Chapter 179 The Past
Outside the compound.
Ever since Matthew had entered that room, Victor had been vigilantly nearby. It took half an hour before his phone picked up a faint GPS signal from Matthew, which quickly disappeared. With a sharp memory, Victor noted the exact location.
Returning to the hotel, he realized that Matthew's current location was two miles from the small building they had entered earlier. The real place wasn't where they began, but at the location Matthew's GPS had briefly transmitted. Victor swiftly drove to the new address only to find a high wall camouflaged by infrared sensors, making it clear any attempt to approach with drones would result in their immediate destruction.
The walls were expansive; Victor walked for half an hour without completing the perimeter, showcasing how large the structure within was. After observing the surroundings and spotting the security cameras, he decided to head back to the hotel, where he had set up a temporary studio with a few computers and some equipment. He couldn't gauge the situation inside since he couldn't get through to either Matthew or Dorian. Although worried, he forced himself to calm down, reassuring himself that no news might be the best news, signifying they were still safe. He started fiddling with the computers, accessing satellite signals, intending to use satellite imagery to find some information. Currently, the goal was to locate the compound's entrance and exits to prepare for any necessary support.
When Sister called, he mentioned that Matthew was out; he didn't dare divulge the reality of the situation for fear of causing her excessive worry.
Matthew had spent almost the entire night with his eyes wide open, afraid that falling asleep in such a place would mean not knowing how he might die. Only when dawn approached did he allow himself a moment to doze off.
A maid had brought him both breakfast and lunch to his room, so he hadn't set foot outside his room since dinner the night before.
At 2 PM sharp, there was a knock on the door. Matthew opened it to find Brianna standing outside. As soon as the door swung open, Brianna slipped into the room and urgently said to Matthew, "We leave in ten minutes. The guests from yesterday are departing today, and we're going to blend in and get out with them."
Matthew closed the door, stood in the room, listening to her plan, and couldn't help but chuckle, "When did I say I was ready to leave? Besides, do you genuinely think we can slip out? I'm sure you're more familiar with this place than I am, and you definitely know K better."
In an instant, Brianna's face lost all color, and she murmured, "Why don't you trust me..."
She was aware of how tightly the castle was guarded, layers upon layers of security. Today was her only chance, and despite the slim odds, she wanted to try. She had done many things for K, but her feelings for the man before her were sincere.
"Why should I trust you when everything you've told me has turned out to be a lie?" Matthew asked her bluntly and without a trace of emotion.
"I... Okay, ask me anything you want now, I'll tell you everything. But you have to leave with me today," she insisted.
Matthew raised an eyebrow, his expression unyielding, "Why are you recognized as K's goddaughter?"
Brianna seemed unsteady, staggering a few steps before leaning back against the edge of a desk in the room. Her face was a mask of sorrow and heaviness. Matthew watched her, his frown deepening as he observed her distress.
"What choice did I have? Could I have chosen differently?" Brianna said with a rueful laugh.
Then, she calmly recounted her story to Matthew, "I was abandoned at the orphanage the moment I was born. I stayed there until I was about five or six years old. Then, one day, someone came to adopt a child and chose me. He took me to a beautiful house, arranged for a butler to take care of me, gave me a monthly allowance, had me attend school like any normal kid, learn to dance, and even trained me in all the social graces of high society, with private tutors coming to the house. He gave me a phone to contact him and told me to call him godfather. I felt so lucky. Even though my biological parents didn't want me, I had a godfather who cared for me."
Tears welled up in Brianna's eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She raised her hand to wipe them away. She continued, "Then, after I got into university, one day, I got a call from my godfather, asking me to get close to a high-ranking executive in Horizon City and extract information. Do you know that was my first assignment? It took me two months to get the intelligence he wanted."
Matthew listened silently; his brows knitted together.
Brianna looked up at the sky, "Then there were more and more tasks, and by the time I graduated, they sent me to Paris. I had no choice but to go." Her eyes intently met Matthew's, "Believe it or not, I was sincere with you. I really did want to marry you back then."
Matthew's face was unreadable, and he remained silent.
Love is a strange thing—cruel, even. When you fall out of love with someone, it seems like even your compassion fades away.
Brianna wiped her face, "So, can you leave with me now?"
Matthew fiddled with his phone, "I'm sorry, I can't leave."
Hearing his refusal, Brianna became agitated, "Why? Don't you trust me? I really won't harm you. Don't believe the Eagle's words. He's just fishing for gullible 'partners' like you for his godfather until there's nothing left of them."
Matthew looked at her, finally responding, "I believe what you're saying, but that doesn't mean I forgive what you did to Madison. My staying isn't for the Eagle; it's for myself."
Taken aback, Brianna realized that not forgiving was simply that, and she didn't feel guilty for fighting for a lover.
She turned and asked, "Is it because of your parent's death?"
At the mention of his parents, Matthew rose quickly, his steps closing the distance between them as he grabbed her wrist tightly, his voice harsh with accusation, "Did you know all along their death was connected to 'K'?"
Brianna winced in pain from his grip, "Let go; you're hurting me. Yes, I knew, so what? The dead can't come back to life. Aren't the living more important?"
Matthew released her wrist with a bitter laugh, "Even if there was no Madison, it couldn't have lasted. We were too different; we were never on the same path."
Her face turned pale, but she still didn't think she was wrong. Not telling him was just to spare him the grief, or what? To have him chase her to Rome and end up dying here?
She thought of her godfather, a man not to be trifled with...
Matthew went back to his chair, and Brianna glanced at her watch. It was too late. She asked urgently, "Are you really staying? Even if it means you could die here?"
"Yes."
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