Courtney blinked, feeling an unusual warmth from Scarlett today.


    She looked towards Tina with a pleading gaze, to which Tina gave her a knowing look. "Girl, my aunt wants you to be her niece-inw."


    Courtney nearly choked on her drink.


    How had she, at such a young age, be a ve to matchmaking?


    No, absolutely not!


    Seeing Courtney''s desperate eyes, Tina kindly whisked her away, breaking the siege.


    Scarlett, aware that Tina had serious matters to discuss, did not pry further, waiting for them to finish.


    "Actually, my brother isn''t bad either, why don''t you meet him?" Tina teased, yfully hooking Courtney''s chin.


    Courtney''s face flushed deeply. "Miss Reed, when did you start being so informal?"


    "I learned it from our Uncle."


    Just then, Jared entered and paused upon hearing this.


    Huh? Was he informal?


    Seeing Jared''s return, Courtney quickly changed the subject, "Mr. Farrell, Christopher said you were looking for me, what''s the matter?"


    Jared came over, sitting beside Tina, "You''re about to graduate from Kongham University, right? nning on graduate studies?"


    Courtney nodded, "Yes, but I haven''t had time for the exams, the training tasks have been quite heavytely."


    "Go for the graduate program, and stay close to Lysander."


    It took a moment for Courtney to recall who Lysander was. "Stay close to him and do what?"


    Tina then spoke, "Lysander has been dealing with the Reed family recently, investigating the Five Poisons'' biotech on bionic organisms. You help him out. There''s also a Stephanie around him with impure motives; just investigate her quietly, don''t blow your cover."


    Courtney understood but still felt uneasy. "Miss Reed, Asher Vance is with GTO, and they must know I am with the X Bureau. Grace saw me at the training field today; won''t this raise their suspicion?"


    Tina smiled, "It will, and they''ll also wonder if you''re investigating Lysander or Stephanie. Either way, you''re a person of interest now, so be careful."


    Upon hearing this, Courtney burst outughing.


    This kind of game was what she loved most.


    "I''ll make sure toplete the mission."


    At Stephanie''s house.


    She was looking in the mirror, wondering if it was her imagination, but the scars on her face seemed less severe than before.


    Just then, the door burst open.


    A mud-covered Grace walked in.


    Stephanie jumped, retreating with a pillow in hand, "You... why are you in such a mess? Stay away, don''t dirty my clothes!"


    Grace lunged forward, pinning Stephanie to the ground and repeatedly striking her face.


    "I told you to keep a close eye on Tina, have you managed that? Have you treated my words as nothing but air?"


    Stephanie, dazed from the beating, responded, "What are you talking about? I''ve told you everything, and Tina ising over tomorrow, what are you doing?"


    Stephanie pushed Grace off and wiped her face disdainfully, "What are you going crazy about?"


    Grace caught her breath, regaining some sanity, "I need to see results tomorrow, you must have Lysanderpletely under control, got it?"


    Stephanie felt today''s Grace was particrly deranged, but nodded repeatedly, "I understand."


    Early the next day, Tina arrived at Stephanie''s house as promised.


    Stephanie greeted her warmly, "Tina, you''re here! I''ve prepared some fruit tea, please have some."


    Tina eyed the drink, noting it was indeed just fruit tea, no extra ingredients.


    Tina took a sip and asked softly, "Bedroom or living room?"


    "Let''s go to the bedroom," Stephanie said with a forcedugh when Tina remained silent, and they both entered the bedroom together. When the expected pain arrived, Stephanie rolled around on the bed in agony, reacting even more violently than before, running around the room and smashing things.


    Tina sat quietly on the side, watching Stephanie''s performance. The pain wasn''t as bad asst time. What was Stephanie trying to achieve with this act?


    Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door, "Stephanie, are you alright?"


    Tina raised an eyebrow; it was Lysander. Why had hee again?


    At that moment, Stephanie opened the door, and Lysander, taking the opportunity, stepped inside. Seeing the chaos in the room and the sweat on Stephanie''s face, he was at a loss. Lysander supported Stephanie, looking at Tina in disbelief, "What''s going on? Tina, is she alright?"


    Tina, leaning back in her chair with her legs crossed, smiled and said, "She''s fine."


    Suddenly, Stephanie forcefully pushed Lysander away, sending him stumbling into the bedroom, and then ran out. The door, as if by ident, closed behind her. Click. The door locked.


    Lysander paused, then hurriedly tried to open the door, only to find it wouldn''t budge.


    "Tina, what...?" Lysander looked at Tina, unsure what to do next.


    Tina was calm. "If we can''t leave, we might as well stay. It''s not a big deal. She''ll be over it in an hour."


    She was curious to see what new tricks Stephanie would try.


    Lysander pressed his lips together, ncing at Tina with half-lowered eyelids. No matter when he saw her, she always seemed like an untouchable goddess, like Venus.


    Lysander sat down; there was only a small sofa in Stephanie''s room, so he settled on the bed.


    Outside, Stephanie caught her breath. This time the pain wasn''t as bad as before, within her tolerance.


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    She touched her cheek, nced at the tightly shut door, and thought, "Just you wait, Tina. After this, you won''t be able to distance yourself from Lysander!"


    Inside, Lysander sat in silence, about to discuss his dealings with the Reed family with Tina, when he began to feel increasingly hot.


    He took off his jacket and threw it aside but still felt suffocated.


    It felt like a fire was burning inside him, trying to burst out.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Lysander grew restless, fanning himself with his shirt, his face flushed red.


    Tina observed Lysander''s condition and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Lysander shook his head, "I... I don''t know, Tina, I feel awful."


    Tina approached and took his hand gently to check on him.


    Suddenly, Lysander, as if losing his senses, tightly grasped Tina''s hand. "Tina, I feel terrible, I want to hold you..."


    Bang! The bedroom door was suddenly smashed open, and the air instantly filled with the smell of a fire extinguisher. "There''s a fire! Tina, I''ming to save you now!"


    Tina shielded her eyes and in the next second, moved to a safe spot.


    Once the smoke cleared, Tina opened her eyes.


    Orson, still holding the fire extinguisher, was pinned down by Lysander, unable to move as Lysander clutched him tightly. Their legs were tangled up in an undignified manner.


    Lysandery quietly on top of Orson, a small bump forming on his head, matching a dent on the fire extinguisher. Tina just stared, "..."