Chapter 5 Is This a Marriage Proposal?
1091 Words
The stark contrast between such an unassuming name and an extraordinary face created a jarring sense of dissonance, leaving her slightly on edge.
Judging by the man's swift reaction during the earlier attack, it was clear he wasn't an ordinary person. It was hard to reconcile this with the fact that he was "Icicle," a so-called newcomer with virtually zero points on the leaderboard.
The feeling of discord only deepened.
Cassandra raised an eyebrow. As someone in the same field, she could assess his abilities with ease.
James was obviously an alias.
She nodded. "Alright, James. Looking forward to working with you."
Still, she didn't plan on prying further. In their line of work, having a fake identity was practically a requirement these days.
Besides, her needs were simple—someone to enter into a sham marriage to pacify her overly enthusiastic aunt. It wasn't exactly a monumental task.
As long as he fulfilled his role, she didn't care about his real name or personal history. They wouldn't have much interaction beyond the basics. Once the paperwork was signed and her family appeased, they'd likely never cross paths again.
With that settled, she turned her focus back to Ethan's condition.
There wasn't time for idle thoughts; her mission came first. The man posing as a disabled teacher had clearly been a trained assassin, and his target was Ethan.
Cassandra narrowed her eyes slightly. It seemed this mission was far more complicated than it initially appeared.
Her task was straightforward: gain Ethan's trust and find his missing mother. But someone was willing to kill him to ensure he stayed silent. That meant Ethan held some sort of critical secret, likely tied to his mother.
No wonder this five-star mission had such a high entry requirement.
Cassandra let out a quiet sigh. The Alliance was always like this—assignments wrapped in layers of hidden danger.
Just like before.
Ethan hadn't regained consciousness yet, and the man next to him crouched down with a faint thud, appearing to check his condition.
The man's damaged left ear came into Cassandra's peripheral vision.
Her hands slowed for a moment as she tended to Ethan, a flicker of guilt passing through her eyes.
From a carefree youth to who she was now, Cassandra had learned to suppress her emotions and avoid lingering on the past. Yet seeing Icicle's mangled left ear brought memories of him rushing back.
She wondered how he was doing now—
"Ms. Quinn."
A calm, measured voice interrupted her thoughts.
Startled, her years of training as an agent kicked in, and her hand instinctively moved toward the concealed weapon at her side.
The man crouched next to her gently lifted Ethan's eyelid, a reassuring smile softening his expression, though his words seemed completely unrelated.
"Relax. I've got plenty of experience with these situations, and I make an ideal fake husband."
"Good to know." Cassandra replied, her grip loosening slightly, though her palm still felt damp.
It wasn't fear. She wasn't quite sure what it was.
Pushing aside her swirling emotions, she caught sight of the scars on his profile and frowned faintly.
"Are you seriously a rookie?"
Those scars were evidence of countless missions. Her curiosity was piqued, but she decided not to press him out of courtesy.
"Ms. Quinn, having doubts?"
As expected, Icicle's response was smooth, avoiding her question entirely.
Cassandra dusted off her clothes, stood, and crossed her arms, studying him with scrutiny.
"Honestly, with your skillset, calling you a rookie feels like an insult. You could easily be a leaderboard veteran."
Mentioning the "leaderboard" reminded Cassandra of her stolen second-place rank. Her tone sharpened, a trace of frustration in her voice.
Nathan chuckled, noting how Cassandra's fingers rhythmically rubbed her arms. It was a familiar habit of hers, a tell whenever she was feeling something strongly.
"Ms. Quinn, are you doubting my abilities and thinking of recruiting someone tougher? Maybe… Frost?"
Cassandra shuddered at the mention of that name. "Don't even joke about that. It gives me chills."
"Since I chose you, I'm sticking with you," she said firmly, extending a hand toward Icicle. "Looking forward to working with you."
Nathan hesitated briefly, then reached out and clasped her hand with slow, deliberate confidence. His smile deepened.
"Is this your version of a proposal?"
Cassandra laughed, shrugging nonchalantly.
"If you want to see it that way, sure."
Nathan's eyes sparkled with humor.
"Alright. Let's make it work."
Just then, a phone rang—ring, ring—interrupting the moment.
Cassandra answered, only to be greeted by a familiar, exasperated voice.
"Cassandra! Get home right now! Helen has found another perfect match for you!"
Cassandra sighed deeply. "Rebecca, I already have a boyfriend. No need to stress. I'm still at Seaview High for the interview."
Rebecca's voice oozed disdain. "Cassandra, are you seriously at Seaview High just to one-up William? You know you're not getting that job, so just come home already. Let me tell you, this guy is perfect—rich, influential, and I heard he's a councilman for the Azure Party. Miss this chance, and you'll regret it forever!"
Cassandra's gaze instinctively shifted to Ethan.
'The Azure Party?'
Her instincts screamed that this mission was intricately tied to the Crimson and Azure Parties.
Without hesitation, she replied, "Sure. I'll be back soon."
Icicle, ever attentive, offered casually, "Mind if I come along and meet your family?"
Cassandra smirked. "You're full of surprises. Let's go."
Icicle grinned. "Hop in my car."
As they arrived at the doorstep, Cassandra could already hear Rebecca's overly enthusiastic voice.
"Cassandra's here! Quick—wait… who's this?"
Cassandra braced herself for the inevitable drama, but before she could speak, a warm hand clasped hers.
Icicle stepped forward protectively, his voice polite yet firm.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Cassandra's fiancé, James."
Cassandra blinked in surprise, glancing at Icicle.
From her angle, the chiseled, striking side of his face caught her attention.
Icicle looked at her with a gentle, sincere expression, as though he really was her fiancé meeting her family for the first time.
Rebecca flinched at the sight of Icicle's scarred face, her enthusiasm quickly turning into disapproval.
She slammed the door shut behind her, as if to shield her prized prospect inside. Turning back, she glared at Cassandra.
"Cassandra! What are you doing? I told you I'd introduce you to someone! Why would you bring… him?"
Rebecca gave Icicle a once-over, her voice dropping. "And you brought this? He doesn't hold a candle to the man inside. Get rid of him!"
- Writer
