Chapter 972

"Shadow is quite an intriguing codename." Vivian Laurent toyed with her teacup, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Officer Alpinus, are you giving me nicknames now?"

Patrick Alpinus's piercing gaze locked onto her. "Vivian, after all this time, you're still pretending? Shadow, ranked second on the Agent Leaderboard—that's you."

"You have quite the imagination, Officer." Vivian set her cup down gently. "I'm just an ordinary designer."

"Ethan Roscente confessed everything." Patrick dropped the bombshell abruptly.

As the Interpol Agent, he excelled at interrogation tactics. Sudden revelations often caught suspects off guard.

"Oh?" Vivian arched an eyebrow. "Confessed what exactly?"

Outwardly composed, she cursed Patrick internally for breaking his promise. He'd sworn not to involve Ethan, yet here they were.

"He identified you as Shadow and specifically asked me to go easy on you." Patrick advanced step by step.

"You'd believe anything Ethan says?" Vivian stood, grabbing her handbag. "Then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. My answer remains unchanged—arrest me if you have evidence. Now if you'll excuse me."

She took Isabella Langley's arm and strode out.

Patrick quickly arranged their hotel suite and sent them off with an escort. Returning to interrogate Annika Heilbronn proved fruitless.

"You identified Vivian as Shadow earlier, now you're retracting?" Patrick slammed the table.

Annika smirked. "Did I? Where's your recording?"

The interrogation hit a wall. But Patrick wasn't discouraged—his real target had always been Zero, the top-ranked agent.

That bloodthirsty demon and his shadowy organization were the true objectives.

And Patrick had prepared accordingly.

Back in the lavish suite, Isabella locked the door immediately. "Viv, what do you make of Annika?"

"Patience." Vivian scanned the room before crouching beside the nightstand. Her fingers closed around a tiny listening device.

She held it up with a cold laugh. "Officer Alpinus, is this your professional ethics? Bugging a lady's room?"

Isabella gasped. "That's despicable!"

Vivian addressed the device directly. "If you want answers, ask me properly. Eavesdropping isn't very gentlemanly."

On the other end, Patrick's face stiffened. His meticulously hidden equipment had been discovered impossibly fast.