For Sale: Male Lead, Obsession Included - Chapter 26
I hesitantly tried to broach the subject, curious about how he thought of me.
Did he see me merely as his master? Or as a comrade sharing the same secret? Or perhaps… as someone he liked?
“Declan. How do you see me?”
“Yes?”
“What feelings do you have for me?”
“Hmm… umm.”
Declan couldn’t easily explain. Was my question too difficult?
As I was about to rephrase the question, his offhand remark made my heart sink.
Not out of excitement, but out of fear.
“A collar! I wish Master would give me a collar too.”
“W-What do you mean by that?”
A collar? This didn’t sound good. Is he really the male lead from a dark romance novel, despite his age…?
As I tapped my fingertips together and looked at Declan with anxious eyes, he suddenly ran to the bookshelf and brought back the picture book he read every day.
The book where he had asked me about the words ‘collar’ and ‘master’.
Watching Declan’s actions, I had only one wish.
Please, let it not mean what I’m imagining.
“Here. In this part, the master gives the dog a collar.”
“W-Why does that matter?”
“It means the dog belongs to the master, right?”
“…”
“I think of you as my master, like in the book. The one who will hold my collar.”
Declan… do you even realize how serious the words you’re saying are?
As I watched my slave say such an incredible thing with a bright smile, I collapsed weakly onto the sofa.
Seeing me like this, Declan tilted his head, looking innocent and unaware of what was wrong.
‘Have I already been obsessively clung to…?’
Seeing that slave with clear eyes touching his neck, I felt like crying. Should I be relieved that it’s not a romantically-inclined obsession…?
‘No, Estira. Get a grip.’
It’s too early to think I’m being obsessed over.
I still have my last resort to escape the male lead’s obsession, right?
I’ve even considered ‘running away’ to prepare for the worst-case scenario… it’ll be fine.
Yes, it will be.
Isn’t there the saying, it’s not over until it’s over?
No one will know until I safely chuck this dangerous slave back to the duke like a hot potato.
Whether I’d become the object of his obsession or not.
***
Click.
I opened the door with blurry eyes.
‘Ah. I want to quit. But I can’t quit since my house is my workplace.’
I opened the door slowly, thinking the same thing I did every morning. Then, I couldn’t take another step because someone’s chest bumped into my forehead.
‘Wait, a chest?’
I looked up blankly, and the owner of the firm chest was smiling down at me.
“B-Brother Pacion?”
Why is this man in front of my room at the crack of dawn…?
Taking advantage of my confusion, Pacion pushed the door open and stepped inside.
“Make us some tea.”
“What? I’m about to go to work…”
“I asked Father to free up your morning.”
Pacion moved confidently, like he owned the room, opened the balcony, and sat on a chair. Seeing him shamelessly point to the chair in front of him with his chin, a wave of anxiety washed over me.
It seemed like he knew I was the one who stole the documents from the office yesterday.
“What brings you here?”
I had no tea.
I sat across from him, trying to appear calm.
He smiled lightly, as if he were out for a stroll, then leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table, and drew closer to me.
“You ignored my warning, didn’t you?”
“…Did I?”
“Yes. You did.”
“…I see.”
Pacion’s blue eyes glinted with an unpleasant light.
“I’ve been watching you closely lately. The day before yesterday, and yesterday too.”
I looked straight at Pacion.
The unwavering gaze he directed at me indicated he wasn’t lying.
Given he was a reclusive person whose intentions were hard to read, he could have really been watching me leisurely.
I forced myself to compose my expression and asked if that was so, to which Pacion’s smile deepened.
“I watched what kept you so busy.”
“…”
“I found out what you were up to.”
“…”
“Blowing the whistle on corruption.”
A heavy silence fell between us.
Pacion leaned back and burst into laughter.
“Your little cat burglar stunt.”
“…”
“I saw how busily you moved to bring down our family.”
Our contrasting pairs of eyes clashed in midair.
