Is He Trustworthy

I rushed toward Sally, grinning at the sight of her standing amidst the disheveled guards. She turned, her fierce expression softening as she spotted me.

“Oh, Mila!” she called, slightly out of breath but still composed. “Don’t worry! I was just practicing a little self-defense,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eye. “I had their consent, of course.”

One guard, grimacing as he rubbed his shoulder, managed a weak nod. “Y-yeah, she asked us first,” he said, clearly regretting his choice. “We just… didn’t expect her to be so good.”

The other guard, still catching his breath, gave a small nod as well. “She’s got some serious skills, way more than we bargained for.”

Sally shrugged, looking proud and unfazed. “Well, a girl’s gotta be prepared, right?”

Arin chuckled beside me, clearly entertained. “Remind me never to underestimate you.

Sally shot Arin a sharp glare, clearly sizing him up with a hint of suspicion. I could sense the tension, so I quickly stepped in.

“Arin, this is Sally,” I said, gesturing between them. “She’s… well, let’s just say she’s my secret weapon in all this.”

Arin extended his hand politely, offering her a small smile. “Nice to meet you, Sally.”

Sally gave his hand a brief shake, her gaze never leaving his. “Let’s hope you’re as trustworthy as Mila seems to think,” she replied coolly.

I stifled a smile at her protectiveness and nodded toward the car. “Alright, team. Let’s get going; we have a plan to put into action.”

As we headed toward the car, Sally arched an eyebrow, looking at me with curiosity. “Alright, Mila, what ‘team’ and what ‘plan’ are we talking about here?”

I let out a small laugh, waving a hand. “I’ll explain everything on the way back home,” I assured her, casting a quick glance at Arin. “But speaking of plans… Arin, are you just planning to guide us from afar, or are you actually going to be around to help?”

He gave a reassuring nod. “I’ll be in the city by tomorrow. Once I’m there, we can dive into the next steps together.”

Satisfied with his answer, Sally and I got into the car and drove off, leaving the scene behind.

On the way home, Sally’s curiosity finally got the better of her. “So… what exactly happened in there, Mila? And what’s this plan all about?”

Taking a deep breath, I filled her in on the conversation with Arin—the truth about the fake test results, Lily’s manipulation, and the plan to expose her lies to Alex. Sally listened closely, her expression shifting between shock and anger.

When I finished, she seemed lost in thought, her brows furrowing. “Are you sure you want to trust this guy, Arin? I mean, I get that he wants to help you unmask Lily, but he’s been so secretive about his own past and why he’s involved.”

I looked out the window, gathering my thoughts. “I get what you’re saying, Sally. It’s hard to know for sure. But… there’s something about him that feels oddly familiar, like I’ve known him before. And right now, his knowledge is the closest thing I have to getting my life back on track.”

Sally sighed, leaning back. “Alright, just promise me you’ll stay cautious. Mysterious or not, he might be useful… as long as you’re careful.”

I nodded, comforted by her concern as we drove on, ready to face whatever was coming next.