Evan's POV
Evan Leigh didn't like hearing the word refused.
Not because he wasn't used to it. Evan was used to a lot of things. Boardroom arrogance. Political resistance. Rival companies pretending they weren't desperate.
But this was different.
This wasn't some negotiation over contracts or shares.
This was about Aiden Frost.
And Aiden Frost wasn't a problem that could be postponed with paperwork.
Evan sat behind his desk, fingers tapping slowly against the polished wood, his eyes fixed on the screen in front of him. The office was quiet, too quiet, the kind of silence that usually meant the world was holding its breath.
His assistant stood across from him, posture stiff, like he was afraid the air itself might explode.
"Well?" Evan asked, voice calm.
The assistant swallowed. "Sir… Kian Silver refused again."
Evan's tapping stopped.
"…Again?" Evan repeated.
"Yes. We increased the offer. Twice. Then we doubled it." The assistant hesitated before adding, "He didn't even flinch."
Evan leaned back slightly in his chair, gaze sharpening like a blade being pulled from its sheath.
"He refused a number that would make most people kneel," Evan murmured.
"Yes, sir." His assistant cleared his throat. "He said… and I quote… 'I don't work for suspicious people. No matter the amount.'"
Evan stared at him.
Then, slowly, Evan smiled.
Not amused.
Not pleased.
Just… intrigued.
Because anyone could refuse money if they were stupid.
But refusing money and calling Evan Leigh suspicious?
That wasn't stupidity.
That was either courage… or confidence.
Evan folded his hands. "What else did he say?"
The assistant hesitated again. "He told me to stop calling him. He said if we continued, he'd file a harassment report with the cyber division."
Evan let out a low chuckle.
His assistant looked even more uncomfortable.
Evan leaned forward slightly, elbows on the desk. "What do we know about him?"
"Final year computer science student," the assistant began. "Top of his department. He's been offered internships by multiple major companies, including ours, but he rejected them.
He lives alone, off-campus. His records are… unusually clean."
"Unusually clean?" Evan echoed.
"Yes. Almost as if he erased parts of his own digital footprint."
Evan's eyes narrowed.
That was the first truly interesting detail.
Most hackers left traces. Even the best ones had echoes. Old usernames. Forum history. Academic awards. Something.
But if Kian Silver had managed to polish his existence until it looked like a blank mirror…
Then he wasn't just a hacker.
He was a ghost.
Evan's smile deepened.
Evan stood up slowly, adjusting his cufflinks.
His assistant blinked. "Sir?"
Evan's voice was calm. "Get me his school address."
The assistant's eyes widened. "You want to… personally go?"
Evan's gaze turned cold.
"I didn't say I was going to beg," Evan replied. "I said I want his address."
The assistant nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."
Evan turned toward the window, looking out at the city skyline. The buildings stood tall, glittering in the afternoon sun, like the city was proud of itself.
But Evan knew better.
Cities were like forests.
Pretty on the outside.
Predators inside.
And somewhere, hidden behind all that glass and light, Aiden Frost had slipped into the shadows like poison into water.
Evan exhaled slowly.
"You don't disappear without help," he muttered.
And for the first time since the news broke, Evan's instincts screamed a warning.
This wasn't just Aiden running.
This was Aiden being taken.
Or worse…
Aiden being protected.
Evan's eyes darkened.
If someone had decided to shield Aiden Frost, then that someone was either a fool… or a monster.
And Evan didn't tolerate either.
Noah's POV
If Noah had to describe what happiness felt like, he would've described that moment.
Soft.
Warm.
Quiet.
Like a blanket draped over his heart.
After lunch, Noah had insisted on watching a movie.
Diamant had resisted at first, claiming he had emails to review and meetings to plan, but Noah had clung to his sleeve with a pout so dramatic it should've won awards.
So now, they were on the couch.
Diamant sat with the calm stillness of a predator pretending to be domestic, his broad arm resting around Noah's waist.
Noah was tucked into his chest, his head resting against the Alpha's shoulder, their legs tangled together under a thick blanket.
Noah could feel Diamant's heartbeat.
Steady.
Strong.
Comforting.
It was still hard to believe that this was the same man who had once looked at him with cold indifference, like Noah was nothing more than a fragile inconvenience.
Now Diamant touched him like he was something rare.
Like he was precious.
Noah's fingers traced circles absentmindedly on Diamant's chest as the movie played.
On the screen, two lovers argued softly under the rain.
The female lead looked at her partner and said, "I don't even know you. I don't know what made you this way."
And the male lead replied, voice trembling, "You don't have to understand everything. Just stay."
Noah blinked slowly.
The words hit something inside him.
He shifted slightly, lifting his head to glance up at Diamant.
Diamant's eyes were focused on the screen, but Noah knew him well enough now to notice how his jaw tightened when emotional scenes played.
Diamant pretended he didn't care.
But Noah could tell.
Diamant always cared.
Noah hesitated before speaking, voice quiet.
"Diamant?"
Diamant's gaze dropped to him instantly. "Mm?"
Noah swallowed. "That scene…"
Diamant raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
Noah stared at the screen again, but his mind wasn't there anymore.
"…It made me think," Noah murmured. "I don't really know much about you."
Diamant's expression didn't change, but Noah felt the way his arm tightened around him, protective and instinctive.
Noah continued, voice gentle. "Where are your parents?"
The question fell into the room like a feather.
Soft.
But it still changed the air.
Diamant's body went still.
Not tense like anger.
More like…
A door inside him had been touched.
Noah's heart began to race. He instantly regretted it.
"I'm sorry," Noah whispered. "You don't have to answer. I just—"