HER GUT FEELING

The two of them started eating and Sofia talked happily about her usual days in school. She also shared the invitation letter that she received for a racing tournament and even though Liam didn't want her to join the contest, he couldn't stop himself from admiring the woman in front of him. She looked small and weak yet, she has explosive strength deep within her body.

"Stay safe and make sure to double check your safety gears and your vehicle. It's fine if you can't win but you have to ensure your safety all the time."

"Yes. Yes. I understand." Sofia replied and smiled at him. "Would you like to watch the contest? I can ask my brother to bring you along. I'd be happy if you can come, too."

"I'll take a rain check for that day since I'm a busy person, too."

"Alright. I won't force you but if you have a spare time, just let me know."

"Sure." Liam answered cheerfully. The smile on Sofia's lips was bright and contagious. He couldn't help but smile at her as well. Not far from the fast food restaurant, across the street, a black car was parked. Ivan was looking across the street, particularly to the two people dining happily.

His eyes were icy cold as if he wanted to turn Liam into an ice sculpture. The searing anger he felt towards his cousin and his family cannot be quenched by a simple death. He wanted them to pay for what the life they owe. Even though Sofia told him clearly that he didn't need to follow her, every day, Ivan would still end up following her, making sure that she was having less contact with his cousin. However, no matter how much he prayed for it, the two were still getting closer.

Sofia looked outside the window of the restaurant because she felt that someone had been staring at her. She didn't know why but she could really feel the malicious intent of the other person. She looked around but she didn't find anyone suspicious.

"Are you alright?" Liam asked when he noticed that she became restless. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Nothing much." Sofia picked up her soft drink and took a sip before looking at him straight in the eye. "I'm just wondering. You and Janella are in a relationship, right? Won't it be bad if someone tells her about us eating together?"

"I don't have any relationship with her." Liam responded almost instantly. The frown on his face was so deep that Sofia almost laughed at him. "I was never in a relationship with her and will never be in a relationship with her."

"Why not? She's pretty, smart and kind."

"I don't know. I just realized that she's not the woman I am looking for. Anyway, let's not talk about her. I don't want to ruin your mood."

Sofia breathed in relief when she successfully diverted their topic but her eyer were still scanning the surroundings from time to time. She'd look high and low, making sure she's not missing a single spot where a sniper could be possibly hiding. Then her eyes got stuck on the black car across the street. It was somehow familiar and yet, it was not.

"Let me give my brother a message first." Sofia picked up her phone and sent Yusef a message. "Help me look into a car with this plate number XX-XXX97"

"On it." Yusef didn't waste any second and immediately started to do his research. When he got the result, his eyebrow rose to the highest point he could muster before sending the information to Sofia. 'What the hell is this guy up to?' He asked himself but he didn't say anything to Sofia.

As soon as Sofia received the answer, just like Yusef, her eyebrow rose as well but she immediately calmed down when she realized that she was meeting the man that Ivan hated the most.

"I never heard you talk about your family. Are you away from them?" Sofia asked in passing while eating some French fries.

Liam looked at her and nodded his head. "As a police officer, I earned quite the number of enemies and I didn't want my parents to be the target of my enemy's hatred. Also, I'm investigating something related to the death of my uncle and his family. I wanted to uphold justice to their death."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't expect such thing to happen to you."

"Well, that's how life is – full of surprises with both happiness and pain."

"I agree with you on that." Sofia replied in whisper. She was still not over in dealing with her stepmother and uncle. Although she stopped, it was only to give them a little break before she'd break them down again and again. Sofia wasn't looking for a quick death. She wanted them to suffer for a long time until they'd beg her to let death take them away.

After half an hour, Sofia and Liam left the restaurant and he sent Sofia back to CN University. He didn't stay any longer and just left to go back to the station. He didn't even send a message to Janella even though they had an appointment to have lunch together.

But for the other woman, she didn't really care if Liam wasn't messaging her because at this moment, she was busy preparing to eradicate Sofia from the university. That is if she could.