"Did you really think you could hide what's going on between you and her from your brother and me? But rest assured, I hired her based on her abilities alone, not out of any personal sentiment." Joan Shaw smiled mysteriously. The real reason was a secret only she and Miles Xavier knew.
The bustling metropolis of Imperia was enveloped in a dazzling blanket of lights.
On the other side of the city, in the presidential suite of a six-star hotel, a man was sitting on a white armchair, smoking.
He had nothing on but a bath towel wrapped around his waist. His tanned, muscular torso was a clear testament to frequent workouts.
He had just showered and hadn't dried himself completely. Water dripped from his body, dampening the cashmere rug beneath his feet.
He narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the other person on the bed.
The other man had a baby face and skin as smooth as porcelain. He was painfully thin, so frail he looked as though a strong gust of wind could carry him off.
