Strangely enough, everything about Zora was handled by Lucian, and he seemed to enjoy the way she took care of him. Their whole relationship was just off and weird. Darcy's gaze drifted to the window, where the sky outside had turned completely dark. A complicated feeling settled in her chest. She'd only met Lucian a handful of times and exchanged a few words. But the moment she thought he might be involved with Zora, disappointment crawled in anyway. Maybe deep down, she felt she and Lucian were friends, sort of. She hoped it wasn't him. Oblivious to Darcy's inner turmoil, Cindy put her phone down and threw an arm around Darcy's shoulders. "We just got some killer intel! Let's go grab a drink and celebrate!"Speaking of which, Cindy was still pissed. Ever since she got drunk at a bar last time and had a one-night stand with Zephyr, he kept tailing her and even paid off a few bar owners. The moment she stepped into a bar, he would materialize out of thin air, grab her by the scruff of her neck, and haul her out. Coupled with her frequent recent visits to the Blackwood Manor, she'd had zero chance to indulge. This business trip was the perfect opportunity to cut loose, finally! Meanwhile, back in Aethelburg, Lucian was lounging on the sofa in his study, a book in one hand, a cigarette held loosely between the long fingers of the other. He turned a page, exhaling a slow stream of smoke before tapping the ash into a tray. The ringtone from his phone on the couch sliced through the quiet. It was an overseas number. He set the book down immediately and answered."Hey, Lucian. Someone's digging into Zora's past." Lucian's eyes narrowed slightly. "Whose people?" "The Blackwoods from Aethelburg." The Blackwoods—Jethro? Or Cindy? Or someone else? Who were they investigating for? Darcy? The image of her calm, elegant face surfaced in his mind, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. Receiving no instruction, the voice on the phone ventured, "Should we lay out some false trails? Or maybe just... handle the investigator?" Lucian shook his head. His voice came out rough from the smoke. "No. Feed them a little information. Just enough. But make sure nothing can be traced back, nothing concrete." "Understood."Hanging up, Lucian leaned back, his deep eyes disappearing into the shadows of the room. My enemies—I'll deal with them myself, in my own time. Back in the lively bar Darcy and Cindy had chosen, the music pulsed. It didn't take long for Cindy to get into the groove. Her eyes wandered and landed on a booth in the distance. A young woman was being surrounded and pressured into drinking by a group of men. "Stop! Let me go!" the girl pleaded, struggling. The commotion drew occasional glances from others, but no one dared to intervene. Cindy felt the familiar surge of righteous indignation. Rolling up her sleeves, she strode over. "She said she doesn't want to drink! Are you deaf?" In two quick steps, she snatched the bottle from a man's hand and tried to pull the girl away. The men in the booth were momentarily stunned. One of them, looking up and getting a good look at Cindy's face, leered. "Hold on, who said you could leave?" He reached out, trying to pinch Cindy's chin. "Well, well. This one's even spicier. I like it!" Darcy, noticing Cindy was gone, scanned the room and saw the altercation. She immediately pushed her way through the edge of the dance floor. "Get your hands off her!" she commanded coldly, slapping the man's grubby hand away and positioning herself protectively in front of Cindy. The whole booth erupted. "What luck tonight! One beauty after another!" "And they're delivering themselves right to us! Come on, sweetheart, have a drink with us!" Darcy assessed the situation quickly. They were outnumbered, and all the opponents were men. A direct confrontation was the worst possible move.She took a steadying breath. "My friend is drunk. We apologize for the disturbance. We'll leave now and let you get back to your evening." She tried to usher Cindy and the other girl away, but a leering man blocked her path, grabbing her wrist. "You think this is your living room? Coming and going as you please?" He smirked. "But... if you come home with me, I might let your friends go." Laughter roared from the group. "Bren, you're dreaming! Screw that, why should she go with you? Gotta share the goods, man!" someone yelled. The man named Bren chuckled, "Hey, first come, first served, right? How about I get the first taste?" Another man kicked his shin. "Shut up! Mr. Cross is here. How dare you speak out of turn? Don't you know the rules?" Bren slapped his own cheek lightly. "Right, right! How could I forget Mr. Cross! Tonight's all about welcoming him back, of course Mr. Cross gets first pick!" As one, the group's attention shifted toward the innermost part of the large, dimly lit booth. It was spacious, partially obscured by potted plants and a decorative screen, which was why Darcy hadn't noticed the lone figure sitting there earlier. When her eyes finally adjusted and she saw the man's face clearly, she froze. It was Ines. Ines had recognized her the moment she appeared. He was in town on business, and the local clients, knowing his tastes, had arranged some "entertainment." He never expected to run into Darcy here, of all places.