica checked in. She stood at the balcony overlooking the towering buildings of the capital and called Renato, Alex¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Fuego,¡± he greeted.


    Jenica raised a brow. She¡¯s quite surprised Alex¡¯s personal assistant has picked up the phone. Thest time she tried to call, he didn¡¯t pick up even once. She squinted. ¡°Where¡¯s my husband?¡±


    Renato was silent for a few minutes before he answered, ¡°He¡¯s currently at the outskirts of the capital.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Just as what she expected that man would be. But it¡¯s been weeks and he¡¯s still strolling with Gia on the outskirts?


    Jenica scowled. ¡°So when is heing back?¡± she asked in a cheerful voice, almost mocking.


    ¡°Tomorrow evening.¡± The man on the other end added, ¡°Mr. Fuego asked me to tell you his number is avable, and you can¡­ S-stop calling this number and call him directly, Mrs. Fuego.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Jenica chuckled. A glint shed across her eyes. ¡°Really? That¡¯s so kind of him. But tell that man toe pick me up in the address I¡¯ll send to youter. If he won¡¯te, I promise to run away again,¡± she warned before hanging up .


    She huffed and sent the address of the hotel she was staying on to the PA. Then she went back inside with a dark face. ¡°Go to hell!¡± she screamed and threw the phone on the bed.


    Jenica closed her eyes and breathed deeply for a few minutes before calming down. She didn¡¯t know why she felt frustrated and anger towards Alex. That bastard¡¯s enjoying himself with Gia Ante, whom she was keeping an eye on because of her mission.


    And now, he has the guts to ask her to call him. Her? Huh! Who is he to ask her to make the first move? Never!


    She sighed and picked up her phone from the bed, and called her assistant. ¡°Any news on Ante Enterprise?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Fortunately, we received a report from one of our agents just this morning.¡± The other line was silent for a moment before Jenica heard the assistant¡¯s voice again. ¡°The main Ante Enterprise has the direct control over the rubber factory in the South where you¡¯ve discovered the first stage of poison needle making. The Ante branch in Laguna is only the proxy and that they gave the governor in the South, Jobert Labastida , a temporary control to use the factory in order to produce an ingredient for those poisonous needles.¡±


    Jenica raised her eyebrows. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t find any evidence against Ante of Laguna regarding the factory in the South. It turned out, Yvette¡¯s family is only a shield for the main Ante Enterprise in the capital. And that¡¯s why Dante requested Code X to find the missing trucks of poisonous needles because his family is the one that controls where they will be sent to the South.


    Jobert seems unaware that Yvette¡¯s family has no direct control over the factory and thought of the woman¡¯s family as his direct supporter.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°How about their connection to Jared?¡±


    ¡°As of the moment, our people can¡¯t verify if Ante Enterprise has a direct connection with Jared. There is someone powerful behind the Ante Enterprise so aside from that information, nothing new has been added to the database.¡±


    Jenica thought for a moment before asking again. ¡°Any information on Ante¡¯s immediate family members?¡±


    ¡°Nothing new aside from Dante Ante taking up the CEO position of Ante Enterprisest night.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Jenica raised her eyebrows. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Alexander Fuego is back on his position as the CEO of Fuego Empire yesterday. In order to appease Fuego¡¯s reservation on what happened during the engagement party months ago, the former CEO of Ante Enterprise stepped down to let his son take over thepany. ¡±


    Oh that incident. Jenica tapped her forehead. She remembered the naked picture of Gia that was released at the engagement party and that it spread on social media because of her order. But she had told her assistant to take it down a few dayster.


    Well, Jenica knew that it¡¯s bad to ruin a woman¡¯s reputation but it was Gia Ante who attempted to murder her first. She sighed and shook her head.


    But if the Fuego has reservations on what happened, so why did Alex and Gia were seen together in the outskirts of the capital? What¡¯s even more annoying is that the two seem to be having fun as if they were a real couple.


    What a great ¡®couple¡¯ indeed!


    Jenica gritted her teeth. ¡°Alright. Just notify me if you got news.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    She ended tha call and threw her body on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling.


    Alex, what is he doing?


    Come to think of it, she and Alex are currently married. But what is he doing with that woman?


    He should know that he¡¯ll never have the chance to marry Gia Ante if they won¡¯t get a divorce. But until now, Alex never sent her a divorce letter nor expressed his intention to do so.


    And while they were in the South, he was always clinging to her as if he didn¡¯t want to let her go. If not for that stabbing incident in a store, Jenica is sure that Alex won¡¯t go back to the capital.


    But it¡¯s been weeks since he went back to the capital but she haven¡¯t received a call from him, as if he had forgotten her.


    And when she saw his picture with Gia, the anger she had been harboring inside suddenly rushed out.


    Huh. Why did her heart soften for that man?


    ¡®Just a mere care from that man is enough for you to throw away your anger all these years? No. It shouldn¡¯t be so!¡¯ she thought.


    She squinted.


    If those two want to get married, then she won¡¯t sign the divorce paper that Alex will give to her in the future!


    Jenica quickly dressed and left the hotel. She drove the car to the subdivision where Alex¡¯s house is. She stood outside the huge gate and was about to enter when the guard saw her.


    ¡°Miss! No entry of non-homeowners.¡±


    Jenica nced briefly at the guard. ¡°Are you sure? How do you know who the homeowners are? Do you have some kind of powers?¡± she asked, clearly mocking him.


    Before the red-faced guard could speak, Jenica heard someoneughing behind him. She frowned and turned back.


    There she saw a man about her age. He had a long red hair that reached his shoulders and an earring in his right ear. A mischievous smile was stered on his lips.


    ¡°Hi, Miss. Do you need help?¡± he asked, grinning at her.


    Well how absurd. Jared, her target, is standing before her, smiling like they were friends.

 Lying next to him

    Well, what is she doing in that location in the first ce? Jenica sighed and looked at Jared.


    She knew HQ¡¯s notorious enemy Jared was still in his mid-20s but she wasn¡¯t expecting him to be this young looking.


    Jenica closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°Since the guard won¡¯t let me in, then I won¡¯t push my luck.¡± She looked straight into Jared¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°Thanks anyway,¡± she said before walking towards her car parked not far away.


    Jenica could feel Jared¡¯s hot gaze behind her but she didn¡¯t turn around or even stop. She hopped in the car and drove it away in an instant. She took a glimpse of Jared¡¯s lean appearance in the rearview mirror and the man just stay rooted on the ground.


    She heaved a sigh of relief and slowly turned the steering wheel.


    Jenica had almost blown her cover! It¡¯s a good thing Jared didn¡¯t recognize her. He might think that she¡¯s familiar but she believe he won¡¯t know her as Agent J in an instant.


    Whenever she was in a mission as Agent J, she always wore a voice changer device, contact lenses, and a wig. And right now, she¡¯s not wearing anything but her bare face.


    She¡¯s Jenica Laurel, the hidden wife of Alexander Fuego.


    Still, it¡¯s not safe to assume that Jared won¡¯t ever notice. It¡¯s good to be cautious against that man.


    So she immediately reached for the phone and called her assistant. ¡°Let someone impersonate me and make her appear somewhere in the States for a mission. Make sure Jared¡¯s men will know but don¡¯t be too obvious.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡±


    And she ended the call. But after two minutes, someone called her number. Jenica cast her gaze down at the her phone¡¯s screen and raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked, annoyed, on the other line after she epted the call.


    A man breathed from the other line and after a few seconds, he questioned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me toe pick you up? But you are not here. Are you ying tricks, wife?¡±


    Jenica frowned and sighed when she remembered what she had asked for Renato, Alex¡¯s assistant, to do. The corner of her lips curled up and she chuckled softly. ¡°Alright. Wait for me,¡± she said and ended the call without waiting for what Alex had to say.


    The car stopped at a coffee shop and Jenica went in to have a coffee. She also stayed inside for about an hour before she decided to return to the hotel where she was staying.


    Alex, with his gloomy face, was waiting for her inside the hotel room. He was sitting on the sofa and holding a ss of wine, looking a bit tipsy.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± he asked with a cold voice.


    Jenica smiled crudely. Alex sounded like a wife nagging her husband foring homete. She sighed and shook her head, closing her eyes before looking away. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± she said heartlessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for an hour just to hear you sneering at me.¡± Alex stood with his face still dark and took a step closer to her. He stopped in front of her and towered the helpless Jenica. ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t punish you?¡± he asked, a cruel smile appeared on his lips.


    Jenica raised an eyebrow at his words and folded her arms. Curling the corner of her lips, she asked yfully, ¡°How?¡±


    Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed and instantly lifted her, throwing her onto the huge and soft bed.


    ¡°Oh!¡± she yelled in shock and looked up with widened eyes. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± she asked, annoyed, and adjusted the deviated strap of her bra.


    How ungentlemanly of him to throw her like a piece of crap!


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re still a maiden to fool around? Jenica Laurel Fuego, you seem to forget that you are my wife!¡± Alex said. His brow creased as he stood at the foot of the bed and stared intently at her.


    Jenica frowned, annoyed by his tone. ¡°Are you seriously lecturing me right now? Why don¡¯t you say that to yourself, you who has a fiancee? Or do you think you¡¯re still a bachelor all these years chasing after women and neglecting the fact that you have a wife ?¡±


    ¡°My wife who ran away?¡± he sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t push the me on me, Jenica. It¡¯s you who did wrong in the first ce!¡±


    ¡°At least I¡¯ve been keeping myself chase for the past five years! But look at what have you done? You are getting married!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a fake engagement!¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The room was silent. Jenica looked at him, confused. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not within my n to marry Gia Ante. A few monthster, I¡¯ll end this engagement,¡± Alex said slowly and he sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I want to know what you¡¯ll do but I was wrong to trust your feelings for me, Jenica.¡±


    ¡°My feelings for you?¡± she sneered. If she hasn¡¯t seen this bastard and Gia¡¯s picture in the outskirts, she might believe him right now. ¡°To think that you enjoy that woman¡¯spany is a proof that you have the guts to find another woman. Mr. Fuego, don¡¯t make meugh.¡±


    ¡°Jenica Laurel!¡±


    ¡°Why are you shouting?¡± she yelled back.


    Alex went silent and he sighed eventually in defeat. ¡°I¡¯ll cancel the engagementter,¡± he said before sitting back on the sofa and gulped a mouthful of wine.


    Jenica was left speechless and confused. She thought Alex would yell at her back but he went silent instead. She felt like punching a bag of cotton. Jenica was dissatisfied but there was nothing she could do about it.


    She frowned at the man. ¡°What are you doing inside my room anyway?¡± she asked, ncing at his way.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me toe pick you up? We¡¯ll move out after you pack your things.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s fist clenched but she quietly went to her own room to pack. In the end, she only brought one backpack.


    Alex raised his eyebrows when he saw what she was carrying but he didn¡¯t question her, and just guided her out of the room although it was unnecessary. Jenica just rolled her eyes and let him be.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a dinner first,¡± Alex said before taking her to a restaurant near the hotel.


    Even though she felt indignant, Jenica was too hungry to refuse. She just saw herself eating at the restaurant with the man.


    After the short dinner, Alex took her to the subdivision she visited to earlier. The car stopped at arge house with a high gate.


    ¡®Nothing¡¯s changed,¡¯ she thought to herself before getting out of the car.


    Jenica secretly looked around and her gaze stopped at therge house that was only a few blocks away from Alex¡¯s house.


    There, she saw Jared grinning at her.


    When they both looked at each other, the man waved as if they were friends.


    Alex scowled when he saw her looking at his neighbor. ¡°What? Is he your new target?¡± he asked, mocking her.


    ¡°F*ck you,¡± Jenica cursed and took big steps to enter the open gate.


    ¡°On the bedter,¡± Alex answered back and followed her inside the big house.


    Jenica secretly sighed upon entering the house. It¡¯s as if she never left because the interior design hasn¡¯t changed. And what¡¯s even more surprising is the big wedding photo of her and Alex hanging on the living room wall.


    It was taken five years ago after the secret wedding of her and Alex. She was the one who put that wedding photo on the wall and she remembered that Alex¡¯s face was so nk while staring at the wedding photo.


    Well, who¡¯s going to be happy with how sick he looked in the picture? But surprisingly, Jenica found it still hanging in the exact location before. Didn¡¯t Alex dislike that picture?


    ¡°Guide her to her new room,¡± Alex said to the housemaid standing silently on the side.


    Jenica knew the ins and outs of that house but because she wanted to get away from the man for a while, she followed the maid. She raised her eyebrows when the maid led her to the master¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jenica asked with folded arms. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for jokes.¡±


    The maid turned to her, and sneered. ¡°Miss, Sir Alex wants me to bring you here. Don¡¯tin. A lot of women want to enter Sir Alex¡¯s room but you¡¯re the lucky one.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Jenica chuckled and asked, ¡°Just like you?¡±


    The maid¡¯s cheeks reddened at her words and Jenica sneered back. She had noticed the woman¡¯s bitter look for a while and she was annoyed. That damn husband of hers loves to attract bees.


    Jenica entered the room and frowned once again, raising a brow. The inside looked too manly for her taste although she got no problem with it. But why will she stay in his room?


    Suddenly the door opened and Alex stepped inside. A small smile was on his lips. ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± She dropped the backpack at the foot of the bed and roamed her gaze around. ¡°It looks spacious enough but I don¡¯t see any signs you¡¯ve prepared this room for me.¡±


    Alex blinked andughed a little. ¡°I¡¯ll let someone fetch women¡¯s product. Anyway, it will be your room from now on,¡± he said with a smile.


    Jenica raised her eyebrows. She knew that it was Alex¡¯s room but she didn¡¯t mind it at all since they¡¯re basically a husband and a wife. She stepped towards the wardrobe and she saw Alex¡¯s expensive clothes. There wasn¡¯t even one women¡¯s pajama.


    She looked at him disdainfully and Alex was quite flustered. ¡°I¡¯ll go take one for you,¡± he said as he left the room.


    Jenica squinted and immediately scanned the whole room. There are no hidden cameras inside. Well, that¡¯s a relief. She walked to the bathroom and took a bath.


    She was startled when someone knocked. Remembering Alex, she sighed and reached for the door, opening it a little. ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    Alex could see the water droplets dripping down the woman¡¯s body. It was covered with a towel and her face was blushing because of the hot bath. The steaming from the inside was hiding the woman¡¯s waist down her legs and it gave a kind of allure that he was trying hard to ignore.


    Alex handed her the paperbag. ¡°Here, use this.¡± Then he turned around, walking stiffly away.


    Jenica looked at what he handed to her. It was an expensive nightgown that she once wore while staying in that house five years ago. Since she got no other choice, she reluctantly wore that nightgown. As Alex said, she had grown over the years. The fabric hugged her body so tight and one could see her right curves and healthy bre*st. Jenica shook her head and stepped outside the bathroom.


    She saw Alex sitting on the bed reading a business magazine. She knew that the man was reading an article about his and Gia¡¯s engagement.


    Ah look at that hypocrite. If not for finding Gia¡¯s secret and moving close to Jared, she would not dare stay in the same room as him. She was just annoyed while remembering what her husband was doing.


    And she could not use her position as his wife because she was the one who did wrong in the first ce. This man knew how to guilt trip her! And it¡¯s frustrating that five years had passed, yet her feelings for him would always surface whenever he¡¯s around.


    ¡°What are you standing there in a daze? Come over,¡± he said. He lowered the magazine and looked at her with a meaningful smile on his lips. Jenica clenched her fist.


    ¡®Stop it, Jenica! He¡¯s the reason why you fled and lost your firstborn! Don¡¯t fall for his tricks!¡¯ she reminded herself.


    Jenica took a deep breath and stepped closer to the bed. She looked at Alex for a moment before lying down on the other side with her back to the man.


    She was surprised when someone hugged her from behind.


    ¡°Wife, I miss you,¡± Alex whispered. His hot breath was tickling her ears.


    Jenica¡¯s cheeks reddened. She knew what the man was implying.

 Sleep with me

    She closed her eyes and turned a deaf ear, even though her throat went dry at her husband¡¯s hushed voice. Jenica tried to calm her breathing but the hand resting on her waist was restless. Little by little it slid towards her wide hips.


    She opened her eyes and quickly grabbed Alex¡¯s mischievous hand. ¡°Stop it,¡± she hissed, frowning a little, when his hand almost reached her forbidden ce.


    Alex chuckled. After a while, his hand rose to her chest, scooping those bunnies like they¡¯re his favorite toys. Jenica drew a breath and quickly elbowed the man.


    She moved, sat on his stomach ¡ª looking down at him like a proud goddess ¡ª and pinned both of his hands above his head. ¡°Should I cut these naughty hands, mmm?¡± she asked, squinting a little at him.


    Alex just smiled and stared at her, feasting on Jenica¡¯s curves that were visible because of the tight nightgown she was wearing.


    ¡°Baby, you¡¯re so hot,¡± whispered Alex.


    Jenica squirmed and was about to leave on top of him when Alex quickly grabbed her waist to stop her from what she was nning.


    ¡°Grandma¡¯s birthday is on the weekend,¡± Alex suddenly said. ¡°I want you toe with me.¡±


    Jenica nced at him and raised an eyebrow. ¡°What about Gia Ante?¡± she asked, raising the corner of her lips a little. She remained sitting on his stomach, with both of her legs resting each on the man¡¯s side.


    She has nned to go to the party dedicated for thedy of the Fuegos, not as Jenica Laurel, but as one of her other identities. But Alex inviting her over, she might as well take this chance to make progress on her mission. But would Jarede?


    ¡°I¡¯ll let them know you¡¯re my wife.¡±


    Jenica stared at Alex for a few seconds before she burst outughing. ¡°You must be kidding me,¡± She said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Alex said without a smile, ¡°I want to make things right with you, Jenica.¡±


    Jenica raised her hand and ran her hand through her hair. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want the world to know who I am to you?¡±


    ¡°You have no choice.¡±


    She blinked and finally left on top of Alex. She sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. ¡°Give me time to think,¡± she said.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The next day she woke up early. It was still dark around and the air was colding into the room from the open balcony. She sat and got up.


    She threw a side nce at Alex who was still sleeping on the other side of the bed. Jenica¡¯s lips curled up a little. Both of them are not mischievous when sleeping that¡¯s why she didn¡¯t wake up in his arms.


    That¡¯s a relief. She didn¡¯t want drama first thing in the morning.


    She went into the bathroom to take a shower. But while standing under the shower, she was surprised when the door suddenly opened and Alex entered. His sleepy eyes looked at her.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± she asked gruffly.


    She stepped out of the shower, reached for the towel hanging nearby, and wrapped herself in it. She raised an eyebrow at Alex who looked all over her.


    He smiled and said, ¡°Can I eat you?¡±


    The corner of Jenica¡¯s lips rose. She chuckled. ¡°Go find your honey girl if you¡¯re hungry,¡± she said sarcastically referring to Gia Ante.


    Alex took a step closer to her and held her in his arms. He put his face on her shoulder and breathed in her scent. ¡°I missed you,¡± he whispered. ¡°Wife, can we¡­¡±


    Jenica was silent for a few minutes before she spoke again. ¡°Do you know how much I suffered being with you, Alexander?¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He hugged her tighter. ¡°I know¡­ I know. It¡¯s my fault and I regret it all.¡±


    ¡°You regret what?¡± she asked even though she knew where he was going.


    ¡°You were young and I was reckless.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jenica frowned. When she realized what he was talking about, her lips pursed forming a line. ¡°It¡¯s not about that!¡±


    Alex chuckled and stood tall, looking down at her. He tucked the strand of hair that escaped onto her face behind her ear. ¡°I was not a good husband to you. I have many shorings. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking for your forgiveness. Please, give me another chance to show how much I love you, Jenica.¡±


    She took a deep breath and stared at the man who was now kneeling in front of her. He was looking at her with those pitiful and enchanting eyes that she had been so obsessed with. Jenica felt something in her chest. She knew in herself that she still loves this man and that her heart would go soft when he¡¯s begging her like that.


    She frowned slightly. ¡°Five years ago, why did you do that?¡± she asked. ¡°You let your men chase me to the ends of the earth. Do you know how much I hated you back then after what you¡¯ve done? And you still wouldn¡¯t let me go even if I begged you to let me sort things out for a moment.¡± She sighed, disappointed with him.


    Alex took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t consider your feelings. It¡¯s my turn to beg and now I understand what you¡¯d felt. Is there anything I could do so you can forgive me, Jen?¡± he asked.


    Jenica reached her hand and messed his hair. Alex looked straight into her eyes. A moment of eye contact and she couldn¡¯t help but to look away because her heart was beating so fast. ¡°It¡¯s not the right time yet to ask for it. Our child is still missing and I will only forgive you after you find my son Sham.¡±


    Alex stared at her for a moment before he nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Jenica raised her eyebrows. ¡°Are you still doubtful of Sham¡¯s existence?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    She removed the hand that was resting on Alex¡¯s head. ¡°So until now you still can¡¯t find Sham because you don¡¯t believe what I said? And you didn¡¯t give your all to find the child, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Jenica.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Sheughed a little. ¡°It¡¯s like that! I can¡¯t believe I trusted you, Alex.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to find the child,¡± said Alex. ¡°Believe me. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t disclose the information I got from my men. They¡¯re almost there. But¡­¡± Alex stared at her seriously. ¡°Please, will you let me take a look at his picture?¡±


    It was only at that moment Jenica realized that she had not shown Sham¡¯s photo to Alex. She clenched her fist and turned away.


    She removed the robe from her body and quickly finished the shower, while Alex was just next to her, gazing intently at her, almost drooling. Well, figuratively. He didn¡¯t take his eyes off her body until she finished taking a shower. Jenica put on new clothes and stepped out of the shower room.


    She just heard Alex cursing softly behind her but she didn¡¯t pay attention to it, and she heard the shower turned on when she stepped out of the bathroom and it made her smirked.


    She sat in front of the vanity mirror after getting dressed. She was drying her hair when Alex came out of the shower room. The man was wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist, and Jenica noted that his figure looked more masculine than he were five years ago. ncing at the bed, she pointed a finger on the small picture lying on it.


    ¡°Take a good look at him,¡± she urged.


    Alex picked the picture up and stared at it for a few seconds. ¡°He got his looks from you,¡± he said.


    The corners of Jenica¡¯s lips curled up. In fact, Alex looks a lot like Sham but it was nice to hear his words so she didn¡¯t say anything and just epted his praise.


    When she stole nces at Alex, she saw subtle changes on his expression. Jenica knew then that the man already believed the existence of their son. But damn. She was a little hurt by the fact that Alex didn¡¯t trust her as much as before, that she still had to produce evidence before he would believe her words.


    Well, she knew that she doesn¡¯t need validation from others but it¡¯s undeniable that it¡¯s still nice to be validated.


    She threw that little pain at the back of her mind and sped up drying her hair. Then she left the room in hope to find something to eat in the kitchen.


    But what made her stop in her tracks was the sight of the man sitting quietly in the living room, sipping coffee like he own the house. The stranger looked up at her standing at the top of the stairs and smiled. ¡°Hello,¡± he greeted.


    And Jenica was quite taken aback so she failed to respond on time. What the heck is Jared doing inside Alex¡¯s house?

 The hospital

    She heard footstepsing down from the stairs and Jenica squinted her eyes as she crossed her arms against her chest. It seemed like her husband was a good friend with her enemy? Or maybe not?


    She just saw the security guards drag Jared out when Alex gestured them so.


    ¡°Who is that guy?¡± she asked, ncing at him and studying his expression.


    Alex stood by her side and together they looked at the thrashing man opposite the main door.


    ¡°A nuisance,¡± Alex answered with a frown while looking at her direction. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡±


    ¡°Chicken,¡± she answered.


    Alex led her to the kitchen and Jenica stole a nce at the main door, where she saw Jared standing there. The man grinned when their eyes met and Jenica smirked in response. Jared raised his eyebrows but eventually smiled back.


    She smiled in secret and followed Alex into the kitchen. But her and Jared¡¯s meeting didn¡¯t end there.


    The next day she saw the man behind the house. He was hiding in the grass and constantlyins about the ants biting his feet. Jenica raised her eyebrows. The man in front of her was so childish, and not the kind she¡¯s expecting to see in HQ¡¯s number one enemy.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked and stood in front of the poor man.


    Jared looked up at her and his lips parted. She even saw how his cheeks flushed in embarrassment that rendered her speechless. What the heck did she just see? Jared¡¯s blushing? She might as well check if this is really the man she¡¯s been looking for.


    ¡°You¡¯re Alex¡¯s wife?¡± Jared asked and stood up. He shook his head and straightened the tangled clothes, smiling widely at her.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked. She also secretly looked at him from head to toe, and she didn¡¯t find anything suspicious on Jared¡¯s face.


    He extended his hand in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m Jared Redcliffe, Alex¡¯s friend!¡± he said, so bubbly that Jenica grimaced.


    Even though she didn¡¯t trust the man, she still raised her hand to ept his offer of handshake. The man¡¯s hand was warm and his hold of her tightened. Jenica frowned and was about to withdraw her hand when someone had done it first for her.


    Alex stood beside her and swatted Jared¡¯s hand away. ¡°Keep your hands off my wife!¡± he warned.


    ¡°Dude, what the h*ll? I only introduce myself to your woman!¡± Jaredined and rubbed his injured hand.


    Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed and was about to speak when Jenica beat him to it and said, ¡°You guys talk first. I¡¯ll go inside.¡± She then stepped into the house.


    She wanted to observe Jared but she felt the device she was secretly wearing vibrate. That serves as hermunication with the assistant.


    She entered the guest room and locked herself inside the bathroom. ¡°Any news?¡± she asked on the other line.


    ¡°Agent J, there is an ongoing business a few kilometers from your location. It contains poisonous needles being transported to the capital¡¯srgest hospital institution. ording to the data from our people, those goods came from Jared¡¯s direct subordinates.¡±


    Jenica frowned. ¡°Anyone from our side?¡±


    ¡°Doctor Jonathan Megnes, head of Seattle Hospital.¡±


    ¡°Roger that.¡± Then she hung up.


    She went back to Alex in hope to say goodbye when she saw him talking seriously to Jared. Her ears perked up and all her senses became alert. Only now did she realize that Jared and Alex seemed close to each other but ording to the data she gathered from HQ, Jared has no connection with Alex Fuego.


    It might because HQ is still unaware or Jared still has hidden cards that Jenica should be cautious of?


    Alex seemed to notice her first because he turned his head to her direction. Jenica looked away and she caught Jared waving at her. Sighing, she nced back at Alex. ¡°I have errands,¡± she said.


    Alex didn¡¯t even ask or stop her from what she was nning. So she found herself inside one of her husband¡¯s less expensive cars and drove it out of the mansion. She refused when Alex offered to let the family driver serve her.


    And because she was alone, she freely took out the things she was hiding in every corner of her body. She scanned the whole car and found nothing suspicious. So she took out the earpiece to call the assistant but she hesitated whether to inform HQ about the rtionship between Jared and her husband.


    If the HQ finds out, they will definitely send spies to her location. And she won¡¯t be able to do things outside of her work. She sighed. Nevermind. She put the earpiece in her hidden pocket and drove straight to the location.


    It didn¡¯t take her long to spot suspicious-looking trucks not far away. It was in a hidden ce, at the end of an abandoned subdivision, a few kilometers from Alex¡¯s house.


    She got out of the car and watched as men put boxes inside the truck. And Jenica knew that those boxes contained those damned needles. When they drove away, she secretly followed them.


    She overtook them to avoid suspicion, but she still watched them in the rear view mirror. After a few hours of chasing after them, she found herself in front of arge factory.


    Jenica frowned. As far as she knew, this was the factory that belonged to the syndicate that took her son. Damn She never knew that she¡¯ll encounter the damned syndicate who abuses her son.


    She secretly flew the little vision bot then looked at its shot on the little hologram. But the bot couldn¡¯t enter because of thezer surrounding the entirepound. She signed and frowned. She looked at therge, closed gate in the distance.


    Jenica did not know what¡¯s inside thepound so she decided to wait for the men toe out again. They didn¡¯t disappoint her because she didn¡¯t wait long before the gate opened again and it spat out the big truck that she had been following for a few hours.


    She quickly gone back inside the car and followed the truck to the location given by her assistant. It was right because she saw herself standing in front of thergest hospital in the country.


    Jenica went straight to the office of Dr. Megnes and saw his big smile when she entered and saw him. ¡°Wee to my office, Agent. How may I help you?¡± asked the doctor.


    She sat in the visitor¡¯sir and smiled back. It seems that her assistant has already informed that she will visit him.


    ¡°Help me find the one who bought poisonous needles from Jared,¡± she said.


    The smile disappeared from the doctor¡¯s lips and wordlessly took out a token. There was engraved ¡®Seattle Hospital¡¯ and Jenica knew that the doctor trusted her.


    ¡°This is my token. Use this and help me find out the weeds in my hospital,¡± said the doctor with a serious and calm gaze directed to her.


    Jenica epted the token and left the office. Holding the token, she walked through the hospital¡¯s hallway and headed straight for the warehouse where the small device she nted on the boxes has been lying.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± someone suddenly shrieked.


    Jenica stopped in her tracks and looked back at the woman standing stiffly behind her. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Gia Ante.


    ¡°Answer my question!¡± Gia huffed when Jenica failed to say a single word.

 Busted

    ¡°Am I obligated to answer your question?¡± Jenica asked.


    Gia¡¯s face tensed, ready to raise her hand to p Jenica, but Jenica stepped back, avoiding her, and walked away. She heard Gia¡¯s muffled shout behind her but paid no attention. She didn¡¯t understand why they always seemed to cross paths. It¡¯s like they were destined to argue in public ces. Gia should be grateful that Jenica didn¡¯t have time to engage in a fight because she never backs down from a confrontation.


    But she¡¯ll admit, there¡¯s something off about Gia¡¯s presence that she needs to figure out soon.


    Soon enough, she reached the back of the hospital. It was a wide vacant lot with nobody around, but Jenica knew better. The ce was filled with discarded medical equipment, and knee-high wild grasses grew around them. Not far away was an abandoned subdivision rumored to be inhabited by unsavory characters.


    Jenica didn¡¯t believe in rumors or ghosts because she had seen dead bodies many times, yet none had visited her in her dreams. Besides, in her line of work, there¡¯s no room for cowards or the faint-hearted.


    She stood outside the faded and rusty gate, looking at the tracker in her hand. ording to it, the boxes of poisonous needles were in the middle of the abandoned subdivision. She smirked.


    It seemed like the rumors about activity in that ce were just a ruse. ¡°What a smart brain,¡± she thought before stepping through the rusty gate.


    It was almost four in the afternoon, so the sunlight was low, casting shadows on the trees inside and outside the subdivision. The gates of each house were rusty, some even missing doors with broken windowpanes.


    Jenica swept her gaze around and noticed marks on the street. The marks of trucks were familiar to her, and she was sure they were the trucks she had been tracking. So she quietly followed the traces and ended up at the old park inside the subdivision.


    She quickly hid behind arge trash bin when she heard a car approaching. Her eyes squinted as she saw a familiar car. Wasn¡¯t that Jared¡¯s car parked outside his house? She knew it. This was the right location for the transaction between Jared and his associates inside the hospital. And she also realized that the syndicate sheltering Sham¡¯s twin brother was involved with Jared.


    All the answers she was looking for seemed to be with Jared alone. She sighed. HQ didn¡¯t know the location where Jared¡¯s group operated in the capital yet. Maybe the spies and other agents failed to find this ce. But why was it so easy for her to find it?


    Jenica frowned. There¡¯s something wrong!


    ¡°Wife, what are you doing here?¡± someone suddenly asked behind her.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly turned around, raising the gun she held. She came face to face with her husband, Alexander Fuego.


    Jenica caught her breath and widened her eyes. What is he doing here?!


    ¡°What a surprise. Agent J is in the house!¡± Jared suddenly said as he approached. He even pped and grinned, shifting his gaze between her and Alex. ¡°Dude, your wife¡¯s too brave and strong. Who knew out of all the HQ agents, she¡¯d be the one to find my hideout? Well, she¡¯s lucky to have you; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have shown myself to her,¡± Jared added.


    Jenica clenched her jaw and aimed the gun at Jared. ¡°You¡¯vemitted a number of crimes, Mr. Redcliffe. You are ¨C¡± She didn¡¯t finish her words when Alex hit her from behind, causing her to lose her bnce.


    Alex quickly caught her. Jenica raised her head weakly, looking at her husband with a confused expression. She didn¡¯t say anything more before darkness engulfed her vision.


    She woke up in a familiar room. It was the master¡¯s bedroom where shest slept five years ago in Alex¡¯s house. Recalling what happened before she lost consciousness, Jenica frowned and jumped out of bed.


    But her frown deepened when she realized she was wearing see-through pajamas. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, Alex changed her clothes to prevent her from leaving the house easily when she woke up. She knew his fetish well. Jenica clenched her fist.


    The door suddenly opened, and Alex walked in carrying a tray of sandwiches and juice. ¡°It¡¯ste. Just have a light dinner,¡± he said.


    When she looked out the balcony door, she saw the sparkling city lights. She turned her gaze back to Alex, who was setting the tray on the center table.


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± she asked.


    Alex nced at her. ¡°You¡¯re my wife.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±


    ¡°As am I,¡± he said, then stood up straight. ¡°I don¡¯t care about what you do for a living, Jenica. But you¡¯re my wife, and no one¡¯s going to change that.¡±


    Jenica stared at Alex for a few seconds. ¡°Tell me how you¡¯re connected to Jared and why you did that earlier,¡± she asked, referring to him hitting her unconscious in front of Jared.


    In fact, she wanted to scratch Alex¡¯s face for what he did, but she held herself back. She didn¡¯t want to cause a scene without knowing his reasons.


    She had learned the hard way five years ago, and the challenges she faced as an agent made her patient. Besides, with Alex iming he had reasons for being with Gia and the revtion that her abandoned son survived and grew up in a harsh environment, Jenica decided to wait for Alex to exin himself before making any decisions.


    ¡°Some stuff, but we¡¯re not rted other than business,¡± Alex said, looking at her, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have gone near that ce, Jenica. You exposed yourself too quickly.¡±


    ¡°Because you were there to catch me!¡± she retorted.


    Alex shook his head. ¡°Jared already knew who you are, and I was just protecting you earlier. I¡¯m sorry for hitting you.¡± He nced over her shoulder and asked, ¡°How¡¯s your head?¡±


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You have the nerve to ask me that?¡± She scoffed. ¡°Should I hit you and ask if you¡¯re okay?¡±


    Alex scratched the back of his head and urged her to eat something. As he was about to speak, an inte buzzed. Someone was looking for Alex downstairs.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It must be Jared,¡± he said, looking out at the balcony. ¡°You go first. I¡¯ll eat what you brought here.¡±


    Alone in the room, Jenica quickly retrieved the earpiece hidden in her bra and called her assistant.


    ¡°Any news about Ante Enterprise and Fuego Empire?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Still no news from our people, but Fuego Empire has sent invitations for the matriarch¡¯s annual birthday celebration. Important figures will attend, and HQ wants you there too. Our people will be on standby so you can utilize them as you see fit.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the catch this time?¡± she asked, reaching for the ss of milk. She raised an eyebrow. That guy prepared milk for her? Seriously?


    Nheless, she took a sip.


    ¡°HQ wants you to catch Alexander Fuego¡¯s attention and pose as his wife.¡±


    Jenica almost choked on her milk. She coughed, put the cup down, and took a deep breath.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll be Seductress J?¡± she sarcastically asked.


    ¡°Our team is struggling to infiltrate Fuego Enterprise, so the head agent assigned this task to you, Agent J.¡±


    Jenica chuckled. What an unusual request! It was the first time she had been tasked with seduction by HQ.


    ¡°Fine. But what about Jared and Fuego Empire¡¯s rtionship?¡±


    ¡°ording to our data, there¡¯s no rtionship between these two entities.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. She wanted to share what she had learned, but something inside her told her not to reveal the rtionship between Jared and Alex. ¡°That¡¯s all for now,¡± she said before ending the call.


    She continued sipping her milk, gazing into the distance from the balcony. She didn¡¯t wait long for Alex to return, his face serious.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked, cing the empty ss on the table.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± He looked her over. ¡°You finished your food,¡± hemented.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She rolled her eyes at him. But Alex just smiled and sat next to her.


    ¡°Come with me tomorrow. We¡¯ll shop for grandma¡¯s birthday.¡±


    Jenica raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you already bought a gift? Wasn¡¯t Gia with you shopping for grandma¡¯s birthday?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you clothes,¡± Alex said bluntly.


    ¡°And are you sure I¡¯ll attend the party with you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to look pitiful that evening.¡±


    Jenica sighed. ¡°You know I don¡¯t ¨C¡±


    She didn¡¯t finish her sentence as Alex¡¯s lips met hers. Jenica¡¯s eyes widened, and she was about to push him away when Alex¡¯s hand reached for the back of her head, deepening their kiss.


    ¡°I missed you,¡± Alex whispered between kisses. And he didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak as he continued their interrupted kiss.

 One night mistake

    It was a one-night mistake. Jenica woke up in Alex¡¯s bed, unsure of what to think as she gazed at her husband¡¯s sleeping face. For all those years living with the ¡®dying¡¯ him, Jenica was well cared for. Actually, Alex treated her well, except in situations involving his family.


    Jenica knew his family was a bunch of greedy dogs, always after their master¡¯s crumbs, which was why Alex had to marry her to secure his wealth from those dogs. So, in the years she stayed with him, her husband never really mistreated her.


    There were times, especially when the matriarch visited the mansion, that Alex would lock her in their bedroom to hide her from the Fuegos. Except for that foolish Robert who caught her once, none of the Fuegos knew Alex was married.


    The matriarch was worried Alex would die without leaving an heir, so she yed cupid several times, pairing Alex with women rted to her business partners. Jenica was young back then, and it was easy for her to get jealous, especially since her husband almost ended up in other women¡¯s beds several times.


    So she harbored hatred for that old woman living peacefully in the Fuego mansion. The night she fled from Alex¡¯s house was the night of her husband¡¯sst treatment. Earlier that evening, the matriarch sent a woman to Alex¡¯s house under the guise of ¡®gentle support,¡¯ but it was a trap to lure Alex under another woman¡¯s skirt.


    Except it was Jenica who saw the naked woman lying on their matrimonial bed. Thinking back, Jenica squinted her eyes. She didn¡¯t see the woman¡¯s face clearly because she was consumed by anger and jealousy. When she saw the naked woman in their bed, she immediately charged at her.


    But before she could reach the woman, two bodyguards suddenly appeared and dragged her out of the room. She received several kicks and punches, and if she hadn¡¯t protected her stomach, she would have miscarried that night.


    The woman might have thought Jenica was just a lowly maid in Alex¡¯s house, so after beating her up, the bodyguards left without a trace.


    Only now did Jenica realize that the woman she saw that night resembled Gia Ante. She thought the bodyguards were sent by the Fuego matriarch, but considering the mysterious Ante Enterprise behind that hateful woman, things seemed moreplicated.


    This might be why her husband still hung out with that Ante-to investigate what happened five years ago.


    Jenica sneered.


    But even after finding the truth, so what? It¡¯s been years, and she could never forget the things she experienced at the hands of those bodyguards.


    So she nned to attend the old woman¡¯s birthday party to give her a special surprise.


    And Alex wouldn¡¯t expect it at all.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked, crossing her arms. She saw Jared loungingfortably in the living room. It seemed like he was treating himself as the master of the house, and Jenica wasn¡¯t happy about it. If not for the fact that she still needed this jerk to find her other son, she would not hesitate to send this hateful man six feet below the ground. The HQ has been pressing on her to lure  Jared out but never would in their wildest dream that she, Agent J, has uncovered where Jared is staying in the country. It¡¯s just that she had no intention of revealing this jerk¡¯s whereabouts until she secured her two sons.


    ¡°Ayo, Agent J, aren¡¯t you happy to see me? The HQ¡¯s been working hard to find me.¡± Jared smirked. ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, why won¡¯t you let me see your satisfied smile, huh?¡±


    Jenica squinted her eyes. With Jared¡¯s posture, she knew he wasn¡¯t taking her seriously, which made her raise a brow. What¡¯s with that stupid smile?


    She didn¡¯t let her guard down.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she repeated, her voice cold.


    Jared stared at her and eventuallyughed out loud. In an instant, he was standing in front of her. A sudden movement from the left made Jenica move back immediately. Her gaze sharpened as she watched Jared slowly lower his hand, which he had intended to hit her with. Of all the agents in the HQ, only a few could make her step back. It was her first time facing Jared, and she was careful not to let herself be at the mercy of this man, or else her reputation as the number one agent would surely crumble.


    She red at him, but Jared just grinned from ear to ear. ¡°As expected of you, Agent J. No one has surpassed your fast reflexes, not even my apprentice!¡± Jared said.


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she attacked quickly. But no matter how fast she moved, he dodged every blow. She stopped chasing him and stood ten meters away from the bastard. Luckily, Alex¡¯s living room was spacious. It wasn¡¯t difficult to move, but broken ss and the overturned sofa Jared had been sitting on earlier had littered the floor.


    The servants were gone, and Jenica saw some bodyguards waiting at the side, ready for orders from Alex, who was still sleeping in their bedroom.


    ¡°Say, Agent J, it¡¯s embarrassing to let everyone watch us fight. Why don¡¯t we fight somewhere ¡ª¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Before Jared could finish speaking, the chandelier hanging from the ceiling suddenly crashed down. Jenica quickly retreated, and Jared and the bodyguards dodged nimbly as well.


    The chandelier shattered, and shards flew in her direction. She kicked a small table in front of her, which took the brunt of the flying shards. The table fell to the floor along with the chandelier¡¯s pieces.


    She looked in Jared¡¯s direction and saw him standing behind the staircase. He nced at her and even dared to smile broadly. ¡°You¡¯ve woken the demon up,¡± he said and whistled yfully. ¡°As much as I want to continue sparing with you, Agent J, that man would beat the hell out of me if Iy a finger on you,¡± he added while a loose smile was hanging on his lips.


    Jenica frowned and looked up the stairs. There stood Alex, frowning and ring at Jared.

 Someone from the past

    It wasn¡¯t the first time Jenica had seen Alex and Jared talking. But it was only now she realized that in Alex¡¯s presence, Jared¡¯s bravado faded. It looked like Alex had the upper hand against the HQ¡¯s number one enemy. Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    After their conversation, Jared approached her with a smile. ¡°It must be fate that we came to know each other ¨C¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not done yet,¡± she interrupted. ¡°We still have business to settle.¡±


    Jared thought for a moment, then grinned widely. ¡°Is it about those poisonous needles?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that,¡± she said, and in an instant, punched Jared in the face.


    ¡°Oww!¡± he yelped, clutching his bruised face and ring at her. ¡°Do you still want to fight?!¡± he shouted angrily. ¡°Alex and I agreed that my forces would stop fighting you. Or do you think my temper will let you trample my face?¡± he added.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Jenica¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°You owe me a child.¡±


    Jared was dumbfounded. ¡°What?¡±


    Even Alex¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What child are you talking about, Jenica?¡± he asked, irritation evident in his tone.


    She realized she had used the wrong words.


    She cleared her throat. ¡°The capital¡¯s number one syndicate. I want to retrieve a child under them.¡±


    Jared was silent for a few minutes before crossing his arms and smiling. ¡°Tell me the child¡¯s name.¡±


    She took a picture from her pocket and handed it to Jared. ¡°That child. Give me that child, or I won¡¯t let you go,¡± she said.


    Jared raised an eyebrow as he stared at the picture. ¡°The child¡¯s face resembles someone,¡± hemented.


    Jenica looked away. Of course, the child¡¯s look-alike was standing right next to her. And she knew Jared was teasing Alex at that moment.


    It was a picture of Shamrock smiling at the camera. Even though the child looked dirty and ragged, the resemnce to Sham was unmistakable. And Jenica knew that under Jared¡¯s keen eyes, he would recognize Sham¡¯s twin at a nce.


    ¡°And what do I get in return?¡± Jared asked with a grin, pocketing the picture and crossing his arms.


    Jenica was silent for a few minutes before raising an eyebrow. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± he trailed off. He nced at Alex briefly before looking back at her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you escort me to tomorrow¡¯s birthday banquet?¡±


    Only then did Jenica remember the birthday celebration for the Fuego matriarch at the ancestral house in the capital. She looked at Alex. ¡°But someone was faster than you,¡± she told Jared before turning back to him. ¡°Even though you¡¯ll help me find that child, it doesn¡¯t mean you and I are friends. You are still the HQ¡¯s number one enemy.¡±


    Jared clicked his tongue. ¡°You said it yourself. My enemy is the HQ, while you are Alex¡¯s woman. Agent J, you need to learn to separate work from personal life. Only then will you find true peace,¡± he said.


    She was about to respond when Alex stepped in front of her and pulled her toward the kitchen. ¡°Get out of my house,¡± he told Jared without stopping or looking back.


    Jenica heard Jared¡¯s faintughter behind her.


    The next day, Jenica prepared for the birthday celebration. She wore a dress that Alex had chosen for her.


    It was an aqua blue dress withce sleeves and cor. At first sight, she liked it. Simple and elegant. Even after all these years, Alex still knew her fashion preferences, and she didn¡¯t know how to feel about that.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful,¡± he said after she descended the stairs and stood before him.


    She responded with a small smile and took Alex¡¯s arm, leaving the house. The driver greeted them and opened the car door.


    After the long drive, Jenica once again faced the imposing Fuego mansion, the secondrgest mansion in the capital after the president¡¯s pce.


    The same imposing aura surrounded the huge mansion. The difference this time was she was entering through the front door. It had been over five years since she first entered the house as a humble ¡®helper¡¯ who gathered medical herbs for Alex¡¯s treatment when she was still living in Alex¡¯s house.


    ¡°Young Master,¡± the bodyguard standing outside the main door greeted.


    Even though Alex was a full-grown man in histe twenties, the people in the Fuego mansion still called him Young Master out of respect for the current Fuego matriarch. The hierarchy of power was distributed from the older generation, and unless all members of the older generation were buried six feet deep, it was improper for the seeding generation to be called ¡®Master¡¯ or ¡®Mistress.¡¯ Still, the power to control the Fuego Empire was in the hands of the current n leader, Alexander Fuego.


    And Alex didn¡¯t mind because a title to him was just a word. What mattered more was the power he held now. To be able to mobilize all the forces of the Fuego Empire throughout the country was a formidable strength that only a few ns could contend with. An example was the Guam Business Empire, which was on equal footing with the Fuego Empire in terms of assets and influence.


    It was said that of all the ns headquartered in the capital, only the entric Guam n could contend with the Fuegos.


    While the Fuego Empire¡¯s influence extended throughout the country, the Guam Business Empire extended its influence to other countries. And while the Fuego enjoyed the resounding fame as the number one family in the capital, Guam was a hidden dragon, away from the spotlight.


    The masses might not know how formidable the Guam Business Empire was, but the elite circle in the capital knew the power of these two powerful ns.


    The reason these two ns didn¡¯t devour each other was because their spheres of influence were different. The Fuego Empire held almost half of the country¡¯s economy, while the Guam Business Empire shook the economies of neighboring countries. And up until now, no one dared to measure the wealth umted by the Guams.


    Even so, the Fuego and the entire elite circle acknowledged the power of the Guam family, which was why the current head of the Guam Business Empire was invited to the birthday celebration.


    If Jenica knew that someone from her past was attending the party, she would not have hesitated to decline Alex¡¯s request to bring her along. But s, it was toote.


    A man in his 50s slowly walked towards the unsuspecting couple. With a gentle smile on his face, neither humble nor arrogant, he greeted Alex. ¡°It¡¯s great to see you in person, Mr. Alexander Fuego. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±

 Scandal reveal

    When Jenica saw the man, she froze. Was she seeing things? Why was she seeing her Uncle Marc? Jenica¡¯s face went pale.


    Over 40 years ago, the old man from the Guam n adopted a boy who had lost his parents in a massive fire that imed more than a thousand lives. The boy bore a striking resemnce to the old man, which prompted him to adopt the child. ording to DNA results, the boy was the old man¡¯s illegitimate grandson, which caused the entire Guam n to scorn him.


    The old matriarch of the Guam family disliked the boy and made his life difficult. For years, he endured it all until an ident urred in the Guam family. A big fire engulfed a huge mansion one night, killing all the members of the Guam family except for the only survivors, Marc Cenizo, the adopted grandson, and Jenica¡¯s father.


    From that day, the Guam family retreated from the spotlight, and over the years, the masses slowly forgot the powerful family that once shook the entire capital with their influence. Only prominent families like the Fuegos still held great respect for the hidden n and invited the current head of the Guam family ¡ª Jenica¡¯s uncle.


    ¡°Mr. Guam, it¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Alex greeted and shook hands with her Uncle Marc.


    Jenica swallowed and looked down. It had been more than 19 years since shest saw her uncle and spoke to him in person as Jenica Laurel. During the past months, she had only crashed a wedding as Agent J. Tonight was different. She was here because of Alex, and her current identity was Jenica Laurel, her true name.


    She remembered theirst phone call 15 years ago when her uncle contacted her after her parents¡¯ death in an ident. He wanted her to return to the Guam family and inherit the Guam Business Empire, but Jenica refused. She wasn¡¯t ready at that time to take over a multimillion-dorpany that her Uncle Marc had managed for years. In the end, her Uncle Marc became the acting president until she was ready to return as the sole heir of the Guams.


    In the entire Guam family, only she and her Uncle Marc remained alive.


    The old man looked at her. A glint shed in his eyes as he smiled and held out a hand to her. ¡°You must be Jenica Laurel, Alex¡¯s date for tonight?¡±


    Jenica raised an eyebrow and epted the handshake. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Sir,¡± she said with a small smile. But she wondered why the old man didn¡¯t seem surprised to see her at the birthday celebration of the Fuego matriarch.


    ¡°Mr. Guam, I¡¯ve been looking for you,¡± said an elderly woman approaching them, followed by a woman in her mid-20s. The old woman turned to Alex with an even broader smile. ¡°Grandson, you¡¯re here. Why didn¡¯t Jubel announce your arrival?¡± she asked, her tone slightly annoyed.


    Alex smiled and greeted her with a kiss on the hand. ¡°Grandma, happy birthday.¡± After his greeting, he introduced Jenica to the old woman.


    The old woman smiled at Jenica and introduced her to Uncle Marc. Jenica offered a polite smile and felt relieved when the old woman invited Uncle Marc to mingle with the heads of other families.


    ¡°He seems to know you?¡± Alex said, standing next to her. A worried look shed across Jenica¡¯s face before vanishing. But it didn¡¯t escape Alex¡¯s sharp eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She sighed. ¡°But how did he know I¡¯m your escort tonight?¡± she asked.


    Alex¡¯s lips twitched, and after a moment, he took a deep breath. ¡°Everyone in the hall has been notified of your presence as my date tonight.¡±


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You nned all of this?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± A broad smile spread across Alex¡¯s face. ¡°So no one will dare toy a finger on you,¡± he said, casting a sharp look at his rtives who were ring at Jenica.


    She followed his gaze and was surprised to see familiar faces ring at her. Her brow raised, and the corner of her lips curled up. Ah, what a sight. Some of Alex¡¯s cousins couldn¡¯t hold back and approached them.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s here!¡± said a woman with sses, an evil smile hanging on her lips as she looked Jenica up and down. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the wretched woman who snatched our cousin from Gia Ante?¡±


    A sudden silence enveloped the room. All eyes were on Jenica. A glint shed in her eyes as she eyed Alex¡¯s cousin standing in front of her.


    ¡°You must be Ang Fuego,¡± she said, smiling broadly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. Thest time I checked, the old matriarch dumped you in the South because of your one-night-stand incident with Dante Ante.¡±


    Gasps echoed through the crowd, and Jenica¡¯s smile bloomed even more. Ang¡¯s face drained of color as she looked around the room. In the section where the Ante family stood, Dante Ante¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared at Ang.


    The woman gulped hard. ¡°I-I hate you!¡± she screamed at Jenica before rushing out of the hall.


    Whispers filled the room, and all eyes were now on Dante Ante.


    ¡°I see! So the woman that Dante Ante bedded that night was Ang Fuego!¡± eximed a guest.


    ¡°The Fuegos must have spent a lot to bribe the media and witnesses. Even though we knew Dante Ante was involved in a scandal, no one revealed who the woman was with him.¡± A curious woman nodded. ¡°It¡¯s really a scandal between big families, and we can¡¯t meddle.¡±


    ¡°Alex, I allowed you to bring another woman other than your fiancee, but what¡¯s the matter with her?¡± the old matriarch asked angrily.


    Alex¡¯s jaw clenched as he held Jenica¡¯s hand. ¡°Grandma, she¡¯s my wife.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The whispers in the hall grew louder.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Alexander Fuego engaged to Miss Gia Ante? But he has a wife already?¡±


    ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t stick your nose into these big n affairs,¡± scolded the person next to them.


    ¡°Alexander Fuego! Come with me!¡± the old matriarch shouted angrily, heading to a secret door.


    Alex followed with clenched teeth, and Jenica trailed behind him. She didn¡¯t want to follow, but Alex held her hand, and many eyes were on them.


    As she scanned the hall, she caught Dante Ante staring at her. As expected, his gaze was sharp. She smirked at him, and his re grew even more intense.


    She was about to look away when she caught her Uncle Marc watching her. His brows were furrowed, and he held a wine ss with a small amount of red wine.


    Jenica quickly looked away and exhaled. She knew her Uncle Marc wanted to talk to her, but this wasn¡¯t the right time.


    They entered the secret door together. It closed behind them, and she saw the old Fuego matriarch in front of them. Her piercing gaze rested on Jenica¡¯s face. A momentter, she gasped. ¡°You!¡± the old woman suddenly shouted, pointing at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who instigated Alex in causing a scene during the engagement party?¡±


    A worried look shed across Jenica¡¯s face. The old woman¡¯s face was red with anger, clearly affected by what Alex had said earlier.


    ¡°Madam, please be at ease. I mean no harm,¡± Jenica said gently.


    She saw the woman who had followed the old matriarch handing her a ss of water. Jenica guessed she was a nurse.


    ¡°No harm?¡± the old woman asked after drinking the water. The nurse helped her sit in a one-seater chair in front of them. ¡°This is the second time Alex has trampled on my face for your sake! Tell me, youngdy, what do you want?¡± the old woman asked harshly.


    ¡°Grandma,¡± Alex called softly.


    ¡°You shut up!¡± the old woman snapped, turning her gaze back to Jenica. ¡°Alex is engaged to the heiress of the Ante family. I allowed him to bring another woman to the party because he begged. Now, you¡¯ve put mud all over my face! How will youpensate this old woman?¡± she demanded angrily.


    Jenica sighed. ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you talk to your grandson? He¡¯s the one who caused you trouble.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Alex¡¯s lips twitched, and the old woman¡¯s face soured as she looked at her grandson. The old woman huffed. ¡°What you said earlier¡­ is it true?¡± she asked Alex.


    Jenica couldn¡¯t help but fake a smile. The old woman would talk to Alex amicably, but when it came to her, it was as if she¡¯d eaten fireworks.

 Maybe it鈥檚 time to go back

    Alex smiled and said, ¡°Yes, grandma.¡±


    The old woman¡¯s eyes widened as she looked back and forth between Jenica and Alex. Disbelief was clearly written on her face. She remained silent for a few minutes before letting out a sigh.


    ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s really the case, what else can I do?¡± The old woman looked earnestly at Alex. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like that Ante girl, and I won¡¯t make things hard for you and your wife, but you need to clean up the mess you made, understood?¡±


    Alex nodded and thanked her.


    The old matriarch then turned her hawk-like gaze on Jenica, scrutinizing her from head to toe. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like a country bumpkin to me, so I suppose you have someone backing you up, youngdy. From what n are you? Alex didn¡¯t tell me anything about your origin, so I expect honest words from you,¡± she said.


    The corners of Jenica¡¯s lips twitched. It seemed the old woman was in a foul mood because her words were harsh.


    Jenica opened her mouth to speak, but the old woman raised her hand and red at Alex. ¡°Why are you still here? Go on and fix the mess you made!¡± she shouted.


    Alex had no choice but to excuse himself and leave through a secret door. Jenica, the old matriarch, and the nurse beside her remained in the room.


    The old woman cleared her throat and looked at the nurse. ¡°Lade, you may go outside.¡±


    ¡°But Madam¨C¡±


    ¡°Do you want to disobey my words?¡± the old woman asked sternly.


    Lade, the nurse, shook her head and quietly left the room. Jenica secretly observed the old woman. ording to the data, she was almost 90 years old, but due to the top-notch elixirs she consumed, her face was well-preserved. The old matriarch before her looked like she was only 60 and still sharp-minded. The Fuego family had certainly ensured the old matriarch lived a long life.


    As the old woman studied Jenica, Jenica also studied her. After a while, the old woman¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You are Jenica Laurel, right?¡± Jenica nodded. The old woman frowned even more. ¡°You have been living with my grandson for many years, but you suddenly went missing five years ago, and now you¡¯re back in his life. Tell me, what evil ns do you have against my grandson, and I¡¯ll pay you enough money to stop whatever you¡¯re nning.¡±


    Jenica raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, madam.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t understand?¡± The old woman sneered. ¡°Youngdy, do you think I¡¯ve been blind all these years? The moment Alex offered you a marriage of convenience, it was I who instigated him to find someone!¡±


    Jenica¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She thought that no one aside from Alex¡¯s close aide knew she was the hidden wife of the Fuego Empire¡¯s CEO, and Alex had told her that no other family member knew of their arrangement except Robert Fuego.


    But the old woman had known for years?


    ¡°What? Do you think I don¡¯t know about your ambiguous rtionship with Shimen Takura, the heir of Takura Shipping Lines?¡± The old woman¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You were seen with a child and him outside! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re nning, youngdy, but this old woman won¡¯t let you continue your deceitful act! Tell me, how did you convince my grandson that you had a child with him?¡±


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. No wonder Alex didn¡¯t immediately believe her when she confessed about Shamrock; it was because of the old matriarch of the Fuego family. She was sure the old woman had shown Alex the picture of her with Sham and Shimen when she visited the subdivision but wasn¡¯t allowed in by the guard. That was also the day she returned to the country, and since she had no ce to stay, she called Shimen to pick her and Sham up outside the subdivision.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not convinced, I can provide a DNA test of my son and your grandson. This should be enough to make you believe?¡± Jenica asked, raising an eyebrow.


    The old woman narrowed her eyes while looking at her. After a while, she exhaled. ¡°Yes, you should!¡±


    After a few minutes, the old woman allowed her to return to the party. However, Jenica was no longer in the mood to stay. She nned to say goodbye to Alex but was approached first by her Uncle Marc.


    ¡°Jenica,¡± he called.


    She stopped walking and turned to look at the man who called her name. It had been months since she first saw her Uncle Marc after 15 long years of no contact with her paternal family. He hadn¡¯t changed a bit.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡± her Uncle Marc asked. She stared at him for a few seconds before nodding. He led her outside the hall. ¡°How are you?¡± was his first question to her.


    After some perfunctory greetings and answers, her Uncle Marc suddenly asked, ¡°I heard Mr. Fuego introduced you as his wife. Is that true?¡±


    Jenica was speechless for a few seconds. Then she spoke, ¡°Just a jest from that crazy man.¡±


    Although Alex had said that he wanted to introduce her as his wife, thinking back to the guests¡¯ incredulous faces, Jenica might wee unnecessary attempts in her life, so she nned to hide it for the meantime.


    Uncle Marc heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good. Although I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re with that Fuego brat, standing beside him will only cost your life. Don¡¯t let yourself take the same path as your parents, Jenica.¡±


    Jenica clenched her fists at her Uncle Marc¡¯s reminder. It¡¯s been years, but she still couldn¡¯t track the organization that killed her parents. She had used her connections at HQ, but there was no data on the organization that killed her parents. It was as if they disappeared into thin air after the incident.


    ¡°I know,¡± she whispered.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Silence enveloped the two of them. After a while, her Uncle Marc suddenly spoke, ¡°It¡¯s already been 15 years,ss. Maybe it¡¯s time for you toe back.¡±


    She looked at her Uncle Marc. There was a small smile on his lips. She lowered her gaze and looked at the bright city lights not far away.


    Built at the center of power, the Fuego Mansion became a symbol of powerful ns in the capital. Her gaze traveled to the mountains a few kilometers away from the center. She could see the faint bluish figure of the mountain far away. Jenica knew that behind therge and towering mountain was the headquarters of the dormant Guam Business Empire.


    ¡°Let me think about it,¡± she said, then bid farewell to her Uncle Marc.


    She returned to the party and looked for Alex. But it seemed like all eyes were on her.


    ¡°Look at that shameless woman. The nerve to show up here. I feel sorry for Miss Gia Ante.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I don¡¯t know what she did to Mr. Fuego to make him introduce her as his wife. But the old matriarch said that Mr. Fuego is not married.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so delusional.¡±


    ¡°I agree. If I were her, I¡¯d go home out of shame. But she has no shame.¡±


    Jenica could feel the disgust, contempt, and ridicule in the guests¡¯ gazes. It seemed the old matriarch had spoken and denounced Alex¡¯s im that she was his wife. So all his efforts to elevate her status had been thrown out just like that.


    She roamed her gaze around to look for Alex, but she saw someone else. A few meters away from her, she noticed a familiar figure. And when the man looked her way, she realized it was Jared. He even gave her a wide smile when he noticed she was looking at him. Jenica frowned and looked away.


    Jared was in disguise. If it weren¡¯t for seeing him frequently in the past few days, she wouldn¡¯t have recognized him. But that kind of smirk and mirth in his eyes were unmistakable. And when she saw the teasing in his gaze when they locked eyes, she was sure it was Jared. What a jerk.

 Into the woods

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you too calm for someone whose reputation went downhill in one night?¡± Jared asked as he approached her.


    She nced at him, smirked, and twirled the wine ss she was holding. ¡°So, you¡¯re able to walk around with HQ¡¯s men, huh?¡± she asked, looking at the spies and agents mingling secretly with the guests.


    After all, it was a big party of the elites, and HQ wouldn¡¯t miss the chance to connect with the country¡¯s influential families. What made her frown was the fact that her colleagues didn¡¯t realize Jared was around. He really managed to fool a lot of agents from HQ.


    ¡°I told you,¡± Jared said with a broad smile. ¡°No one will be able to find me unless I let them.¡±


    She rolled her eyes at him and looked around again. She saw Alex talking to someone not far away. She approached him and stood by his side. When Alex noticed her, he excused himself from the conversation. Before stepping away, Alex¡¯s conversation partner nced at her briefly with a look of disgust, but she ignored the visitor.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Alex asked, guiding her out of the hall. Some guests nced at them, and Alex just smiled back.


    ¡°Somewhere,¡± she replied, secretly ncing at the old Matriarch who was ring at her. ¡°I guess it¡¯s not the right time to let the cat out of the bag, huh?¡± she said in a low voice.


    Alex¡¯s expression darkened. Because his grandmother refuted his words, everyone in the hall was filled with doubts. That¡¯s why people had been staring at them. Jenica didn¡¯t want to stay in that ce any longer. Alex excused himself from the old Matriarch as they passed by her. She could feel the hot gaze on the back of her head as they walked toward the main door of the hall. But she didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°The night¡¯s still young. Where do you want to go?¡± Alex asked, opening the passenger door for her.


    She got into the car while Alex walked around to the front. He opened the driver¡¯s door and got in as well. He drove the car out of the Fuego property.


    ¡°I¡¯m not full yet. Let¡¯s eat somewhere,¡± she said, looking out the window.


    Silence prevailed between them. But it was broken when Jenica noticed something in the rearview mirror.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s following us,¡± she said, sitting up straight.


    Alex also looked in the rearview mirror and noticed the red car trailing them. The windows were heavily tinted, so he couldn¡¯t see the driver. Alex frowned and turned the steering wheel. Their car turned onto a private road owned by the Fuegos.


    That road was built solely for the Fuegos, and no private vehicles of others were allowed. But as expected, the car followed them.


    Alex frowned. He elerated onto the long and straight road, and the trailing car sped up as well.


    Soon they reached the end of the road and entered the private property of the Guams. A glint shed in Jenica¡¯s eyes. She never knew there was a shortcut to the Guams¡¯ territory. She only knew that the Guams kept their operations hidden, and if she hadn¡¯t seen the hidden symbol of the Guam Business Empire on the signage outside, she wouldn¡¯t have known it was their property.


    Alex cursed softly and quickly turned the steering wheel. If she was faint-hearted, she would have fainted from nerves due to the speed of the car. The current speed broke the minimum value allowed by nationalw when driving on public roads. But since they were on private property, no one would stop them.


    ¡°Can you jump safely?¡± Alex suddenly asked.


    Jenica turned her head to his side. ¡°Outside this running car? Maybe. Why do you ask?¡± she inquired.


    The calmness in Jenica¡¯s voice made Alex nce at her for a second before returning his attention to the road ahead. ¡°Jump when I tell you and run away. Never look back.¡±


    If it was five years ago, Alex wasn¡¯t certain that Jenica could jump safely outside a running car. But now that she had her hidden identities, Alex was confident Jenica could survive what he was asking of her.


    Jenica narrowed her eyes as she removed the seatbelt. ¡°How about you?¡±


    Alex just smiled. ¡°They¡¯ll die at my hands.¡±


    The confidence in Alex¡¯s voice made Jenica nod. ¡°Let¡¯s meet again at your house.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Alex replied with a smile.


    Without hesitation, Jenica opened the passenger door and jumped out while kicking the door closed. She rolled down the slope of a hill. She was surprised.


    There were no streetlights in that area, and no moon in the dark sky, so only the headlights of Alex¡¯s car lit the way. Based on the cold fresh wind blowing in her face from earlier, she knew they were outside the capital. But she didn¡¯t expect the car to be driving along a hill.


    It wasn¡¯t a high hill though, as she quickly reached the bottom. She hissed and stood up. Jenica looked around but saw nothing but darkness. She could feel the ache all over her body. There were many protruding rocks on the side of the hill, so she was sure she had many cuts and bruises. But as an agent, she was used to this little pain.


    She took a small shlight from inside her bra. The faint glow of this little emergency light was enough for her to see her surroundings.


    She was in the middle of a forest. Tall and lush trees surrounded her, almost blocking the night sky above. She wasn¡¯t familiar with the area.


    Without hesitation, she tore the hem of her dress. She wrapped that piece of cloth around her arms and knees, where her bleeding wounds were. Then she stepped forward.


    She took out the earpiece hidden inside her dress. The earpiece was made from the finest material, so even after rolling down the side of the hill, it wasn¡¯t damaged.


    The earpiece connected to her remote assistant. Jenica frowned. She could feel her wounds bleeding. She really needed to treat her wounds soon.


    ¡°Locate me,¡± she ordered the assistant.


    Soon she heard its voice. ¡°Agent J, you are inside Guam¡¯s territory. Two kilometers to the left is a road that leads back to the capital, while three kilometers to the right is¡­ a road that leads to Guam Business Empire¡¯s headquarters.¡±


    A glint shed across Jenica¡¯s eyes. Just earlier, her Uncle Marc told her toe back and take her position as the Empire¡¯s heiress, and now she was a few kilometers away from their headquarters. Sheughed in her heart.


    ¡°I see. By the way, what happened to the party?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Our spies noticed you had gone away with Alexander Fuego, and they have started HQ¡¯s n.¡±


    Jenica frowned. ¡°What n?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a restricted mission, Agent J.¡±


    Jenica pursed her lips and didn¡¯t ask any more questions. She took out a medical pill that could numb the pain. She quickly made her way back to the capital.


    But before she got far, five assassins surrounded her.


    ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± one assassin said. He had his face covered, so Jenica couldn¡¯t see his features.


    She hadn¡¯t even spoken when the five men attacked simultaneously. All of them held a sharp de in their right hands. Jenica frowned.


    She quickly dodged and turned away. She ran in the opposite direction, towards the road leading to the Guam Business Empire headquarters.


    ¡°Faster!¡± one of the assassins shouted.


    Jenica pursed her lips and jumped high above the tree branches. Using her skills as an oriental fighter, she leaped from tree to tree using a lightness skill exclusive to oriental fighters.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What did the client say? Why is the target so fast?¡± one assassin asked irritably.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! The client didn¡¯t say the target could dodge!¡±


    Jenica¡¯s eyes sharpened as she heard the assassins behind her. She didn¡¯t stop using her lightness skill and tried her best to move faster than the wind, but her wounds had split open and blood rushed out of her. Every tree branch she passed by was stained with her blood, so no matter how fast she was, the assassins would definitely find and catch up to her. She gritted her teeth.


    What bad luck!


    But she didn¡¯t forget what they said. Her eyes narrowed. These assassins were sent to kill her. Only, she wasn¡¯t sure if those chasing Alex¡¯s car earlier were in the same group as these assassins.


    Jenica¡¯s face was as pale as paper, and her vision was darkening. She took out a medical pill from her dress and swallowed it. It was to make her mind clear and prevent her from losing consciousness.


    Just a little more.


    Her bloodshot eyes looked at the bright light at the end of the never-ending darkness.


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re in Guam¡¯s territory! Sh*t!¡± one assassin shouted.


    Just a little bit more.


    Jenica squinted her eyes and used herst strength to leap forward and let the light embrace her as she closed her eyes.


    Her body fell in front of the Guam Business Empire headquarters.

 Shimen is back

    She had a dream.


    A five-year-old girl in a pink dress was smiling brightly at the woman sitting beside a round table. The woman, with almond-shaped eyes and a sweet smile on her lips, was suddenly joined by a tall man who walked over and lifted the girl up,ughing happily.


    That warm family scene was abruptly reced by a horrifying image. The womany in a pool of blood, while the man, also covered in blood, was saying something to her with a pained expression. The girl couldn¡¯t read his lips or hear what he was saying, but she could feel the child¡¯s fear. The girl cried and ran from the room. The scene shifted to arge mansion engulfed in mes. The girl stood in front of the burning mansion as a man who looked like her Uncle Marc approached her.


    Jenica slowly opened her eyes. She noticed her tear-stained cheeks and frowned. Her heart felt heavy, and she knew it was because of that dream, but she couldn¡¯t remember what it was.


    After some time, she became alert when she sensed others in the room. She quickly got out of bed and frowned at the neer.


    It was her Uncle Marc.


    He smiled when he saw her standing beside the bed. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked.


    Jenica looked around the room. Thest thing she remembered was being chased by five assassins and copsing in front of the Guam Business Empire headquarters, nearly out of blood.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± she asked.


    Uncle Marc motioned for her to sit. Jenicaplied and sat on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°You¡¯re in my mansion. A guard called me, saying they found you lying on the road, barely alive.¡± His forehead creased. ¡°Who tried to kill you?¡± he asked, his face dark.


    Jenica lowered her gaze. She wasn¡¯t sure either. She hadn¡¯t found any clues about the assassins. She looked at her uncle. ¡°Did you catch any of them?¡± she asked.


    Uncle Marc shook his head. ¡°They escaped quickly, and my men couldn¡¯t catch them. Where¡¯s Mr. Fuego? Thest thing I remember, you were with him. He should have protected you from those bastards!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not his fault,¡± Jenica said as shey back down. ¡°Uncle, this is the new Guam mansion, right?¡±


    The man smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes. You should recover here. I¡¯ll have someone attend to youter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°And Jenica¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Her Uncle Marc took a deep breath and looked at her intently. ¡°My offer still stands. I hope you¡¯ll return. There are many people waiting for the heiress.¡±


    ¡°Why now? It¡¯s been years, Uncle, and thepany has been in your hands for a long time. Yet, someone is still dissatisfied with you?¡± she asked, frowning.


    Her uncle gave a forced smile. ¡°When your father was alive, he was the President. After the great fire, thepany should have passed to you. You were too young back then, and I had to take over for stability. I promised to return thepany to you when you were ready, and they know this, but¡­¡± A subtle expression crossed Uncle Marc¡¯s face. ¡°Those bastards remained dissatisfied with me, and some even tried to assassinate me in hopes of stealing my position!¡±


    Jenica raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who are these bastards?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Thepany¡¯s shareholders. They were unhappy with your father even when he was alive. Now, only you and I remain from the Guam family, so it¡¯s expected that they¡¯re making moves behind the scenes.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Jenica was silent for a moment, thinking, before turning back to her uncle. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a son?¡± she asked.


    His face soured. ¡°Don¡¯t joke. I¡¯ve been too busy with thepany to think about women.¡± He sighed. ¡°Even if I had a son, he wouldn¡¯t inherit thepany. Only the legitimate line of the Guam family can take the position, and that¡¯s your father¡¯s bloodline. Now, only you or your child can legally inherit thepany.¡±


    Jenica was silent again. Seeing her serious expression, her Uncle Marc smiled helplessly. ¡°Think it over. Only you can tame those bastards. Also, in your father¡¯sst will, he withheld his shares, which will only be given to you when you take over the position.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your father has 60 percent of thepany shares. The remaining 30 percent belongs to the shareholders, and thest 10 percent was given to me by your grandfather. I¡¯ve been the acting president with only a 10 percent share, which is why they¡¯re dissatisfied with me,¡± Uncle Marc exined.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying they want to steal your position because you don¡¯t hold the majority of shares?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He sighed. ¡°Mr. Takura also has a 10 percent share, making us equal. He¡¯s been in cahoots with the other shareholders, pressuring me to step down. Now, something¡¯s happened to thepany, and they¡¯re ming me,¡± he said sadly.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Our businesses in neighboring countries have been ransacked by powerful underground organizations, and thepany can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    Underground organizations? The Mafia?


    Jenica¡¯s eyes narrowed. She suddenly remembered the Mafia Don in Laguna and his power to manipterge ns there. Perhaps the situation in thepany was really dire.


    ¡°So, you want me toe back to inherit my father¡¯s shares?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Only by stabilizing the internal conflicts within thepany can we manage the external threats,¡± he replied. ¡°Only you and your father¡¯s shares can appease those bastards.¡±


    Jenica hadn¡¯t nned on getting involved with her family¡¯spany, but recalling the contemptuous looks at the Fuego¡¯s old matriarch¡¯s party, she wanted to stand on equal footing with those bastards and give them a hard p.


    Also, the influence of her secret identities wasn¡¯t enough to find her son, Sham. Even though she was Mr. Fuego¡¯s hidden wife, she couldn¡¯t use that power freely now that the old matriarch was suppressing her as Alex¡¯s wife.Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    That old woman tried to topple her with filial piety, but too bad, Jenica wasn¡¯t a saint nor desperate to cling to Alexander¡¯s coattails. And seeing her husband¡¯s attitude towards the old woman, Jenica knew there was no way she could freely use the power that came from being Mr. Fuego¡¯s wife.


    Bing the heiress of the Guam Business Empire might have unexpected benefits, and Jenica didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity.


    So, two dayster, she found herself standing in front of a mirror. Her long, silky ck hair hung down. She raised the scissors and cut it.


    When Uncle Marc saw her again, he was stunned. Who could have told him that his little niece would change her appearance?


    Standing before him was a woman in her mid-20s with short brown hair and stylish sses. Her bloody red lips were grinning from ear to ear.


    ¡°Are we leaving now, Uncle?¡± Jenica asked.


    Uncle Marc gulped and nodded speechlessly. He wondered how those bastards would react to his niece looking like a young and troublesome socialite.


    It was only a five-minute drive from the Guam Mansion to the Empire¡¯s headquarters.


    Her Uncle Marc kindly reminded her, ¡°You must behave today. I¡¯ve already announced your decision to return, and they¡¯re anticipating your arrival. But¡­¡± Aplicated look shed in his eyes, but he sighed nheless. ¡°Don¡¯t let your emotions affect your decision,¡± he advised her as they entered therge conference room.


    Ten men of various ages sat like rigid statues. When they saw her, contempt and dissatisfaction shed in their eyes.


    Jenica stood in front of the long table and looked around. So these were the people giving her Uncle Marc a hard time?


    But what stunned her was the presence of someone she never expected to see in the conference room.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Jen¡­¡± Shimen said, smiling softly at her.


    Shimen Takura, her childhood friend. Although she was surprised to see him sitting among the shareholders, it wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected since Jenica knew they were once engaged, and her father had allocated a good portion of thepany shares to Shimen for their future.


    If Jenica had stayed in the Guam Business Empire back then, perhaps she and Shimen would be married by now, ording to her father¡¯sst will. But instead, she chose to live a ¡®normal¡¯ life away from the power struggles within thepany.


    Now that she was back, Jenica suddenly realized one thing she had forgotten to consider: her engagement to the Takura Shipping Lines¡¯ heir.


    And it was a huge loophole in her ns because, ording to her father¡¯sst will, before she could fully inherit his shares, she had to marry the man sitting not far from her.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!