IN THE CAGE

105. A COINCIDENCE

...NORMAL pov...

...----------------...

"You better stop working, Fawn."

Vita Morgan, a woman who had just finished pouring tea into the glass cup, sat opposite Fawn.

Vita floated her opinion right after Fawn gave a little story about Ace locking him up and using Vita's life as Fawn's weakness. Of course, Fawn didn't tell me all the parts. He still closed Ace's identity by calling him a 'A man'.

Fawn only apologizes to Vita, for putting the woman in danger.

"There is no humanity where you work." continued Vita again. "I'm not saying this because my life had become his gamble, I'm saying this as a sane human being. I give you an objective and rational opinion."

Fawn could only stare at the reflection of the cafe light inside her cup. Fawn could not comment, not when Vita roared at length.

"There's a lot of work you can do out there. You don't have to sacrifice your life just to return the favor. Look.., instead of me telling you to turn a blind eye to the kindness of Rashid's family, damn, I won't say that. But, Fawn.., this is far away." Vita put her hand on the table, eyes looking at Fawn with seriousness.

"If you want to return the favor, do it safely. It would be better if you work as a waiter who washes************** than being this.., you are a living shield, Fawn. Do you realize that?"

"..."

"And after everything that's happened, you're still driving yourself there? Being loyal and being stupid are two different things. If I were in your position, I would resign a second after they told me to wear that wedding dress. See your mentality now? Did anyone care about you when you disappeared those 3 months? You ran away from that horrible place all by yourself, Fawn. Your boss was shocked to find out you were alive. They're not human!"

Honestly, what Vita said was the truth. Fawn admitted, he had sworn Anggara when five days at the Hunter residence and he had not received any help. Fawn was sorry. He cried and regretted while rethinking the mission he was on.

Fawn's not a tough girl. She was just a girl who was good at fighting, she cried when the torment in Ace's house did not subside, she was desperate, she suffered. Fawn felt a tremendous weight when he had to torture other humans, injuring other humans, for the sake of his work.

All of this is barbaric and immoral.

Fawn honestly knew that the best way to find peace was to get out of the hell of her job and pull over to the other side of the continent. He can be a fisherman, finding tranquility in the sea and the waves. He could learn new life experiences and rest instead of getting up early and wearing a black suit that made him look the same as hundreds of other bodyguards.

Fawn can choose safe shortcuts but.., again, everything is not easy.

"I can't, Vita." Fawn couldn't get rid of the face of the man who had saved her life. Save her mother and her from the undercurrents of disease and poverty.

"As I said, Rashid's family, they were the rope that saved me from the hell of my previous life. I..., no, not even my life is enough to repay their kindness."

"You're too attached to them, Fawn. It's like a curse." Vita leaned against the aluminum bench she was sitting on. His head was shaking with alarm at Fawn's answer which he would never understand.

A waiter came and handed them a plate of still-warm apple pie.

"Thank you" Fawn said before looking back at Vita.

"I know you're worried about me, and I'm grateful for your concern, very, very grateful, Vita. But...,"

"No need to say it, I already know you won't listen to me."

Fawn sighed. "I need to do this. They are heroes in my eyes. They are good people too. You'll understand when you know how good the real Mr. Anggara is. Miss Indira too..."

"They just have no reason to be bad to you, Fawn. You..., you said you got caught by bad guys, didn't you? The bad guy you met was your Anggara master when he was with his enemy." In other words, they are the same.

"You have to think about your safety, I'm serious. You've been caught, you know how bad those people are. You, Fawn, know best that there's no future in your current job. Never let yourself die...,"

"..."

"When you die, they'll get a replacement in one snap of a finger, but your mother, she won't get you back. He'll age alone with alimony money that can run out in a matter of months."

"..."

"Fawn, are you listening to me?"

"I'm listening to you, Vita. I'll try my best to survive."

...----------------...

Fawn thought that night she would go back to the bathroom, take a shower and get some rest. He doesn't think that the shortcut he chose made him meet a man who surprised him enough - he was there.

"Good night, sir." Fawn bowed deeply as she saw Maximillian's tall figure relaxing in the resting-room that was - in fact - rarely worn. The man sat on a single sofa that was shaped like a bench of greatness of an emperor or a king. Facing the open porch window, gaze out at the moon hanging low in the sky.

"Who are you?" Max asked, quite astonished at Fawn's appearance which was quite casual.

"I am Miss Indira's bodyguard." Fawn admitted, the head is still bowing deeply.

"Oh, right.., I've been here three days, and I haven't met my daughter-in-law at all."

Miss Indira was locked up in Mr. Evan's room, is the word Fawn wanted to express. But he held his tongue from being cut and just stayed there like a mute man.

"Are you not working today? You're wearing enough clothes..., different?"

"Actually today is my day off," Fawn's reply made Max nod a small nod.

"Holiday, huh?" those words came out of Max's lips like a grin. He felt awkward on his tongue, and it made him laugh. "So, are you on vacation today?"

"That's how." Fawn doesn't know what's wrong. Why is Max smiling at her words.

"Right, I just realized you're human." Max's next speech made Fawn speechless.

Fawn was somewhat offended by Max's remarks. But due to the extremely looming difference in status, the displeasure that his heart felt was only capable of storing and planting deeply in his chest. Fawn did not want to die there because he had shown a Caspian a moral compass.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your rest, Mr. Max. I'm going back to my room."

"Quick that?"

"Yes?"

"You still have a few hours left before your vacation ends. Are you sure you want to spend it in the room?"

Max crossed his legs elegantly, a lit cigarette tucked between his index and middle fingers. "What's your name?"

"Fawnia Alder, Mr. Max."

"Fawnia, like a deer?" Max raised his eyebrows. The man's face was completely similar to Evan's, Fawn felt the same vexation she felt when she saw Evan, when she saw Max's face.

"That's it." said Fawn again. Like robots.

"Do you know how to play chess, Fawn?"

"Little." Fawn recalls learning about that board game at Ace's house.

When Haru gives him a variety of toys that can throw his boredom, chess is one of the many toys Haru gives. Fawn remembers losing many times against Margot.

"Guide me play, then."

"E-uh? But I'm not great at all, Mr. Max." Fawn was panicking. No, he did not panic because he had to fight Max in a game of chess, Fawn was a bit panicked because he had to be with Max even longer.

That man is the father of his superior, my goodness. He was the one who educated Evan Caspian into the present Evan. Fawn did not feel being involved with the man was the right choice.

He's dangerous.

"Don't hesitate, Fawn. It's just a game to let go of boredom."

Fawn bit her lower lip, enduring the uneasiness with a smile and a nod. "All right, Mr. Max."

Let's just hope he doesn't die when Max gets tired of fighting him.

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