Later that night, as the estate settled into an uneasy quiet, a figure slipped through the darkened garden. Unseen and unheard, they moved swiftly toward the guesthouse where Erik lay resting. Their footsteps were silent against the gravel path, their shadow blending seamlessly with the night.Inside, Aiko had finally fallen asleep in the chair beside Erik's bed, her head resting against the armrest as exhaustion overtook her. Erik stirred slightly, his body still aching from the day's events.The figure paused outside the door, their hand reaching for the slider. For a moment, there was silence, only the faint sound of the night breeze rustling the trees. But then, the figure hesitated and knocked softly—three short taps, followed by two long ones, then two short again.Morse code.It's me—Viktor.Inside the room, Erik stirred at the sound. His instincts, honed by years of espionage, kicked in immediately. He opened his eyes, and though his body ached with pain, his mind was suddenly alert, calculating. Viktor.Erik's heart pounded as he sat up quietly, careful not to wake Aiko, who had fallen asleep by his side. He stared at the door, his mind racing. Viktor had followed him here. He had known Viktor would come, but not so soon, not like this.The knock came again—insistent this time, and Erik knew he had no choice. He glanced at Aiko, her peaceful face bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. She had no idea who waited on the other side of that door or what kind of danger he represented. Erik couldn't let her get involved in this.Taking a deep breath, Erik rose from the bed, grimacing as his ribs protested the movement. He grabbed the nearest piece of clothing—his jacket—and slipped it on, concealing the bandages beneath it. Slowly, he approached the door, every step filled with caution.He opened the slider just a crack, enough to see the dark silhouette of the man outside.Viktor.His former superior stood there, his face obscured by the shadows, but the cold, calculating gleam in his eyes was unmistakable. Viktor had always been relentless, and Erik knew that whatever reason brought him to Aruna, it wasn't going to be good."I was starting to wonder if you'd forgotten the code," Viktor said in a low, amused voice, barely audible in the quiet night. His accent, sharp and clipped, held the familiar note of authority that Erik had grown to resent over the years.Erik's jaw tightened. "What are you doing here, Viktor?"Viktor leaned against the doorframe, his eyes narrowing. "Checking up on you. I had a feeling you might be... distracted."Erik glanced back briefly at Aiko, ensuring she was still asleep. Then he slipped outside, carefully closing the door behind him."I told you I had things under control," Erik said, his voice low and strained.Viktor's smile was cold, almost predatory. "It doesn't look that way. Seems like you've gone soft, Erik. And soft isn't a trait we value in our line of work."Erik clenched his fists, his mind racing. Viktor's presence here meant one thing—he had run out of time. Whatever decisions Erik had made, whatever emotions had begun to cloud his judgment, Viktor was here to remind him that loyalty to Nordhaven came first. Always."I haven't forgotten the mission," Erik said, his voice tight. "But things are more complicated than you realize."Viktor raised an eyebrow. "Complicated? Because of her?" He nodded toward the closed door, his expression unreadable. "You've been compromised, Erik. The Erik Winterhart I trained would never let something as... trivial as feelings get in the way of duty."Erik's gaze hardened. "You don't know anything about her."Viktor shrugged, pushing off the wall and stepping closer, his cold stare locked onto Erik's. "I don't need to. All I know is that you were sent here for a reason, and you're running out of time. Our interests in Aruna aren't going to wait for you to decide where your loyalties lie."Erik swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. He had to make a choice, and fast. Aiko's life was on the line, and so was the hospital. But he also knew that Viktor wasn't someone who made idle threats.Viktor's voice lowered, almost a whisper. "You either finish the mission, or I will."The unspoken threat hung in the air between them, heavy and dangerous."I'll handle it," Erik said through gritted teeth, his tone final. "But Aiko is off-limits."Viktor tilted his head, a mocking smile on his lips. "We'll see about that."With that, Viktor turned on his heel and disappeared into the shadows as swiftly as he had arrived, leaving Erik standing alone in the moonlit garden, the weight of his choices pressing down on him like never before.---Erik stood frozen in the garden, his chest heaving with the effort to stay calm. Viktor's presence was more than just a threat; it was a reminder of everything he had tried to leave behind. As the darkness of the garden closed in around him, he felt the weight of his choices pressing down on his shoulders—choices that were becoming increasingly harder to make.He glanced back at the guesthouse, where Aiko lay asleep, completely unaware of the danger lurking outside. The thought of Viktor laying a hand on her, of him interfering in her life and her mission, made Erik's blood run cold. He had to keep her safe, no matter the cost. But how?Viktor wasn't bluffing. Erik had seen him carry out threats before, cold and calculated, without hesitation. If Erik didn't complete his mission soon, Viktor would take matters into his own hands, and the consequences would be dire. The hospital project that Aiko had dedicated herself to could be destroyed. Worse, Aiko herself could be caught in the crossfire.Erik clenched his fists, his mind racing. He needed a plan—something that would buy him more time. Time to figure out how to protect Aiko, time to navigate his mission without betraying everything he had come to care about.But even as the thought formed in his mind, another voice crept in, a voice he had fought to suppress for weeks.Have you forgotten the mission? it whispered. You were never meant to stay. She was never meant to matter.Erik squeezed his eyes shut, willing the voice to disappear. But it lingered, echoing in his mind, a reminder of the man he had been trained to be.Back inside the guesthouse, Aiko stirred in her sleep, the faint sound of footsteps outside the door pulling her from her dreams. She blinked groggily, her body heavy with exhaustion, but something felt off. The room was too quiet, too still.She sat up slowly, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. Erik's bed was empty, the blanket he had been using tossed aside. A knot of worry tightened in her chest."Erik?" she called softly, but there was no response.Her heart raced as she stood up, moving quietly toward the door. She reached for the handle, her fingers trembling slightly. Just as she was about to open it, the door slid open with a soft creak.Erik stood there, his expression unreadable, his eyes shadowed by the dim light outside."Erik, where were you?" Aiko asked, concern lacing her voice. "I woke up and you were gone."Erik forced a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I needed some air," he said, his voice low and tight. "Didn't mean to worry you."Aiko studied his face, sensing the tension beneath his words. Something was wrong—she could feel it. But Erik was good at hiding things, she knew that by now.Before she could press further, Erik stepped into the room, closing the door softly behind him. He crossed the room and sank down on the edge of the bed, his movements stiff and deliberate."Get some rest, Aiko," he said, his voice quieter now. "We'll talk in the morning."Aiko hesitated, her instincts screaming that something had happened—something he wasn't telling her. But the exhaustion in his voice and the weariness in his eyes stopped her from pushing him further. Whatever it was, she would get the truth from him when he was ready.She nodded, though the unease lingered in her chest. "Alright," she whispered, sitting back down on her chair. "But Erik, if something's wrong, you can tell me. I'm here."Erik's gaze flicked to hers, and for a brief moment, she saw a flash of something—something raw and vulnerable. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the guarded expression he always wore."I know," he said quietly. "Thank you, Aiko."As worried as she can be, she let it go and progressed to her room.Later that night, as the hours passed in uneasy silence, Erik lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Aiko's words echoed in his mind, mingling with Viktor's threats.You either finish the mission, or I will.Erik gritted his teeth. He had to act—he couldn't wait for Viktor to make a move. He would complete the mission, but not the way Viktor wanted. He had to find a way to protect Aiko and sabotage Nordhaven's plans at the same time.Erik slid out of bed as quietly as possible. He slipped into the shadows of the guesthouse, moving toward the small desk in the corner of the room. His heart pounded as he retrieved a hidden set of papers from his coat—a series of reports detailing Nordhaven's covert operations in Aruna.The reports were detailed, filled with information that could ruin both Erik and Aiko if it fell into the wrong hands. But it was also the key to turning the tide. Erik had begun to piece together an alternative plan, one that involved protecting Aiko's hospital while still fulfilling his mission. He would leak key pieces of information to Aruna's government, ensuring their focus shifted from Aiko's project to a new target—one that Erik would plant with Viktor's unwitting help.But it was dangerous. If Viktor caught wind of his plan, everything would come crashing down.His fingers trembled slightly as he leafed through the reports. Don't forget who you are, he reminded himself. You're the man who survives. The man who adapts.But as he glanced back at Aiko's room, through the dark window, he felt the weight of his deception press down on him. Could he really continue this path without losing her trust? Without losing himself in the process?A sudden knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts. Erik's heart leaped into his throat as he recognized the pattern.Three short taps. Two long. Two short.Viktor.Erik froze, his mind racing. He hadn't expected Viktor to return so soon. He wasn't ready.He stood, his body tense, as he crossed the room toward the door. Opening it just a crack, he saw Viktor standing there, a smirk playing at his lips."I was wondering if you had a change of heart," Viktor said, his voice dripping with mock concern. "Seems like you're still playing the long game."Erik clenched his jaw. "What do you want, Viktor?"Viktor's eyes gleamed with something dangerous. "I'm here to remind you, Erik. Time's up. Either you handle this, or I will. And trust me, you won't like my methods."Erik's stomach twisted. He knew Viktor's methods all too well—cold, brutal, and effective. If Viktor took over, Aiko would be collateral damage, and the hospital would be destroyed."I'll finish it," Erik said, his voice tight with determination. "But Aiko is off-limits."Viktor's smirk widened. "We'll see."Without another word, Viktor turned and disappeared into the shadows once more, leaving Erik standing alone at the threshold.He closed the door and leaned against it, his mind racing. Time was running out, and he had to make his move. But how?As he returned to the desk and gathered the papers, a new plan began to form in his mind. He would need to move quickly, but there was still hope. He could outmaneuver Viktor, protect Aiko, and keep the hospital safe—but only if he played his cards right.Erik glanced at Aiko's photo on the desk her face peaceful in the dim light. He had to do this. Not just for her, but for himself. For the man he wanted to be—the man he had never allowed himself to become.With a steely resolve, Erik folded the papers and tucked them into his coat. Tomorrow, everything would change.But first, he had to face Viktor one last time.As the first light of dawn crept into the room, Erik stepped outside, his mind focused on the task ahead. But as he walked through the garden, he sensed a shadow behind him.Viktor's voice cut through the morning air. "I knew you couldn't stay away, Erik."Erik turned, his hand instinctively moving toward his side, where a hidden blade rested. "This ends now, Viktor."Viktor's smirk faded, replaced by a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You've already lost, Erik. You just don't know it yet."