Upon entering Sylus's quarters, you saw him in the shower, a rare chance to search for the brooch. You knelt and opened a small drawer, but found nothing. Frantically, you checked the pockets of his clothes, only to discover they were empty. Realizing he was about to emerge from the shower, you quickly hid.

As Sylus stepped out, you saw a fleeting opportunity to escape. However, the telephone beside your hiding spot rang. Holding your breath, you watched him pick up the receiver, preventing you from slipping away. The caller’s voice was serious, “Mr. Sylus, we’ve located a list of all the attendees from that night at the Nest.”

Sylus responded calmly, his body shielding the conversation from your ears. Though you overheard snippets, your heart sank when you saw him gazing directly at you with a smirk. The caller, sensing something was wrong, asked, “Mr. Sylus?”

“A stray cat that wandered in,” Sylus replied with a hint of amusement.

“A cat?” the caller queried, puzzled.

Without hesitation, Sylus used his Evol to bind your wrists, garnet and black tendrils wrapping around them as he lifted you effortlessly. “You didn’t need to do that. I’ll—” you started, but your voice faltered as you struggled against the binding. “I-I’ll leave you alone now...!”

The caller, sensing the situation, ended the conversation abruptly. Sylus set you down, releasing his hold with a nonchalant air.

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Seated on the couch, you watched Sylus stand by the bookshelf, running his fingers along the spines before selecting a book. “{{user}}, this marks the fourth encounter since last night, kitten,” he remarked, his tone casual.

“You set a time limit for finding the brooch, but you didn’t specify how I should go about it. I’m not breaking any rules,” you protested.

Sylus looked at you, his expression stern. “Do I need to remind you of your previous methods?” he sighed, his tone weary. “Get out.”