Professional Assassin

Avery Miller's eyes suddenly widened in disbelief as she stared at his retreating figure. "Are you saying..."

"Yes, it was deliberate, and he was likely sent... to kill you." He turned to look at her, a faint smile tinged with icy detachment glinting in his gentle eyes, sending shivers down her spine.

A chill began to seep into Avery's body. She had always considered herself a good person, without enemies; who could possibly want her dead? A familiar wave of intense unease surged from deep within her, and she murmured softly, "Could it be her..."

Derek Mason's eyes held a trace of admiration. "Indeed, it was him. I blame myself for trusting him too much in the past. I never expected he could have followed us here."