After walking out of the mansion, I glanced down at the list of servants, maids, and family members of the Parker family. "This is quite useful," I muttered, scanning through the names.
Just as I was about to move forward, a sleek black car pulled up in front of me, stopping abruptly. The tinted window rolled down, revealing none other than Abigail Bardot, dressed in a sharp formal suit.
I raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Ms. Bardot, what are you doing here?"
She met my gaze with a complex expression, something unreadable lurking behind her eyes. "I should be asking you the same thing," she replied.
I chuckled lightly. "I'm at work. And I'm heading somewhere."
She hesitated for a second before speaking again, this time with an unexpected tone of concern. "Want me to drop you there?"
I blinked in mild surprise. "That might be the first time you've ever insisted on helping me."
Then, without missing a beat, I smirked and asked, "Don't you have something better to do? Like, I don't know… be with Joshua?"
The moment I said his name, her expression turned grim. But instead of backing down, she looked straight at me and snapped, "Samuel Gebb, since you are my husband, it is not your place to question what I do!"
I let out a mocking laugh, shaking my head. "Oh? So, suddenly, I have duties as your husband? That's rich, coming from you."
She didn't respond, but I could see the flicker of irritation in her eyes. I shrugged. "Fine. Lead the way to West Street."
With that, I stepped into the car, settling into the seat. The moment we started driving, I turned my attention back to the documents in my hands, scanning through the information without sparing her a glance.
A few minutes passed before Abigail finally broke the silence. "What are those documents?"
Without looking up, I answered plainly, "I'm busy working on the case of the missing heirloom from the Parker family."
I could feel her gaze on me, but I continued reading, unbothered.
Then she spoke again, her voice softer this time. "Samuel… I want us to be like we were before marriage. A happy couple."
I let the words hang in the air for a second before I finally lifted my eyes to her. My expression was blank, my voice cold.
"Even after you let those men sleep with you in our bed?"
Her grip on the steering wheel tightened, and without warning, she slammed on the brakes. The car screeched to a stop, the sudden force jerking us both forward.
Before I could react, she grabbed me by the neck, her nails pressing into my skin. Her breathing was heavy, and her eyes were wild with emotion.
"Samuel, I never slept with anyone! It was all just a setup!" she shouted.
I stared at her, completely unmoved. Then, with a swift movement, I grabbed her wrist, prying her hand off my throat with ease. My grip tightened slightly, just enough for her to feel how little her words affected me.
My voice was cold as ice. "Where's the proof?"
She froze.
I leaned in slightly, my gaze boring into hers. "If you never slept with them, where is the proof?"
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
I let out a bitter chuckle. "See? You can't even defend yourself. Meanwhile, I can give you proof of me sleeping with other women."
Her body tensed at my words, but I didn't stop there. "In fact, I'm ready to do it right in front of you. Would that finally make things even?"
Her lips trembled, but she still had nothing to say.
I let go of her wrist and leaned back against my seat. "I'm tired of your manipulations, Ms. Bardot. And more than that, I'm tired of you lying to yourself."
She looked at me, her eyes flashing with confusion, anger, and something else she refused to name.
Before she could speak, I cut her off. "You already know that Joshua is in your heart. He's the one you need, not me. So tell me—why are you still clinging to this marriage when I'm planning for my death?"
Her breathing was uneven now, her hands gripping the wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
I shook my head. "You're a billionaire, Abigail. But despite all that power, you don't even understand your own feelings."
Silence filled the car, the tension so thick that it was almost suffocating.
For the first time, I saw a crack in her carefully built walls. She looked lost, as if she had never truly considered what she wanted.
But I wasn't going to wait for her to figure it out.
I reached for the door handle, opening it before she could say anything else. "I'll walk from here," I said, stepping out into the street.
As I stepped out of the car, the night air felt cool against my skin.
I could still feel Abigail's lingering gaze on me, her confusion and frustration thick in the silence between us. But I didn't turn back.
The car door remained open behind me, but I could hear her uneven breathing—the struggle in her mind as she processed everything I had just said.
I took a few steps forward before she finally called out.
"Samuel…"
I stopped but didn't turn around. My hands slid into my pockets as I exhaled, waiting.
Her voice was shaky, almost unsure for the first time. "If I… if I didn't love you, then why does it hurt so much seeing you like this?"
I let out a bitter chuckle, shaking my head. "You're not in pain because you love me, Abigail. You're in pain because you're losing control over me."
Her silence confirmed it.
I turned my head slightly, just enough to see her out of the corner of my eye. "And that's what's really killing you, isn't it? The fact that you can't break me anymore."
Her lips parted, but I didn't wait for her response.
Instead, I took another step forward, walking into the shadows of the street. Abigail Bardot wasn't my problem anymore.
Pulling up the system interface.
[Quest Progress: The Missing Heirloom – Ongoing]
[Time Remaining Before Morgrath's Arrival: 70 Hours]
I smirked. "Still plenty of time."
My fingers hovered over the list of sub-quests, but before I could make a decision, the system chimed.
[New Side Quest Unlocked!]
[Quest: The Hunter Becomes the Hunted]
Objective: Someone has been following you since you left the Parker Mansion. Find out who they are and why.]
Reward: ??? (Hidden Ability Unlock)
I narrowed my eyes, my instincts immediately sharpening. "Someone's following me, huh?"
I slowed my steps slightly, blending into the dimly lit streets, my mind already calculating my next move.
Looks like things just got interesting.
I smirked to myself, disappearing into the night, ready to face whoever thought they could hunt me.