Isabelle's POV
"Mr. Fred demanded that I work undercover for him, to spy on you. I turned him down, and he threatened to use other forces. I believe he's the one behind all of this."
His gaze remained steady. "I want you to agree to it."
For a moment, I thought I had heard wrong. "What?"
"That's your undercover mission," he said, his voice calm and steady. "To be double undercover."
I couldn't believe my ears.
I stared at him, utterly baffled. "You want me to spy on you for him, but secretly still work for you? That's… insane!"
"It's strategic," he corrected, his tone devoid of emotion but laced with that characteristic edge of authority. "Fred has been a thorn in my side for years. If he thinks he has an inside advantage, he'll get reckless. That's when we strike."
My mind raced, trying to wrap around the sheer audacity of the plan. "And what happens when he figures out I'm playing him?"
