"You…"
"Who exactly are you?"
His voice was shaking as confusion flickered across his dark eyes, disbelief taking over in the next instant.
Ruby lowered her gaze, suppressing her faint smile of relief. Fortunately, he hadn't recognized her through the thick layers of her makeup.
She thanked her stars for making her efforts worthwhile. However, the sharp tip of his blade now pointed at her throat wasn't anything worth celebrating.
As if the fact that he could now see human faces without acting up wasn't surprising enough, she had managed to recognize the blade he held to her neck.
Ruby gulped, her eyes wide and lashes trembling as she stared at him with a conflicted gaze. The blade wasn't anything ordinary. It was a gift she had given him 6 years ago as a form of consolation.
Had he been keeping the blade since then? But, why?
A numbing pain shot from her neck as the blade grazed against her fragile skin, drawing enough blood to soak the tip red.
"Answer me!! Who are you?!!"
Sensing her distraction, Julien forcefully demanded, his hand slamming against her shoulders as he cornered her with force.
"Why are you… not her?"
The blade fell, clinking dully against the matted floor as his despairing voice trail off.
Ruby witnessed the gradual collapse of his ferocity, the walls around him, once so thick and tall, crumbling to reveal the fragile heart he worked so hard to hide.
Something inside her stirred. However, she steeled her shoulders and pushed him away albeit gently.
"Your Highness, I didn't know what you see in me to mistake me for someone else. But obviously, I'm not the person you're seeking."
Her stance visibly softened as she saw the man retreating back, his expression unreadable.
Continuing, Ruby mustered out an amiable smile. "Your Highness, I saved your life. I won't ask for anything in return."
She then reached for the door handle, explaining, "There's something else that I need to attend to, if you please excuse me…"
Julien didn't stop her. Instead, something bright and red did, flashing across her eyes and prompting everything about her to freeze.
'Damn it! Why now out of all times…'
Ruby stilled, closing her eyes in resignation. Slowly, she dropped her gun to the floor, her movement stiff and broken as she held her two arms high in the air, showing her absolute compliance.
One second, two seconds…
A bead of cold sweat dripped down her chin as the red laser beam stubbornly stayed on the centre of her forehead. Clearly, the sniper didn't plan on letting her go, not without a certain someone's order.
Ruby's almost pleading gaze landed on the silent man before her.
"Name."
Cold and distant, his voice came after so long.
Julien no longer spared her a glance as he turned away and retied the red blindfold over his eyes.
It was as if looking at her and the world any longer would only taint his eyes.
"Dyson Securities, Penguin."
Ruby didn't even hesitate, selling out her boss without a blink.
Julien let out a quiet scoff, his expression remaining hidden within the dark.
Ruby couldn't see through him. However, that one stiff scoff was enough to reveal the contempt he now held toward her.
Though she had her own reasons, this was not the time to explain and rebrand herself as a good person.
"That… Can I go now?"
With her hands still in the air, Ruby hesitated, her gaze staying on the abandoned gun on the floor.
As dangerous as the situation was, losing a company-issued firearm would be quite a hassle to deal with. Moreover, she wasn't sure if the threat outside had been resolved.
When Julien noticed the meaning behind her glance, the corners of his lips couldn't help but twitch out of annoyance.
"Leave."
Ruby understood the assignment. In the immediate second she retrieved her gun, she moved to slam the door shut, restoring cold silence to the room.
Standing there, Julien felt as if he had just been slapped by the cold wind. After a short pause, he slowly lowered his head, studying the lingering warmth beneath his fingers.
[The codename 'Penguin'. Sir, she must be one of the weapons Dyson Securities had cultivated in secret.]
"Hhmn."
Julien hummed out in reply. He then proceeded to walk himself around the dimly lit room, avoiding all the blood and gore before settling himself on a clean one-man sofa.
[Would you like me to investigate her background?]
With a snap, Julien stretched his neck to reveal the tiny silver stud embedded on his earlobe, allowing the exquisite ornament to catch light.
"It won't be easy."
He said, causing the voice to stiffen.
[I will leave no stones unturned.]
"Good."
Julien finally revealed a comforted expression. He leaned against his seat with his arms spread out, eyes closed as he let the cold air settle on his skin like snow.
"Mario."
Julien paused.
"Do you think it was her?"
"..."
The voice behind his earpiece, Mario, stayed silent as if he had been muted.
A beat later, he answered.
[I… do not know.]
Julien snorted, unimpressed. Mario quickly corrected himself.
[The gathered data will reveal everything. I will trust the data.]
"Is that so?"
Julien let out a quiet, humorless laugh.
"But more than anything else, I trust my instincts. And you see, it keeps on telling me that she's the one."
Julien rubbed his hands together, when his movement suddenly paused.
"Mario, I've been waiting for so long… Tell me, what should I do?"
He lowered his head as if out of dejection as his voice dropped to a low whisper.
"What should I do to make her stay?"