Chapter 3
Kaelyn sat at her kitchen counter that night, staring at the gold-embossed card that now lay on the marble surface. Zayn Warlord. The name stirred a vague memory, something half-heard in a conference years ago—a man involved in private medicine, with ties to military-grade research and rumored black operations. Most dismissed those stories as urban legend.
But Kaelyn had seen enough in her years to know legends were often rooted in truth.
She wasn’t afraid. She just didn’t like being pulled into anything without her consent. Still, she couldn’t shake the way the messenger had spoken—as though this Warlord didn’t expect rejection. That kind of confidence wasn’t normal. And it wasn’t arrogance. It was certainty.
The next morning, she arrived at the lab early, hoping to lose herself in her work. But her peace didn’t last.
A call came through the internal line. “Kaelyn, there’s someone here to see you,” said the receptionist, her voice uneasy. “He says it’s urgent.”
“Name?”
“He didn’t give one. But… he’s not the kind of man you say no to.”
Kaelyn felt her gut twist. She already knew who it was.
Moments later, she stood in the private reception lounge, arms crossed, her face calm but guarded. The man who entered was tall, with dark, close-cropped hair, and eyes like polished steel. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit with a subtle scar slicing through one brow. A face that didn’t belong in peaceful places.
“Dr. Kaelyn,” he said, voice smooth but commanding. “I appreciate your time.”
“You didn’t give me a choice.”
“I could’ve forced a meeting,” he said casually, “but I prefer manners when they’re optional.”
“And now?”
He smiled faintly. “Now I make an offer. One that benefits us both.”
She didn’t answer, waiting.
Zayn moved closer, pulling a sleek black folder from his inner coat and laying it on the table between them. Inside were documents—research reports, medical files, data logs. Kaelyn’s eyes widened.
“This…” she murmured, flipping through the pages, “This is neural regeneration… but beyond anything I’ve ever seen. This is advanced.”
“It’s incomplete,” he said. “My former lead scientist is missing. We believe she was kidnapped by rival interests. But she left behind enough for someone like you to pick up where she left off.”
Kaelyn looked up slowly. “You want me to work for you?”
“I want you to join my team. You’ll have access to resources you can’t even imagine. Equipment, funding, security. No bureaucracy. Just results.”
“And what makes you think I’d say yes?”
Zayn’s gaze didn’t waver. “Because you’re tired of wasting your brilliance on people who don’t deserve it. You’ve been playing small to protect someone else’s ego. I’m offering you the freedom to be who you truly are.”
That struck a nerve. Kaelyn’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t speak.
Zayn leaned in slightly. “And one more thing—I know what Landen did. I know what you sacrificed. I know what he owes you. If you work with me, I’ll make sure the entire Barnett family answers for what they’ve done.”
That made her still. Not because of the threat—but because he meant it. There was no doubt in his voice. He wasn’t bluffing.
Kaelyn looked down at the documents again, flipping to the back where a contract sat, unsigned. “And if I say no?”
“Then I leave,” he said simply. “No threats. But I don’t believe you will.”
There was a long pause. Finally, Kaelyn shut the folder and slid it back across the table.
“I’ll consider it,” she said.
Zayn gave her a curt nod. “Good. I’ll wait.”
As he turned to leave, he paused at the door and added, “The world you knew is too small for someone like you. You’re meant for more, Kaelyn. You just have to be willing to take the first step.”
When he was gone, Kaelyn stood alone in the lounge, her heart pounding. Everything in her life was shifting. What had started with betrayal might very well end in transformation.
And deep down, she knew—there was no turning back.