It was almost midnight.

  Ruhi was still working. She checked a few files, picked them up, stood up, and walked toward Aditya’s cabin.

  As she noticed that the cabin door was slightly open, she was about to step inside when a voice reached her ears— “Finish the man who hired you to kill Rivan.”

  Ruhi froze.

  “Yes, Master!” Milo replied cheerfully, far too cheerfully for the topic.

  “I’ll do it faster than lightning. Oh—and should I give you my number? You never know, right? Future contracts, emergency murders, weekend jobs—Milo is very reliable.”

  Aditya’s voice remained calm, but there was steel beneath it.

  “So the man who hired you… you’re killing him instead. And you’re saying this with such pride?”

  Milo laughed lightly.

  “If the payment comes before the job, Milo never betrays. But that man said he’d pay after. And honestly? My instincts told me he might disappear after the work was done. So I dropped his job and accepted yours instead. That’s not betrayal, Master—it’s smart business!”

  “Hm… alright,” Aditya replied casually.

  Hearing this, Milo smiled slyly and added, “By the way… I can try to find out more about Grin Reaper and Trinity.”

  The moment he heard this, Aditya’s ears perked up.

  In a firm voice, he said, “Grin Reaper is the most famous and dangerous assassin. Going after him is like inviting death. Why do you want to do this for me?”

  Milo burst into laughter, like a mischievous child.

  “Master, Master—you really are adorable sometimes. Why would I risk my life for free? I’ll do it for money, of course! If death is chasing me, I want a mountain of cash waiting at the finish line. So tell me—can you pay enough to make me dance with death?”

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  He tilted his head, smiling. “You’re very rich, Master. I believe in you.”

  Aditya didn’t raise his voice. “Money isn’t a problem. I’ll give you so much you’ll get tired just counting it. But in return, I want everything—Grin Reaper’s location, his fighting style, his weaknesses. I want all of it.”

  Milo clasped his hands dramatically. “My Master is both rich and generous. But I’m curious—why would you make an enemy of someone like Grin Reaper? I’m asking because I’d hate to lose such a wonderful source of income.”

  Though Milo’s tone sounded childish, there was curiosity in his eyes.

  Aditya gave only one answer, “Just like you can risk your life for money, there’s something precious in my life for which I’m ready to lose everything—even myself. I want to lose myself to obtain it.”

  Hearing this, Milo pouted and thought to himself, “ What does that mean? Is he talking about that girl who is Trinity's daughter?! About whom Rivan and his secretary were talking! Why are rich people so eager to ruin themselves over love, when love changes its colors every moment? Well… not my problem. I’m getting paid.”

  Outside the cabin, Ruhi heard everything.

  Her lowered eyes filled with sadness.

  She slowly walked back to her desk, placed the files aside, rested her head on the desk, and covered her ears with her hands.

  Her eyes were closed, but a single tear slipped out.

  She recalled something from six months ago,

  While talking in the car, she had asked Anamika, “Lady Boss… what scares you the most?”

  Anamika hesitated, then smiled faintly. “I’m scared of hurting someone. Even the thought of it scares me.”

  Ira had immediately protested, “You could never hurt anyone!”

  Anamika lowered her gaze. “Whether I want to or not… people get hurt. Because of me. Or for me. I hate the idea that someone might destroy themselves just to protect me.”

  At that time, neither Ira nor Ruhi understood the sadness in Anamika’s eyes or the meaning of her words.

  But today… Ruhi finally understood.

  She wiped her tears and became trapped in thoughts of what was right and what was wrong.

  Meanwhile

  Her hands and clothes were stained with paint. She worked continuously, putting her entire soul into completing every small detail.

  Only one thought occupied her mind—to finish the painting as soon as possible and send it to the art exhibition, just as she had promised Ira.

  But she still didn’t know whether Koyo would even allow her painting to be sent to the exhibition.

  At the same time

  A beautiful doll—her clothes colored with paint, making her look even more lovely—was trapped in a cage, completely absorbed in her painting.

  The scene looked beautiful… yet it disturbed Koyo deeply.

  Sipping juice through a straw, narrowing his eyes, he thought, “Earlier too, you were always immersed in painting—but today you’re focusing far more intensely. What exactly are you planning? Well… whatever your intention is, you won’t be able to go beyond this painting. After all… this cage is your life now.”

  Elsewhere

  Bathed in the beautiful light coming through the window, he looked at the girl who had been lying unconscious for months—his dream.

  Placing an invitation card beside her, he said, “I don’t know why, but Ira believes that Anamika will definitely send her painting for the exhibition. I don’t know how right that belief is, but I do know one thing—the world runs on faith. Aditya is trying his best to find Anamika. Until we find her… you get better, okay? After all, when Anamika returns, you still have to scold her—for disappearing and worrying us for six months. And by the way… I also want to scold you—for lying on this bed like this. Just once… just once, open your eyes.”

  He kept looking at Saniya helplessly, but as always, there was no response.

  Holding her hand, he fell asleep on the chair without even realizing it, inside that silent room.