The afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the city as ire left her office, her mind a storm of thoughts. The conversation with Alexander, the looming hotel opening in Las Vegas, the jewelry exhibition, and the ever-present threat of Eligos all swirled around her.


    Each concern felt like a thread pulling her in different directions, and yet, ire knew she couldn''t afford to let any of them unravel.


    As she made her way to her car, ire''s phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from Adrian. Adrian: "Hey, just checking in. How''s your day going?"


    ire allowed herself a small smile. Adrian''s texts were always a brief respite from the chaos. She quickly typed back.


    ire: "Busy, as usual. Work, work, and work. You?"


    The response came almost immediately.


    Adrian: "Same here. I got a load of paperwork to sign and read but I don''t have the energy to do it. Anyway, I thought about grabbing dinner together tonight? If that''s okay with you.''


    ire hesitated, her fingers hovering over the screen. The idea was tempting, a chance to unwind and escape the constant pressures, but she wasn''t sure she could rx just yet. Still, the thought of seeing Adrian and spending time with him was more appealing than anything else she had nned. ire: "That sounds perfect. Let''s do it. I will see you soon."


    She hit send and slid into the driver''s seat, her mind briefly shifting to the pleasant thought of dinner with Adrian. But as she drove towards the hospital to check on Matthew, the weight of her responsibilities settled back onto her shoulders. There were still too many unanswered questions, too many loose ends.


    At the hospital, Matthew was sitting up in bed, flipping through a magazine, though his eyes weren''t really focused on the pages. When ire entered, he looked up, his face lighting up with a smile.


    "ire, hey," he greeted, setting the magazine aside. "You look like you''ve had a day."


    ire chuckled softly, taking a seat next to his bed. "That''s an understatement."


    Matthew studied her for a moment. "Something on your mind? You look... tense."


    ire leaned back, crossing her arms. "I just got off the phone with Alexander. He reminded me about the Harris Hotel opening in Las Vegas."


    Matthew raised an eyebrow. "That''sing up soon, isn''t it?"


    "Two weeks," ire confirmed. "And then there''s this jewelry exhibition I''ve been invited to this weekend. On top of that, Eligos is still out there, and I can''t shake the feeling that he''s nning something." Matthew nodded thoughtfully. "And Andre? Have you made any progress with him?"


    ire sighed. "Not as much as I''d like. He''s not exactly forting with information, and every time I think I''m getting somewhere, it feels like I hit a wall."


    Matthew leaned forward slightly. "You know, ire, you don''t have to handle all of this alone. You''ve got me, Adrian, even Alexander, that if you wanted his help."


    ire crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. "I will never ask Alexander for his help unless...wait, I take that back. I will never ask for his help no matter what is the circumstances." Matthew lightly chuckled. "Seems like your hatred runs deep into your veins."


    ire gave him a small smile, appreciating the sentiment. "I know, but sometimes it feels like I''m the only one who can untangle this mess."


    "Maybe," Matthew admitted. "But don''t forget that even the strongest need a little help now and then."


    ire reached out, squeezing his hand. "Thanks, Matthew. I''ll keep that in mind."


    They sat infortable silence for a moment before ire''s phone buzzed again. She nced at it, seeing another message from Adrian, this time suggesting a restaurant for dinner. She quickly replied with her agreement.


    Matthew noticed and grinned. "Dinner with Adrian?"


    ire nodded. "It''s the one bright spot in my day."


    "Good," Matthew said. "You need something like that to bnce everything else."


    ire stood, preparing to leave. "I''ll check in with you tomorrow. Get some rest, okay?"


    Matthew nodded, watching her go. "You too, ire. You too."


    As ire left the hospital, the sky was painted in hues of orange and pink. The drive to the restaurant Adrian had suggested wasn''t long, and ire allowed herself a few moments of peace as she navigated the evening traffic.


    When she arrived, Adrian was already waiting outside, his smile warm and inviting as he spotted her. He opened the door for her, and they were quickly seated at a quiet corner table, away from the bustling crowd.


    "Thanks for meeting me," Adrian said, taking her hand across the table. "You seemed like you could use a break."


    ire exhaled softly. "You have no idea. Thank you for asking me."


    Adrian tilted his head, concern flickering in his eyes. "Anytime, but do you want to talk about it?" ire shook her head. "Not right now. Let''s just enjoy dinner. I need a distraction." Adrian nodded, squeezing her hand. "Distraction it is."


    The evening passed in afortable blur of conversation andughter, the outside world momentarily forgotten. ire found herself rxing more than she had in days, the tension in her shoulders easing as they talked about everything and nothing.


    By the time they left the restaurant, the night air was cool, and ire felt lighter. Adrian walked her to her car, his hand lingering on hers as they said goodbye.


    "Thanks for tonight," ire said, her voice soft. "I needed it."


    Adrian smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Anytime, ire. You know that."


    They shared a brief kiss, then parted ways, ire driving back home with a renewed sense of calm. But


    as she parked and made her way inside, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from an unknown number.


    Unknown: "Enjoy your dinner? The clock''s ticking, ire."


    Her heart sank, the peace she had felt moments ago dissipating in an instant. Eligos was watching, waiting, and ire knew that whatever game he was ying, it was far from over.


    Across the city, Eligos sat in his


    dimly lit office, a smirk ying on his lips as he stared at his phone. He had sent the message to ire, knowing it would unsettle her, keep her on edge. That was part of the game-keeping her off bnce, always questioning, always looking over her shoulder.


    "ire Peterson. Poor you. You can''t even have a simple dinner without me haunting you every second, every minute and every day." Eligos muttered to himself.


    He leaned back, the shadows


    ying across his face, the pieces of his n falling into ce. Andre had called earlier, nervous and unsure but Eliges had reassured him, telling him to stay the course. Everything was proceeding as Eligos had envisioned, and soon, the final act would begin.


    Eligos''s eyes gleamed with


    anticipation, ire was strong, yes, but he knew how to exploit her weaknesses, how to push her buttons. The time for subtlety was nearing its end. The next move would be his, and it would be one ire wouldn''t seeing.


    For now, though, he would wait. Patience was a virtue, and in this game, Eligos had all the time in the


    world.