The Ex-Con Who Conquered the World novel Chapter 45

Nina asked, "What a coincidence—I just finished showering too. What moral dilemma were you pondering?"

In a villa estate nestled against green hills and clear waters, Nina sat on her bed applying body lotion to her legs while wearing a rose-red spaghetti-strap nightgown.

Her eyes remained fixed on the phone beside her.

The freshly moisturized skin of her legs glowed softly under the light, smooth and radiant.

It was fortunate Stefan wasn't there to witness the scene—his imagination might have wandered into less than innocent territory.

Stefan wrote back, "I was wondering, when faced with a life-or-death situation, should one uphold ethics even at the cost of life, or abandon ethics to survive?"

Nina read the message, feeling a little puzzled.

Why is Stefan suddenly dwelling on such deep questions?

After a moment's thought, she typed, "I believe life is precious. No matter the circumstance, staying alive is what truly matters."

Reading her reply, Stefan smiled.

Well, well, Ms. Reed... so she is encouraging me to cross a line, right? And given her unique constitution... this could get interesting.

He responded, "Nina, I'll remember your words."

Nina smiled, pleased to have offered Stefan some clarity, completely unaware of the dangerous implications—or that her own words would one day come back to haunt her.

Her fingers tapped the screen again, "Stefan, I've reserved a table at Drizzlewood Retreat for tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. Please join me."

After a pause, she added two final words before sending, "Good night!"

*****

The following day, Stefan woke up, had a light breakfast, and headed out to continue his debt-collection rounds.

By late morning, he had visited two clients. Both started off defiant, but Stefan's persuasive methods—backed by undeniable force—soon led them to settle their outstanding debts to the Stewart family's company.

Glancing at his phone, Stefan noticed it was already 11:00 a.m.—just half an hour until his meeting with Nina.

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