[AFYC] Chapter 60

But Simon, a noble by birth, found the room too stifling and declined to use it, and Oscar hadn’t been too keen on having him there in the first place, so it had remained empty for a long time.

“I prioritise His Excellency’s orders above all else. His Excellency specifically instructed that she must not be lost. If there’s a more suitable place in this mansion that offers better surveillance and protection, by all means, let me know.”

“...”

“If, instead of placing her there, I put her in the room next to yours or a guest room in the annexe, and something were to happen...”

Barbara smiled coldly.

“Neither you nor I would be able to escape the consequences. Are you still keen on having her room next to yours?”

Abel’s brows furrowed.

“Never mind.”

“I’ve heard all about your reputation. Don’t tell me you’re worried about your success or failure because of a room’s location.”

“...”

The seasoned wolf’s taunting chuckle silenced Abel.

“Judging by the situation, it seems like you haven’t even held her hand yet.”

Abel smirked, twisting his lips into a grin.

“Madam, this isn’t a process that happens as quickly as baking bread. One needs to assess the target carefully. Rushing in without thought can lead to a backlash.”

It’s a rather delicate art, not that you’d understand those who only wield swords.

The young wolf’s sarcastic remarks barely fazed the older one.

“That’s not my area of expertise, so I’ll leave that to you. Just make sure you don’t let anything slip.”

“...”

“Don’t get so caught up in trying to hold her hand that you let your guard down. Backup will be provided, but you’re next to her, so keep that in mind.”

The blue eyes that swept over Abel made it clear that Barbara had little faith in leaving the primary protection duty to a seducer. She didn’t even bother to hide her scepticism.

“Well, aren’t you full of worries? I only ended up in this line of work because of this face. Remember when the intelligence team practically begged me to join instead of the combat unit?”

Abel fluttered his long, beautiful lashes with a playful grin.

“But comparing me to those in the backup unit? That’s a bit insulting, don’t you think?”

“Sure, your face is something to look at. Let’s see you succeed and prove us all wrong.”

Her tone was so dispassionate that it bordered on disinterest, making it clear that she didn’t particularly care if Abel succeeded or not—just that he shouldn’t make a mess of things.

Abel paused, taking a deep breath.

This is why I want to quit this nonsense.

Young or old, the combat unit guys always seemed to find a way to get under his skin.

But, as Barbara said, he was determined to succeed and show them just how easily he could make that girl fall for him. Once he did, and he had proven everyone wrong, he’d finally be able to leave this miserable job behind.

Abel licked his lips with a sly grin, then called out to Barbara as she descended the stairs.

“Madam?”

Barbara halted and looked up at him. He leaned over the banister and asked in a low voice.

“Is it okay if I stay in His Excellency’s study?”

While he hadn’t been pleased with the location of Seo Ah’s room, Abel quickly saw the opportunity it presented.

It would be several days before Oscar returned, which meant that the study would essentially be a secluded space—a perfect setting for his work.

“Do as you wish.”

With Barbara’s permission, Abel retraced his steps back to the study.

It seemed Seo Ah was still holed up in her room.

Abel removed his jacket and draped it over the back of the sofa, then unbuttoned several buttons on his shirt. He tousled his hair, previously slicked back with pomade, and sprawled comfortably on the couch.

In his experience, when it came to seduction, it was usually the physical that came before the emotional. Captivate with the eyes ensnare with the touch, and the emotions naturally followed once the bodies were entangled.

Many targets had succumbed to him this way.

Besides, she was clearly unfamiliar with and frightened by this place. Even a small gesture of kindness or trust could seem monumental in such situations. The incident on the train still nagged at him a bit.

“...Are you coming back?”

He had pondered what she meant by that but hadn’t found a satisfactory answer. It must have been an awkward remark from a foreigner.

Abel glanced at the mirror positioned at one end of the study. He found himself quite pleased with his reflection.

Like a spider spinning its web, Abel set his trap and then waited patiently for Seo Ah to fall into it.