Love in crossfire

pte

ry and Bl

gloves shaking and stained. She worked for the resistance, which aimed to revive the shattered state and was a doctor by profession and necessity. Her own heart, however, waged a private war in the midst of the chaos. Maria met Smith Williams years ago at a UN-sponsored public health seminar in a ci

on the other hand, dropped her scalpel when his eyes fluttered open and met hers. "Smith?" She exhaled. His smile was sluggish. "Still gorgeous... damn." She nearly passed out. She didn't ask him where he had gone. No, not yet. There were too many questions and too much blood. She shook her hands as she patched him, biting her tongue each time they touched. Even though she detested herself for it, she still had a burning desire for him beneath the surface. Maria wasn't stupid. She learned that trust was a more dangerous currency than weapons during the war. After that first night, she kept her distance to let the shock wear off like a bruise. However, Smith's presence loomed-he had joined the resistance under a different name and worked in logistics, concealing his true identity beneath forged documents and military-grade lies. Then the seduction began. It began subtly. a hand brushing. a prolonged stare. In sil

ruth is another essential quality that, ironically, makes her susceptible to deception. In a world of shadows, Maria is looking for clarity. She researches, reads, and asks probing questions. Knowing that she will immediately follow the scent of authenticity into his trap, Smith, who is trained in psychological warfare, provides her with just the right amount of truth encased in lies. In addition, Maria's loyalty, which is generally regarded as a virtue, becomes a disadvantage. Even when evidence begins to contradict her beliefs, she becomes unwavering once she is emotionally invested. Smith takes advantage of this by becoming a part of her circle and forcing her to make choices that make her compromise her values over time until she can no longer retreat. Last but not least, Maria has a moral blind spot because she believes that evil always appears to be good. Smith is unassuming and charming, but she never fits her image of a threat. He has the ideal disguise because she is unable to distinguish corruption disguised as virtue. In the end, Maria's downfall has more to do with her strengths than anything else. Smith uses her goodness as a vehicle to destroy her. And because of that, her intrusion is tragically possible. She reluctantly agreed. She had a strong belief in Smith's goodness. But wanting was a sign of weakness in Velmont. Another piece of the puzzle was Miller Dennion, head of security and longtime associate of Smith. Dedicated, sharp, and extremely wary of Maria. He trusted Smith, however. Smith also continued to talk while he was asleep. A part of Maria wanted to scream and run every time she lay next to Smith. Between heartbeats, the other part listened for truth by pressing her ear to his chest. However, not every danger wore uniforms. Smith's mother, Lotoya Williams-Brown, a shrewd war widow with shady connections, was seen talking to Jones Garcia, a notorious criminal whose name shaken entire sectors. Garcia was we