The Manipulated Villainess

Cassandra Lim was sitting inside Nathan\'s house but she still finds it hard to believe that Nathan Woo really invited her in. It\'s the first ever since he finds out her identity! Thinking of this made her slightly smiled to herself. Maybe Nathan had started to waver.

Nathan came out from the kitchen and handed her a bottle of water. Then he sat opposite her. However, he didn\'t say anything.

"You really won\'t talk?" She asked after drinking the water.

Nathan Woo braced his palms and narrowed his eyes. "I\'m not in the mood for that."

The Moyan Boss was quite flustered as he answered her just like she thought. "Then why won\'t we talk about something else? Perhaps about us?"

Nathan shifted his gaze to Cassandra and let out a sigh. "You won\'t change." He remarked.

"That goes for you too." Cassandra calmly said.

"I\'ve changed a lot, Cassandra. Many years had passed." The Reyon Boss said while his gaze lingered on the only woman in his life. However, he turned away the next second.

"I know," Cassandra muttered. "You had lost your carefree nature. I used to love that because it\'s something I never have."

Hearing her words, Nathan\'s calm face was slowly replaced by a troubled one. "Cassandra -"

"But one thing still remained the same," Cassandra said, interrupting Nathan from speaking. Lowering her gaze from his face, she glanced at his chest. "It\'s your heart. Your feelings for me."

Nathan Woo fell silent, fixating his gaze on the Moyan Boss once again. "Don\'t say -"

"Can I not hear your rejection just for tonight?"

Her strange yet desperate plea prevented him from saying whatever he was trying to say. Pleading? That\'s unlikely coming from the proud Cassandra Lim! He looked at her with a perplexed face.

Cassandra finally shifted her gaze from him and narrowed her eyes. She nervously pressed her fingers together which was a very rare occurrence. "For the past 6 years, I\'ve heard all kinds of insult and rejection. Can I be free from that pain just for tonight?"

Never once did Nathan thought the proud Moyan Boss was capable of saying such things! For a while, he was tight-lipped, unable to utter any word.

"Don\'t do that. It\'s unlike you." He finally broke the silence after what seemed to be forever.

"You know, Nathan. I always act as I deem fit." Cassandra muttered in a low voice. Turning back to Nathan, she added, "Rather than losing you forever, I\'m willing to do many things which you think is unlike me."

The Cassandra Lim he knew was never this frank! It made Nathan wondered what had gotten into her?! She behaved so strangely.

"Things aren\'t simple, Cassandra. We aren\'t young anymore to do whatever our heart desires. We both are someone with responsibility."

Cassandra fainted a smile. "I know. You are always reasonable." She paused and quietly stared at him for a while. The way he avoided her gaze pained her and made her felt hopeless. She never felt this way before.

"But you know, Nathan," She continued, still staring at him. "I\'m starting to grow tired. No matter how strong I appeared, in the end, I\'m just a human too."

She knew he still loved her just like she did. However, love was meaningless if one wasn\'t willing or capable to accept it. Cassandra realized that she might only end up hurting not only herself but also Nathan.

Her words made Nathan darted his eyes to her. He gave her a cold shoulder for 4 years and now, she had become tired of it. She was always persistent but now, she said that she was just a human too! He always tried to distance himself from her but... could he really do that? He wasn\'t sure anymore! He tried to speak up but...

Cassandra suddenly rose from her seat. "I will get going. Let\'s talk next time." She narrowed her eyes at her hands that were nervously squeezing her dress. "If there is next time." She murmured which made Nathan raised a brow. Then she rushed out of his house.

Blankly staring at the floor, Nathan thought of his late father whom he always loved and respect with all his heart. "This is too much, Father." He muttered and tightly clenched his fist. "With you on the other side, what am I supposed to do?"

* * *

Nicole ran down the stairs when she heard that Aston was back. She was in the secret room, training with Edwin when the other guards reported the actor\'s arrival to Edwin. The Chairwoman put aside whatever she was doing and rushed to meet her lover.

When she reached the ground floor, Aston was just walking in and she ran to him. The moment she stood right before him, she was very quick to observe him. She gently touched the little wound on his neck and looked at him with concern written all over her face. "Are you hurt somewhere else?" She asked.

Aston shook his head. "I\'m fine. Both Nathan and Leon came on time and helped me." He forced a little smile. He felt guilty for always making her worry!

"You only thought of my safety and neglect yours. I said that many times." Nicole whined. If only he listened to her!

Aston knew very well that he would be cautious if the one they used wasn\'t Aria. He didn\'t saw it coming at all! However, he couldn\'t tell others to save his sister\'s face.

"I know." He calmly said and hold her hands. "I\'m sorry for making you worry. I will listen to you from now on."

As Nicole was filled with rage and disappointment, she couldn\'t just calm down but... she saw Leon entering. Aria had told her before that she told Leon about the situation and he left with his men for Aston\'s rescue.

"Thank you for your help, Leon." She promptly said to her ex-fiance.

"You don\'t have to thank me," Leon said, shifting his gaze to Aston. "Aston is Shara\'s brother, so he\'s my family. I should help him."

"Please tell my sister that I\'m fine." Aston promptly said and Leon nodded.

"I still have things to handle, so I will get going." The potter said and left the house again.

Aston quickly turned back to Nicole but Edwin who was coming down caught his attention. "What are you doing?" He asked the guard with a confused face.

"The Chairwoman asked me to teach her how to use guns. I wrapped up things in the secret room." Edwin Zo responded.

Aston rapidly blinked and turned to Nicole. "You learn how to use guns?"

* * *

Shara was in the Prime Minister\'s study in the Jung family mansion. Peter Jung summoned her as Lester Yun couldn\'t be reached. He had a feeling that Lester Yun messed up things again.

"Leon told me that he caught Lester Yun and his men," Shara said, standing in front of the desk. She knew that the Prime Minister will find out soon, so it\'s better to inform him now.

Peter Jung became very furious as soon as he heard the news. "How is that possible?!" He growled.

"I don\'t know," Shara responded.

Peter Jung suspiciously eyed Shara. "If Leon gets news about Aston Kang, you will surely know it too. Why didn\'t you inform me? If you do that, I will be able to notify Lester Yun."

"I was on my way back to the city. I wasn\'t with Leon and I don\'t know anything." Shara promptly said though she doubted that the suspicious Prime Minister would believe her.

Peter Jung quietly observed Shara for a while and rose from his seat. "Whenever my son is concerned, it\'s hard to trust you, Shara." He said, standing beside Shara.

Though Shara was afraid that the Prime Minister\'s penetrating gaze would see through her, she still had to adjust herself in his direction. It was what she was supposed to do. "I won\'t do anything to trigger your rage again. You know that the price is too high."

"It\'s good if you still remember that. I don\'t like reminding others." Peter Jung coldly said.

"I won\'t forget," Shara said, lowering her gaze all the time.

"We have to solve Lester Yun\'s case first." Peter Jung firmly said.

"You want me to rescue him again? I doubt that\'s possible."

Peter Jung shook his head. Then he took a seat on the couch and gave a quick thought. "Now that Lester Yun is caught again, I think I should just handle him. It won\'t be easy to find someone crazy like him again but... I can\'t just wait for him to expose me."

Shara darted her eyes to him and raised a brow. "You want to kill him?"

"I want you to do that." Peter Jung simply said as if the task was nothing!

"I can\'t do that." Shara objected though she knew that it wouldn\'t please the Prime Minister.

"I know you don\'t want to harm anyone, let alone take a life." Peter Jung said and stood up again. "However, Lester Yun is now in the hands of the Blackhood and only you can go there. You must do this. I\'m sure that Leon will send him to the Government first thing in the morning, so... we only have tonight."

"But -" Shara instantly froze but the reason wasn\'t Peter Jung. It was the sound of the door being opened. The one who came inside was... Leon?!

What was this?! Did he heard everything?!