Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 212: Was waiting always this terrifying?

“Senior, don’t worry about her threats,” Anna said, giving Ryan a reassuring look before subtly gesturing to him while Alice wasn’t looking.

Ryan felt embarrassed. What a joke! It was precisely because of Anna’s unpredictability that he couldn’t relax at all.

“Big bro, just tell us. Being an assistant, I’d work for anyone, but it’d be better with me,” Mia chimed in, sizing up Anna. Even though Anna had already made her stance clear, Mia wasn’t about to show any weakness.

She figured Alice wouldn’t break ties with her over a guy,that would only worsen her standing in the gang. Maybe this was a good chance to sway Ryan to her side.

Listening to their outrageous statements, Ryan was utterly baffled.

What were they even talking about just now? Why did he have to make a choice as soon as he got back? Was it really okay to poach so blatantly?

And with Alice looking like she was giving him a choice, was she not planning to keep him locked up anymore?

Stealing glances at Alice’s expression, Ryan was terrified she might just eliminate the other two if she got upset. Fortunately, she just watched him with a calm demeanor.

Her gaze didn’t even linger on the two girls, as if they barely registered on her radar.

“Just say it straight, I respect your choice. If you don’t want to leave, they can’t take you away,” Alice said calmly, though it felt like needles were pricking her heart. It wasn’t easy to speak so evenly.

She really wanted to keep Ryan all to herself, not giving anyone else a chance to get close, but her rational mind told her she couldn’t do that.

Ryan was his own person, with his own personality, and even his lifesaver. No matter how terrifying her desires were, she couldn’t do that to Ryan.

Even though, deep down, she was nearly doing just that.

“Leave?”

Ryan repeated, puzzled. He was doing fine here,why would he leave?

He glanced at Mia and her righteous demeanor, as if they were about to rescue him from a life of misery.

Being with Alice was indeed dangerous,you never knew when you might lose your head. That was true.

Initially, Alice had forcefully brought him here, and now she wouldn’t even let him go out freely, depriving him of his freedom. That wasn’t too bad.

His original plan was to let Alice kill him quickly so he could continue with his own life.

But now… he couldn’t leave.

It wasn’t just because of his mission, but also because of some other, quite irrational reasons.

If Alice had always been cold, Ryan wouldn’t have cared much about her mood, just comforting her when she was down to prevent any issues.

But after seeing that photo, Ryan genuinely wanted to see Alice smile. For some reason, he felt she must look beautiful when she smiled.

He really wanted to understand Alice’s past, not just to complete his mission, but to truly become her friend. How could he do that if he left?

Not to mention, the system wouldn’t let him leave. He was on a crucial mission from the system, and if he didn’t want to die, he had to stay by Alice’s side.

Ryan fell silent, and Alice, Mia, and Anna all waited quietly for his response.

“Miss Alice, do you want me to leave?” Ryan finally asked, unsure of Alice’s attitude and how the conversation had suddenly shifted to this topic.

“I naturally don’t want that… you promised me,” Alice replied.

“But, I respect your choice. If you really want to go, I won’t stop you.”

Alice felt like she had swallowed a ball of fire, the flames burning inside her, scorching her insides.

Ryan was still testing her. Why did he keep testing her? Was it because he was afraid of her?

She didn’t want Ryan to be afraid of her, and she definitely didn’t want him to leave. She had no confidence in this choice.

But Mia was right,she had to see what Ryan thought, otherwise, that unsettling feeling would eventually drive her mad.

Exhaling a heavy breath, the scene before Alice’s eyes blurred slightly.

Was waiting always this terrifying?

Alice, who had faced countless assassination attempts without fear, was now genuinely trembling. She was terrified of Ryan’s choice, afraid of hearing him say those words.

Ryan had chosen to help her for reasons unknown, but she had always known that their connection was tenuous at best. Ryan really didn’t need to stay with her.

If given the chance, he would surely choose to leave, as life outside was more suited for him.

“Senior, what are you hesitating for? Everyone’s waiting for you. Aren’t you going back to school?” Anna pressed.

“Big bro, don’t you realize what kind of situation Alice is in? What use is there for you to stay here? You’re just holding her back,” Mia added.

The two girls continued their relentless persuasion, quickly forming a united front under the pressure from Alice, hoping to extract Ryan from this situation first, giving them a chance.

Ryan frowned slightly, and Alice’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately snapped at them to shut up.

“This is Ryan’s own choice. You’d better not meddle.”

Alice’s authority burst forth, and Hannah, standing behind her, narrowed her eyes and stepped forward, her presence threatening.

It was indeed frustrating. Anna had been brought in by her, and now, with Ryan clearly conflicted, she couldn’t push further and had to quash her own plans instead.

The old Miss Alice wouldn’t have gotten angry over such things. Her change was all because of Ryan.

“Miss Mia, a reminder—you wouldn’t want to make Miss Alice angry.”

Mia snorted coldly, glared at Hannah, and then turned her back, refusing to face Alice any longer.

Anna also felt the overwhelming force of Alice’s presence. She fidgeted with something in her pocket, ultimately unable to make up her mind.

Ryan was still here,she couldn’t act rashly. If Ryan got hurt, she couldn’t bear the consequences.

She was also extremely anxious, unable to gauge what Ryan was really thinking. Clearly, he was being held here,didn’t he want to leave?

Was Alice’s manipulation so cruel that Ryan had developed Stockholm syndrome?

Anna’s mind was a mess, her hand gripping a blade so tightly that she didn’t even notice as blood began to seep through her pocket.

“Ryan, you don’t need to be nervous. Just speak your mind.”

“I… will support you.”

It was like ripping her own heart out and crushing it. After sending the two girls away, Alice turned back to Ryan and spoke softly.

Ryan, observing the behavior of the three, was confused.

Why were Mia and Anna so insistent on him leaving? He was quite comfortable here.

And why was Miss Alice suddenly giving him a choice? Wasn’t she known for her decisive, no-nonsense approach?

This was so unlike her.

And what was with this pitiful expression, like a little kitten left in the rain, making him feel guilty just by looking at her?

‘I haven’t done anything weird, right… well, except for what happened upstairs just now,’ Ryan thought.

Probably Miss Alice had misunderstood something again. He checked his status, and sure enough, Alice’s Mood Level had dropped to a precarious five points.

[Alice Current Mood Level: 5/100 (Despair)]

If he didn’t intervene soon, Alice’s mood wouldn’t last the day.

“Uh, actually, I’m pretty okay here.”

Ryan scratched the back of his head, unsure how to phrase it better, and ended up looking awkwardly at Anna.

Anna was here for him, after all, with good intentions, though these were indeed unnecessary for Ryan.

“Pretty okay?”

Before Mia and Anna could react, it was Alice who showed the most significant response. Her nails were already digging into her palms.

She had braced herself for a cruel outcome, but then Ryan said those words?

“Anna, I really appreciate you coming to find me.”

“But I’ve actually decided to stay here for a while. Once I’ve finished what I need to do, I’ll go back.”

Ryan nodded slightly at Anna, and Alice, hearing these words, was completely stunned. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably. If not for the presence of the other two, her emotions would have exploded on the spot.

Nervousness, panic, then turning into ecstatic relief and happiness.

It all felt so unreal, and regardless of the others in the living room, she reached out and grasped Ryan’s hands.

Ryan’s eye twitched, remembering all too well the previous painful experiences of having his hands squeezed purple.

“So, you’re not leaving?”

“Why would I leave? You haven’t starved me, have you?”