The Wrong Woman

Candice's gasp echoed through the room, her hands flying to her mouth in disbelief as she struggled to comprehend the unfolding scene.

Elio's chilling presence was so overpowering that it reduced the arrogant man to trembling silence. He bowed his head in submission, too terrified to speak. Every word Elio spoke carried an icy intensity, freezing the air around them. "If you're thirsty, get your own drink. Don't expect my team to cater to your needs."

The words "my team" echoed through Candice like an explosion, stirring a blend of nervousness and anticipation that hastened her heartbeat.

While she understood that Elio was referring to his subordinates from headquarters as "my team", she couldn't help but feel a rush of satisfaction.

Terrified and flustered, the man swiftly bowed and offered an apology. "I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Hoffis, I've made a mistake."

Elio's demeanor remained icy as he turned and walked away without acknowledging Candice, leaving her bewildered.

Despite Elio's intervention in reprimanding his subordinate, Candice couldn't shake the sense that his attitude toward her remained distant and unpredictable, alternating between cold and warm. Once Elio had left, Candice knelt down to help the man gather the scattered dollar bills.

Visibly shaken, the man's apologies tumbled out in a frantic rush. "I-I'm truly sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I can handle it myself..."

His demeanor toward Candice now bore an added layer of fear and apprehension.

Standing up, Candice turned her gaze back toward Elio, feeling a rush of concern wash over her.

Had he recovered from last night's heavy drinking? Was he feeling unwell today?

him closely as he carried out his

of seriousness and gravitas, radiating an

briefly turned, only to find no one

survey of his surroundings,

appeared, his demeanor solemn as he

glanced at the screen, noting the incoming video call from his mother,

finally accepted the phone. With his Bluetooth earpiece in place, he answered the call calmly, "What's

already arranged for someone to retrieve Candice. Regardless of your intentions, she needs to

your associates to back off,"

she continued, "If you choose not to heed my advice,

the camera to the rear-facing view, focusing on a large painting hanging on

he stepped outside, gripping his phone

stood by the fire escape stairwe and admonished, "Get out of

you refuse to send Candice back, I'll

veins on the back of his hands standing out

on

created over a month during his high school years, portraying Candice's

fixture

had treasured numerous small gifts from Candice, only

painting remained as the final tangible connection