Zachary turned to Luna with genuine regret in his tone."Ms. Phelan, my sincerest apologies. Had it not been for Mr. Lloyd, I would've been happy to accommodate you with Serenity Villa as a gesture of goodwill."

Luna's expression remained unreadable, her voice frosty. "The villa is yours to sell, Mr. Fischer. I've no interest in petty squabbles over property."

Zachary gave a polite nod and, with Ruth in tow, took his leave. His business here was done—the villa now belonged to Andrew.

The moment he was gone, Luna's mask of indifference shattered into glacial fury.

Xavier, scrambling to salvage the situation, muttered, "Luna, I swear I'll get that villa for you—"

Luna said calmly, "There's no need. Zachary already gave it to Andrew, so naturally, we no longer stand a chance. That's that—I'll be leaving now. Oh, and Colonel Haywood, you and I are in a superior-subordinate relationship. Whether it's on base or out in the field, I expect you to remember that.

"So from now on, I w