"I’m just kidding you." Chronos waved a dismissive hand. "But what are you planning to do?"

"Nothing harmful." Lilianna kept her voice light, innocent but mischievous, if not for her sharp eyes, which tell a different story. "I just want to break the mood a little. Make things a little spicy."

Chronos’s eyes gleamed with sudden interest. "Hmmm... sounds interesting."

"Isn’t it?" Lilianna leaned forward, sensing that she was close to persuading this man. "It wasn’t something that would put anyone in any danger if exposed."

"Well." He paused, his expression shifting to something more serious. "If push comes to shove, I’ll drop you in a heartbeat."

"I already know it, fucker."

That made him laugh in delight and anticipation. "Well then, cheers to a happy cooperation."

Chronos stood and extended his hand to Lilianna. Lilianna grasped it firmly, feeling the cool smoothness of his palm against hers.

They shook once, twice, sealing their messy alliance.

Chronos released her hand and turned toward the door, playfully kicking the mess on the floor on the weay.

But just as he approached the sensors of the door, he stopped.

He said, "I almost forgot."

Lilianna looked up from where she was and looked in Chronos’s direction, staring at his back, trying to see his expression.

"What?" she asked with extra wariness.

Chronos didn’t turn around and lightly said, "Big sis also told me to tell you that she knows about what you did to Lysander. So keep your hands to yourself as much as possible, don’t do anything extra."

The blood drained from Lilianna’s face so fast she felt dizzy.

Chronos glanced back over his shoulder, genuine curiosity sparking in those strange eyes. "Who’s Lysander?"

"S-she— wha—? How?" The words tangled in her throat, catching on the sudden terror that had seized her chest.

Helena knew? How did she find out about him?

How did Helena know what she had done to Lysander?

How much did she know about him?

Has she told anyone yet?

No, if she did, then she wouldn’t have warned her like this.

But if she knew about Lysander, there was no way that Grayson didn’t know about it either.

But if Grayson knew, he would’ve immediately sent someone out to get her head.

But... Why was Helena not saying anything to Grayson?

What was she thinking?

What was Helena planning to do with that information?

Chronos watched her for a moment, taking in her ashen complexion and trembling hands with detached interest.

Seeing that Lilianna wouldn’t get into his senses anytime soon, Chronos just shrugged when his question went unanswered.

Mystery makes life interesting.

"There, I said my piece. I’ll go now." Chronos bid farewell as the door slipped open behind him.

○●○●

Lilianna was left alone amidst the wreckage of the makeup room. She sank back down to the floor, her back against the vanity.

Her whole body was trembling in fear, cold and sweating.

Bingli entered as soon as he received the notification of someone entering Lilianna’s dressing room. If it were Lilianna, then there wouldn’t be a notification, but it did. So, Bingli hurried up to where she was to come and rescue Lilianna.

The moment she entered, she was met with the disastrous scene inside and Lilianna’s pitiful self.

"Lady!" Bingli anxiously approached Lilianna. But Lilianna remained silent, as nothing mattered right now. "Lady, just hang in there! I’ll call someone for help!"

Just as Bingli was turning on her light brain, Lilianna’s hand stopped her.

"No."

Bingli looked at Lilianna incredulously.

"What do you mean, no? You’re like this the moment I left you, what do you think I would think?!" she said as she shook Lilianna a little, but then paused and said, "No— why am I trying to reason with you. I got to get some—"

"NO." This time, Lilianna gripped Bingli’s arms tightly with a menacing gaze.

This was not the Lilianna she knew.

"What’s wrong with you?" Bingli slowly said, trying to get on eye to eye with Lilianna, "What happened?"

"Nothing."

Bingli didn’t say anything this time, sensing that if she continuously asked, she would inevitably cross the line that Lilianna drew. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Instead, she helped Lilianna to her feet and tried to keep her in the room until she fixed herself.

But Lilianna remained still, silent, and unfocused.

After a while, a chime from Bingli’s light brain snapped her back to her senses. She hesitated to say something but mustered her courage to do her job.

She said, "Lady, you have a scheduled interview tomorrow, but the charity gala on Saturday can’t be moved. Also, the director has requested that you review the final cut of the commercial before—"

"Cancel everything on the weekends," Lilianna muttered weakly, which Bingli barely heard.

Bingli stepped closer to Lilianna and asked, "The weekends? But you have to attend—"

"I said cancel it." Lilianna gravely said. "All of it. Tell them I have a prior engagement. Family emergency. Whatever excuse sounds believable."

"But Lady, you really—"

Bingli stopped mid-sentence after getting a good look at Lilianna’s face. Lilianna lifted her head and looked at her with a terrifying expression that made her take a step back.

"This weekend," she said softly but firmly, "I will be busy with something else. I’m off alone somewhere you don’t need to know. If anyone asks where I am, you will tell them exactly what I told you to tell them. Do you understand?"

Bingli swallowed hard. "Y-yes, Lady L-Lilianna."

"Good."

Lilianna turned around to open her light brain’s holographic screen. It seemed that she received a message from someone.

However, Bingli didn’t know who it was.

But she clearly saw the name in it.

Marcus Chen.

It seemed to be a man’s name.

It said that it was most likely to happen by the weekend.

What will happen on the weekends?

Was she dating?

If she was not dating this guy, then who was she going ’alone’ on the weekends?

Either way, no matter how much she snooped on her employer’s private life, Bingli still had to do her job as Lilianna’s manager. She scrambled to keep up, composing apologetic messages in her head and dreading the calls and lies she would have to make.

Bingli made a mental note to update his resume.

Just in case.

✦ ✦ ✦

After walking for a while, Chronos paused after turning one corner in the empty hallway. His playful expression faded into contemplation. Then, he turned on his light brain and typed a quick message.

[Zero]: Mission accomplished.

Not long after, a reply came.

[BigSis]: Good. Keep an eye on her.

[BigSis]: And Zero?

[Zero]: ?

[BigSis]: Don’t tell the General. That’s an order.

Chronos stared at the screen for a long moment, then let out a soft laugh. His fingers danced across the interface.

[Zero]: Big sis, do you think so little of me? Why would I ever do something extra outside our deal?

[BigSis]: No. But I also know you’ll drop me without hesitation if necessary.

[Zero]: Fair point. But this time, I’ll behave. Things were getting really exciting.

[BigSis]: That’s what I’m afraid of.

Chronos tutted as if finding Helena’s words boring. Then, an idea sparked in his mind. He hurriedly pulled another group chat without certain people.

It was named, the Melon Eaters Group Chat.

[Zero]: She’s planning to crash the date~. I can’t wait to find out where she will get that information.

The responses came almost instantly.

[EternalYouth]: I knew it.

[No.1Traitor]: You’re supposed to stop her, not enable her.

[Zero]: What can I do about it~ This is just too fun to miss out on.

[ImmortalFox]: You’re going right?

[Zero]: Of course.

[ImmortalFox]: Then control the situation if it gets out of hand.

[Zero]: Huh~? Why would I? That’s not fun~

[No.1Traitor]: Quit it.

[Zero]: *shrugs* Fine~ No promises~ ✨

[EternalYouth]: This is going to be a disaster.

[Zero]: I know, right~? Isn’t it exciting?

[No.1Traitor]: I’ll try to at least revive you.

[Zero]: Dude, just save me.

Then an unexpected message caught Chronos’s attention.

[General]: Any progress?

Chronos, unlike his previous playful attitude, straightened with a serious expression.

[Zero]: At least two people inside and ten suspicious people on the move.

[General]: ...they really...

[Zero]: apologies, general.

[General]: It’s fine. Anything else I should know?

Chronos thought about it for a moment, and a mischievous smile curved his lips and crinkled his eyes.

[Zero]: Surveillance was already planted. I have an appointment with the children of the king on different, separate occasions. I’ll update you the moment I get off their sights... nothing else.

[General]: ...are you sure?

[Zero]: (◠‿◠)

Chronos turned off his light brain and continued down the hallway, humming a tune from his latest single.

The game was getting more interesting by the minute.

Behind him, unnoticed in the shadows of a side corridor, a figure watched Chronos with glowing golden eyes.

Some people, he thought as he felt the person following him, really didn’t know when to stop.

Chronos pulled out a compact laser dagger hidden on his sleeves.

But that was what made them so entertaining to watch.

Chronos smiled, the expression transforming his beautiful face into something both angelic and sinister.

The figure following him lunges unhesitatingly towards him.

ACK!

This was going to be another bloody night.

He thought after unhesitatingly dodging and stabbed the figure in the neck, effectively killing him in one slice.

The blood spurt, splashing his clothes and cheeks, made Chronos’s eyes gleam in disgust.

"First," he murmured nonchalantly as he wiped his cheeks, "I need to wash up."