Nathan Leafcastle has always been meticulous. Would he really make such an oversight and let Irene Spencer get these files?

"You’ve taken such important files from him. Doesn’t he know?"

"He... He definitely doesn’t know." Irene Spencer smiled. "I secretly took photos of them with my phone. They aren’t the original documents. I just printed a copy for you for convenience."

Kris Cooper scanned the files in his hand, the corner of his lip curling up slightly. "I see."

"Right!" Irene breathed out. "Pretty clever of me, huh?"

"Indeed clever." Kris Cooper’s smile widened. "But aren’t you afraid he’ll seek revenge on you for doing this to him?"

Irene walked over to stand beside his sofa and peered at the documents in his hands.

"Besides, I’m going abroad soon. What can he do to me?"

As she spoke, she feigned a sigh. "I know I’ve caused a lot of trouble for you and Vera. Consider this... my compensation. I hope you both... find happiness in the future."

"Thank you, then." Kris Cooper stood up and closed the files. "Vera is waiting for me. I should go."

"Kris!" Irene stopped him, catching his arm. "Could I ask you for one last thing?"

Kris Cooper turned his head. "What is it?"

With her hands hidden behind her back, Irene deftly removed the cap from a syringe. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him.

"Could you hold me, just once... please!"

His amber eyes narrowed slightly. Kris tilted an eyebrow as he leaned slightly towards her. "So, this is your requested payment?"

Staring at the face so close to hers, her heart began to race. She had loved him since their youth, years passing without them ever being this close.

"Of course... it’s not payment. Just a small request. C-can you?"

Kris Cooper smiled, a wide grin spreading across his face, yet three cold words slipped from between his teeth. "No, I can’t."

Her expression stiffened, disappointment flashing in her eyes.

"Goodbye!"

As Kris Cooper turned to leave, Irene gritted her teeth and raised her right hand to stab him in the back.

The man spun around, his arm shooting up to block hers. His other hand darted out like an iron pincer and gripped her arm.

Irene’s face paled; she froze on the spot.

Kris Cooper snatched the syringe from her hand and examined it closely.

"So, this was your real goal... was it?"

Exposed, Irene’s face turned as white as a sheet.

"Kris, don’t misunderstand! This... this was all arranged by Nathan Leafcastle! He forced me! And the earlier scandal, that was his scheme too!"

SMACK!

Kris Cooper backhanded her across the face. Irene spun around, stumbled, and crashed into the low coffee table.

The coffee table tilted, and the juice cup, ashtray, and other items on it crashed to the floor.

"He forced you?" Kris Cooper looked down at her contemptuously. "If you didn’t want to, how could he have forced you?"

"He... he..."

Even someone as usually quick-witted as Irene was now at a loss for words.

She had originally believed her plan was foolproof this time; who would have thought he’d still discover it?

"Back when we were in the US, I actually admired you. I thought you were a very hardworking girl..." Kris Cooper scoffed. "Those things... I didn’t really believe them at first. But now, it seems you really were the one behind them!"

Goodnight, little princes and princesses!