Michael's voice crackled through the phone, faint and unclear, but Ryan pieced together the message. Michael wasn't at the Fullers' main office, which meant the samples had to go to the remote facility instead. Ryan's brow furrowed, his worry growing. "That works," Addison said, her voice steady. "I'll drop off the samples this afternoon." She didn't mind Michael's suggestion. The experiment was nearly finished, and her afternoon was free. Michael, after all, was her business partner, and delivering the samples was part of her responsibility. "Okay, I'll be waiting," Michael responded, his tone polite but distant. He quickly added, "No need to rush. Come by whenever it's convenient." Had it not been for an unexpected issue at the Fullers' plant, where the warehouse manager was sick, Michael would have handled it himself. But for now, he was tied up. Addison hung up the phone and placed it on the table. "We'll finish up in the morning, then I'll take the samples over this afternoon." Ryan paused in his work and looked up. "Dr. Daves, do you know where the Fullers' raw material plant is?" Addison thought for a moment. "No, I don't." Ryan sighed, realizing why she had agreed so quickly—she had no idea how remote the plant was. "It's out there," Ryan said, stressing the isolation. "In the middle of nowhere. And the roads aren't great." Addison raised an eyebrow, noticing Ryan's concern. He couldn't really be worried about her, could he?Ryan's voice softened with concern. "Dr. Daves, that place is too isolated. It's not safe for you to go alone." "Let me handle the delivery instead." Addison tilted her head, a teasing smile on her face. "You're really going to deliver it? Aren't you scared?" Scared? Ryan couldn't understand why she'd even ask that. Her tone made him feel a little foolish. He stammered, trying to make himself sound confident. "I'm ... I'm a ... " "A what?" Addison's eyebrow arched, her voice light and mocking. Ryan was about to answer, but then he paused. Addison didn't know the whole story about who he really was. He shut his mouth, biting back the words. After a moment of hesitation, he muttered, "A real man ... " Addison laughed out loud. Her smile grew wider, and she took a step closer to him. "That's right. Ryan is a real man." For some reason, her words made Ryan flush with embarrassment. He regretted speaking so quickly. Why had he said something so dumb? Addison noticed his ears turning red, and this time, it was even more noticeable than before. She smiled, amused by his reaction, and reached out to ruffle his hair. His hair, already messy, became even more tousled, adding to the effect. Ryan froze. Did she really just touch his hair?That couldn't be real, could it? "I grew up in a place far more secluded than that," Addison said casually. "You don't need to worry about me." She had spent most of her childhood in Herbs Valley. Nestled deep in the mountains, Herbs Valley was isolated and surrounded by rugged peaks. The forest was dense, and winding paths crisscrossed the area. She spent her days searching for rare herbs, enjoying the solitude. Sometimes, she would even go out at night to track down unusual plants. The isolation didn't bother her at all. "Are you sure?" Ryan asked, still unsure. "Shouldn't I go instead?" Ryan hesitated, unsure of Addison's response. He quickly added, "Or we could go together. At least if anything happens, I'll be there to protect you." Addison didn't think twice before declining. "You've worked hard on this project. You need to take the afternoon off. Get some rest." Her refusal made Ryan's shoulders sag, and his mood clearly dropped. Still, he nodded and said, "Okay." That afternoon, Addison received the finished product, as expected. She noticed that Ryan still appeared concerned, his unease evident. With a sigh, she suggested bringing Gordon along for protection, which seemed to ease his worries. Just a little. Addison climbed into the car. Gordon was already behind the wheel, his phone open to the address Michael had sent for the Fullers' raw material plant. He plugged it into the GPS, and they set off. ... By the quiet lake, Virginia reached the location Troy had sent her.But something was wrong. She saw no sign of his men. Confused, she walked a few steps further and called out, "Is anyone here?" Just as the last word left her mouth, she heard footsteps behind her. She spun around to find Troy standing there, his smile cold and sly. "Well, well, princess. Long time no see," he said, his voice oozing with sarcasm. Virginia frowned, instinctively taking a step back. "Where are your men?" Why was Troy alone? Seeing him like this sent a shiver down her spine. She tugged at the hem of her skirt and hugged her arms to her chest, trying to steady herself. Troy's grin widened. "Are you scared of me?" Virginia didn't respond, her expression tight with discomfort. Troy, unfazed, continued to smile. His tone remained smooth as ever. "I've changed my mind. Tell me what you want, and I'll take care of it," he said. "Why?" Virginia asked, clearly frustrated. She wanted to do it herself. Letting Troy take over would take all the excitement out of it. Troy's smile widened. "You don't have a choice." He paused, his expression sharpening. "Well, unless you're willing to ... " He didn't finish his sentence, but his gaze was fixed on Virginia, unmistakably filled with a desire that made her skin crawl. "If you can do that, I can let you take care of business yourself," he suggested. Virginia understood his implication immediately. She raised her eyes to meet his, a wave of disgust sweeping over her. "Why you ... " She stepped back, repulsed by his words and the way he was looking at her. If it weren't for the fact that Troy's men were all mercenaries, ruthless and cold, she would have walked away without a second thought.But she knew they were the only ones capable of handling Addison properly. Otherwise, she would never have tolerated Troy's vile stare. Unable to bear it any longer, Virginia clenched her jaw and gave in. "Fine. If you want to do my job, be my guest." "Help me get Addison," Troy instructed. "The sooner, the better." Virginia reached into her bag and pulled out a photo. It was an image of Addison, taken when Virginia had falsely accused her of having an affair with Michael. The photo was a bit blurry due to the low light, but Addison's face was still clear enough to identify her. Without even looking at the photo, Troy grabbed it and stuffed it into his pocket. His eyes never left Virginia. She shifted uncomfortably and said quickly, "Let me know when it's done." Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away, feeling as though something was chasing her. "Don't forget about the payment," Troy called after her, his voice still sinister. Virginia's heart tightened at his reminder. She clenched her fists, silently telling herself that as long as Addison got what she deserved, everything would be worth it. No matter the price. Without a word, Virginia continued walking, determined not to look back. Troy watched her leave, then turned and walked into a small, unremarkable boxing gym. Inside, a group of muscular men were engaged in a fierce fight. Troy strode in, tossing the photo to the leader of the group. "Enough games. Let's get to work." "Find the woman in the photo," he ordered.