IN THE CAGE

80. BEREFT

...FAWN...

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"Because you said you were ready to return, and Indira was very enthusiastic about welcoming you, I will let you return to work as Indira's personal bodyguard, Fawn." Boss Anggara said in his office that I have not seen for a long time. I was opposite Anggara's boss, standing stiffly with my eyes fixed on the workspace that smelled like the old book.

If I think back, the last time I was here was when I agreed to Anggara's boss's request to die as an accomplice to Miss Indira. I remember how the decision I made that day had changed my life 180 degrees differently.

I'm the one now...

"Faaaaawn," a woman's scream woke me from the daydream, yet I had time to digest the situation, a slender and quite light-weight figure-crashed me.

"Aaaaa, it's been a long time since I've seen you..." It was the voice of Miss Indira. True too, after coming out of the Anggara boss's study, I went to visit the Caspian residence with a suitcase in hand.

How can time go so fast and at the same time, feel like it's not moving at all?

"Fawn, how are you?" miss Indira loosened her arms from me. I looked at that beautiful face I hadn't seen in a long time. My smile bloomed without me holding back.

"I'm very kind, Miss Indi. Sorry for making you anxious." I shook the hand of Miss Indira who grasped my hand, patted the back of her hand twice and looked into her eyes with earnestness. That I'm really sorry.

"I heard from Angga's boss, Miss Indira was very worried about me. I feel guilty."

"Let it pass, the important thing is that you're back now. Right, Joseph?"

Joseph who was standing behind Miss Indira nodded. A big smile on Joseph's face, seeing him happy made me feel calm. Joseph-however, is one of the reasons why I can't just go away from Ace. I stayed at the Hunter residence not only to protect my mother, but also to guard the life of my subordinate.

"It's good to see you Joseph" I greeted Joseph with one hand raised.

"Welcome back, Fawn." said Joseph, face sumringah.

"We should celebrate this" said Miss Indira suddenly. My eyes are wide open.

"Y-yes?"

"Yaaaa, we need to have a long chat, Fawn. Like you're back, I want to tell you a long story about my days without you here. Ah too," Miss Indira held me, "You don't know yet, do you? Someone is filling the position as the head of my bodyguard here. You'll see it later, his name is Aidan."

"Oh, I've heard a bit of that information from Angga's boss." I'm honest.

Before coming here, I was given a briefing on the situation of Miss Indira. About him not being able to get out of the Caspian family's main mansion, the incident that happened to Joseph, and the influence of the incident on the massive overhaul of the bodyguard for Miss Indira. I was quite surprised, at first. But thinking that Evan Caspian was behind all those decisions, I came to understand the ambiguous situation.

The man must be paranoid by now, considering Ace is eyeing his head to be served on the table.

Ah, Ace...

Right, how's that guy doing now? Has he eaten?

"Fawn?"

"Uh-y-yeah?"

"What are you pondering, let's go inside."

Damn, what happened to me? Why am I still thinking about that guy? She was the nightmare of my life, I should have breathed a sigh of relief to have escaped her. I'm supposed to be celebrating the party.., right. My freedom is in my hands.

I'm free, but why does my heart still hurt so much?

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"Cheers!!!"

Three glasses of glass containing orange juice collided in the middle of the table. Me, Miss Indira and Joseph toast like old friends. My smile bloomed forcefully under the cheerfulness of the two of them.

My eyes looked at Miss Indira and Joseph in turn, listening to how both of them were so happy to see me, breathing a sigh of relief over me who had returned. I'm glad to see them happy. I'm happy because I haven't been forgotten, but I'm just a lowly bodyguard.

"You don't know how much I worry about you, I even ask you for help" Miss Indira approached me and whispered lowly, "Ace Hunter."

"O-oh, Mr Ace?" Hearing that name is like getting a knife stuck in my heart. Grumpily.

"Fawn, are you okay?"

"I'm good, sorry..." I scrunched my forehead, trying to set my expression to calm down even though my facial muscles tightened. I feel depressed.

"Fawn, if you're sick you shouldn't have followed us here."

"Is it because it's cold?" Joseph wondered.

"How about you get some rest?" miss Indira stretched out her hand and grabbed my shoulder. I only realized my body was shaking when I felt Miss Indira embracing me, my body becoming calmer.

"Ahahaha, I'm sorry." I forced laughter. "I'm so tired."

"Don't apologize." Miss Indira nagging. "I don't know what Anggara told you, but it seems like a very difficult task. I'll scold him later."

"Miss Indi, that's not necessary."

"Shuuush, shut up." Miss Indira silenced me with her dictatorial voice. "Jo, please take Fawn to her room. I'll be back with Aidan."

"All right, Indi boss." Joseph approved of Miss Indira before turning to my left side. He put my arm around his shoulder and led me slowly through the corridors of the Caspian family home, which was as dark as the depths of the forest.

"Is your job okay here, Jo?" I brought up another topic to talk about during the trip.

"There's not much I can do here." Joseph replied and I understood his point. Not only deposed as the main bodyguard of Miss Indira, Joseph also did not come out much because Miss Indira was confined here.

"Do you think the situation is safe enough for Miss Indi?"

"I don't think so. Just so you know, lately I've heard something from the housekeeper.." Joseph paused when a servant passed us. Only when the situation was quiet again and we turned towards a narrower, darker passage did Joseph speak again. "Mr Evan is in a very bad mood right now. Looks like a job problem."

"Oh," Does this mean Ace is starting to move?

"If something bad happens here, Angga's boss sends me a message to bring Indira's boss to the safe house. But, I think it'll be quite heavy. Heavy enough until I hear you back, I breathe a sigh of relief. If there's you, Fawn, nothing is impossible, right?"

"That's bullshit." I said. I as a bodyguard can be considered like a rusty knife now. My skills have been dull for the past three months, I've been living a life like a lazy pig.

"Should we do the sparing later?" Joseph proposed an idea that I thought was very good. I do need to hit something, I need to release the stress that builds up in my mind. Right, this is a good choice.

"I agree."

"I'll take you to see you later, when you're better."

"M."

"By the way, what happened to you?" joseph's question again made me recall a situation I didn't want to remember at all. Damn it, why did he bring this topic back? After all the diversions I created?

"Nothing happened" I said, denying it again.

"You know how you got so - how do you say it, you look - healthier? Like there's a new aura circling you?"

"The new aura is mine!"

"i'm serious. It feels like you're becoming very different. Your appearance, too, is you becoming more feminine-like?"

"Stop saying something you don't understand."

"Hey, I'm saying this because you've changed so much." Joseph stopped at a door. I saw many duplicates of the same door lined up all the way to the bleak end of the corridor. Looks like this is the room where the bodyguards settled.

"Let me explain something to you.., the change I mean is-, you're more interesting than ever."

"Damn it, are you insulting me?"

"No, no. I mean.., you used to be very pretty and nice. But you have a sharp robot-like aura from the future, do you? Now.., you feel like..."

"Tsk! Quiet down!" I cut Joseph off and went into my room.

Brak!

I slammed the door, leaving behind Joseph who was irritating me.

Damn, why did he say I changed? I don't really want to change. I hate to change. I hate myself now because this change is not the truth.

My heart, this change is not in my escape plan.

I didn't plan on leaving my heart there, but I dropped it.

...Ace Hunter, you cruel man!!!...

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