Hearing Micah's words, Arin had a few things she wanted to say.

However, before she could, Micah continued, "I've already made a promise to Freya. A man of his word must see it through. Besides, I don't dislike her." Arin's breath caught in her throat.

Micah had kept women at a distance because of his sense of duty. But Freya was different. He did not mind having her close, and she had always been by his side. The sayings, "familiarity breeds closeness" and "time reveals true character," couldn't have been truer. Arin's heart ached intensely.

She was just a commoner, and her status was worlds apart from Freya's. Micah needed a partner who could stand by his side as his equal, someone strong and capable, not someone like her, a nobody from the slums.

No matter how hard she had worked all these years, the vast difference in their social standing had never changed.

"Teacher Micah, if she's the one you care about, then I wish you happiness. I hope you'll always be happy," Arin finally managed to say.

"Thank you," Micah replied, genuinely appreciative.

Arin turned away, feeling the weight of her unfulfilled dreams. She had pushed herself so hard, trying to elevate her status and prove herself, but now that her goal was gone, she felt utterly powerless.

As she left Micah's territory, she did not get far before a group of men intercepted her. They were taller, stronger, and began closing in on her. Instinctively, she reached for her gun, but they were quicker.

A cold voice whispered in her ear as the barrel of a gun pressed against her head, "If you don't want to die, you'd better cooperate and come with us."

During the war, she had lived in constant fear of gunfire, and her body still reacted with dread at the sight of a weapon. But this was Micah's territory. She was a nobody, and she could not afford to bring trouble to him.

So, without a word, she followed their lead. After what felt like an eternity of walking, they brought her to a small room. The men surrounding her drew their weapons, pointing them directly at her.

Arin remained calm. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't waste time with threats," she said coldly.

A mocking laugh echoed in the room. "I expected you to be scared out of your mind, but you're staying pretty calm. Impressive for a girl trying to win over Micah."

The voice was not too deep or old, but it had a mechanical quality to it. The man in front of her kept his face hidden.

Arin frowned. "Who are you? What do you want with me? Why did you target me?"

She was just an insignificant figure, with no value to offer. She could not understand why they had come after her.

"The reason we found you is simple," the man said with a mocking grin. "There are some things you can't accomplish on your own, but we can help."

Arin knew better than to trust empty promises. There was always a catch. "And what's the price for your help?"

"Isn't it obvious? You know Nina, and Micah is her brother. If Freya could win Micah over by being persistent, why can't you?

"We can give you that chance. We can make sure Micah is yours alone. But you'll need to work with us. We want Micah's position."

The man had big ambitions. As much as Arin wanted to be with Micah, she knew exactly where his true aspirations lay.

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