Chapter 151: A Reluctant Ally
Present ti
The Baroness sighs loudly.
She cannot help feeling gloomy. One of her sleeping partners is gone, and the one she is interested in replacing him with is not interested in her.
She still rembers how he slled when she was near him.
Delicious.
The Baroness licks her lower lip.
"And bold."
She chuckles.
"To actually co to , revealing how vile Stille and Ryan are, and still have the nerve to suggest that I cut ties for my own benefit?"
The Baroness laughs.
"That’s very bold, Young Arthur. And I very much like bold n."
She sips her drink and looks at the chair where Arthur had been sitting.
Recalling.
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Arthur leaned back in his chair and t the Baroness’ gaze directly.
"I took it upon myself, as a citizen of this city and of this country, to ensure that Chief Stille would be removed from his position and put on trial for everything he had done."
"I have everything I need to take him down. And it would be in your best interest, Your Ladyship, to cut all ties with Chief Stille. Completely."
Arthur stopped and stared at the Baroness.
The Baroness’ heart was pounding fast. She felt a strange sensation from being stared at by such a handso young man.
Stille was already out of her mind. What she wanted now was the young man sitting right in front of her.
Fearless.
Staring into her eyes directly.
Stating what he wanted.
And yet, he did not beg.
The Baroness shivered at the sensation she was feeling, and the air around her responded. She could not control her mana very well, even though she believed that her control over her magic was already exceptional.
The mana leaking? It was all because she was too powerful.
The Baroness nodded and sighed.
"I understand, Young Arthur. Completely. You ca at the right ti. I have been thinking of breaking it off with Stille for a while now, but I had no valid reason. But thanks to you, I do now."
She extended her hand and touched Arthur’s.
"You must think I am a silly old woman who has gone senile. But you have to believe
when I say that I was not aware of Stille’s... extra-curricular activities. I was too infatuated with him."
"Old won like
are lonely, Young Arthur. Please, believe ."
She caressed Arthur’s hand as she said all that. She found that she liked his hand very much. Rough, muscled, and strong.
She was already imagining what it felt like when that hand road her body.
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Present ti
Arthur shivers.
Dinner is over. He is now in his room, just stepping out of the bathroom after a hot shower, ready for bed, when cold air hits him out of nowhere.
No, he thinks internally. Not out of nowhere. You were thinking about your encounter with the Baroness, weren’t you? His mind reminds him.
Arthur sighs and closes his eyes.
"Please, Brain, do not remind
of that ti. Can you sohow erase it? I don’t need it."
But his mind would not be his mind if it did not have a will of its own.
It drags him back to the very encounter he is trying so hard to forget.
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Arthur shivered inwardly. He tried very hard to pull his hand away. If he had not been clear about the Baroness’ intent before, he certainly was now.
A wave of repulsion rose in his chest. He swallowed it back.
Instead, he placed his other hand over the Baroness’ and gave it a gentle pat.
"Please, Your Ladyship. Your age may be in its later years, but your mind is still as sharp as a young woman’s, and you certainly do not look your age. Please, do not call yourself an old woman."
He patted her hand a few more tis before slowly withdrawing both of his hands.
The Baroness smiled and leaned back in her chair.
"Very well, Young Arthur. I will do as you suggested. I will cut all ties with Harrison Stille. And as a bonus, because I like you, I will ruin Ryan Blackwood as well."
She stood up, not giving Arthur a chance to reply.
"No one takes this Baroness for a fool. They will pay the price."
Arthur rose as well and bowed to her.
"Thank you very much, Your Ladyship. I’m sure you won’t regret it."
The Baroness nodded, then glanced at the recording device on the table.
"You forgot your device, Young Arthur."
Arthur followed her gaze, then smiled.
"I’ll leave it here. It might serve as a reminder, Your Ladyship."
They stared at each other in silence, unblinking. They both understood the ssage perfectly clearly.
Arthur: I’ll leave it here so you rember what I have in my hands.
The Baroness: You little swine. You want to make sure I truly break things off with Stille and Ryan.
They smiled at the sa ti.
Arthur bowed again.
"Have a good day, Your Ladyship. You don’t need to show
the door. I know where the exit is."
He turned around and exited her apartnt.
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Present ti.
Knock. Knock.
Arthur, already sitting on his bed, looks toward the door and sighs.
"Co in," he says reluctantly.
The door creaks open, and Julian’s face peers through.
"You asleep yet?" He grins, but enters the room anyway.
Arthur chuckles. "No, I haven’t slept yet. Co in."
Julian approaches, and behind him, Theo enters the room and closes the door.
"Co on, you two. Hop onto my bed. Let’s talk here." Arthur pats the bed, inviting both his siblings to join him.
Julian does so without hesitation. It shows how normal this is for him. But Theo hesitates. This is another man’s room. He isn’t entirely comfortable entering it. When Julian drags him
along, he doesn’t refuse, because it would be too awkward to do so. He doesn’t have a good excuse.
Theo figures this is sothing three siblings, or at least Julian and Arthur, normally do.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Theo sits on the edge of the bed, trying to be modest. He’s already wearing pajamas and does his best to appear feminine.
Julian looks at his siblings and grins. "It’s been a while since we did this. Especially the three of us."
Both brothers look at Theo with gentle eyes.
Theo realizes they are missing their sister.
Theo’s reluctant smile turns into a grin. "Yes, it’s been a while."
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