Morning came too soon, and with it, a flood of responsibilities. The kids needed breakfast, Mouse needed a walk, and the contractors were expecting me at the apartments to finalize the next phase of renovations.
Despite the bustle, my mind kept circling back to Crow. His words, his presence—they lingered like an unspoken threat.
He knew too much.
As I packed a bag for the day, I caught sight of the pendant sitting on the counter. Its intricate design gleamed faintly in the sunlight, a stark reminder that I wasn't as alone in this fight as I'd thought.
But was he an enemy? Or something else entirely?
At the construction site, the foreman greeted me with a clipboard and a nervous smile.
"Good morning, sir. We've reinforced the walls of all three units, and the hidden compartments are complete. The solar panels should be operational by next week."
"Good," I said, scanning the blueprints. "And the underground storage?"
"Excavation is nearly finished. Should be ready for use within the next few days."
Satisfied, I nodded and handed the clipboard back. "Keep me updated."
As I turned to leave, I felt a familiar prickle at the back of my neck—the sensation of being watched. I glanced around casually, but the site was bustling with workers, none of whom seemed out of place.
Still, the feeling persisted.
Later that afternoon, I took the kids to a nearby park. Xue toddled after a butterfly while the twins chased each other across the grass. Mouse sat at my feet, his tail wagging lazily as he soaked up the sun.
For a brief moment, everything felt normal. Peaceful.
Then I saw him.
Crow stood beneath a tree at the edge of the park, his dark eyes fixed on me. He wasn't trying to hide—if anything, he wanted me to see him.
I rose slowly, my gaze never leaving his. "Stay with Mouse," I told the twins, my voice steady.
As I approached Crow, his expression softened, though there was still that maddening glint of amusement in his eyes.
"You're persistent," I said, stopping a few paces away.
"I prefer 'dedicated,'" he replied smoothly.
"What do you want from me?"
His smile faded, replaced by something raw and unguarded. "The truth? To protect you."
I blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. "Protect me from what?"
"Everything," he said simply.
For a moment, I didn't know how to respond. There was something about the way he said it, the weight of those words, that made me believe him.
But trust was a luxury I couldn't afford.
"You're not making sense," I said finally. "And until you do, stay out of my way."
Crow's gaze darkened, but he nodded. "As you wish, Lìyuè."
As I turned to walk away, his voice stopped me.
"Just remember," he said quietly, "not all shadows mean harm."
His words followed me as I returned to the kids, a puzzle I wasn't sure I wanted to solve.