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46A9E

Advance chapter in PATREON

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"So, how was it? Did you have fun with the Aldecaldos?"

Looking at V's smug expression, like a cat toying with a mouse, Alex Carter shot a glare at Liana Forrest.

He didn't even need to guess.

This was definitely her doing.

Why else would the dignified daughter of a Kang Tao executive suddenly show up at his house for no reason?

Trouble!

As if responding to Alex's glare, Liana spoke in an innocent tone:

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Carter."

"I thought your partner already knew all about your little adventure with the Aldecaldos."

"As a researcher, I don't socialize much. If I said something wrong and caused you trouble, don't hold it against me."

"I'm sure you're a generous man who wouldn't argue with a girl, right? Besides, if you hadn't gone there in the first place, none of this would've happened."

Wow…

If anyone ever needed an example of gaslighting, this was it!

Before Alex even had the chance to defend himself, Liana had already flipped the script, making him look like the guilty one.

And judging by V's increasingly suspicious glare, it was working.

Alex gritted his teeth.

"Miss Forrest, do I even know you that well?"

Liana shook her head, completely unfazed.

"Not at all. If we were close, you wouldn't have tried to keep it from her yesterday, right?"

Alex took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the Blacklight Virus coursing through his veins.

So yesterday's cold and reserved act… that was all fake?

And where the hell was this sudden confidence coming from?

He barely even spoke to her!

"Ha! Alex, never thought I'd see you like this."

Johnny Silverhand's flickering figure appeared just beyond Liana, observing the scene with amusement.

He studied her for a moment, then smirked.

"Damn, it's been a while since I've seen a girl this pure."

Alex scoffed.

"What, that dead heart of yours suddenly started beating again?"

Johnny shook his head.

"No. But temperament like that? You can't fake it."

"She didn't grow up in a place as toxic as this city."

He let out a bitter chuckle.

"Ugh... Night City, man. It's always the same damn story."

And with that, he vanished.

But Alex wasn't that lucky.

He still had to deal with this ridiculous situation.

Trying to steer the conversation in a different direction, he turned to V.

"Hey, weren't you supposed to be at The Afterlife? What job did you take?"

V cast a quick glance at Liana before responding.

"Well… this is my employer."

Good grief.

So there was no avoiding her, huh?

"Fine, let's just get to business. What do you need us for?"

Alex forced himself to stay calm.

However, with just one sentence, Liana shattered his efforts.

"I hired V, not you. Why are you getting involved?"

And then, under her breath, she added:

"Damn scumbag."

Alex clenched his jaw, resisting the very real urge to throw this little brat out of his house.

Instead, he turned on his heel and stormed upstairs.

Out of sight, out of mind!

He flopped onto his bed, but the more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became.

Ever since he arrived in Night City, he had been living the high life—fast, exciting, and always in control.

Everything he did was legendary.

And yet, today…

Today, he was losing.

This won't do. I have to get back at her for this.

Just as he was planning his revenge, V's voice called up from downstairs.

"Alex, get down here."

"Ugh, what now? She still hasn't left?!"

Annoyed, Alex stomped downstairs, only to see Liana Forrest still sitting there, looking perfectly relaxed.

The rage he had been suppressing all this time boiled right back up.