The question sounded a little familiar to Zoe Pierce.

She felt like she’d heard it somewhere before.

The person asking was the same, and Zoe Pierce instantly remembered Erin Xavier deliberately asking her this inside the mecha—who was the best?

This question was virtually identical to the one he’d asked back then.

"Yes, yes, you’re the best," Zoe Pierce said dismissively.

Her words effortlessly lifted three hearts to the heavens, only to have them viciously crushed in a clenched fist.

Erin Xavier’s smile faltered. He tried to stretch his lips into a grin again, but his expression was even more serious than before. "I’m not joking."

He wanted to say ’excluding me,’ but this wasn’t like last time. She couldn’t exclude him from her choice again.

"This time, you have to include me. Pick one. Who do you choose?"

There was a lot to unpack in their exchange, and both Chase Shaw and Miles Sherman picked up on it. The two of them had clearly discussed this topic before.

If she excluded Erin Xavier last time, then who did Zoe Pierce choose?

Chase Shaw and Miles Sherman met each other’s gaze. Erin Xavier’s question wasn’t just for Zoe Pierce.

It had also ripped away the polite facade they had all been hiding behind.

At this point, perhaps only Zoe Pierce was still in the dark. The rest of them, to a man, finally understood what was on each other’s minds.

Zoe Pierce stared at Erin Xavier with a strange look on her face. "Erin Xavier, haven’t we already talked about this?"

Talked about what?

"That... we’re just going to be good teammates." Hadn’t that always been their attitude? Nathan Lockwood had stated it plainly, and they had all been perfectly polite about it.

Even if their relationships had changed, in Zoe Pierce’s mind, it was simply their camaraderie as teammates deepening.

"Don’t say such weird things." Zoe Pierce’s gaze flickered over to Miles Sherman and Chase Shaw, her expression growing more resolute. "I really don’t think of you guys that way."

’Making her choose one in front of everyone... That damn kid, Erin Xavier, is as rebellious as ever.’

’Didn’t he feel guilty about the temporary marking before?’

’How has it been this short, and all that guilt is already gone?’

’He’s trying to ruin me!’

Zoe Pierce stated emphatically, "You’re all great Alphas, but I really don’t have any romantic feelings for any of you."

’I’m begging you, dude, stop trying to ruin me.’

Her gaze toward Erin Xavier was so earnest it was as if she were about to rip her own heart out for him to see.

Erin Xavier’s expression froze on his face.

Even Miles Sherman and Chase Shaw looked upset.

Zoe Pierce noticed and looked at Miles Sherman and the others, trying to explain. "No, that’s not what I mean. You guys really are great, but... I’ve honestly never thought about it like that. You have to believe me."

She felt that the more she said, the stranger their expressions grew.

This scene felt vaguely familiar, too.

’Why do I keep getting this feeling?’

For a moment, Zoe Pierce couldn’t tell if Miles Sherman and the others were the strange ones, or if she was.

She was at a loss for how to explain herself.

She wanted to make it clear that just because someone is a nice person doesn’t mean you’re obligated to like them.

It wasn’t like they were Star Coins; not everyone had to love them.

Besides, there were different kinds of affection. The bond between teammates was far more reliable than a romantic relationship, wasn’t it?

"I know." In the end, it was Miles Sherman who smoothed things over. His eyes darkened a fraction, but he gave Zoe Pierce an out. "We all know. It was just a joke."

’But Erin Xavier just said it wasn’t a joke.’

Zoe Pierce said nothing, but with Miles Sherman’s words acting as a buffer, the atmosphere in the room relaxed ever so slightly.

Well...

Not by much.

Zoe Pierce didn’t feel like talking anymore.

Erin Xavier noticed that Zoe Pierce was subconsciously avoiding him. The way she angled her body, the direction of her gaze—everything seemed to have shifted after he asked his question.

Pushing the earlier question from his mind, Erin Xavier moved closer to her. "Sis, are you angry?"

His voice softened. "I shouldn’t have made that joke."

Some people, it had to be said, were born with extraordinary acting talent. If they were willing to humble themselves, they could achieve feats beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Erin Xavier was a prime example.

He could play the part of an obedient child just as well as he could play the villain.

He switched between good and evil with perfect ease.

Now, whispering his apology, he looked utterly innocent once more.

Zoe Pierce couldn’t look at his face. Erin Xavier was an expert at putting on an innocent act, and one look at his face was enough to make anyone’s heart melt.

She averted her gaze, but Erin Xavier followed it, crouching down by her knees. "Are you really angry?"

"Don’t be angry. I won’t ask again."

Just as Nathan Lockwood entered the room, he saw this very scene.

Erin Xavier was crouching beside Zoe Pierce, his face turned up to hers as he said something.

His hand was resting on her knee, an intimacy so blatant it was hard not to frown.

But he then noticed Chase Shaw and Miles Sherman were also there.

Miles Sherman was one thing, but he was surprised that Chase Shaw would also allow Erin Xavier to be so familiar with her.

Chase Shaw’s thoughts were more complicated than Nathan Lockwood’s. ’No one but Erin Xavier could swallow his pride and apologize like that. At least, I know I couldn’t.’

Even though it irked him...

...a part of him hoped Erin Xavier’s sly groveling would be enough to keep Zoe Pierce from getting angry.

Not that he could bring himself to smile, having just been thoroughly friend-zoned himself.

Zoe Pierce thought Erin Xavier looked just like a little puppy wagging its tail. His large, deer-like eyes might as well have been puppy-dog eyes—round, bright, and pleading...

She hadn’t been able to resist it before, and she couldn’t resist it now.

Seeing Nathan Lockwood enter, she shot to her feet as if he were a lifeline.

"You’re here. Can we go now?"

They had come to the room to wait for everyone to assemble before leaving. Now that Nathan Lockwood had arrived, they were all here.

Just as she was about to leave, she felt a hand grab her wrist.

She turned her head and saw it was Erin Xavier again.

His brow was slightly furrowed on his otherwise harmless-looking face. The lines smoothed out when she turned to look at him. He watched her stubbornly. "Don’t be angry anymore, okay?"

Zoe Pierce really wasn’t angry.

She was just... speechless.

She didn’t know what to say.

She truly felt helpless against Erin Xavier. With a sigh, she said, "I’m really not angry. I just don’t know how to explain it."

Erin Xavier fell silent for a moment. "I was forcing your hand just now. I won’t do it again."

He promised.

’Now that’s a good little brother,’ Zoe Pierce thought, breathing a sigh of relief.

She didn’t want to answer that question anyway. It felt like no matter what she said, it would be wrong.

Zoe Pierce then said, "In that case, let go of my hand."

Erin Xavier looked at her and repeated, "Really. You can’t be mad at me. Promise."

’She can be mad at Chase Shaw and Miles Sherman, but not at me.’

"I promise, I’m not angry." She felt Erin Xavier was like an insecure child who needed constant reassurance to believe something was true.

She almost wanted to ruffle his hair to prove she wasn’t angry.

After a moment’s thought, she raised her fingers and gave his forehead a light flick.

"There. Revenge is mine. Now let go. I’m really not angry anymore," Zoe Pierce promised. She truly did feel much better now.

Erin Xavier released her hand and rubbed his forehead, a strange look on his face.