Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime-Chapter 52: Protect Me?

One of the men, trembling with fear, replied, "It’s a misunderstanding, Miss Zephany. Detective Reynold Draven sent us to protect you."

"Brother?" Zephany questioned.

As if fearing disbelief, they answered in unison, "Yes, it was Detective Reynold Draven who sent us."

They bowed their heads, afraid to meet her gaze, awaiting her response.

After a tense silence, Zephany finally spoke. "Why?"

"We... we don’t know. Detective Reynold only instructed us to protect you discreetly," they stammered cautiously, their fear of not being believed evident.

With no immediate response from Zephany, they spoke together again, their voices filled with trepidation. "It’s the truth, please believe us."

Zephany’s expression remained cold and emotionless as she looked down at them.

"Don’t follow me anymore. Instead, I want you to protect someone."

The five men exchanged nervous glances before one of them asked in a shaky voice, "W-Who?"

A small smile tugged at her lips.

"Kendrick Montclair."

She paused, pulled out her phone, and searched for the picture Sophia had sent her during the marriage registration—a photo of her and Kendrick holding hands. She showed it to them.

"This guy. Remember his name—Kendrick Montclair."

The five men nodded eagerly.

Without another word, she turned and began to walk away. The men finally let out a sigh of relief. But then—she stopped in her tracks.

They stiffened, gulping in fear.

She glanced over her shoulder and said coldly,

"You know what to say... and what not to say... to my brother, right?"

"Yes, we promise not to disclose anything about this to your brother," they assured her in unison. freewёbnoνel.com

"That’s good," Zephany replied, walking away without a backward glance.

The five men exchanged incredulous looks. "Why did Detective Reynold send us to protect her? We couldn’t even catch a glimpse of how she overpowered us. She’s incredibly strong and a skilled fighter—she doesn’t need our protection," one remarked.

"Detective Reynold must be unaware of this side of his sister. We must ensure we keep it from him; I fear her aura alone would be enough to frighten him," another agreed.

"She told us to protect Kendrick Montclair. Let’s go and tend to our injuries first. I’m afraid if she finds out we’re not following her instructions, we’ll be in trouble," the third man added.

They left the alley, their minds racing with the shocking encounter, determined to fulfill Zephany’s new directive.

Zephany arrived home just as Reynold walked through the door. He looked tired, his usual composed demeanor worn down by the long day. He removed his coat, hanging it up by the door, and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. Zephany stood still for a moment, watching him from the corner of her eye, then smiled faintly.

"You’re back," she said softly.

Reynold glanced up, his eyes softening as he noticed her. "Yeah, just got in." He sighed, dropping his briefcase onto the small table by the door. "Long day. What about you?"

"I’m fine," Zephany answered, glancing down at the bags she carried. She hesitated, then asked, "Have you eaten yet?"

Reynold shook his head, a faint shrug of indifference. "Not yet. Was planning to grab something later, but I guess I got a bit caught up."

Zephany’s eyes flickered down to the bags she held. "I brought dinner," she said quietly. "And some grapes. I thought... well, I wasn’t sure what you’d want."

Reynold raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You didn’t have to do that."

Zephany smiled weakly, setting the bags down on the kitchen counter. "I wanted to. I know you’ve been busy. Don’t want you to go hungry."

Reynold crossed the room, his expression softening as he looked at the small meal she had brought. "Thanks, Zeph. You really didn’t have to."

"I know," she murmured, her voice quieter than usual. "But... I wanted to."

She unpacked the food—steamed rice, chicken curry, and a bowl of fresh grapes. The aroma filled the room, a stark contrast to the quiet tension between them.

Zephany avoided eye contact, busying herself with setting the table. Reynold observed her for a moment, his usual detached expression faltering as he watched his sister.

"You don’t have to take care of me, Zeph," he said quietly. "It should be the other way around. But I appreciate it."

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she focused on the plates and utensils, the clatter of them filling the silence. When she finally spoke, it was in a small voice. "I know it’s been a while since we’ve had a moment like this... Just the two of us, I mean."

Reynold let out a sigh, his usual coolness replaced by a rare vulnerability. "I know. I’ve been busy with work. You understand, right?"

"I do," Zephany said, but there was a hint of something in her voice. Something she didn’t let him catch. She didn’t quite believe it. There were moments when she felt like her brother, so distant and absorbed in his work, barely noticed the weight of the world around her.

They sat down at the table, and the meal felt almost awkward, like an old habit revived but not entirely comfortable. As they began to eat, Zephany couldn’t help but glance at Reynold between bites, her mind racing with the thoughts she couldn’t yet voice.

Reynold noticed her hesitation. "What’s on your mind?" he asked, his voice low, as if he already knew there was something she needed to ask.

Zephany hesitated, taking a slow bite of her food, trying to keep her voice steady. "Earlier... I had some men follow me. They said they were sent by you."

Reynold’s chopsticks paused mid-air. For a second, Zephany thought he might have dropped them. But he simply set them down with a soft clink, his expression unreadable.

"They said they were sent to protect me." Zephany continued, her voice growing softer, more cautious. "Why? What is going on, Rey?"

Reynold met her gaze, his eyes shifting with a mix of concern and... something else she couldn’t quite place. He didn’t speak immediately, his mind clearly working through the best way to respond.

"Did they cause you any trouble?" he asked, his voice firm but gentle.

Zephany shook her head, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her napkin. "No... not really. But..." She bit her lip, her thoughts spinning. "Why did you do it?"

Reynold’s lips pressed together in a thin line. "Zephany, I..." he began, his words faltering. He looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time since she’d mentioned it. "I didn’t want to worry you. You’ve been through enough already."

Zephany raised an eyebrow, her confusion deepening. "What do you mean? What are you hiding from me, Rey?"