Alexei
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I cleared my throat to regain my focus and composure.
As I snapped out of the brief moment, I realized that I had let my guard down.
At that moment, I noticed her cheeks were flushed from embarrassment with a mixture of shyness. She could no longer maintain her composure. It did seem that she recognized a similarity between me and the fairy tale character of Snow White, and for a brief moment, I saw her walls of coldness crack, revealing a glimpse of her vulnerable side.
So she's capable of putting her guard down and there's an innocent woman behind those cold eyes.
"I remember you now. You're the guy I picked up from a dark alley and sent to the hospital." She responded in a tone of recognition.
In an attempt to avoid the embarrassment, she brushed it off by asking questions about me. She tried to change the subject and divert my attention from the strange comparison. She seemed like she wanted to change the topic and shift the focus from her to me.
"So why the menacing and threatening situation? It feels like you could have just said 'thanks for the help' and moved on." She said in a tone that bordered on sarcastic.
She swiftly regained her composure and calm demeanor, but I could still sense some confusion and annoyance beneath the surface. Her walls were back up and her cold exterior was once again in place.
I couldn't tell which emotion was prevalent, but it was clear that she was having a hard time processing the strange situation.
"And I welcome you for helping you out." She added.
I decided to turn a blind eye to her sarcastic remarks and continued the conversation while maintaining my composure. My eyes were fixed on her, and I tried to pay attention to the conversation at hand to see where it'd take us.
"I have a few questions," I asked in a low tone.
My eyes narrowed, and I glared at her with a cold, sharp stare. It was the type of stare that cuts through any defense, one that penetrates the core of the opponent and leaves no room for escape or denial. The intensity of my gaze was meant to break her down and force her to talk.
The moment her barriers were lowered, she would finally reveal the truth.
"Who are you working for?" I asked again.
"Working for?" She repeated in confusion.
I raised an eyebrow in suspicion as I stared at her with a sharp, searching expression. Her behavior was confusing and suspicious. I still couldn't see the full picture, but there seemed to be something.
I waited patiently for her to explain.
"What? Who do I work for? I'm just a medical student. I work my brain and ass off for my mom. Could that be considered?" She said with a defiant tone.
She made a sarcastic joke, which took me by surprise. It was annoying, and it made me feel a bit annoyed, but I kept my cool. I tried to hide it, but I couldn't help but feel irritated by the sudden shift in tone. The situation was confusing enough, and her jokes were only making me more confused.
She looked at me with defiance. Her expression was stiff and determined, and she didn't break eye contact. There was a sense of pride and defiance in her gaze, like she was daring me to challenge her. I couldn't help but notice how her eyes seemed to bore into mine, refusing to let me get the upper hand.
But I wasn't going to let her shake me off my game.
"So a medical student who works for her mother, huh?" I asked calmly.
"Yes, I am a medical student." She repeated with the same tone of defiance.
"You claim to be a medical student, but you have an unusual ability. Your skills are not normal for a doctor. And why do you seem so unaffected by the situation?" I asked again firmly.
I found the answers she gave me only made me more skeptical and confused. I couldn't help but glare at her more intensely, my anger and skepticism rising with every word. It seemed like she was being evasive, and her answers were not completely honest. Her responses only seemed to raise more questions.
"How do you explain that?" I added.
She kept her composure despite my reaction. She continued to speak, and I followed along, listening intently to every word she said. The tension between us was high, and I felt as if there was a battle of wills unfolding.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm an athletic student, nothing more." she replied.
"So, are you going to keep pretending? You play your character well, I'll give you that. But don't expect me to believe you for long," I responded.
My eyes narrowed as I looked at her intently, not missing a single detail of her behavior. I watched her with skepticism, trying to read every little signal or subtle sign to see if she would slip and reveal something misleading or dishonest. The way she was holding back, acting elusive and vague.
"Where are you getting at?" she said with anger in her voice.
I froze in my tracks, my eyes still locked on hers. My expectations of her dishonesty were quickly dashed when I saw that she was angry. Her expression changed from being amused and playful to one of anger and honesty. It was as if she had let down her guard and was ready to confront me head-on.
The silence had become like a tight knot, making it difficult to breathe and think. I was waiting for the conversation to pick up again, but the woman was still silent. The atmosphere became heavier and more intense, as we both struggled to find a way out of this stalemate.
"You're working for my enemy, aren't you? You're a spy sent to approach me to infiltrate my organization." My tone was sharp and piercing, and I challenged her to be honest and straightforward.
As I broke the silence, I decided to test her honesty more.
"I don't appreciate the accusations. I'm just a medical student doing my job. You're the one who got me confused in the middle of this whole ordeal." She retorted.
I was surprised by her pure confusion and lack of accountability. It was as if she was innocent and had nothing to do with the situation. Her reaction baffled me, and I was unsure of how to proceed. Was this the truth she was telling me? Her confusion was starting to confuse me as well.
"I believe that you are working for the opposing organization. You have skills that you shouldn't possess, and you are way too composed for this situation. I think that you are someone planted by the enemy as a spy." I bluntly responded.
I continued to push her, despite her confusion. My frustration and distrust only grew, and I couldn't let that confusion be the final answer.
As she realized that I couldn't be convinced, she became silent.
Her eyes lowered, and there was a hint of resignation in her expression. She knew the situation had reached an impasse, and she couldn't break through my barriers any further.
Hm...
Then I felt like this confrontation had reached a dead end, and my suspicions were hardened into an unbreakable barrier. We were both quiet and watching each other, each trying to process what had been said and how to proceed.
It was all about distrust and assumptions now...