Terrence adjusted his collar, feeling the gravity of Edwin’s scrutiny. Anna’s bold interruption left him cornered.
It looked bad.
Especially since he just claid he wasn’t close with her—and now Anna was resting her hand on his shoulder like they shared sothing intimate beyond friendship.
To make matters worse, she showed her affection without hesitation.
He wouldn’t even be able to deny it if soone claid they were dating—not with her eyes softening like a maiden in love.
’I can’t call her out,’
Because as much as she was making things very complicated...He needed her more than anyone else in this room.
Looking sideways, Terrence caught a glimpse of Emily.
She didn’t say a word. But then ca the nudge beneath the table.
Just a slight push of her knee against his.
He didn’t need words to know how she felt. Disappointnt. Warning.
In her world, reputation was everything. Appearances were currency. And right now, he just embarrassed her in front of everyone.
’I didn’t even do anything wrong,’
But that didn’t matter, did it?
Terrence rose slowly, offering a small bow to the table.
"Excuse for a mont."
He didn’t look back at Emily. He didn’t want to see the fire behind her eyes.
Anna walked beside him, like she hadn’t just thrown him into a pit of social landmines. Terrence glanced sideways at her but said nothing.
He didn’t want to give her the satisfaction.
Dr. Ivan was waiting just off to the side, standing by a large display of auction prizes.
His eyes flicked between Terrence and his daughter as they approached.
He smiled faintly, but there was tension in his posture.
"Ah... there you are," Ivan said, voice low and calm, the kind that ca with age and long years of watching people carefully. "Thank you for coming, son."
Terrence gave a polite nod. "Actually... I’ve been aning to speak with you too."
Ivan raised a brow. "Is that so?"
Anna nudged and teased him, "What, you planning to ask my father for my hand?"
She leaned in, wrapping her arms around his like she was already halfway down the aisle.
"I won’t mind marrying you," she added, her voice softer now—but no less provocative.
Anna just liked playing gas. The attention, the drama—it was all entertainnt to her.
Maybe it was because she was too smart for her own good.
Everything ca easy—so people, emotions, even these high-society dances turned into puzzles for her to twist and solve.
Ivan, to his credit, didn’t look like he believed her daughter one bit.
He offered her a gentle smile, the kind older n gave when they saw a storm coming but chose not to brace for it.
"If you don’t mind. I’d like a word with your boyfriend... in private."
Another one.
Another person who just assud he was involved with her. It was starting to beco a pattern.
’Being such a high-value man is exhausting.’
He wasn’t even trying to get girls—they just gravitated to him like moths to a fla. Even their fathers ended up rooting for him.
Anna raised a brow, lips parting slightly. "Oh?"
She made a small step to follow, but Ivan shook his head once. "Not this ti, dear."
It wasn’t a request.
She stood there, pouting for a second, then let out a light sigh.
"Fine," she said, brushing her hair back. "But don’t take too long. I get bored easily."
Ivan just gave a soft chuckle. "Then I’ll try to make it quick."
Terrence followed, not looking back, letting her words fade behind him like smoke in the air.
They began to walk together, past the dining area and down a side corridor.
He paused at a door and pulled out a small card key.
"Let’s talk inside," he added. "There are too many eyes out here."
The private lounge was small but elegant—soft chairs, dark wood, a minibar humming gently in the corner.
They both sat in the chairs, and the mood turned serious imdiately.
"I want to ask you sothing," Ivan began. "Are you an Outsider?"
He scanned Ivan’s face, trying to gauge if this was a trap, a test, or sothing else.
"...I don’t know what you an,"
The Russian doctor studied him carefully.
"Outsiders... aren’t normal people. They break the limits. Enhanced strength, speed, perception—through science, or sothing else. So call it evolution. Others call it blasphemy."
"I see," he pretended to be clueless for now.
Ivan continued, "To most, it’s just urban legend. But I know they exist. Because I’m one too."
Terrence narrowed his eyes slightly. "And what can you do?"
Ivan tapped his temple. "I can see energy—what I call mana. It surrounds us. It flows through people like currents. And you...You burn like a bonfire, while the rest are re candlelight."
Terrence’s expression didn’t change—but inside, sothing clicked.
Mana born.
It was a term that had been tossed around often in the future. But he never knew where it ca from. Until now.
"You got . That’s right. I’m an Outsider. So... what now? You gonna report to the governnt?"
The question hung in the air like a threat.
He was bluffing, of course. Not about the power—about the label. He didn’t know if he was technically an Outsider.
But right now, playing into the myth gave him control.
Ivan didn’t answer right away. He just stared, as if searching for cracks in a statue that wasn’t supposed to exist.
"May I ask...how you gained your power?"
Terrence leaned back slightly. "I was born with it. That’s the only thing I can tell you right now."
Ivan’s fingers tapped lightly against the armrest. "You don’t trust ?"
"Would you, if you were in my position?" Terrence replied.
A faint smile tugged at the older man’s lips. "No. That’s wise."
He stood and walked to the minibar, pouring himself a glass of sothing amber. He didn’t offer Terrence any—perhaps assuming he wouldn’t take it even if he did.
"You’re dangerous," Ivan swirled the liquid in his glass. "Not just because of what you can do... but because of how you carry it. Most powerful n try to flaunt it. You... you hide it. Or pretend to."
Terrence shook his head.
"I just want to live a peaceful life—and not end up in a lab sowhere, being dissected like so rare animal."
Ivan gave a nod, his fingers folding together.
"That fear... it’s not unfounded. I’ve seen what they do. Even those with good intentions beco monsters when they try to ’understand’ sothing they can’t control."
"I’m not here to expose you," Ivan continued. "I’m here because I think you’re important. To the world. To the future."
Terrence raised an eyebrow. "The future?"
Ivan leaned back in his chair.
"Normally, I wouldn’t say sothing like this to a stranger—it would just go over their head. But you’re not normal. I think you’ll understand what I’m talking about."
"Go on," Terrence urged.
Ivan nodded slowly. "The mana in this world... it’s rising, steadily. And I believe a catastrophic event is bound to happen soon."
It imdiately caught Terrence’s attention. Clearly, this father-and-daughter duo knew more about the apocalypse than he initially thought.
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