Brianna watched Chris closely, hoping to see if he was telling the truth, but he appeared to be so serene yet emotionless that she couldn't guess his feelings at all.
"Do you find me good-looking, Brianna?" Chris teased, seeing that she was watching him.
A bit embarrassed, Brianna smiled and said half-jokingly, "You are absolutely charming, Mr. Butler."
"Good. Why don't you come and be with me when you leave Scott Anderson?"
Startled by the suggestion, Brianna shook her head immediately, "Thanks for the offer, but no. I want to focus on my career."
"Your career? Do you think that you can still be a designer at The Anderson Corporation when you and Scott Anderson separate?"
Brianna thought it over and shook her head. She knew that even if Scott and Sol asked her to stay, she would not. She could not.
"I can help you with your career if you are with me."
"Thanks, but I will find another job somewhere else, or I don't have to do jewelry design but switch back to interior design. That's what I studied anyway." Brianna refused indirectly.
"Brianna, why do you dislike me?"
I don't dislike you. I feel intimidated. Brianna thought, but she didn't have the guts to say so. "I don't dislike you, but I don't think I'm capable enough to work for you, Mr. Butler."
Chris didn't insist, and he changed the subject. "Scott Anderson has probably changed how he feels about you, and he obviously cares about you now, but he will never truly love you."
Brianna smiled a bitter smile. "That I know. I have noticed the change in the way he looks at me sometimes, but I know that it's only because I remind him of her."
She had asked him more than once, but he never told her that he loved her. He will only admit his love for Sol Keaton. He's keeping me only because he loves her very much, and I remind him of her.
"And even though you know, you will still be loyal to him?"
"This doesn't really have anything to do with you, Mr. Butler. Anyway, I should leave now." Brianna stood up.
Just then, a girl with long black hair and big blue eyes, dressed in a light green dress, came walking towards them. She was wearing a floral head wreath, and her eyes shone brightly with youth and liveliness. She's like a fairy. Brianna thought and noticed that she looked a bit like herself, both her face and her figure.
Though it was only for a few seconds, Brianna caught sight of her hostility and jealousy in her eyes. She doesn't like me, Brianna thought, but she is hiding her feelings well.
"Is she the perfect replacement for Coraline, Mr. Butler?" The girl asked.
"Coraline is irreplaceable," Chris said indifferently. He seemed displeased. "Who invited you in?"
"I've missed you, but since you came to Las Vegas, you've forgotten me." The girl leaned over to hug him, but Chris pushed her off him, looking annoyed. "You are not welcome here. Get out." He said brutally.
"Mr. Butler..." The girl muttered tearfully and scurried away. Chris made a phone call and requested the girl to be eliminated.
Brianna stared at him with her eyes wide open, shocked by his cruelty. He doesn't appear to be cold and distant like Scott, but he can just take a life like it's nothing. It's horrific.
"Mr. Butler, the girl seems to adore you very much. Don't you think it's a bit too cruel?" She asked tentatively.
"Just an unqualified replacement. There are plenty like her."
"You have found many girls that look similar to Coraline?"
"Right. I've searched all over the world. They look like her, but they are not like her at all. None of them has her pureness, her innocence, and her smiles."
Brianna couldn't help wondering how many girls had been killed and how their families would feel. Where has he got the power to do so?! However, knowing better how cruel he could be, Brianna thought she'd better not ask any more questions.
"I should go. Goodbye, Mr. Butler."
"Right. He has just arrived." Chris said while looking at the gate.
Brianna turned to look and saw Scott's car parked at the gate. Her heart sank.
She could even feel the iciness in his stare.
"I thought you prefer to be secretive and mysterious," Brianna said to Chris.
"I asked someone to take a photo of us dining together and had it sent to him about half an hour ago. I'm quite impressed that he could find out the location so fast. And he's come in person. It looks like he does care about you very much." Chris said with a smile.
"You're mistaken, Mr. Butler. He's just being possessive." Brianna said plainly and hurried to the gate.
The chief bodyguard opened the door for her. She took a quick look at Scott, hesitated a bit, and got in. Scott sat quietly as if he was completely oblivious of her presence.
Brianna felt her heart beating fast. She looked out of the window and saw her bodyguard, Jeff, came running from the garage, looking worried and guilty.
"Apologies, Mr. Anderson," Jeff said sincerely.
Scott didn't utter a word. He took out a gun from a pocket under the seat and pointed it at Jeff's head.
Frightened, Brianna grabbed his arm and pleaded, "Scott, don't! It's not Jeff's fault. He can't handle Chris's bodyguards alone. I insisted on coming here. He didn't know it was Chris Butler that I was meeting."
Scott remained silent and slowly turned the gun around and pointed it at her head instead. Brianna trembled and closed her eyes.
"Mr. Anderson, please don't blame Mrs. Anderson. It was my fault." Jeff said anxiously.
Scott sneered. "Ha. Look how charming you are, Brianna. You've got invited to cook for Chris Butler, and even your bodyguard would now defend you with his life."
Brianna opened her eyes and said in a trembling voice, "I only came to cook for him to thank him for saving me."
"Have I not told you that you could cook for me only? Only me."
Her face turned pale. "Please forgive me." She said helplessly.
He slid the gun down her face, her neck, her chest, then her stomach and stopped between her thighs.