Chapter 156: Code and Conflict-2
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Damien’s smile deepened-soft, proud, threaded with quiet amusement. He leaned closer, his
voice low enough for only her to hear. “Look at him, love,” he murmured, eyes fixed on Jaime, who
was grinning ear to ear. “He finally found a place he belongs.”
Maya’s chest tightened at the words. The edges of her smile trembled, tenderness shining
through. “Yeah,” she whispered back, her voice barely audible. “He really did. Thank you.”
Across the table, Dominic lifted his glass with a grin that carried both pride and mischief. “A
Lockwood and a Takahashi building the next generation of security systems,” he mused, his tone
dry but touched with warmth. “Now that’s a headline I wouldn’t mind reading.”
A ripple of laughter spread around the table-soft, genuine, and full of that rare ease that comes
when tension finally gives way to something that feels like family.
Harper’s voice, playful a moment ago, suddenly shifted. “Okay, enough fun,” she said, tone brisk,
serious. “Listen-about Jaime’s transfer. What’s the plan? Just say the word and I can have
everything ready by the end of the week.”
Jaime’s smile faltered just slightly. His eyes flicked between Maya and Damien, a mixture of apprehension and trust reflecting there. “I want to go, May.” he murmured.
Maya didn’t speak right away. She just stared at her brother-the determination in his gaze, the courage beneath his nerves. He was younger, but in that moment, he was braver than she felt. Brav
er, because he was the one about to walk into something that could change everything.
“He will be safe here, Maya,” Harper confirmed, her voice calm but firm. “We’ve got world-class
specialists lined up. Security is tight. Everything will be prepared.”
Kenji’s voice also chimed in now more serious the playfulness is gone “I’ll be with him too, Ms.
Maya, you have my word.”
Maya’s fingers tightened around the phone, her thumb hovering over the speaker. She glanced at Damien, who simply nodded. His expression was quiet, reassuring. “We can do it,” he said softly.” We’ll get him there safely.”
Harper’s relief was audible, but her tone had shifted-steady, sharp, all business now.
“Good. Don’t worry about anything, I’ll handle it-flights, hospital, security. Just make sure Jaime’s medical files and his team are ready. I’m assuming you’ll want to bring them along-it’s better for him to have familiar faces during the entire process. We’re heading home now, and once I get there, I’ll check on Hiro’s condition and start working on the antidote right away. Give me twenty-four hours-forty-eight at most-and I’ll have it cracked. After that, I’m free, and I’ll
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Chapter 156 Code and Conflict-2
personally take care of everything for your arrival.”
Ashcroft’s expression shifted the moment he heard that name again-Hiro.
Something in his jaw tightened, irritation flickering beneath the surface like a struck match. He didn’t like hearing it from her lips-didn’t like the familiarity in her tone.
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He leaned back in his chair, letting out a low, derisive scoff as he swirled the wine in his glass with
deliberate calm. “That’s a bit ambitious, don’t you think?” he drawled, voice smooth but edged with
disdain. “What makes you so confident you’ll find a cure in two days when an entire team of
specialists couldn’t figure it out in over a week?”
Silence dropped like a curtain. Every pair of eyes in the room-from Damien to Dahlia-shifted to Ashcroft, the unspoken warning clear: don’t push it. Damien’s hand hovered over his glass, a subtle
tilt of his chin signaling caution.
Before Harper could bite back, Kenji leaned into the frame, voice calm but crisp. “With all due respect, Mr. Ashcroft,” he said in perfect English, cool and measured, “you’re confusing skepticism with knowledge. My sister isn’t bluffing-she’s a problem solver. She reads pathogens like some men read balance sheets. Underestimate her at your peril.”
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Chapter 156 Code and Conflict-3
Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.