I decided to visit Venom at her job. Watching her teach swimming lessons, I was genuinely impressed by how good she was at it. She noticed me and came over to chat briefly. I waited an hour for her to finish, and we went to eat at a nearby mall.

As we were eating, a pretty woman suddenly sat down beside Venom. At first, I didn’t recognize her, but then it hit me—it was June.

"June?" Venom was surprised, her eyes wide.

June grinned, casually putting her arm around Venom's shoulders. "Do you guys still run fast?" she whispered, her eyes glinting with mischief.

Before we could react, she started counting. "One... two... three..."

On "three," we bolted from the table. June shouted, "North!" and we instantly knew where to go.

We sprinted through the mall, weaving through the crowd. Splitting up, we ran as fast as we could, each of us knowing exactly where our meeting point would be.

At the meeting point, we all arrived at the same time, breathless but relieved.

"What's happening, June?" I asked, trying to catch my breath.

June looked around nervously. "We need to leave immediately. I'll explain later."

We hurried to Venom's car and piled in, with Venom taking the wheel. As we drove, we kept checking if anyone was tailing us.

"Keep an eye out," Venom said, glancing in the rearview mirror.

June smirked, leaning close to Venom. "Still driving like a pro, huh?"

Venom grinned. "Only when I'm not teaching people how not to drown."

June laughed softly. "I missed this. You always had that confident touch."

Venom's eyes flicked to June, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "And you always knew how to keep things interesting."

June leaned back, her hand brushing Venom's arm. "I can't believe you still remember."

Venom chuckled. "Hard to forget someone like you."

As the conversation continued, their flirting became more apparent.

"You know, you haven't changed much," June said, her voice teasing.

Venom raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? How so?"

June's eyes sparkled. "Still got that charm. Makes it hard to keep my eyes off you."

Venom blushed slightly but kept her focus on the road. "Well, good to know I still have it."

We finally arrived home, and after making sure no one had followed us, we all went inside. Venom and June exchanged glances, their connection clear.

"Alright, June," Venom said, "we're safe now. What’s going on?"

June took a deep breath, looking at both of us. "There's something big coming. And we need to be ready."

As we settled in, June took a deep breath and began to explain.

"I escaped from another gang I promised to join," she said, her voice low and tense.

Venom's eyes widened. "What? Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

June sighed. "It's a long story. You know I was the smartest hacker on our team, right? Well, I got arrested and jailed for almost three months."

Venom and I exchanged worried glances. "Three months? We had no idea," Venom said.

"Yeah," June nodded. "The other gang leader offered to bail me out if I joined them. I agreed, but I never intended to stay. I needed a way out."

"And today was the day you escaped?" I asked.

"Exactly," June said. "When they finally bailed me out, I made a run for it. I can't keep living like this. I want out, for good."

Venom leaned closer, her concern evident. "But June, what if they come after you?"

June shrugged. "I'll handle it. I just can't go back to that life. I need a fresh start, like you guys."

After June mentioned wanting a fresh start like us, Venom and I exchanged a glance.

"We're still a bit conmen," Venom said, "but in a good way, not really."

June looked confused. "Are you guys still scamming people?"

I sighed. "It's complicated, June. We're not pulling the same kind of cons as before."

Venom nodded. "Yuan has a job pretending to be a psychologist for a girl named Rain. She's genuinely helping her, though."

June's confusion turned to curiosity. "Why are you pretending to be a psychologist?"

I explained, "Rain lost her parents and became really withdrawn. Her family hired me because I'm good at pretending, but now I actually want to help her."

Venom added, "I'm teaching swimming lessons. It started as a con, but I ended up actually liking it and being good at it."

June looked thoughtful. "So, you're both kind of... reformed?"

"In a way," I said. "We're trying to do the right thing, even if we didn't start out that way."

June nodded slowly. "I get it. Maybe it's better than calling people to invest millions on a fake crypto coins." she laughed after saying that

After joking around, June started to ask us if she could live with us.

Venom and I were speechless. Venom jokingly said, "How can we continue changing if all old scammers live together?"

June laughed. "I promise I'll behave! I just need a place to stay while I figure things out."

I looked at Venom, who shrugged. "It's not like we don't have the space. And she could use some support."

Venom sighed playfully. "Alright, June. But if you pull any stunts, you're out."

June grinned. "Deal! You won't even know I'm here."

I nodded. "Welcome home, June."

Venom smiled. "Looks like our little reformed con artist family is growing."

June looked genuinely touched. "Thanks, guys. I won't let you down."

As we sat there, the reality of our situation sank in. June started to ask herself what she could do aside from hacking.

"I mean, what skills do I really have?" June mused. "All I've ever done is hacking and scams."

Venom leaned back, thinking. "You’re smart, June. There has to be something else you’re good at or interested in."

June sighed. "I don't know... maybe something in cybersecurity? But who would hire someone with my record?"

I chimed in, "It's worth a shot. You could start with freelance gigs and build a portfolio. It’s a way to use your skills for something positive."

June nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right. It’s just... intimidating to think about starting over."

Venom reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "We’re all starting over, June. And we’ll do it together."

June smiled faintly. "Thanks. I guess I’ll give it a try."

But after thinking, June said, "Maybe I'll just relax for the meantime," and lay back on the bed.

After a minute, she asked me about my current job. "So, what exactly are you doing now?"

"I'm working as a private psychologist," I replied.

June raised an eyebrow. "And what's the surname of that Rain you mentioned earlier?"

"Rain Reyes," I said. "She's the one and only daughter of the old governor of our city."

June's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what? Governor Reyes’s daughter? Why does she need counselling?"

I sighed. "She lost the will to live after her parents died. She's been left alone."

June was speechless for a moment. "What do you mean the governor died??"

"Yeah," I said quietly. "In a car shooting. It’s been really hard on her."

June shook her head, absorbing the information. "I can't believe it. The Reyeses were so influential. No wonder she’s struggling."

"Yeah," I agreed. "It’s been a tough road for her."

---

I ask June why she's so interested, and after a moment of hesitation, she confessed, "I actually saw and worked with the Reyes family before."

My eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"

June took a deep breath. "I used to work for a security firm that handled some of their events. One night, I overheard a conversation I shouldn't have. It was about a plot to overthrow the governor, orchestrated by someone within their own circle."

My mind raced. "Are you saying Governor Reyes was...?"

"Assassinated," June finished grimly. "But not by external forces. It was an inside job. The details were covered up to look like a car shooting."

I was stunned. "But why would they do that?"

June hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Money, power... It's always about those things, isn't it? I never spoke up because I didn't know who I could trust. Until now."

Suddenly, everything clicked into place. Rain's distrust of people, her isolation... It wasn't just grief; it was fear. "Do you think she knows?"

June shook her head. "No, I don't think so. She was kept in the dark, just like everyone else."

As the weight of June's revelation sank in, I realized the danger Rain might still be in. "We have to protect her."

June nodded solemnly. "Agreed. But we need to be careful. Whoever orchestrated this is still out there."

June looked troubled, her expression darkening with uncertainty. "I wish I knew, but whoever they are, they're connected and powerful. They could be anyone close to the Reyes family, someone with access and influence."

I nodded, the weight of the situation settling heavily on my shoulders. "We have to tread carefully. If they find out we're onto them..."

"We could be next," June finished, her voice low with concern.

As we sat in silence, contemplating our next move, the gravity of our task became clear: protect Rain, unravel the conspiracy, and expose the truth before it's too late.

June's suggestion made sense. If we were to uncover the truth behind Governor Reyes's death and protect Rain, we needed to gather information discreetly. I decided to approach Rain cautiously, keeping in mind the delicate balance of gaining her trust while probing for information.

The next day, I found Rain in her study, engrossed in a book. She looked up as I entered, her expression curious yet guarded.

"Hey, Rain," I greeted her with a warm smile. "Mind if we chat for a bit?"

She nodded slightly, gesturing for me to take a seat. I chose my words carefully, framing my questions casually to avoid suspicion. "I've been thinking about your family's situation lately. How are you holding up?"

Rain sighed softly, her gaze turning distant. "It's been tough, honestly. Sometimes, I feel like everything's falling apart."

"I understand," I replied sympathetically. "Do you ever wonder about what happened to your father? The circumstances surrounding his passing?"

Her eyes flickered with a mix of sadness and uncertainty. "I've tried not to dwell on it too much. It's painful."

"I get that," I assured her gently. "But sometimes, understanding what happened can bring closure."

Rain hesitated, clearly conflicted. "I... I don't know, but I'm willing to answer if it's you."

As I delicately probed Rain about her father's death, mentioning vague suspicions that had been circulating, her demeanor shifted subtly. She grew more introspective, her eyes betraying a hint of unease.

"Have you heard anything specific?" Rain asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "There have been rumors... about someone close to your father, someone he trusted."

Her breath caught slightly, a mix of shock and disbelief crossing her features. "Who would...?"

Before she could finish her sentence, the door to her study burst open. In walked a familiar face, someone I had seen before in the company of Rain's family—Eduardo, a longtime friend of her father's and supposedly a trusted advisor.

"Rain," Eduardo began, his tone urgent yet controlled. "We need to talk."

She looked at him, her expression unreadable as she glanced back at me, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

"Sorry to interrupt," Eduardo continued, ignoring my presence. "But this is important."

I excused myself quietly, sensing the tension in the room. As I left, I couldn't shake the feeling that Eduardo's sudden appearance and Rain's reaction were more than coincidental. Could he be hiding something about Governor Reyes's death, something that Rain wasn't prepared to face?