Hazel and Francisco sat side by side as she served him the Spanish dish she had prepared.
As usual, Francisco lifted the first bite, offering it to her first. But this time, Hazel gently stopped him. She held his hand.
"I want you to take the first bite," she said. "Because I don't know when you're going to return, sir. So, first you eat, then I will."
Francisco smiled and reached out, his fingers gently tracing her cheek. Hazel looked down, her heart tightening.
"Look at me," he said.
Hazel slowly lifted her eyes, locking onto his gaze.
With a playful smirk, Francisco added, "I hope you won't poison me."
The comment broke the heaviness between them, drawing out a nervous flutter in Hazel's chest.
Despite the storm of emotions inside her, Hazel kept her expression calm. Her training from the force had taught her well... how to mask nerves behind charm.
Matching his tone, she replied in mock seriousness, "Yes, Mr. Francisco, I added poison here."
"I'm really after your money and your property."
She tilted her head with a teasing smile. "Can you just eat and say what the poison tastes like?"
Francisco laughed, clearly enjoying the exchange. His fingers slipped into her hair, gripping it lightly... a move intimate enough to blur the line between teasing and tension.
"I am your PA, Mr. Francisco," Hazel reminded him.
Francisco leaned closer, his breath warm against her lips. He paused just before the kiss while thinking.
What if, before going to Texas, I mark you as mine, Hazel?
I just didn't want to force you.
For the first time, I felt like holding back… like controlling myself.
With a sudden surge of emotion, Francisco leaned in and kissed Hazel on the cheek. The unexpected touch froze her in place. Her breath caught, her body rigid like stone.
Slowly, she looked up at him.
"Mr. Francisco…," Hazel started, but he interrupted.
"Let's eat."
Hazel pressed her lips together and adjusted her posture, trying to steady herself. Francisco gave her a sideways glance, but said nothing more.
As they began eating, silence wrapped around them.
Hazel finally spoke, "Is it good?"
Francisco didn't answer. Instead, he offered her a small bite and said, "Taste it."
Hazel hesitated.
Her nerves tightened.
She looked at the food, then slowly took a small bite. The pressure inside her built... she knew what she had added. But refusing might raise suspicion.
"Hazel," Francisco said suddenly. He took a bite from the same spot she had.
"Do you know we indirectly kiss each other a lot of times?"
Hazel gripped her fork tightly, trying to hide her reaction.
She didn't respond. Instead, she changed the subject.
"Mr. Francisco, Ms. Emily and you… are you two together?"
"Emily and I have our dynamics, Hazel," he said.
"Why do you ask?"
Hazel reached for the whiskey bottle. She poured a glass for him.
"I'm just wondering. Doesn't she have a problem with me staying here?"
Francisco accepted the glass, his gaze fixed on her.
"I thought you already know how I am, Hazel."
"But I heard you two are dating," she said.
"It's all rumors," Francisco replied, sipping the whiskey.
"But you didn't clear the rumors either. That means you want them to spread," she pointed out.
Francisco's blue eyes locked onto hers. He took another sip before answering.
"Hazel, my life isn't that simple."
"You don't hear anything else but dating?" he asked, his tone sharper now.
Hazel's heart pounded. She looked at him, then parted her lips with effort.
"About?"
"About me?" Francisco pressed.
"Yes, I heard..." Her voice softened, trailing off.
Francisco set his glass down slowly.
"What is it?"
Hazel exhaled deeply, trying to steady her breath. Then, she spoke the truth.
"You are a criminal."
The room seemed to freeze at that moment.
Hazel's words, sharp and unapologetic, echoed in the silence between them.
But she felt no fear... not anymore.
Standing up, her expression hardened. The softness that once framed her face vanished, replaced by cold determination.
Her eyes locked onto Francisco's.
"I know who you are, and that's why I came here, Francisco," she said firmly.
Francisco took a deep breath, arching his brows. He tried to rise, but a wave of dizziness hit him. His body gave out.
Hazel watched him collapse, her gaze steady.
"Why?" Francisco murmured, eyes heavy, voice weak.
Hazel stared straight at him.
Francisco met her gaze one last time before his eyes shut. His thoughts spun in rage.
Is it true what I'm seeing?
I swear, I'll take you down with me, Hazel.
Hazel didn't waste a second. She rushed to his closet, her mind focused on one thing... the drive.
The proof.
She searched the shelves.
But there was nothing.
She moved to the table and yanked open the drawer.
There, tucked inside, was a single book.
Her eyes narrowed.
"It's..."
She paused, staring at the book separated from the others. It wasn't just any book. Her instincts screamed there was something more.
With one hand, she opened the book. With the other, she ran her fingers inside the drawer, checking for a hidden compartment.
Finding nothing in the drawer, she focused on the book. Page by page, she flipped through carefully.
Then she found it.
At the end... hidden, carved into the pages... was a small space. And inside it, a USB.
"Is that it?" Hazel whispered, a smile tugging at her lips.
She grabbed the drive, heart racing. Without hesitation, she tucked it into the folds of her dress, stealing one last glance at Francisco.
Hazel clutched the USB, unlocked the door and stepped out of Francisco's mansion. She saw bodyguards stood at the entrance and near the main gate. As Francisco's personal assistant, she passed through the house without raising suspicion.
But when she neared the gate, two guards stopped her. Their sharp eyes locked onto her.
"Ms., where are you going?" one asked.
Hazel kept her tone calm and steady. "I'm going out for official work," she said. "I'll be back in one hour."
The guards exchanged uncertain glances.
She added quickly, "Mr. Francisco can't go himself. He asked me to handle it. He's resting before his flight."
The guards nodded slowly but didn't step aside yet.
One of them asked, "Okay, Ms., but aren't you taking the car?"
Hazel's mind raced for a quick response.
"The car's being prepared for Mr. Francisco. I'll manage. I'll be back in about an hour," she said firmly.
After a brief pause, the guards allowed her to pass.
Keeping her pace brisk but steady, Hazel walked away, forcing herself not to look back. Her heart pounded, but she didn't show it. Once she reached the road, she hailed a taxi and gave the driver an address.
As the taxi sped away, Hazel leaned back.
She couldn't afford any mistakes now.