Chapter 4
The night after Zayn’s visit, Kaelyn didn’t sleep much. Her mind wouldn’t settle. Even as the city outside her window fell into a hush, thoughts of everything—Landen’s betrayal, the divorce, Zayn’s offer—looped over and over like a never-ending reel.
By morning, her decision was made.
She walked into her lab like it was any other day, but her eyes were sharper, her steps firmer. She called Sebastian into her office and handed him a sealed envelope.
“Give this to the Barnett lawyer. I’m filing for formal asset division,” she said. “And make sure they understand I’m not bluffing.”
Sebastian blinked. “You sure you don’t want to use our legal team?”
Kaelyn’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “I am the legal team now.”
She spent the next few hours reviewing her recent research notes, clearing out her personal files, and backing up the last of her experiments. There was a strange calm in the process—like tying loose ends before setting off into the unknown.
By noon, she received a message.
Meet me at 3 p.m. If you’re ready. — Z
She didn’t hesitate.
The car arrived on time—another sleek black vehicle, though this time without a driver in sight. The door opened automatically, and Kaelyn slipped inside. A screen lit up in front of her, showing Zayn’s face.
“Welcome aboard,” he said. “I hope you don’t mind the ride. We’re heading to one of my secure facilities. Thought you’d want to see it for yourself before making anything official.”
Kaelyn folded her arms. “I don’t sign contracts blind.”
Zayn grinned. “That’s why I picked you.”
The drive took them out of the city and through winding forest roads until they arrived at what looked like an abandoned estate. But once inside, Kaelyn realized it was anything but.
State-of-the-art labs stretched beyond what she could see, filled with equipment so advanced, she recognized only half of it. Scientists in discreet uniforms moved with quiet precision, nodding at her as she passed. Everything was silent efficiency.
Zayn met her at the entrance to a glass-walled observatory overlooking a sealed testing chamber.
“This is your new world,” he said. “Every inch of this place was designed to remove limits—financial, legal, institutional. You’ll be able to do what others only dream of.”
Kaelyn turned slowly, taking it all in. “And what do you get out of this?”
Zayn’s expression turned serious. “I get results. I get answers. And I get a partner who doesn’t flinch when things get dark.”
Kaelyn studied him. “Why me?”
“You rebuilt a man from a coma without any recognition. You sacrificed your identity, your pride, even your reputation, just to honor a promise. That tells me you’re loyal. But the moment he betrayed you—you burned it all down and walked away.” He paused. “That tells me you’re dangerous. I like both.”
She wasn’t sure whether to take that as a compliment or a warning.
Zayn gestured toward a smaller chamber beside them. “There’s something I want you to see.”
Inside the chamber lay a woman hooked up to a complex array of machines. Her eyes were closed, her breathing steady, but her neural activity flashed erratically on the monitors. Zayn handed Kaelyn a tablet with the patient’s file.
“She’s the missing scientist,” he said. “They found her last month. Alive, but damaged. Memory loss, possible sabotage. You’re the only one I trust to bring her back.”
Kaelyn read through the file, fingers moving fast. Her medical instincts kicked in immediately.
“This will take time,” she murmured. “A lot of it.”
Zayn stepped closer. “Time, you’ll have. Protection, resources—anything you need.”
Kaelyn looked up, her gaze clear. “Then I accept.”
Zayn extended his hand. She hesitated only a moment before shaking it.
It was done.
She wasn’t just walking away from her past anymore—she was rewriting her future. No longer a pawn. No longer invisible.
Kaelyn was stepping into a world where she could finally be what she was always meant to be: unstoppable.