Return From Prison

Attacker

Rys picked up the documents, ready to head to Dexter's office, but then he glanced at Ren with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Ren noticed it instantly. "What now?" she asked suspiciously.

Before she could process what was happening, she found herself wearing Rys' shoes, while he, grinning like a maniac, was already slipping into her high heels. Karen and David burst out laughing as they watched the bizarre exchange.

"These heels fit me perfectly," Rys commented with a smirk, striking a pose.

Ren crossed her arms, laughing. "That's because I have small feet."

Rys shot her a teasing look. "Your feet are so tiny, it's cute. Meanwhile, your hands… so big, like a man's!"

"Rys!" Ren exclaimed, her cheeks puffing out in frustration as the others howled in laughter.

Rys laughed harder, walking a small circle to show off his "new look." Then, grabbing the documents, he strutted toward Dexter's office, wobbling slightly in the heels but clearly enjoying the absurdity.

Reaching the door, Rys knocked three times. Inside, Dexter adjusted his collar, ready to charm Ren.

"Come in," Dexter said, his voice smooth and confident.

As the door opened, a high-heeled foot stepped inside, immediately catching Dexter's attention. He smiled, but his expression quickly faltered when he realized it wasn't Ren's delicate foot but a man's. His face turned pale as he saw Rys walking in, confidently strutting in Ren's high heels.

Rys entered with an irritatingly smug grin, relishing Dexter's discomfort. "Team Leader," Rys began in a polite yet mocking tone, "Ren's still working on a few things, so I decided to bring the report myself since I wasn't doing anything important." He placed the report on the desk.

Dexter's face twitched. "Why… why you?" he stammered, utterly baffled.

Rys shrugged, his grin widening. "Oh, I was bored."

Dexter's eye twitched harder. Before he could reply, Rys sniffed the air dramatically. "Mmm, nice cologne! Smells… spicy." He leaned in, batting his lashes comically while flexing his arms, making the situation hilariously uncomfortable.

"Alright, alright! I got the report!" Dexter exclaimed, flustered.

But Rys wasn't done yet. He casually strolled behind Dexter and, in a mock seductive voice, said, "Don't be shy, Team Leader." Placing his large hands on Dexter's shoulders, he began to gently massage them.

Dexter froze, his whole body stiffening. "What… what are you doing?!" he hissed, his voice an octave higher.

Rys smirked, leaning closer. "Just relaxing you. You seem so tense."

Dexter's brows twitched uncontrollably as Rys dramatically dragged his hands down Dexter's chest, his biceps flexing like a bodybuilder. The sheer absurdity made Dexter's imagination spiral, and he pushed Rys away with force.

"Okay, okay, that's enough! Get out!" Dexter shouted, shoving Rys toward the door.

Rys laughed the whole way out, strutting back to Ren, Karen, and David. When he reached them, he struck a sassy pose, hands on his hips, making them all burst out laughing again.

Ren shook her head, trying to suppress her amusement but failing miserably. "Rys, what are you even doing?" she said, half-laughing, half-embarrassed.

Karen wiped tears from her eyes. "What happened in there?" she asked, struggling to catch her breath.

Rys grinned and recounted the events in exaggerated detail, complete with impressions of Dexter's horrified expressions. Karen and David howled with laughter, and even Ren couldn't help but giggle.

Moments later, Dexter emerged from his office, looking red-faced and annoyed. The group quickly composed themselves, stifling their laughter as he walked past them. But as soon as Dexter was out of sight, they all broke out into uncontrollable laughter again.

Ren, unable to stop smiling, glanced at Rys, her heart feeling lighter. Watching him tease her and others with his playful antics brought a warmth she hadn't expected, making her feel unexpectedly happy.

Suddenly, Ren's phone buzzed with a message from someone close to her. After reading it, she replied and looked at Rys.

"Rys," she called out to him.

"Hmm?" Rys responded while organizing some documents on the desk.

"Someone wants to meet me. Would you like to come along?" she asked, a bit nervous about his response.

Rys glanced at her and smiled. "If you're comfortable bringing me, I'll come."

Ren nodded, smiling in return. "Thank you," she said softly.

After clocking out from the company, they hopped on the E-bike and headed to the location mentioned in Ren's message. A few minutes later, they arrived at a cozy coffee shop. Getting off the E-bike, they entered the shop, and Ren scanned the room. After a moment, she spotted the person they were meeting.

Smiling, Ren walked toward the table where a woman in her 40s or 50s sat, exuding elegance. She wore a floral dress, her posture poised and dignified, her overall demeanor radiating affluence. When the woman saw Ren, her face lit up with a wide smile.

"Ren, my dear, you're here," the woman greeted warmly.

"Auntie Rosana," Ren replied with a cheerful smile as she leaned in to kiss the woman on the cheek.

The woman then noticed Rys following behind Ren. She gave him a curious look before asking, "And who might this be?"

Ren laughed softly, her cheeks tinged with pink. "Auntie, this is Rys, my husband—Emrys Knox Vaughn," she introduced, her voice tinged with both pride and shyness.

The woman's expression froze momentarily upon hearing Rys's full name, as if it rang a distant bell. However, she couldn't place where she had heard it before. Rys, unaware of this, smiled politely and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aunt Rosana."

Ren turned to Rys and added, "Rys, this is Aunt Rosana. She's been like a second parent to me, aside from Grandpa. She's guided me all my life."

They exchanged pleasantries, and Rosana gestured for them to sit. "Please, have a seat," she said warmly.

As they settled down, Rosana looked at Ren with a fond smile. "So, you're married now? Time flies so fast. But it's no surprise. You're kind and beautiful, Ren. I'm sure many wanted to marry you."

Ren chuckled lightly. "It happened unexpectedly, Auntie," she explained, careful not to mention the contract marriage arrangement.

"But you look happy," Rosana noted, a hint of teasing in her tone. "And that's what matters."

Ren nodded, smiling back.

"Are you staying at the villa now?" Rosana suddenly asked, catching Ren off guard.

Ren froze for a moment before quickly replying, "Ah... no, we're not." She avoided elaborating, clearly trying to steer away from discussing the villa.

Rosana noticed Ren's hesitation and seemed to understand that there might be things Rys wasn't aware of. She adjusted her tone smoothly. "I mean, won't you be staying at my villa? It's such a spacious and lovely place."

Ren shook her head quickly, giving a polite smile. "We're fine where we are now," she said, relieved at the subtle shift in the conversation.

Rosana nodded and turned her attention to Rys. "So, where are you from, Rys?" she asked curiously.

Ren answered for him, "He grew up in an orphanage."

Rosana's expression briefly flickered, as if something clicked in her memory, but she couldn't quite grasp it.

Changing the topic, Rosana smiled and said, "Let's order something for dinner." They placed their orders and began eating while talking about random topics. Rys remained mostly quiet, observing and listening while eating.

Midway through the meal, Rosana's phone rang. She excused herself to take the call. When she returned, she said, "I'm sorry, I need to leave now." She added with a smile, "And don't worry, I've already settled the bill."

After Rosana left, Rys seemed unusually quiet. Ren noticed this and asked, "Are you okay?"

Rys nodded, though his face betrayed a hint of unease. "Are you done eating?" he asked.

Ren nodded, and the two stood up, leaving the coffee shop to head home.

....

When they arrived home, Ren locked herself in her room and started chatting with Jane again. Meanwhile, Rys knocked on her door and informed her, "I'm going out for some fresh air."

As Rys walked along the quiet streets, his face was filled with sadness. Earlier, while they were having dinner, he had received terrible news—Kevin, his master, had been killed in prison. Rys was filled with doubts about how such a capable man like his master could die behind bars. He knew Kevin's strength and skill well, but perhaps age had caught up with him, leaving him vulnerable to whatever led to his death.

While lost in thought, Rys noticed something unusual. He sensed that he was being followed. Without turning his head, he tried to count his pursuers.

'Four? No, five. Two in front, three behind,' he thought, smirking. He continued walking as if he hadn't noticed anything, heading down a quiet road where cars rarely passed. The only illumination came from the street lamps, one of which flickered weakly, signaling it was about to go out.

"Come out," Rys said suddenly, stopping in the middle of the street.

Without a word, one of the men behind him charged with a knife. Rys sidestepped swiftly, avoiding the attack, and countered with a sharp kick to the attacker's stomach.

"Argh!" the man cried out in pain, dropping his weapon as he rolled across the pavement, gasping for air.

Another man immediately rushed in, followed by another, both coming from different directions. Rys moved like a shadow, dodging their strikes effortlessly. The first attacker struggled to stand, wheezing as he grabbed his knife again and regrouped with his companions.

Rys glanced at the five armed men surrounding him. It was clear that someone had sent them. His lips curled into a sinister smile, his gaze cold and piercing.

Without warning, Rys disappeared from their sight.