"Officer, he's just my mentor," she said, her voice trembling with manufactured grief.
"I came to The Cabinda University as an exchange student, hoping to find a doctor in Solenia capable of treating his illness."
"I had some health issues myself, and Claire helped me recover."
"She's brilliant. I just wanted her to heal my mentor."
"I had no idea he was planning to abduct her and drag her back to Sundara," Meiko continued, tears welling in her eyes.
"But he is my mentor. When he asked for a favor, I couldn't just walk away."
"He promised he could help Claire secure a spot at a top university in Sundara for two years."
"He said it was a win-win. She wouldn't fall behind in her studies, and she'd earn a massive paycheck for treating him."
"Honestly, it was a great deal."
"Sundara's medical programs are world-class; she could have learned so much more there than here in Solenia."
"I was genuinely looking out for her."
Meiko seemed entirely convinced of her own innocence, painting her betrayal as an act of charity.
It was impossible to tell if she had actually deluded herself into believing the lie or if it was a masterclass in manipulation.
"Our intel suggests you and Claire were never friends," Silas stated coldly. "She was your doctor, nothing more."
His tone made it clear he wasn't buying her charitable act.
Unfazed, Meiko offered a gentle defense. "Claire can be a bit distant, but I know she has a good heart."
"Otherwise, she never would have treated me."
Had Claire heard that, she would have laughed at the sheer audacity.
Meiko was a viper biting the hand that healed her. If Claire hadn't sniffed out the woman's ulterior motives early on, she easily could have fallen for that innocent, tear-stained facade.
While Claire had escaped the ordeal unscathed, Dewitt and Dane had both taken some hits.
After Silas arranged for a secure transport back to the city, Claire headed straight to the hospital.
Both men had been admitted.
Neither was critically injured, but they had agreed to stay overnight purely because Claire had insisted on it.
She arrived the next morning to sign their discharge papers.
Pushing open the door to their shared room, she found Dewitt lounging with a tablet, aggressively tapping through a mobile game white Dane was already immersed in corporate reports.
Even in matching hospital gowns, their contrasting personalities were glaringly obvious.
At least Dewitt had the decency to wear headphones so he didn't interrupt Dane's workflow.
Claire bypassed Dewitt's bed near the door and let her gaze settle on Dane.
There was a fresh scrape along his cheekbone, yet it did absolutely
g to detract from his str
features King
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If anything, the battle-worn look only added a dangerous edge to his rugged charm.
"Why are you staring?" Dane asked, his deep voice breaking the silence.
He had noticed her walk in but had waited for her to speak first.
When she just stood there studying him, he couldn't help but feel a sudden flush of self-consciousness.
"You've got some stubble," she murmured.
His doctors had advised him to keep his face dry while the cuts healed, meaning he hadn't shaved in two days.
The scruff made him look impossibly masculine.
"Does it look terrible?" Dane asked, a flash of insecurity hitting him as he suddenly remembered their age gap.
A beard would only make him look older, heightening the difference between them.
He was usually meticulous about his grooming, never skipping a morning shave.
Now, the dark shadow dusting his jawline was thick and prominent.
"It looks fine," Claire said with a soft shake of her head. "Pack up. I'm busting you both out of here."
"If we don't head back soon, Pandora is going to worry herself sick."
She kept quiet about the intel she had gathered from Silas; she planned to share the full story once home and Pandora asked.
they were safely bal