~ Lucian's Private Estate ~ ~ Late Night*
The house was silent, shadows stretching long across the polished floors. A faint beep echoed through the security console in Lucian's study. He stood alone, dressed in black lounge wear, eyes sharp as the words scrolled across the screen.
*"They know she's here. You can't protect her forever. Project Nox never died."*
The moment he read it, his jaw clenched.
Lucian walked briskly through the dimly lit hallway and stopped at Ivy's room. He hesitated briefly, then knocked once—firm, sharp.
A muffled rustle, followed by Ivy's groggy voice. "What… Lucian?"
He opened the door. "Get up. Now."
Her brows knit, still half-asleep. "What is it?"
"I need answers. All of them."
Ivy sat up, heart pounding. "Now?"
Lucian stepped in. "They sent a warning. Someone knows you're here. And they mentioned something… Project Nox."
She went still. Her expression darkened. Then, finally, she got up, wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, and followed him silently back into the study.
Once inside, she leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"I told you my father was cruel," she began quietly. "But there's more."
Lucian didn't speak. He watched.
"I was part of something called Project Nox—an off-grid intelligence and tactical training initiative. It was run by my father and his allies. Children were groomed. Tested. Broken and rebuilt. I was one of them."
Lucian's gaze narrowed.
"I didn't volunteer," she said bitterly. "My father put me there to control me. Said if I passed, my brother would live. If I failed… he wouldn't."
Lucian moved closer, arms folded. "And you never told me because?"
"Because I didn't want pity. And because once you know who I was trained to be, you stop seeing me as a person."
"Ivy," he said, voice quiet but cold, "I watched you break through a firewall built by seven layers of military-grade encryption in ten minutes. I saw you take down men twice your size without hesitation. And now you're worried about how I'll see you?"
She looked up, pain flickering in her eyes. "I've killed people, Lucian. Real ones. My father used me as his own personal weapon. When I finally escaped, I swore never to go back. But I never stopped running. And Project Nox… it wasn't just a training program. It was a leash."
Lucian stepped in, eyes unreadable. "So what now? They're hunting you?"
"They're not just hunting me. They're preparing to restart it—use the original subjects. Blackwood is gathering power again."
Lucian rubbed his jaw. "Why tell me this now?"
"Because you're the only one who's ever looked at me like I'm more than a tool. And if this thing's coming, I can't lie to you and expect you to stand beside me."
Lucian stared at her. "You think I won't?"
"I think…" she paused, voice cracking slightly, "I think you already have too many enemies to deal with."
He stepped closer, voice lowering. "Then I guess we'll start clearing them—together."
A long silence settled between them.
"I should've told you sooner," she whispered.
"You should've," he agreed. "But I understand why you didn't."
She looked up, surprised.
He added, "Next time, don't wait until they send a warning."
A faint smile tugged at her lips. "Next time, I won't."
Lucian turned toward the console. "Get dressed. If they know where you are, we move before they do."
And for the first time in years, Ivy felt like she wasn't fighting alone.
~Front Entrance, Reign Estate~. . ~Pre-Dawn*
The house was cloaked in silence, the sky still holding onto the last shades of night. Lucian and Ivy, both dressed in dark, fitted gear, stepped quietly through the main hall. Lucian moved with his usual precision; Ivy, quiet but alert, trailed beside him with the weight of their late-night conversation still lingering in the air.
Just as Lucian reached for the door, a yawn and the soft creak of stairs broke the silence.
Adrian stood at the top of the staircase, shirtless, hair a mess, eyes squinting in suspicion. "Well, well, well… what do we have here?"
Ivy froze for a beat.
Lucian didn't even turn. "Go back to bed."
But Adrian had already started walking down, a sly grin playing on his lips. "Leaving the house at 4 a.m., dressed in black, both of you looking a little too... in sync." His eyes narrowed teasingly at Ivy. "Sis-in-law, what exactly are you two up to?"
Ivy flushed, her hand tightening around the strap of her gear. "It's not—"
Lucian cut in calmly. "We're moving ahead with a recon op. That's all."
Adrian raised both hands in surrender, grinning. "Ah, recon. Of course. Very official. You know, you both could just say you're sneaking off for a little *moment.* I wouldn't judge."
Lucian finally turned to look at him, expression flat. "Adrian."
"Okay, okay," Adrian backed off, chuckling. But his smile faded slightly as his gaze lingered on Ivy. "Just… be careful, okay?" His tone dipped. "You're not exactly in your best shape after what happened last week. And now... going out in the dark with half the underworld sniffing after you?"
Ivy's blush disappeared, replaced by something softer. "I'll be fine."
Adrian stepped forward, voice low but firm. "I'm serious. You're family now—even if it's by teasing. Don't make me regret not tying you to the couch."
Lucian glanced at Adrian, a brief flash of surprise crossing his face at his brother's protectiveness. And in that moment, he thought—
*"So this is what it's like… when someone else starts caring for her too."*
"I'll keep her safe," Lucian said, voice steady.
Adrian studied him for a second, then nodded. "Good. Because if you don't, I will."
Lucian didn't respond. Instead, he opened the door, stepping out into the fading darkness with Ivy silently at his side.
As the door clicked shut behind them, Adrian stood in the quiet foyer, rubbing a hand through his hair.
"…Man, I wasn't joking," he muttered to himself. "They're *really* becoming something."