Amanda stayed in the restroom for a long time, waiting for the cramps to subside before slowly walking out. With one hand clutching her stomach and the other supporting her waist, anyone seeing her would have thought she was pregnant.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her arm and yanked her aside. Amanda panicked, her steps staggering as she was dragged toward the empty emergency staircase. Before she could react, she was aggressively shoved against the wall.
"Javier! Are you crazy? Let me go!"
Javier ignored her resistance, his face a mask of gloom and rage. He grabbed her chin, his thumb rubbing the skin so hard it bruised.
"Amanda! You dare to play me!"
His eyes were like fire. He had poured all of his company's capital into that land, only to receive news five minutes after signing the contract that the state would soon seize it for planning. His entire future had just been handed a death sentence, and the source of his ruin was this "useless" woman.
Despite the pain in her chin, Amanda looked at his frantic, irrational face and smiled with pure satisfaction. "Play you? It's only because you're so incompetent that you had to rely on me to steal information in the first place!"
Javier's eyes darkened, a flash of pure malice crossing his face. "You condescending—!"
He raised his hand to slap her, but a shadow intervened. Javier turned his head just in time to catch a fist directly in the face. The impact sent him staggering back against the railing.
"If your parents didn't teach you how to behave, I'll teach you today!"
Quentin stood in front of Amanda like a shield. He didn't stop at the punch; he followed up with a heavy kick to Javier's chest. Seeing Quentin move in for more, Amanda rushed forward and threw her arms around his waist.
"Quentin, don't!"
They were at the top of a steep flight of stairs. Amanda was terrified that in the heat of the struggle, one of them would fall. But to Quentin, her desperate intervention looked like she was protecting Javier. His fist slowly loosened, and he took a deep breath to steady his rage.
His eyes, sharp as knives, locked onto Javier, who was clutching his stomach and gasping for air.
"If you want Amanda to be your spy, do you think I wouldn't notice?" Quentin asked coldly. "Javier, you're still far too young."
Javier gritted his teeth, his eyes full of murderous intent. Today he had suffered a total defeat, and he had no way to fight back. Quentin curled his lips into an indifferent, mocking smile.
"You already knew?" Javier wheezed.
"Do you really think Amanda could find documents that important so easily?"
Javier frowned. He had believed it because he knew how much Quentin cared for her—he assumed Quentin had simply been careless around her. Now, he had to reconsider everything.
"The company you just bought is a ticking time bomb," Quentin continued, his voice low and dangerous. "Your working capital is gone. When this news hits, your stock will plummet. Instead of worrying about me, you should go back and see if you can even keep your other subsidiaries afloat."
As he felt Amanda's grip on his arm gradually relax, Quentin's heart ached, though he remained perfectly calm on the outside. He knew his words would hurt her, but he had to make the truth clear. Javier's hatred needed to be directed at him, the one who had set the trap, not her.
Javier reached out a hand toward Amanda, trying to pull her to his side. "Amanda, come here—"
But Amanda unceremoniously took a step back, leaving his hand hanging stiffly in mid-air. Her heart was in turmoil.
"You knew all along," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Why?"
She stopped herself before she could say more. If she asked why he let her do it, she would feel even more foolish. He had given her the chance to stab him, and instead, she had accidentally helped him ruin his enemy.
She let out a mocking laugh, though tears were already blurring her vision. Only now did she realize that Plots Two and Three were never his targets. His true focus was Plot One—the land no one else bothered to watch.
Looking at her pale, hollow expression, Quentin felt a tightening in his chest. "Mandy, listen to me..."
Amanda closed her eyes tightly and raised a hand to block his words. "You don't need to say anything," she said softly, her voice thick with exhaustion. "I understand. I'm tired. Let's go back."
Quentin pursed his lips. "Okay."
He didn't move immediately. Instead, he reached out and took her small, ice-cold hand in his. When she didn't resist, he let out a silent sigh of relief and led her away from the staircase.
In the car, they sat on opposite sides of the backseat. The silence was heavy. Quentin looked at the empty space between them, feeling a gnawing discomfort. Frowning, he shifted an inch closer to her. When she didn't react, he moved another inch.
By the time he reached her side, he realized Amanda's eyes were closed. She appeared to be asleep. He sighed and reached out to pull her head onto his shoulder so she could sleep more comfortably.
But the moment he touched her skin, his expression changed. Her body was burning hot.
"Driver!" Quentin shouted. "Forget the villa. Get to the hospital, now!"
The driver didn't ask questions; he skillfully spun the steering wheel and sped into the night.