I looked at him and answered,
"Ah… yeah, that's right. He's my assistant."
Adel nodded slightly.
"He was scolding you earlier," he said quietly.
"Mm… yeah," I replied, a small smile forming on my lips. "But when we're at the station… he's always been there for me."
My voice softened as memories surfaced.
Honestly… he might be the best thing that happened to me after I chose journalism.
I lowered my gaze back to my food.
"He respects you. Like… a lot."
I took a bite of my burrito, savoring the flavor before swallowing.
Out of habit, I covered my mouth slightly as I continued,
"I don't know how deep that goes… but he seems to know you well."
Adel shrugged, letting out a quiet chuckle as he wiped his mouth with a tissue.
I took another bite from my plate, glancing over at Charles, who was casually scrolling through his iPad while eating.
In that quiet moment, I almost admitted it to myself—
I was starting to respect Adel.
But it felt… too early.
Too much like surrender.
And I wasn't ready for that.
Not yet.
Instead, I decided to learn more about him—to make sure the water I was stepping into was safe.
So I asked,
"What inspired you to become a detective?"
His eyes lit up instantly.
That same dangerous glint returned.
"Now that's a question I enjoy."
He leaned back slightly, taking a relaxed bite from his taco before looking at me again—his expression almost satisfied, like this was something he had been waiting to talk about.
"Let's just say… my papounet has been my role model for as long as I can remember."
My curiosity got the better of me.
"Was he a detective?"
Adel shook his head slowly.
For a brief moment, his eyes closed—and when they opened again, his smile had changed.
Softer.
Heavier.
"He was a lawyer."
Was.
The word settled quietly between us.
I was about to offer my condolences when he continued—
"I know you're probably wondering why I didn't follow his path."
He looked straight at me.
There was something in his expression… something almost fragile.
It stopped any sarcastic reply before it could even form.
"Well," he said calmly, "unlike my papounet… I don't have the patience to deal with dishonorable, unscrupulous, unprincipled beggars for mercy in court."
The shift was immediate.
The air around him changed.
His voice didn't rise—but it hardened.
And the way he said it…
It didn't sound like an opinion.
It sounded like a verdict.
I stared at him, caught off guard.
He seemed so… certain.
So righteous.
How could someone be so convinced they were right?
It wasn't just anger.It felt… absolute.
With a careful tone—as if I were walking on eggshells—I followed,
"So… you became a detective to deliver them to court?"
He nodded.
Then added softly,
"Now you get it, rascal."
I nodded, his words sinking deeper into my mind than I cared to admit.
As we finished eating, the waiter returned with Adel's promised gift—
Japanese cheesecake and macarons.
They were… incredible.
The cheesecake felt like a cloud melting on my tongue, light and delicate, while the macarons were perfectly balanced—sweet, crisp, and soft all at once.
For a brief moment, everything felt calm again.
Then Charles broke it.
"We've retrieved the CCTV footage from the office."
Just like that… the softness disappeared.And the detective returned.
Adel didn't hesitate.
"Show me."
He was still holding a piece of macaron near his lips when his phone rang.
He answered immediately.
I watched his expression shift as he listened.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
When he hung up, his demeanor had changed completely.
His brows pressed together slightly, his voice firm.
"They need us at the station. Mr. Mansour is making a fuss about delaying his… precious schedule."
There was a hint of irritation in the way he said it.
Then he turned to Charles.
"We'll review the footage tomorrow. At my office."
Finally, his gaze landed on me.
"Let's go."
We hurried to the car parked outside. The engine roared to life as we sped through the crowded lanes.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Steve.
"May I know how you caught THE Detective Adel's attention?"(attached: a hilarious dog sticker)
I smiled slightly.
"I did nothing."
I typed back simply.
Another notification popped up almost immediately.
That was when I realized… this conversation was about to turn into a long one.
I put my phone on silent—but still opened his message.
"Didn't take you for the gatekeeping type, brat."(broken, dramatic emoji)
I reacted with a laughing one.
"I'm not. I'm simply telling the truth."
I added quickly, almost as if I needed to defend myself.
His reply came right away.
"Okay, okay.""I was just teasing you… huh?"
Then another message.
"Just… introduce me to him properly when you get the chance.""PLEASE."(puppy sticker)
I let out a quiet breath, locking my phone and slipping it away.
Then… I looked up.
And found myself watching Adel.
I've known Steve for quite some time now—long enough to understand his personality.
He isn't easily impressed.Nothing really fazes him.
So… what kind of power does this man hold over people?
It was as if Adel were some kind of legend.
And that?That was… annoyingly frustrating.
I huffed quietly and turned my gaze back to the road.
A lot had happened today.
From my first case as a reporter…to getting into an argument with the infamous detective.
Then somehow—ending up in his car.
Then the victim's office.The morgue.The police station.
And then… the restaurant.
The scene.
The fight.
My breakdown.
I exhaled slowly.
And somehow, in the middle of all that chaos…something shifted.
The way I saw him.The way I saw this career.The way I saw… everything.
He was like a tornado—tearing through my life without warning…
Yet somehow leaving it lighter.
Or at least…starting to feel like mine.
I leaned my head slightly against the window, watching the city lights blur past.
That was… one long day.
And somehow—
it felt like it was only the beginning.