Winter felt the tension in the air as Kalix led her out of the hospital, a place where everything felt out of control. She was still reeling from the threat to her grandfather's life and the recent attempts on his life, but she could sense that Kalix's presence was like a strange anchor in her chaotic world. His playful and teasing nature had a way of cutting through the uncertainty, even if it did make her heart race in ways she wasn't prepared for.
Her mind kept returning to how Kalix made her feel—uneasy, yet undeniably drawn to him. She couldn't help but wonder about the growing connection between them, especially considering their complicated history. It was like she couldn't fully distance herself from him, no matter how much she tried.
"You're not going to let me out of your sight, are you?" Winter asked, voice tinged with annoyance, but also a quiet curiosity.
Kalix glanced over at her, his dark eyes glinting with an unreadable emotion. "Not when you're this irresistible," he replied smoothly, his voice sending a ripple of warmth through her chest.
Winter rolled her eyes, though a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She didn't let herself acknowledge the flutter of her heart as she continued walking by his side.
As they reached his car, Winter paused and glanced at him, feeling that all-too-familiar discomfort. "I can open the door myself, you know."
Kalix grinned. "Let me do this for you, just this once," he said, reaching for the door handle with a casual flick of his fingers. Despite his easy demeanor, there was something in his eyes that made her pause. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was more invested in her than he let on, and it made her question everything.
She moved away from him, determined to keep her distance. But just before she could open the door herself, Kalix spoke again, his voice dropping lower, a teasing edge in his tone. "Are you afraid my kindness might make you fall for me?"
Winter's heart skipped. She wasn't prepared for the intensity in his gaze, the quiet challenge behind his words. It was as if he was daring her to admit something she wasn't ready to face.
"That will never happen," she muttered, voice strained as she yanked the door open herself, determined to maintain control.
Kalix chuckled softly, his amusement laced with something deeper. "We'll see about that," he said, climbing into the driver's seat without missing a beat.
As the car sped off, Winter found herself lost in thought. She could feel the pull of Kalix's presence, and it unsettled her. Everything in her screamed to resist him, yet something inside her—something she didn't want to acknowledge—was drawn to him.
Meanwhile, a shadowy figure observed the scene from a distance, its presence unnoticed by Kalix and Winter. Agnes, her face twisted with suspicion, watched them leave the hospital together. She hadn't expected Winter to be with someone new, and certainly not someone like Kalix. She didn't know who he was, but she wasn't about to let the opportunity slip by.
Her mind raced, piecing together the events she'd witnessed. Winter was obviously in the company of a man who seemed to care for her, but why hadn't she known about him before? What had changed? And more importantly, what would that mean for her?
As the thought of Winter getting close to someone else gnawed at her, she clenched her jaw in frustration. There was no way she would let Winter steal what was rightfully hers—especially not after everything she'd gone through to keep Eric.
But just as Agnes started to follow them, her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. She cursed under her breath, staring at the caller ID with disdain before answering.
"Why is he calling me now?" she muttered, annoyed, before answering the phone. "I told you not to bother me!"
But the voice on the other end—panicked, pleading—sent a cold shiver down her spine.
"Agnes, we're busted. Someone found out about our scheme, and I lost my job. Please help me; I'm afraid they might file a case against me."
Her world tilted. "W-what are you saying?" she stammered, a feeling of dread settling over her. "Who found out?"
"I don't know, but I need to get out of here. Please, you have to help me." The desperation in the voice on the other end was unmistakable.
Agnes felt the weight of the situation press on her chest. The person on the other end was someone she'd been working with—someone whose mistake could unravel everything she had carefully built. The news threatened to destroy everything, and she knew she had to act fast.
Her grip tightened on the phone as she pressed the end call button. The car was still tailing Kalix and Winter, and for a moment, Agnes found herself torn between her curiosity about Winter and the urgent crisis unfolding in her own life. But she knew one thing for sure—she couldn't let her own problems get in the way of controlling Winter's future.