Third Person’s POV
Brett anxiously waited for Agatha, knowing that Lawrence would be taking her home. He couldn't sit still, constantly looking out for their arrival.
As the car pulled up, Brett's eyebrow shot up, giving him a quizzical expression.
"They're finally here," he muttered under his breath.
Observing Agatha and Lawrence stepping out of the car together, Brett couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.
When Agatha locked eyes with Brett, she was taken aback. "Oh, were you..."
Before Agatha could finish her sentence, she paused. Did she really expect Brett to wait for her?
Brett eagerly awaited Agatha's response, his head slightly tilted in anticipation. But as she remained silent, Brett felt a pang of disappointment, like a child waiting for a promised treat that never arrived. The sense of betrayal left a bitter taste in his mouth, causing him to grimace sweetly.
Agatha sensed Brett's intense gaze and turned her head away, feeling his anger directed towards her even from the side. She couldn't help but wonder why he looked at her as if she had done something wrong.
Despite this, Agatha found it strange that she felt no remorse, so she chose not to apologize. ‘Maybe it's because I still remember when he pleaded for me to stay by his side,’ she thought to herself.
Perhaps.
Well, today's situation is definitely unique. The husband caught his wife cheating, but what's strange is that there's no romantic involvement with Brett.
Agatha could only manage to mutter, "Strange," to herself.
Meanwhile, as Agatha was lost in her own thoughts, Brett and Lawrence were already engaged in a tense staring match.
"Hello, Mr. Holmes," Lawrence spoke up first, trying to assert himself as an unwelcome visitor.
Brett snorted in response, nodding curtly. "Good evening."
With those brief greetings exchanged, Agatha remained in her own world as Lawrence approached Brett. Leaning in close, he whispered, "I'm here to send my woman back to her contractor.”
Brett's fingers twitched slightly. He furrowed his brow while maintaining a sardonic smile on his lips.
"I'll continue until there's no need for her to return here," Lawrence stated. "So let's wrap up this deal quickly. Gas prices are skyrocketing these days. My car is a gas guzzler, you know." He patted Brett's shoulder and shot him a menacing grin.
Among the group of men, Brett usually felt like he had the upper hand.
But when it came to the man who claimed to be Agatha's fiancé, that wasn't the case. He was frustrated that he couldn't come up with a comeback to his taunts. Even if the situation were reversed, his status as the man who had purchased Agatha as a slave wouldn't change.
Lanceil now knew about the secret mission, meaning she no longer had a reason to be his slave. Therefore, Brett's desire to protect and keep Agatha by his side was exposed in Lawrence's stern gaze.
** **
On their way to the living room, Brett parted his lips and started the conversation.
"Lawrence is such an incredible guy, playing two roles. A professor and a loving fiancé."
Agatha quickly countered, "He's not my fiancé."
That's exactly what Brett wanted to hear. How satisfying it was to hear her deny any connection with that annoyingly arrogant man. Suddenly, the world seemed brighter to Brett.
"If he's not your fiancé, then why did you effortlessly step out of his car?" Brett inquired.
"He just gave me a ride, that's all," Agatha defended.
Her words sounded like sweet melodies to Brett's ears. Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" symphony no. 9 played in his mind as he imagined gliding on the ground with slippery feet, following her every move.
"It was Lawrence who told Lanceil about my mission,” Agatha said sadly.
The happy classic song in Brett’s head abruptly stopped. Why was he even trying to compete with Lawrence when she already had someone in her heart? And to make matters worse, Brett was the one who caused this mess in the first place, so he had no one to blame but himself.
"I apologize," Agatha said, coming to a halt.
Brett remained silent, his gaze fixed on her lowered eyes, his breaths heavy in the tense atmosphere.
"I messed up with my mission until the end. Sorry.”
Agatha took the blame upon herself instead of pointing fingers at Lawrence, who had revealed the secret. She couldn't shift all the responsibility onto someone who had acted out of concern for her well-being.
Little did she know, it was Brett who had inadvertently led Lanceil to uncover the truth.
Brett decided to keep some information to himself. He walked over and settled on the couch, motioning for her to sit beside him.
However, the young lady opted for the couch opposite him. Brett ignored it, cleared his throat, and carried on.
“Now that Lanceil is aware of our plan, there's no point in continuing our agreement. I'm ending our contract,” he declared. “Stay out of it, Agatha.”
Agatha met his gaze and simply replied, “No.”
Brett gave her a puzzled look. “What did you just say?”
“I said no,” Agatha repeated, surprising herself as well. But she knew her defiance stemmed from a desperate desire to survive and outwit her enemies.
Agatha had been dreaming of breaking free from her exhausting life for so long. But when the opportunity finally presented itself, she let it slip away without a second thought.
Brett could sense her desperation as he saw the flames burning in her eyes.
"Do you really want to pass up this chance?" Brett offered her an escape once more.
Agatha tilted her head, silently conveying how ridiculous she found his words to be.
“How can you ask me to stay out of this when I am also the enemy’s target?” She spoke with determination. “I need to be with you every step of the way to uncover the truth, no matter what."
"Do you really want to be fighting against someone you care about?" Brett questioned.
Agatha hesitated, feeling torn between her feelings and her duty. She knew that leaving Lanceil meant there was no turning back.
With a determined look, Agatha nodded at Brett, meeting his gaze head-on.
Not too long ago, Brett had asked her to stay by his side no matter what. Now, it seemed Agatha had made her decision.
"I gave you the chance to leave, but you stayed," Brett reminded her.
Once again, Agatha nodded, her fists clenched.
"You chose to stay, Agatha. Remember that," he concluded.
“I know,” she said. Despite the determination in her eyes, her weak voice revealed uncertainty.
"Then, the slave contract will be terminated today," Brett stated. "But you can't leave my side until everything is completed."
Their eyes locked. When Brett smiled at her, Agatha felt a chill run down her spine.
‘Now I'm truly trapped in the clutches of this wicked man,’ she chuckled silently to herself.