Chapter 177 Time to Take Him Away
Matthew quickly regained his composure, his gaze shifting among the others present. Could the man in the center be K? His voice suggested he was older, yet his face was oddly youthful.
Catching a look from Dorian, Matthew confirmed this man was indeed K. He settled back in his chair, determined to watch how things unfolded. He had previously encountered hints that Brianna was connected to the K organization, but he had not imagined she would be so intimately associated with K himself. This unexpected development was something he had not anticipated. If Brianna disclosed his identity, that would spell trouble...
Upon seeing Matthew, Brianna lost all color in her face, nearly unable to stand, murmuring to herself and baffled by Matthew's presence.
K took his place at the head of the table, with Dorian sitting to his left. The seat to his right remained vacant. Still, in a daze, Brianna looked at Matthew, who casually sipped the water the maid poured, not giving her another glance.
K, noticing Brianna's unease, wore a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "What's wrong?"
Brianna hurriedly collected herself and walked briskly to sit beside K, her fear of him evident. "Nothing," she said, trying to sound casual. "I was just surprised to see a new face, that's all." Then she gracefully seated herself on the right of K.
K glanced up at Matthew and smirked, "Oh, this gentleman comes highly recommended by Hawk as a potential partner. We have some business to discuss with him. Was his name...?"
Before Dorian could speak, Matthew locked eyes with the man and stated firmly, "Matthew." He stressed each syllable with conviction.
"Oh, right, right, Matthew!" K's ambiguous response left Matthew guessing at his intent.
K seemed to have no intention of spending more time on Matthew and promptly closed that line of conversation. He beckoned to the other guests at the dinner table to start digging in. The entire dinner scene looked nothing like a business meeting, as some twenty people were seated, including K's subordinates and what appeared to be powerful local bigwigs based on their chatter. A perfectly proportioned maid attended to each guest, and amidst the laughter and drunken revelry, it was unclear what kind of deals were being made with the castle's master.
Brianna sat next to K, smiling and joining in the eating and drinking, but was clearly distracted, her eyes occasionally darting toward Matthew. Given her proximity to K, Matthew surmised she must have been with the group for some time, possibly even before he met her, and her deep cover surprised him. Matthew sat expressionlessly, looking like he didn't belong, as the maid behind him carefully poured his drink and served his soup, sensing that he was different from the rest – the type who didn't flirt and laugh with the others.
Suddenly, K's voice cut through. "It looks like our Matthew here is like the Eagle, not interested in women, eh? Maybe you guys are..." A loud burst of laughter followed this.
The table erupted into laughter, all eyes on them with not-so-good intentions. Dorian then spoke up with a wicked smirk, "I'm straight."
"I'm just kidding around," K intervened, smoothing over his earlier probe as though it were never serious.
It was then that Matthew realized this old fox, despite his casual drinking and chatting demeanor, was just as observant of the people at the table as he was. He also noted that Dorian had shed his frivolous demeanor and seemed like a completely different, more earnest person.
Matthew believed the claims; to be an undercover agent in such an environment, one had to be extraordinary to climb to his position in a den full of wolves.
After dinner, the maids led the guests back to their rooms. As they departed, Brianna looked back at him with an expression of unspoken words, but ultimately, she followed K.
Not long after Matthew returned to his room, a knock at the door rang. Thinking it was another maid offering unwanted services, he opened the door with a cold face and said, without looking up, "I don't need a bath drawn, nor do I want a late-night snack. You can go off to rest."
"Matthew~"
Looking at the doorway, Matthew was surprised to see Brianna standing. The two sentries usually with her were noticeably absent.
As Matthew moved to close the door, Brianna blocked it and hurriedly explained, "Matthew, I need to talk to you about K. Can I come in?"
After hesitating for a moment, Matthew stepped aside to let her enter the room, thinking that if they kept arguing at the door, it might get them both killed faster.
Once inside, Brianna cautiously drew the curtains and checked the door lock. Matthew remained silent, watching her perform these actions.
Assured there were no abnormalities, Brianna turned to Matthew, her tone urgent. "Matthew, why are you here? Are you involved in some deal with Eagle? Either way, you can't trust him. I'll find a way to get you out of here tomorrow. You have to leave as soon as possible."
Matthew's brow was furrowed in concentration as he remained silent.
Brianna grew even more anxious. "You have to trust me. I'm not going to harm you. This castle isn't as simple as you think, and K is not someone you can mess with. I don't have much time; I need to leave soon. Tomorrow at 2 pm, wait for me in your room, and I'll get you out."
His eyes locked onto Brianna's, and Matthew could see the genuine urgency on her face. He asked coldly, "And why should I trust you?"
Caught up in her worried thoughts, planning how to get him out the next day safely, Brianna froze at his cold rebuttal as if her blood had turned to ice. Then, with a self-deprecating laugh, she said, "I know you don't believe me now, but if you want to live and see Madison again, you'll listen to me."
Taking her words seriously, Matthew felt a shift in his heart when she mentioned Madison. But he persisted, "When did you start working for K?"
Brianna's expression darkened. Glancing at the time, she hurried toward the door. "I have to go. I'll tell you everything tomorrow at 2 pm. Just remember, don't believe anything Eagle says."
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