Agatha’s POV
As I stared at the termination contract, the goal I had set for myself to escape slavery suddenly felt within reach.
Brett explained, "This contract means you're free from working for me."
I glanced at Brett, noticing his tired and puffy eyes. I wondered if he had been crying all night.
The reason Brett had asked me to seduce Lanceil Grim was to uncover the truth behind his sister's death by investigating the Grim family.
And now, the mystery was finally solved. Olive, Lanceil's former wife, had died after discovering a secret place beneath the mansion where she saw Mrs. Susan Grim, who was supposed to be dead. Ian Grim had killed his daughter-in-law to keep the truth hidden.
The crumpled paper in my hands brought back memories of all the terrible things he had done. Not only did he hide his wife, but he also caused the deaths of hundreds of people on that plane, stole a corpse, killed Olive, my dad, and ultimately, murdered Mikhail.
He was sentenced to death by the court.
He's going to face the consequences.
But even with that knowledge, the pain in my heart remains. I'm sure Brett feels the same way. He lost his family because of that selfish man. So, even though he used me as bait, I can't bring myself to hate him anymore.
However, does that mean I can't feel the opposite of these emotions? Right?
‘What’s that point of thinking what emotions should I feel? We’re going in our separate ways anyway.’
Brett chuckled softly, his blue eyes shining with amusement.
"You're the new owner of your dad's company now, all thanks to Sebastian," he explained. "With the stocks rising, you'll be standing on your own two feet in no time."
It was true.
I also got a significant share in the Grim and Dawson corporation. It felt like finding a lost treasure.
"I can't call you a slave when you're about to be a billionaire too. Our deal is done. I paid off your father's debt and got what I wanted," Brett said.
He had offered me an escape before, but I wanted to see this through to the end.
‘Now, there’s no excuse to stay by his side.’
I couldn't help but feel a little down for some strange reason. Was it because he had once requested that I remain by his side, regardless of the circumstances?
“But if you still want to call me master, go ahead,” he offered.
“Nah, I'll pass,” I promptly refused. “I'd rather not see you again.”
“Ouch. That stings a lot,” he grimaced, clutching his chest in mock agony.
I declared, "It's time to call it quits between us."
"We already did," he replied with a laugh. "You signed the document, so our master-slave relationship is officially over."
I glanced at the paper that finally granted my long-awaited freedom. Then, I shifted my gaze back to the man standing before me.
"Why are you giving me that look?" he inquired.
‘Because I think I kept on remembering your wish that’s why I felt sad on leaving,’ I answered inwardly.
"I think you're so ugly," I retorted.
"Wow," he exclaimed, his hand instinctively covering his mouth. "Now that you're no longer my slave, you have the nerve to speak to me disrespectfully. And to top it off, you're the first person to ever call me ugly."
I arched an eyebrow and tilted my head, replying, "Oh, so you're planning to slap me again?"
"Huh? When did I..."
He paused and glanced up at the ceiling, as if trying to recall the incident I was referring to.
Does he honestly think I could forget our first encounter? He slapped me so forcefully and called me a derogatory name!
"That..." he stammered. "Y-You spat on my face!" he exclaimed, then averted his gaze. "And... I was... Well, I admit I was a jerk before."
"So, you're claiming to be a good person now?"
"I was always a good person."
"Really? That's hard to believe."
He locked eyes with me once more and insisted, "I truly was."
The serious expression on his face somehow convinced me to believe that tale.
What kind of person was he before his family and sister were taken from him? I pondered on that. Perhaps, he simply lost his mind after the tragedy. That's why he resorted to me as his final option for seeking revenge.
"It took a while," he murmured. "But... I apologized."
My eyes widened at his words.
He... what?
Brett apologized to me?
"For using you, for treating you as my slave, for causing you pain, I'm sorry."
I was so taken aback that goosebumps rose on my arms. But what truly shocked me was the realization that I might be able to forgive him if he continues to show remorse.
I can't let myself be deceived by his schemes.
I got up, trying to steady my breathing.
Let's not linger with him any longer. Yes. That's the best decision.
"We became close, but that doesn't mean we can continue being friends," I stated.
He raised his head and locked eyes with me.
"Like you said, our agreement is over. We don't have to keep in touch. I get why you did what you did, but I'm not a perfect person."
"I know. And honestly, you don't look like a saint to me," he playfully jabbed.
"You're still irritating to the very end. I'm leaving now. Goodbye."
With the termination contract in hand, I walked away from him; the source of all my troubles.
"What is your plan now?"
His question stopped me.
I have a simple plan. I want to go to a distant place where I can't even imagine Mikhail sacrificing himself for me. Because if I stay here, I don't think I'll have the courage to pretend like nothing happened.
"I'm going to a far place," I replied.
"Where?"
Without turning around, I answered, "I don't know. Just somewhere far away from here."
Silence settled between us. Since it seemed like he had nothing more to say, maybe it was my signal to leave.
"I had a dream once."
My feet halted once again at his words.
"I dreamt about you."
'Oh? Did he...?'
"In my dream, I pleaded for you to stay with me."
“...”
“Did you know what happened next?” he asked.
I know. I know it better than anyone else. However, I will pretend that I couldn’t remember my own answer.
“Maybe, I said ‘No’ in your dream,” I said, looking at the exit.
“Right,” he chuckled. “You said no.”
After that, I headed towards the exit and abandoned everything.
Possibly?