Evelyn's POV

Before I entered the building, I received a phone call from an unlisted number. I knew who it was immediately and answered. "Bennington." While my right hand held the phone to my ear, I adjusted my glasses with the other before gathering my ID card to scan the card reader and enter the building. I felt myself calming down with controlled breaths as my walking pace kept steady.

"It's confirmed, Bennington." My hired help's voice came through with an emotionless tone. I pictured his face in my head, stern and unchanging. "She's alive."

"Can we confirm on her condition?" I asked firmly, feeling energy flowing to my legs and pushing me to walk with a quickened pace to my office. I passed through countless interns and other workers; everyone was unaware of how dangerous the situation I was in. "I need to know what damage was done so we can wrap it up quickly."

"According to her medical records, she only knows of her first name. Online records of the local police station and hospital scanned the general area of her true identity. Thankfully, my team brought her out of range."

"'Thankfully?'" I scoffed, shaking my head, feeling my anger rise as anxiety attacked my brain. All these restless nights of wondering if the job was successful or not were due to his team. My hired help was recommended as the top-of-the-line quality. But he sent an incompetent team to handle an important business such as this. "Your team was unsuccessful in their mission. I expected more from you."

The man chuckled, and I could see him rolling his eyes. "I am a busy man. If you read our contract, I am allowed to send in a team of my choosing. Yes, they were very... incompetent. But it was an easy mission: kidnap the scientist after she left work but before she arrived home. From what I heard, they opened their mouths. But I took care of that issue."

"But the original assignment was incomplete," I said, feeling my face contorting as I hissed. Finally, I got to my office and gently closed the door behind me once I got inside. I clicked the lights on and tossed my keys on the desk. Then, I made my way to my chair, collapsing in its softness before continuing to talk. "I want it done. Correctly. No mistakes. What the hell am I paying you for?"

"A job." He replied, "You do know that I am stooping down to your level for that amount of payment, correct? That is a fraction of what your bosses have paid me."

"Then why do business with me?"

"Call it a favor being completed." Favor? Who's helping me? "Either way, for that price, I won't get my hands dirty. I need triple that amount- at least."

"Triple?!"

I spent more than a third of my monthly salary paying this man for a simple job. As he talked about how he worked for elites and hardly for people of my status, I understood why my superiors gave me an impossible job. If I succeeded, no one needed to worry. Yet if I failed, I'm the one to blame for. Something to toss under the bus while everyone survived with a small amount of money missing from their bank accounts. 

"What are you going to do?" I asked, lowering my voice, attempting to calm myself down. "I want the job done."

"For now, it's observation. We have a detailed schedule for her housemates. Did you know she has a boyfriend?"

Boyfriend? That's strange... I didn't expect her to fall in love so soon. What she left behind... she truly doesn't remember anything. Why do I feel more guilt? At least with her memories, she knew what Pandora's box she had opened when she created that cure. But with this, she's targeted for no reason. 

I took a deep sigh as the man continued to talk. More details of her life sank like a rock in my stomach. From what I remembered, Hanji Zoe was a loyal woman who would never cheat on her spouse nor betray her family. For her to be in a relationship with an elementary school teacher and be a housewife, killing her seems random. But her past with the Rosewell Corporation and her job as a top biomedical scientist put her in danger. She wanted a normal life and to bring peace to the world... and here I am, snuffing it out before my family is in danger.

"Stop. Just... just stop." I say, fighting back tears. Charles knows that I will put Alexis first. Even if I have to destroy an innocent star, I would for Alexis' future. Her family already believes she's missing or dead. I need to finish the job. "Just... get the job done."

"It's too late."

"What?" My tears quickly dried up as my heart pounded quickly. "What's too late?"

"My men just informed me that the target caught on. And a call was made from a Levi Ackerman to the police station, reporting suspicious behavior and fear of danger for two women. If you want to, we could storm their house in a couple of days once they calm down."

"Just do it. Don't screw it up this time."

"I won't. I'll do the job myself."

The call disconnects, and I am left in my empty office. Then, all of a sudden, I burst into tears. I had to put my glasses on my desk to stop them from fogging up. I didn't care about the makeup on my face smudging from the tears; I just wanted the guilt to go away. Once more, I'm putting this woman into danger because I care about my job and family. If I choose not to kill her, I'm putting Alexis into danger. If I didn't dig into this situation, maybe my hands would be cleaner. Instead, the fear of her still being alive ate at me until I gave in to the urge. Now, I'm forced to feel the pain of her life being taken away again. This time, for good.