Alice knew that marrying Vence meant accepting that “secret government projects” came with their fair share of unexpected complications. Still, nothing could have prepared her for the scene waiting in their living room. Vence sat hunched on the sofa, practically swallowed by a white button-down shirt at least three sizes too large for him. He looked tense, with long, dark hair falling across half his face and an expression of absolute panic. “Vence? What happened at the lab?” Alice asked, hurrying over to him. “Your teammates called and said there had been an accident involving that biological radiation device. They said you had to evacuate and that the damage was serious!” Vence let out a heavy sigh. When he spoke, his voice came out surprisingly sweet and high-pitched, making Alice blink in confusion. “Oh, it was serious, sweetheart. A complete disaster,” Vence muttered, looking utterly humiliated. “I had to leave the facility without a stitch of clothing because of the decontaminati...