Chapter 693: He Follows the Rules

Hayley’s POV:

I couldn’t let anyone expose my plans. If Max intended to report me, I would let Hera take care of him immediately. He eyed my hand with a knowing smirk. “Calm down. Right now, I’m HushJoy, not Dr. Green.”

“Even if you don’t trust me, you should at least have faith in SI’s verification system. They would never approve an authorization that could throw off the balance.”

Hearing that, I eased up a little. He had a point. The SI had managed to survive for so long mainly because of its extremely strict screening process. Put simply, we operated in a gray area, but there were rules we had to obey. Breaking them was the same as declaring war on the entire organization. SI members were scattered across different industries worldwide. If someone crossed the line, they would be hunted down without mercy. No one would be reckless enough to challenge an entire global network just to keep their job. Max was obviously not a fool.

“Alright,” I reassured Hera before stepping into Benjamin’s house. I gestured for Max to follow.

Max’s POV:

Hands in my pockets, I strolled after Hayley at a relaxed pace. As we moved through the yard, I happened to glance over and spotted Frederick seated stiffly in the guest room, his eyes practically begging me for help. I paused briefly, considering my options. Then, under everyone’s watchful gaze, I approached the door and stood in front of him. Just when he thought I was going to save him, I grabbed the door handle and firmly shut the door instead.

Turning around, I sighed at Hayley with a helpless smile. “You guys aren’t making my life any easier.” Frederick had seen me with someone like Hayley. That alone could cause problems for me.

“Sorry,” Hayley said, sounding surprisingly sincere. Then, she added, “But don’t worry. I can promise he won’t expose you.”

After I said that, Max said meaningfully, “And how exactly can you guarantee that? The only people who never talk are the dead.”

His voice was calm, but something about it made me uneasy. He seemed easygoing, yet I had a feeling that if I ever let my guard down, he could tear me apart in an instant. Seeing his expression, I secretly decided to keep my distance from Max. He wasn’t someone to take lightly. Even Hera didn’t like his scent.

I raised an eyebrow and taunted him, “By your logic, we could just get rid of both of you. That would be even safer, wouldn’t it?”

Max simply shrugged, his playful smirk returning. “Relax, I was only joking.”

“Well, it wasn’t a funny one.” I didn’t bother hiding my indifference as I turned away. “The body’s inside. Let’s go.”

The autopsy was open to everyone. Although only Max and I were in the room, nearly all the others had crowded around, watching intently. It didn’t take long for Max to give his assessment. “He bit through his tongue to commit suicide. No other cause of death.”

From the doorway, Claudio asked, “But there should’ve been a short period before he actually died. He went completely still right away. Are you sure you checked thoroughly?”

Max lifted his gaze, just as cocky as he had been earlier with Frederick. Peeling off his gloves, he said, “Feel free to verify it yourself.”

Claudio rolled his eyes. I helplessly glanced at them. Both were equally proud, and I honestly worried they’d start something right here. However, Claudio’s point wasn’t unreasonable.

After a brief pause, I said, “Check his lungs.”

“No need.” Max brushed off his hands. “There’s no sign of poisoning. Cutting him open would just be a waste of time.”

My tone sharpened. “When you take on a task, you should make sure the client is satisfied. I don’t think I need to remind you of that, do I?”