"I can't," Mitchel said, his stare intense, making the moment feel profound. “I miss you dearly."

Raegan's eyes fluttered, her cheeks heating up. She was certain that if he were here, he might indeed “consume” her.

“I...1 need to hang up now." Raegan quickly ended the call. She pondered over their growing closeness, questioning if it was becoming too much.

Just then, a receptionist from the studio came over. "Miss Foster, Mr. Matteo Jenkins is here to see you."

"Please, let him in," Raegan said.

Matteo walked in, placing a wooden food box on her table. "Miss Foster, Mr. Dixon has sent you this soup. Enjoy."

After conveying his message, Matteo departed.

Raegan eyed the food container and recognized it came from South River Restaurant. That was a notable distance away. So, was Mitchel ordering soup for her during their conversation?

Raegan lifted the lid off the container, and the aroma spread throughout the room. It contained the restaurant's renowned Four-Cup Soup.

Tasting it, she felt a comforting warmth spreading through her, sweetening her mood even more.

She then took out her phone to look up recipes, acknowledging her rusty cooking skills. It was time to choose a dish to prepare.

The following day.

Raegan headed out straight from her office after wrapping up a morning full of tasks. She'd been keeping an eye out for the past three days, making sure she wasn't being followed.

Just to play it safe, Raegan had her family's driver pretend to take her home, creating the illusion that she was inside the car.

In the meantime, she took the wheel herself, opting for a less conspicuous underground route.

She relied on the navigation for half of the journey.

Suddenly, the car emitted a loud "bang"!

All of a sudden, the tire of Raegan's car blew out. Right away, the front of the car began sliding.

Raegan was startled. She suddenly thought of what Mitchel had told her during her driver's tests and tried to stay calm.

Hitting the brakes hard could cause the car to overturn.