Top Assassins Call Me The Lady Boss-Chapter 105: Was it to finish her off?

Chapter Hundred and Five

Matilda straightened, her fingers twitching at her sides as she stared back at him. "No, I haven’t taken a break yet."

He glanced at her, eyes sharp. "There’s no such thing as a break in this business."

She frowned, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "First off, I’m not in this business. Second, I think you’re being way too hard on me. And third, is this all there is for you? This business?"

He didn’t flinch, his voice was low but firm. "Matilda, one: you are in this business. Two: this is the easiest I’ve ever been. Three: this business is life."

She shook her head, exasperated. "You didn’t answer any of my questions."

He didn’t answer her either, only motioned toward the mat. "Check your stance. Take your first hit after the break. Come on, bring it in."

Without a word, she lowered herself to the floor, her frustration settling into a quiet, tight knot in her chest.

"Oh no, look at that! See, my legs just gave out," she said, dropping herself more into the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The drama in her voice was impossible to miss.

Markus did not even blink. His one brow lifted, unimpressed. "Get up or I am telling Asli."

She was on her feet before he could take a breath, brushing imaginary dust off her pants like it had been part of the routine all along.

Minutes passed, filled with the dull thud of fists on pads and breathless concentration, until his alarm broke the rhythm.

"That is it. We are done for today." He grabbed his bag and turned for the door.

She caught up to him fast, nearly knocking into his back. "Dinner. I mean, what do you say about dinner?" she asked quickly. "At my place. Asli won’t be around."

It came out too fast. Too ’casual’ to be casual.

He stopped, his face unreadable, but his frown deepened just enough.

She tilted her head, eyes wide, and her lips curved in an innocent smile that did not quite reach her eyes.

Maybe he was overthinking it. Because this was Matilda... She was not the type to scheme. At least, not when it came to him. She probably just wanted to share a meal. Her aunt’s cooking was legendary, after all. Maybe she meant eating some of her aunt’s food.

"I have got men to kill," he said flatly, not even glancing back as he picked up his pace.

She matched his steps without hesitation. "Right. But—"

Her words trailed off the moment his eyes met hers. They were not the usual one she was used to: Cold and Distant. A glint of something darker projected at her.

He looked... angry.

Markus never got angry. Not visibly. Not like this. Something was wrong. Was he angry he had to train her?

The air around them seemed to tighten.

"Sorry," she murmured, slowing her pace, her voice barely louder than a breath.

He did not even answer. Just kept walking, faster now, until the space between them turned into silence.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, the vibration sharp against the silence. She pulled it out and squinted at the screen.

’Josephine Drube.’

A name that still felt oddly placed in her call log. She still couldnt get used to the fact that she had a friend now.

’My new friend... if that is what you call a girl who looks like she is in a constant argument with life.’

Matilda still had not figured out why Josephine had invited her to lunch that day. She usually avoided people like the plague... and Matilda was not exactly great at breaking walls down.

She answered anyway, her voice soft, but hesitant. "Hello?"

"Have you studied for tomorrow’s test?" Josephine’s voice came through, sharp and straight to the point. Classic Josephine.

Wait a damn minute...

"Huh? We have a test? How? When? Why?" Matilda’s voice pitched into panic.

"Did you not stay for the last lecture?" Josephine asked, calm as if this was going to be a normal test. "Or at least stay awake till the end?"

"I did... I think." Matilda paused. "Okay, I might have dozed off a little." She was not even sorry.

Before Josephine could answer, there was a sharp crash on the other end of the line, which was followed by a deep and angry voice barking. "Who the hell touched my fridge!"

Matilda froze.

She heard Josephine inhale sharply, the kind of breath someone took when they were trying not to be heard.

Her voice, when it came, was quick and low. "I gotta go, Matilda. See you tomorrow on campus."

The line went dead.

Matilda stared at her phone.

’Who was that?’ The voice had not even been directed at her, but it made something coil in her stomach... tight and uneasy.

She shook it off with effort and turned toward her room. Whatever that was, it wasn’t her problem. Right now, she had a test to study for.

********

Asli’s phone rang, slicing through the steady rhythm of her footwork. She rolled her eyes before glancing at the screen.

It was her Manager.

Of course.

With a sigh that came from somewhere deep and exhausted, she swiped to answer. "Yeah?"

As expected, the voice on the other end launched straight into a rant... something about missed interviews, fading career, how the fans were forgetting her name already and some other gibberish.

Asli did not even let her finish.

She ended the call mid-sentence, tossed the phone onto a bench, and turned back to the bag.

Her fists moved fast; ’jab, jab,’ cross each punch sharper than the last. The bag swayed, and groaned under the pressure. She stepped in, pivoted, and delivered a clean uppercut that sent it jerking on its chain.

She did not stop. Sweat clung to her skin, and her breaths came faster now. Though controlled but raw.

Thud. Thud. THUD.

Her elbows followed next... one, two... slick and brutal. She flowed into a spinning back kick, the sound of contact echoing loud in the empty room.

’Ping.’

The soft chime of a message broke through the intensity.

She froze, one foot still slightly raised, chest heaving.

’Probably my manager again,’ she thought.

She didn’t even spare the phone a glance. Instead, she turned on her heel and headed straight for the treadmill. Her fingers jabbed at the buttons, setting the pace high. That was her punishment speed.

The belt roared to life beneath her feet, and she took off in a sprint, arms pumping, and her breath sharp. The world narrowed to the sound of her footsteps and the burn in her legs.

Let the message wait. Let the manager whine.

She was busy outrunning everything.

Would she have been this angry if she hadn’t gotten shot?

No, she was not angry that she got shot. She was angry that her father saw her getting shot as her growing weak.

A few seconds later, the door flew open and Markus stepped in, breathless and wide-eyed.

"Wooow. I didn’t know you had a training room in your suite," he said, dragging his fingers along a set of neatly arranged dumbbells like a kid discovering treasure.

Asli did not slow her pace on the treadmill, though she heard him. "Where the hell did you train Matilda then?" she asked.

Markus shrugged, eyes still roaming. "In the training room. The main one."

"No." She hit the slow button and the machine slowed beneath her feet. She turned to face him, sweat-slick and serious.

"Train her here."

"Okay, your highness," Markus said with a mocking bow and a grin that barely lasted a second before he straightened again. "By the way, have you checked your messages?"

Her brow twitched. Was it him who sent it?

Before she could ask, he answered the question she had not voiced. "Your dad wants us to shut down the operation on the west."

She inhaled sharply, held it for three seconds, then slowly let it out. Her chest tightened too, not from the news, but from the dull ache still lingering deep in her ribs. She had masked it well, but the pain from her last mission still sat with her like a bruise that had not faded.

"Okay," she said, hitting the stop button on the treadmill. It slowed to a stop beneath her feet. "Is Demir ready?"

"Ouch! No," Markus said with a half-laugh. "He’s on a different mission. It is just you and me on this one."

"Hmm. I see," Asli murmured, barely above a breath.

But inside, the silence was laced with thoughts.

Was her father testing her?

He knew what happened last time. Knew she had not fully recovered. And yet, he was still sending her... with Markus? Of all people? She would’ve preferred doing it alone.

Though trying to do it alone had ended her in this position but going with Markus, wouldn’t she have to look after him too?

She didn’t say it out loud, but the thought still troubled her. ’Why send me with someone who can’t even keep up?’

Was Mr. Marco sending them so Markus would finish her off?