IN THE CAGE

97. PUT OUT THE FIRE

...NORMAL pov...

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

Margaret Hunter laughed until she was out of breath.

The woman in the black-colored nightgown greeted her sister with a glass of wine in hand. He sat in front of the dead fireplace, his legs crossed pretty. Margaret had initially only waited for Ace to give a light mockery of the man's failure in her love affair. But.., after he saw how disheveled Ace's face was entering the front door of his house, Margot felt that the man's expression was so funny that she laughed out loud and lost her own voice.

Ace looked at his older sister in boredom. He didn't say anything. Ace only approached his brother, grabbed the wine glass Margot was holding, and finished the drink in one gulp.

"Aaaaah, it's been a long time since I've laughed so hard." Margot eased her laughter with a breath that was still wheezing. "People who fall in love do smell like stupidity."

"It's good to be your entertainment" said Ace, cynical.

"Awww, brother. Are you angry?" Margot led Ace to sit on the sofa he was sitting on while he moved and sat on the shoulder of the sofa. Margot's hand massaged Ace's arm, trying to comfort his younger brother - of course, with mocking intent as well.

"Say, what do you feel now? Are you sad? Are you heartbroken?" Margot looked at Ace while chuckling. "I heard you were hit by Evan, but the pain must have been nothing compared to the heartbreak of being abandoned, Fawn, right?"

"Tsk, shut up."

"Awwww, what's my fault? I'm just curious about you, my sister. I was wondering how you could be so stupid about love but choose to fall in love. You hurt me, very, very disappointing."

"So much to remind you, Mar. The one who was wrong there was Indira. I'm sure Fawn wouldn't misunderstand me at all."

"Of course not, awww.., if Joseph kissed her, I believe you'd be calm. After all, it wasn't Fawn who initiated the kiss. Aye, right?"

No. gabe. Of course not. Ace will scorch the man if he dares to touch Fawn. Ace will make the man destitute his whole life and yes, Ace will lock Fawn up if it means others can't have him.

"Hmmm, I smell jealousy."

"What do you want, Mar? I'm tired now."

"I just want to mock your stupidity." Margot's pulling a shoulder. "Looking at you successfully made Fawn even more doubtful of your feelings for her greatly comforted me. I'm gonna clap."

"I know what happened last night was outrageous, but.., I know Fawn, she wouldn't have thought that far."

"You don't know a girl, my sister. If it was about love, ordinary women overanalyzed the situation. Repeating the incident over and over again in their heads, building assumptions and correcting them over and over again, questioning every possibility that would ultimately only hurt their own heart, women who fall in love often do that to themselves Ace. And you, you just gave Fawn material that she could think of all night."

"You know my goal is Evan, don't you? Fawn must know that too."

"And you think his heart will care about those rational things?" Margot gave a small snort. "It's all your fault. You're too cold, you close your heart to women, in the end you have no experience dealing with them. I'm sorry for Fawn and her heart."

"Is it that bad?" Thanks to Margot's venomous lips, Ace questioned his own actions. He did not think that Fawn would think that far, that is, Ace had declared his love for Fawn over and over again. There should be no room for doubt, right?

"Before you try to do anything in the future, Ace. I remind you, Fawn is a bodyguard. He and you are very different. He had been standing behind Indira for his entire life. Do you know what that means?"

No. gabe.

"Differences can trigger discomfort, Ace. Self-confidence. When you found out Vera and Angga were together, you showed surprise, didn't you?"

Yeah, because Ace didn't think Anggara would take an interest in his bodyguard. That-oh!

"I believe you've found the answer." Margot patted Ace's arm. He got off the shoulder of the sofa and left his sister alone there. Thinking about his words back.

Just as Ace is shocked at Vera and Anggara's relationship, he strongly distrusts the connection of the two as they are very, very different, Fawn too. Doubt his love because they are so different and regard his love as something foreign and out of place.

Fawn probably thinks he's better off with Indira.

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

"I want a divorce." It was a word Indira uttered the next morning, not caring at all that now Evan was looking at her with a stifled rage.

"Do you know what you're talking about?"

"Of course." Indira relaxed. "After all, this relationship isn't going well, is it?"

"What is your solution to the problem? Escape?" Evan held himself back to stay calm. Because, oh. they're in the dining room right now.

They should have breakfast comfortably, instead of going on a blackboard. They should feel the peace of a cup of chamomile tea on the table, not the anger of boiling the blood in his brain.

The four bodyguards accompanying them in the dining room gulped. The atmospheric tension between the two - made the room feel particularly gripping. Fawn who stood beside Aidan until frowned uncomfortably.

Should he listen to this? Fawn wondered full of irritation.

"of course. What's wrong with running away? I don't feel happy being with you and you keep treating me like an ornament that just needs to decorate your house. Oh, lately you've been embarrassing me too. I lasted for 6 months because yes, why not? But.., after I think back. It's not good, our relationship isn't good."

"So, you think getting in touch with Ace is better?"

"Ace is my best friend."

"The best friend you kissed in public. You're my wife, Indira. Do you realize what you've done?"

"Just give the material to the reporter. You can spread it again if you want."

"Shouting me is a form of our disharmony. Let's divorce. I'll talk to the pacifier-"

"Do you think I'll let you do that?"

"Why do you think I need your consent to do something?"

"Because you're still my wife, Indira." Evan stood up from his seat and headed towards Indira who was sitting across from him.

Seeing Evan's movements, Fawn immediately worried about Indira. He was afraid that Evan would put his hand on the girl. Fawn was about to approach Indira right then and there, if only Aidan did not hold his wrist.

"What-what?" Indira stuttered as Evan stood beside her, his back leaning against the table while his hands were anchored on Indira's chin. Clutching that white jaw in his hand.

"I think I've been too soft on you," Evan looked at Indira's pair of eyeballs, pressing the girl in her invisible aura pressure. He dominated Indira with just the look of his eyes. Instill fear there, mixed with intimacy.

"Remember what I told you?" Evan lowered his head to the right side of Indira's face. To her neck that smells like vanilla. "I'll tie you to my bed if that means I can protect you."

"Do you think my restraint is protection?"

"Yes, I need to prevent you from doing things that will harm you."

"Ace is not a danger to me."

"Ace no, but me." Evan scanned Indira's expression from the side. Noticing how the girl's face showed shock and confusion at the same time.

"If you think warming me up with that cheap act is going to make me angry, you're so right, Indira. I'm so angry now and you, you're gonna get rewarded for your actions."

"What-what"

"..."

"..."

Fawn was very sure he was watching Evan and Indira's dispute earlier. He remembered that the topic of their conversation was divorce. Then, how could they end up scooping each other's faces in a kiss?

Did his eyes trick him or did he start hallucinating from lack of sleep yesterday?

"Fawn," Aidan scolds Fawn.

"Yes?"

"Get out."

"Huh?"

"Get out!"

At that moment, Fawn realized that Rishan-assistant Evan Caspian was waiting for them at the door, leading them out of the room like he was herding sheep out of his stable.

Fawn obeyed Rishan and inevitably returned to her room. His task today seems to be delayed for some time. Thank you to Indira and Evan who did something not at his time and place.

Ting!

The sound of a cell phone notification popped out of Fawn's desk drawer. He, who had been lying on his back in bed, opened a drawer and found a message landing on his phone screen.

Vera.

[If you're not busy, can you come to Leviathan?]

[Even if you're busy, keep coming, please!]

[Someone who 'you know who' is waiting for you in a place that 'you know where'.]

Fawn read the message before dimming the phone screen again. Fawn placed her phone on the chest, thinking of the figure that had just invited her. That's Ace.

He was going to say something, right?

Will he explain himself again? Fawn wondered back.

"Fawn?" someone's voice was heard from the radio. That's Aidan.

"Yes?"

"Mr Anggara is looking for you."

"Eh?"

Fawn got up from her lying position immediately. Why suddenly?

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