Mitchel, detecting the hesitation in her voice, pressed further with a hint of amusement, "So, you actually do miss me?"

Caught off guard, Raegan found herself at a loss for words. Mitchel's persistence was unusual, yet it drew a genuine response from her. "I miss you dearly..."

Her voice was earnest, reflecting the depth of their recent closeness.

The days they had spent together, lost in their own little universe, had only intensified their connection, making their current separation feel all the more poignant.

Mitchel playfully challenged her, "That sounded somewhat tepid, Mrs. Dixon."

Raegan, with a mix of jest and challenge, countered, "And who, pray tell, is your wife?"

Mitchel's reply came with a teasing edge. "The very same person who whispered ‘husband’ so sweetly to me just last night..."

Raegan felt her cheeks ignite with embarrassment at her own outburst.

“Who asked you to be so charming!"

The conversation came to an abrupt halt, leaving Raegan in a moment of stunned silence. Realizing how easily she had been swept up at the moment, she covered her mouth in surprise.

"That's it, I'm not speaking to you anymore!" Raegan declared, a mix of mock annoyance and real embarrassment in her voice before abruptly ending the call.

On the other end, Mitchel couldn't help but smile, a subtle sense of satisfaction washing over him as he pushed his work aside and relaxed a bit, his evening suddenly looking up.

After wrapping up her duties, Raegan noticed the late hour. She donned her mask and was about to head downstairs with Victor when she realized she had left her bag behind.

Victor, seeing Raegan's exhaustion, kindly offered to fetch it for her. "Miss, please wait in the car for me."

Raegan nodded her agreement. "Alright." She pressed the button to close the elevator doors, but just as they began to shut, a tall figure made a swift entrance, barely slipping in.

Startled, Raegan's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively moved to exit the elevator.

Yet, before she could leave the elevator, the doors had already begun to close, sealing their descent.

Standing beside Raegan, the man was incognito, hiding beneath a baseball cap and a mask, his features obscured from view.

Raegan stood upright, her body poised and vigilant.

Time ticked by slowly.