Serena noticed her brother's complicated gaze. While quickly working, she asked softly, "Julian, what's wrong?"
Julian's voice was a bit hoarse. "I don't think... you've ever mentioned your childhood..."
Serena instantly understood what he was thinking.
No wonder he was looking at her with such a complex, pained expression.
Serena smiled. "Julian, my life wasn't as hard as you're imagining. I learn things quickly, so almost everything comes easily to me. And I only ever learned things I was interested in, so before I knew it... I'd learned a little bit of everything."
Julian thought about the skills Serena possessed, each one at the level of a top expert in its field, and couldn't help but laugh. "That's not 'a little bit.' That's a massive understatement."
Serena's long, bright eyes curved into crescents. "Maybe... I inherited our family's superior genes. A natural-born genius."
Her teasing self-praise made him unsure whether to laugh or cry, and his tense mood lightened considerably.
Looking at his sister's proficient work, he sighed. "I used to think I was a genius, but after seeing you, I feel completely outmatched."
Serena's lips curved. "It's okay. From now on, I'll protect you."
In less than ten minutes.
A small pile of light green powder with a fresh, medicinal scent was ready.
Serena poured the powder into a vial and handed it to Julian. "Julian, burn this powder. Find a way to make the smoke spread through the ballroom as quickly as possible. I need to get to Nicholas. There are definitely more Norvane agents hiding in the ballroom, and we have to take care of them without alarming the guests."
After all, this was Brianna's coming-of-age party.
A once-in-a-lifetime event.
She absolutely would not let anyone ruin it for her.
"Okay, I understand." Julian gripped the vial tightly.
He watched Serena's retreating figure with concern. "You have careful
Those... they're assa et
desperados, They're not afraid to die."
"Nicholas is there. It'll be fine,"
Serena said, her expression calmet
and without much emotion.
vehet
"Besides, that scum isnt worthy of me risking my life."
Julian looked at his sister's calm,
coolly beautiful face and caught the natural trust and reliance on
Nicholas in her tone. You seem to trust Nicholas a lot?"
Serena froze for a moment.
He was right.
Since when... had she started taking it for granted that if Nicholas was around, no problem was too big to solve?
And what was this inexplicable sense of security?
It was as if Nicholas was her strongest support, her most perfect partner.
Something stirred gently in her heart.
Serena lowered her eyes, didn't answer the question, and turned to walk toward the ashtray.
The nano-communicator on her earlobe glinted faintly in the light.
From it, she could faintly hear a man's low, magnetic, sexy laugh.
The laughter seemed to echo right in her ear.
She could almost feel...
His warm breath traveling through the communicator and onto her skin.
Serena's slender fingers clenched into a fist.