Mia Kane was very clear about what she wanted right now: to kiss him, to hold him!

She kissed him earnestly.

Their breaths slowly mingled. She felt Adrian Preston’s strong arms lift her up completely.

The kiss grew more and more intense, a passionate, reluctant parting.

But in the end, Adrian’s rationality returned, and he released her lips.

A deep desire filled his eyes, and his voice was a few shades huskier.

"Stop playing around."

He moved to put her down, but Mia Kane playfully refused, clinging to him like an octopus.

She cupped Adrian Preston’s face, unwilling to let go.

"Adrian Preston, tell me honestly. Do you really not have any feelings for me at all?"

Adrian Preston pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

"I’ve always felt that you don’t love me, that I’m not in your heart. That you only act out of a husband’s loyalty and responsibility to his wife! So, when you risked your life alone to save me, was it really just for that?"

She asked, unwilling to accept it.

The moment he appeared on the sea, she felt as if she were seeing her past self.

Back when Chase Lockwood was kidnapped and someone needed to deliver the ransom.

She went without a second thought, her mind consumed by a single idea: she had to save the man she loved, no matter the cost.

’Without love, could a person really be driven to risk their life and give up everything?’

This thought had been lingering in her mind, but with the Preston Group in such chaos, she hadn’t had a chance to think it through properly.

Adrian Preston avoided her gaze and looked elsewhere. Mia Kane immediately grew displeased and turned his face back toward her.

"Look me in the eye. I want to hear the truth. This is the last time I’m going to ask you, so answer me honestly. If you tell me that I’m not in your heart, that you only feel a sense of duty and responsibility toward me, then I will never ask such a humiliating question again! And I won’t question any of your good intentions!"

Hearing this, Adrian Preston pursed his lips, and a few words were squeezed from his dry throat.

"I... you’re in my heart."

"Is it just me, or is there someone else too?"

"There’s no one else."

His answer this time was much more decisive. There was no hesitation; every word was clear and firm.

Mia Kane froze. ’So, he doesn’t love Shannon Preston? His feelings for her are truly just brotherly affection?’

’He probably hasn’t even realized that Shannon Preston’s love for him has long since warped into something else.’

"So, you only like me?"

She stared intently at Adrian Preston.

Adrian Preston actually grew embarrassed under her gaze. He lowered his eyes slightly, avoiding her stare, as his ears turned visibly red.

He gave a soft "mhm."

Watching his reaction, Mia Kane felt like fireworks were going off in her mind.

’So, it’s not just me who has feelings?’

’Is this what they call marrying first and loving later?’

"What about you, then?"

Adrian Preston immediately pressed his advantage.

"I..." Mia Kane lost her nerve. She was bold enough when grilling Adrian Preston, but when it was her turn, she hesitated.

She hadn’t reached the point where she could completely open her heart.

She tried to get off him, but he held her in place.

"Answer me. Am I in your heart?"

"I mean, yes, but..."

"The ’but’ doesn’t matter. So what if you do? Are you still thinking about going your separate ways, about making a clean break? You dare to like me, but you don’t dare to like me too much, right?"

His eagle-like eyes had seen right through Mia Kane.

She had always been one to love and hate fiercely, but because of Chase Lockwood, she was now a classic case of "once bitten, twice shy." He really wanted to tear Chase Lockwood to shreds right now. That bastard’s actions had left the next person walking on thin ice.

The moment he hurt Mia Kane’s heart even a little, she would immediately retreat, never daring to take another step forward.

This would take a long time, and a lot of patience.

"Mia Kane, do you know why my superiors chose me to be an undercover agent?"

"Why?"

Mia Kane didn’t understand why the topic had suddenly shifted to this.

"Because I am patient enough. I only reel in the line when the fish has taken the bait completely, when it’s hooked for good. I either don’t do something, or if I do, I never give up halfway. There is no challenge I cannot overcome."

He looked at her with determination.

Mia Kane felt a little flustered by his stare.

"I... I might not be that easy to overcome..."

"Then we’ll just have to see."

Just then, a nurse knocked on the door.

"Um... are you two done talking? I need to come in and change the IV drip. I get off work after this."

Like a startled rabbit, Mia Kane quickly hopped off Adrian Preston.

She scrambled onto the bed, pulled the covers up, and started fumbling around for something.

When people are embarrassed, they always try to look busy.

Watching her, Adrian Preston couldn’t help but want to laugh.

Adrian Preston peeled an apple for her.

"I just got a call from the Preston Group. I went outside to take it so I wouldn’t wake you. I might have to go over there this afternoon, but I’ll come see you later tonight."

He handed her the apple. Mia Kane glanced at the single, unbroken peel and believed he was indeed a very patient man.

’And a very patient hunter, no doubt.’

"Go ahead and get to work. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine."

"I’ll take you out for something good tonight."

Adrian Preston looked at her with doting eyes and ruffled her hair.

She felt that ever since Adrian Preston admitted his feelings for her, he was having a hard time holding back.

She found she couldn’t even meet his searing gaze.

Adrian Preston stayed and talked with her for a while before leaving. Mia Kane yawned and was about to go to sleep when her phone rang.

It was an unknown number.

She wasn’t in the habit of answering unknown numbers, so she hung up immediately.

But the phone kept ringing, as if it were something urgent.

She stared at the number. For some reason, her heart tightened with each vibration of the phone.

After a long hesitation, she finally answered the call.

"Hello, who is this?"

She asked cautiously.

"Heh heh heh..." A terrifying, bone-chilling laugh came from the other end of the line.

The voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"Excellent. Just excellent. The three of you in that family worked together to put on quite a show and lure me into your trap."

"Shannon Preston lured you to the jewelry store and had Carter King make his move."

"Carter King captured you to lure Adrian Preston into a solo rescue."

"And Adrian Preston gets a chance to come to my den and annihilate my men in one fell swoop!"

"Excellent. Just excellent!"

The person on the other end was clearly furious, their voice so terrifying it was like it came from the depths of Hell.

Mia Kane was too shocked to speak. She had never imagined her kidnapping wasn’t an accident but something planned by Shannon Preston.

She also hadn’t expected that Adrian Preston had coordinated with the police so quickly to risk his life alone. It turned out he wasn’t just saving her; he was using her as a pretext to get a chance to go deep into the lion’s den.

Mia Kane comforted herself. ’Adrian wanted to save me, too. Wiping out the enemy’s base at the same time is a good thing, so why get hung up on it?’

Just as she had convinced herself, William spoke again.

"Mia Kane, I never thought you’d be so magnanimous. It seems the rumors that you can’t tolerate any deceit aren’t true after all."

"What do you mean?"

Mia Kane froze.

"What, you still don’t know? That day on the ship...