The office was momentarily silent, the tension thick in the air. Seven had quickly gathered himself, but Marcus’s gaze was a mix of surprise and hostility, and the contempt radiating from him was impossible to miss.

  Seven didn’t need to prove himself to anyone, but the way Marcus regarded Sana—as if she were some prize to be claimed—set his nerves on edge.

  Sana stepped in before either could speak. “Marcus, you remember my boyfriend?”

  “How could I forget?” Marcus said through gritted teeth.

  Ever the diplomat, Sana tried to shift the focus. “You mentioned you just joined us as a senior software developer, and that today is your first day at work?”

  Marcus’s posture loosened slightly, though his tone still carried an edge. “Yes. I decided to join Data Dynamics, and I’m hoping we’ll work together again, just like old times.”

  Sana studied him, her brow furrowing. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of confusion. Marcus Hall, her former League of Legends teammate, was the heir to the wealthy Hall family. Like her, Marcus had graduated from MIT with top honors. Even though he had been free to pursue his passions, he had been groomed to take over his family’s empire. So why would someone like him apply for a senior developer position at Data Dynamics? It didn’t make sense. The role was respectable, but it was far beneath his background.

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  Her thoughts drifted back to their time on Team SMASH. Marcus had always been carefree, but also fiercely loyal—until he wasn’t. The falling out still stung. They had gone behind her back to investigate Seven’s identity, and when they couldn’t find anything, they voiced their suspicions to her. It was a betrayal she couldn’t overlook. She quit the team, ending their 4-year friendship. Marcus and the others tried to apologize for overstepping, but the damage was irreparable.

  And now, here he was, standing in her office as if nothing had happened. There must be more to his sudden reappearance than met the eye.

  Then, as if he couldn’t help himself, Marcus gave Seven a disdainful once-over. “Why is your boyfriend here? What is a doctor, dressed in a business suit, doing in a tech company?”

  Seven scoffed but didn’t reply...

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