Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 246: Pervert…

“What’s on the next page, Ryan?”

Even though Alice felt a bit lightheaded, she wasn’t about to get lost in all the fancy words Ryan had been saying.

Everything Ryan wrote was about her, and that’s exactly why she needed to figure out what was really going on in his head.

She had thought about treating Ryan well, but that didn’t mean she’d turn a blind eye to everything else, like some lovestruck fool.

As their relationship deepened, mutual understanding was key. This was her way of getting to know Ryan better, and she hoped he’d understand that.

“Just keep reading. I can let go of what you said earlier.”

Her voice was soft, coaxing, like a spider slowly weaving its web, drawing its prey closer and closer into its trap.

Maybe she was being a bit extreme today, but no one knew better than Alice what she needed to do.

She couldn’t stand Ryan’s constant evasiveness anymore. She had to know what he was hiding from her.

She didn’t dare think about what their relationship would look like once there were no more secrets between them.

Secrets were like the oil between two gears—no matter how perfectly they fit together, they still needed some space to move smoothly.

Likewise, even the closest people needed a bit of privacy. But today, Alice wasn’t going to give Ryan any.

If Ryan was truly trustworthy, if he really cared about her, Alice wouldn’t mind giving him what he wanted later—whatever that might be.

“The next page…”

There was no escaping it. Ryan stared at the next page, his face clouded with worry.

Should he say it or not?

It felt like he was back at the orphanage as a kid, every time he came back after a fight, dirty and bruised, standing in front of the headmaster.

The headmaster would always read a passage from the Bible, then ask Ryan to reflect and confess his mistakes.

Ryan would go through the motions, but deep down, he knew he had to do things no one else could understand, all to protect that girl.

But was he really wrong? He didn’t think so. Just like now, facing Alice’s suspicion, Ryan didn’t believe he’d done anything wrong.

He was only trying to help Alice. What was so wrong about that?

Neither of them spoke. The room was so quiet it felt empty, the only sound being the ticking of the clock on the wall.

Alice sat up straight now, no longer slouched on the couch. Just sitting there, she exuded a pressure that was hard to ignore.

Ryan was deep in thought, trying to figure out how to respond. Wanting Alice to kill him, even if it meant betraying her—it wasn’t something a normal person would do.

But if he laid all his secrets bare, would she even believe him?

And if she did, where would that leave their relationship?

Alice was proud, like a peacock with the most vibrant feathers.

On the surface, Ryan was just her assistant, and that’s why she had allowed herself to accept his help.

But if the truth came out—that Ryan’s help was part of a mission—would she feel betrayed?

It was that same old question: if feelings developed during a mission, did the fact that it was a mission invalidate those feelings?

Every path seemed like a dead end. Ryan took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. This so-called side mission was turning out to be anything but easy.

He already knew the punishment for failing the mission: a 20-point increase in his Darkening level.

But Ryan also had a gut feeling that if he didn’t explain things properly, Alice would never trust him again after today. And if that happened, everything he did from then on would be an uphill battle.

What should he do…

Ryan stared at the words in the journal, his fingers gripping the edges so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand stood out, clearly under immense pressure.

Alice had thought she could stay calm while waiting for Ryan to explain himself. She had resolved to push him to the brink.

But seeing him like this, she couldn’t help but soften.

A strange pang of sadness flickered in her heart, maybe because the memory of Ryan taking a bullet for her flashed through her mind again. She let out a small sigh.

“If it’s really that hard for you, I can ask something else.”

Torturing Ryan would only end up hurting her too. In the end, she relented, gently pulling the journal from his hands.

The journal was placed back into the hidden compartment. Alice had no intention of letting Ryan take it, at least not until all the confusing questions were cleared up.

“Alright, Miss Alice, ask away…”

Ryan didn’t know what Alice was going to ask, but since they’d dodged the most critical topic, he felt a bit of relief.

“Why did you get into a fight today?”

Alice sat cross-legged on the couch, her back straight. Ryan heard the sound of a tin can clinking against the coffee table. He looked up and saw that she had placed a beer on the table.

She stretched out her legs, her small feet resting on the floor, and tossed her jacket onto the couch.

She gave Ryan a look, then patted the seat next to her, signaling for him to sit closer.

If Alice had kept pressing on that one issue, Ryan would’ve had no choice but to lie. After all, there was no way he could let her find out about the system.

But to his surprise, the topic had somehow just… passed.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Ryan glanced at the spot next to her. Before Alice could prompt him a second time, he quickly moved and sat down beside her.

“Because they keep targeting you, Miss Alice. I couldn’t stand it.”

As Ryan sat next to her, he could feel the couch sink under their combined weight. The faint scent of winter plum blossoms drifted over, teasing his senses.

Alice was still sitting cross-legged, and now that he was closer, Ryan got a better sense of just how long her legs were. The visual impact was undeniable—her thighs were perfectly shaped, just enough to stretch the fabric of her black slacks.

Ryan suddenly remembered something he’d read online: Curvy legs are the best legs.

At the time, he thought the guys discussing their preferences on the internet were a bit weird. But now, he found himself understanding exactly what they meant.

Alice’s small feet, pale and delicate, were tucked shyly beneath her thighs, like a hidden treasure in the corner of an RPG map.

The moment Ryan’s gaze landed on them, Alice’s body gave a slight, almost imperceptible shiver. She quickly tucked her feet even deeper beneath her legs, hiding them from view.

“Pervert…”

Alice muttered softly, but just loud enough for Ryan to hear. It was clearly meant for him.

Honestly, given the contents of the journal and his behavior now, the word wasn’t entirely undeserved.

Still, Ryan had to admit, his self-control was pretty strong. If it had been anyone else in his position, they probably wouldn’t have been able to keep their cool like he had.

——–

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