Adam was still in the apartnt.
The room was quiet except for the small sounds he made while working. Chips were placed on the table in front of him, and more copied pieces were kept in careful stacks near the wall. He had already done this too many tis.
He picked up another chip and forced his focus onto it.
The copy appeared.
Adam placed it with the others and leaned back.
His body felt heavy. His fingers did not hurt exactly, but there was a dull weakness in them. It was like his whole body had started telling him the sa thing again and again.
Stop.
Adam looked at the chips for a while.
"I cannot keep pasting forever," he muttered.
The words sounded small in the room, but they were true.
He had delayed enough. He had hidden long enough. He had used his assets to build a place where he could move. But if he kept staying outside, John would keep tightening the circle around his father.
Adam reached for his original phone.
For a second, his thumb stayed above the screen.
This call was different.
He was not calling to give an order about delivery. He was not calling to push a business deal. This was the first step toward showing himself again.
He called Kenji.
At Aster Core, Kenji was going through order details when his phone began to ring.
He glanced at the screen and stopped.
It was Will.
For a mont, Kenji only looked at the na.
Usually, he was the one who called Will. He would report the company situation and wait for approval when sothing needed it. Will calling him first was rare.
That made the call feel heavier before he even answered it.
Kenji picked up.
"Hello, Mr. Will," he said, a little carefully.
Adam’s voice ca from the other side.
"Kenji, how are things?"
Kenji stayed quiet for a second.
That was not how Will usually began.
"I am fine, Mr. Will," Kenji said. "How are you?"
Senju, who was working at the next desk, lifted her eyes.
She had heard the na.
Will.
Her hand paused on the paper in front of her.
Since the day that man had entered their lives, Aster Core had changed too fast. Before, they had to explain themselves to companies that did not even want to listen. Now the na Aster Core was enough to make people return calls. So companies were asking for etings first. So did not even ask for a trial period before talking about orders.
It was almost unbelievable.
And that was exactly why Senju could not leave it alone.
Who was Will?
Who was the real owner behind the company?
She had tried to dig in small ways. She had checked nas and company traces where she could. But the more she searched, the more the trail beca thin.
Now Will had called Kenji first.
That ant sothing had happened.
Kenji also felt that.
"Kenji," Adam said, "I have a very important job for you."
Kenji sat straighter.
Will had helped them more than once, but he had never spoken in this tone. He did not sound panicked. That made it worse. If a calm man like him called sothing important, then it really was important.
"Tell ," Kenji said. "If it is within my ability, I will do it."
Adam did not answer imdiately.
Kenji waited.
Senju watched him from the side.
Adam looked at the chips on the table and took a slow breath. This was the first ti he was going to bring his real identity close to these people. Not completely. Not openly. But close enough that one wrong move could make them ask questions.
Still, he had no better path.
He spoke.
Kenji’s expression changed at once.
"What?" he said before he could stop himself.
Senju’s eyes sharpened.
Kenji did not look like a man hearing a normal business request. He looked like soone who had just been told to touch a live wire.
Adam did not explain everything.
"Understand it like this," he said. "This is necessary for us."
Kenji was silent.
The word us stayed in his ears.
Will did not usually speak like that. Most of the ti, he gave them direction from a distance. This ti, the request sounded personal, but it was still tied to the company.
That made Kenji even more careful.
"Mr. Will," Kenji said slowly, "this kind of work normally takes ti."
"I know."
"There are people to talk to..... If we move too fast, soone may ask."
"That is why I called you."
Kenji rubbed his forehead.
He wanted to ask what was really happening. He wanted to ask why this specific thing had to be done and why it had to be done now. But he also knew Will would not answer more than he wanted to.
So Kenji chose the only useful question.
"How fast do you need it?"
"By tomorrow," Adam said. "If you can finish it by this evening, that would be best."
Kenji closed his eyes for a second.
Even Senju could tell from his face that the answer had hurt him.
"Tomorrow is difficult," Kenji said.
"I know."
"Today is almost impossible."
"Try."
Kenji let out a breath.
He respected Will. More than that, he trusted the results Will had brought them. Without him, Aster Core would still be begging for chances. Because of him, the company now had a future.
If Will was asking like this, then Kenji could not treat it like an ordinary favor.
"All right," Kenji said. "I will do everything I can. If there is any clean way to finish it today, I will find it."
"Thank you," Adam said.
The call ended.
Kenji slowly lowered the phone.
Senju did not wait this ti.
"What happened?" she asked.
Kenji looked at her.
"A very urgent job," he said.
"From Mr. Will?"
"Yes."
"What kind of job?"
Kenji stood up instead of answering directly.
"Co with ," he said. "I will need your help."
Senju also stood.
Kenji looked toward the other side of the office.
"Call Kiri too," he said. "Tell him it cannot wait."
Senju understood one thing from his face.
This was not about another order.
This was sothing else.
Back in the apartnt, Adam placed the original phone on the table and looked at the chips again.
The room was still the sa. The chips were still there. His body was still tired.
But his next move had already started.
Adam stared at the copied pieces for a few seconds.
"Tomorrow," he said quietly, "I will make my final move."
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