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Back at Eryndor Tower, the storm had eased to a drizzle, but the tension in Adrian's office was a tempest of its own. The stolen folder was still missing, the Lupus sites were waking, and now his mother's message loomed like a new threat. Mei Lin sat on the edge of his desk, her boots swinging, while Adrian stood by the window, listening to the encrypted voicemail.
"Adrian," came his mother's voice, cool and commanding. "It's time you came home. I've found a suitable match for you—a woman of impeccable lineage. The family expects you to uphold our legacy. Don't delay."
Mei Lin's boots stopped swinging. "A match? Like, an arranged marriage?"
Adrian's jaw clenched, his reflection in the glass unreadable. "It's not new. My mother's been pushing this for years."
She hopped off the desk, crossing her arms. "And you're okay with her picking your wife?"
"No," he said sharply, turning to face her. "But it's not about what I want. It's about the Li name. Duty."
Mei Lin snorted, her eyes flashing. "Duty? Sounds like a cage with extra steps hope Everything goes well like in those drama's."
He stepped closer, his voice low. "You think I don't know that? But it's not just about me. The Li family funded Project Lupus. If she's calling me now, it's not just about a wedding. She knows something."
The hum stirred, soft but insistent, as if reacting to their rising emotions. Mei Lin's gaze softened, but her voice stayed sharp. "Then we go. Find out what she knows. But don't expect me to curtsy."
Adrian's lips twitched, a rare spark of amusement. "I wouldn't dream of it."
She grinned, the tension easing slightly. "Good. Because I'm more of a 'kick the door down' kind of girl."
"Believe me, I've noticed." His voice was dry, but his eyes lingered on her, warm and unguarded for a moment. The hum pulsed, a gentle warmth that made her breath catch.
Vivian burst in, breaking the moment. "We've traced the signal from the warehouse. It's bouncing between Lupus sites, but there's a pattern. It's converging on a single point—outside the city."
Adrian's focus snapped back. "Another lab?"
"Older," Vivian said. "Decommissioned decades ago. But it's active now."
Mei Lin's grin faded. "They're leading us there."
"Then we follow," Adrian said, grabbing his jacket. "But first, I need to deal with my mother."
Mei Lin raised an eyebrow. "You're bringing me to meet the parents? Bold move, Li."
He shot her a look, half exasperated, half amused. "You're not meeting her. You're backup."
"Backup with a knife," she corrected, twirling her blade with a flourish. "Let's go charm the dragon lady."