In the private lounge on the top floor, the manager had gone above and beyond, ordering another round of cleaning and making sure everything was prepared to perfection.
With a delicious feast adorning the table and fireworks beginning to light up the night sky, he dismissed the waiters and bowed deeply to Allison.
âBoss, your visit has taken me by surprise.
I havenât had time to prepare everything.
I hope itâs not too basic,â he said, practically drenched in sweat.
Who would have predicted that two fools would dare to cut in line before the restaurant manager?
âRelax, youâve done a fantastic job.
No need to sweat,â Allison replied in her usual calm manner.
âYouâve been running Jasmine Restaurant like a well-oiled machine.
But now, I need you to revoke Coltonâs membership.
â Rebecca, sitting next to her, clicked her tongue and added, âExactly.
They should be banned for life.
They lack any sense of decency and are like a couple of lunatics who donât even understand human language.
â
The director nodded fervently.
âYou can count on it: this will never happen again!â
Actually, he didn't need anyone to remind him: after Colton's gaffe today, he was already on the blacklist.
Allison waved her hand dismissively.
âYou can go now.
Make sure no one bothers us anymore.
â
"Yes, boss.
"
Once they were alone, Allison served Rebecca a slice of abalone, her favorite delicacy.
âIâm going to the Lloyd familyâs house on Monday to tutor Kellanâs niece.
â Allisonâs brow furrowed as she spoke.
âDealing with a kid will be easy, but my motherâs whereabouts are tangled up with Kinsleeâs, and thatâs the real puzzle.
Kinslee has Alzheimerâs and barely remembers anything.
Plus, sheâs in a nursing home that no one can pinpoint.
Iâm sure itâs heavily guarded.
Iâll have to find a way to sneak in.
â
"Is this going to be a tough nut to crack for you?" Rebecca wasn't the least bit worried, offering Allison a piece of white truffle in return.
«With your talent, why not dive back into the hacker world? You could easily connect with top-notch medical experts.
Once you put out a bounty and get in touch with brain specialists, you can dig into the Lloyd family files and uncover all the inside information you need.
»
Allison considered this as she savored her dish.
âTrue, but itâs not that easy.
â
She had thought about that route, but reviving the hacker world would take as much time as a fortune, and she would need to assemble a team.
«I'd need fifteen million dollars just to get the global systems up and running.
And that's the easy part.
What really worries me is the possibility of my former enemies finding out.
If every hitman organization in the world comes knocking at the door at once, things will get out of hand.
Right now, I just want a moment of peace.
I'm tired of the constant assassination attempts.
»
However, reviving the hacker world was inevitable.
After all, it was his master's last wish.
Rebecca shrugged.
âYou donât have to sweat the fat of it.
I can cover it, and you can use it however you want.
Forget about fifteen million; even a billion is a walk in the park.
â
"You might be willing to give it to me, but I can't accept it.
If your father finds out, he'll probably have a heart attack," Allison joked, laughing.
âAnd really, money is just a drop in the ocean.
Iâm going to be the Lloyd familyâs guardian, right? A guardian of my caliber comes at a very high price.
â Allison shrugged.
âI might as well get some money out of Kellan.
Thereâs nothing wrong with that.
â
âBut are you sure you can easily get fifteen million out of him?â Rebecca chuckled.
âDonât worry; the money will flow my way,â Allison said, winking.
âThatâs fine,â Rebecca scoffed, not pressing for further details.
Sheâd never cared much about money anyway.
"Allison, let's get down to business.
If you're going to be chased by killers, what can I do to help you?"
âWhen push comes to shove, Iâll need your familyâs muscle to clean up any trace of me abroad.
Iâll rely on you to tie up loose ends.
I may be in the country, but I canât cover every angle.
Your family has the clout for that.
â
Hearing that she could be of assistance, Rebecca raised her glass eagerly.
âDonât worry, Iâll make sure everything is spotless! If you ever need anything else, just say the word.
Iâm just afraid I canât help enough.
â They clinked glasses, laughing, and Rebecca couldnât help but reminisce.
âWhen we first crossed paths, you werenât so fearless.
You were like a prickly hedgehog: sharp and aloof, fierce and difficult to approach.
â Fate had a hand in her, after all.
That prickly version of Allison hadn't hesitated to save her life.
From that moment on, Rebecca had been by her side.
Allison felt a surge of nostalgia as she reflected on her journey.
âI really was a wild child, adrift and without a compass.
If it hadnât been for my master, I would probably have rotted away on that desert island.
â
Sensing the change in mood, Rebecca quickly turned around with a smile.
âBy the way, youâve always been drawn to extreme sports.
The international parkour competition, held every five years, is coming up.
Maybe you should throw yourself into the ring and clear your head.
â
âGood idea.
Iâll look into it,â Allison replies.
She hadnât really trained in ages, and the idea of ââa challenge excited her.
For some reason, Kellan came to mind, the man who pretended to be disabled, always sitting in his wheelchair.
When they had faced killers in Athton, he had given off the same dangerous aura.
But instead of intimidating her, it intrigued her, like an extreme sport.
Allison found it fascinating.
Or maybe it was that subtle feeling of mutual attraction between two kindred spirits.